Hovercraft

Hovercraft, originally uploaded by Alan Perryman.

Just in case you missed it earlier… today I finally managed to take a ride on a Hovercraft.

Great fun – it felt like such an effortless machine gliding across the water onto the shore. Guess they must be *really* expensive of we’d have more of them!

Olympic cycling

Olympic cycling, originally uploaded by Alan Perryman.

Anyone know what this sign is all about in Snaresbrook?

Mint Creams

Mint Creams, originally uploaded by Alan Perryman.

Hackney Wick is literally a stones throw from the #lympic park. But the corporate world seems to end at the canal and the forbidden towpath…

London’s Cable Car

Today saw a brand new piece of infrastructure open across London’s sky line: branded Air Line by it’s sponsors, a new cable car from North Greenwich to Royal Victoria Dock.

Cable Car

Shiny Plane!

Shiny Plane!, originally uploaded by Alan Perryman.

One more from yesterday – some kind of plane heading away from City Airport.

Big Yellow Spike

Big Yellow Spike, originally uploaded by Alan Perryman.

Today I had to bring my camera into to work to get some portraits of my colleagues – so I also took in my 1970s 200mm prime to see what else I could grab during my lunch break.

This is probably my favourite, the o2 (“North Greenwich Arena” / Millennium Dome / Tent) up close and spiky.

Horniman Aquarium

Here little fishy…

A few weeks ago, when my parents came to stay we decided to venture across the river to a museum I had read a little about: The Horniman.

Cycling – the Mancy Way!

When I first started cycling, I never expected to be in a position to cycle along a motorway; for obvious reasons it’s illegal!  However… this bank holiday Monday I had the fortune to stumble across a cycling event running along the Mancunian Way (A57M or Mancy Way as known locally).

Looking up Mancunian Way towards UMIST and the west

On spotting the cyclists whizzing overhead, I thought I should get a closer look, so proceeded up the slip road just by Upper Brook St.  Very quickly I could hear someone yelling behind me. A glance over my shoulder revealed an angry looking G4S security guard running in my direction.

I am bicycle man

Taking the hint that this wasn’t wise I stopped. Apparently the road was closed to “all vehicles” and my bike counted as a vehicle. I did protest slightly pointing at the other bicycles up on the carriageway but figured it would be easier not to get into an argument with a Scots guard.

Overpass over London Road

Heading back through the old UMIST campus to the London Road junction I found a few more security guards.  Local lads, they were much more amenable particularly as I approached them directly to ask what it was all about and “did I need a number” to ride? They were happy enough to let me on saying the last few riders in the race (it was a charity thing organised by The Mirror) had now passed here and I could catch them up!

Looking back towards UMIST

So off I went, the wrong way down a motorway on my bicycle. Having cycled into Manchester already I didn’t feel the need to go too far – half a mile later I came off again headed on my merry way.

Definitely an enjoyable experience that I would have another go at given the chance, those overpasses have some interesting gradients!

Cranking it up

Snap!

A few weeks ago I was unlucky enough to suffer a snapped crank whilst cycling to work. As you can see from the dirt in the stub above, this must have been a fairly old injury that had been gradually worsening over time. Even though I am not very mechanically minded, I set out to find the tools and parts to repair. (If you aren’t interested in bikes stop reading now.)

View Tube

View Tube & Tower Block

 

Another shot from film, the View Tube container café is dwarfed by the development on Stratford High St.