This is not a boat, I accept that. But it is still an essential tool to enjoy river life. Yesterday I got one and today it sped me along the Thames path from Putney to Kew in 45 minutes to meet others for a picnic.It felt very civilized - like one of those European countries where everyone looks very healthy riding on bides with two advert-cute blond babies looking out from their trolley.
The path looks a bit like this:
At times it is so narrow you can feel the bushes on either side and have to stop in a passing place if anyone comes the other way. On one side (in the photo above the left) is the river and there are stunningly pretty views - a place called Strand on the Green caught my eye looking as twee yet pretty as music by Elgar at his English-lyrical best.Of course it would have been better to have been on the river - like the dinghies racing by Hammersmith Bridge.
Or even like this gentleman who not five minutes ago passed outside heading gently upriver....
The bike shop sold many accessories - but amongst all the clips, helmets, pumps, shorts, lights and so on, for some reason they didn't try to sell me a pair of bright yellow floats!
