The October 2002 Origami Ride had been designated a Bike Friday special, and, as with the equivalent Birdy ride earlier this year, we had a particularly large turn out of folder enthusiasts. All told, 26 riders were at the Tearooms in Meriden for the start, and, apart from the Fridays, there was a good selection of other folders, including 3 Birdy Reds and 1 Grey, 3 Bromptons, 4 Moultons and a Micro. There were 8 Fridays, with 11 riders - 2 SatRdays (one with under seat steering, one with above seat steering), a Triple, 2 tandems (one being ridden solo!), 2 New World Tourists and a Pocket Rocket. Telephone calls and emails before the event had suggest even more Fridays might be there, but the poor weather the day before and early in the morning of the day of the ride probably discouraged quite a number of people, especially those who had a long way to travel.
Although it was rather grey when we departed from The Tearooms, conditions gradually improved (as per the weather forecast), and by lunch time there was lots of blue sky and sun. We rode to Kingsbury Water Park, where we took lunch, before riding back to Meriden. The return ride was extremely pleasant, and most riders had to remove their jackets in the sunshine.
One particular surprise was the presence of Paul Stobbs on a Bike Friday NWT again - and not just any NWT, but the same one he had some years ago and then sold!
The Micro and the Pocket Rocket suffered punctures (Primo Comet and IRC Roadlite tyres respectively), but otherwise there were no mechanical problems.
Many thanks to everyone who came to the event and made it such an enjoyable day.
Copyright (C)2002 Ferrets Anonymous
URL: http://www.foldsoc.co.uk/origami/200210.html
Last updated: 15 October 2002