Radical Cyclists Stop Climate Chaos

Tagged as: climatecamp economic_crisis environmentalism
Neighbourhoods: bradford cambridge london nottingham sheffield

A self-organised group a cyclists from Leeds, Bradford, and other locations along the route departed from Bradford on Monday morning, en route for London on 5th December, to participate in the march there which is itself part of the countdown to Cop15.

Calling at Sheffield (Mon evening), Nottingham (Tue), Peterborough (Wed), Cambridge (Thu), and Walthamstow (Fri), the cyclists aim to raise awareness, challenge preconceptions, make friends, and get some serious mileage in the saddle.

Departure-thumb Image_743_-thumb Image_744_-thumb Image_748_-thumb Sumac-thumb Cambridge1-thumb Warboys-thumb Punctures-thumb 100_3376-thumb Photo-0059-thumb Image_74-thumb

Click on a thumbnail for a slideshow view

Numbers involved vary, as riders join and leave the tour according to their other commitments, but there seem to around a dozen currently on the road. Further details may be available from the blog.  - your correspondent understands that twitter updates may also exist, but you can search for those yourself....

Participants range in age from 13 to 80, and vary in fitness (and quality of equipment) from the serious to the woefully under-prepared.

On Saturday the entourage will be joining the climate emergency bike ride leading to the Cop15 warm-up event in central London, "The Wave".

Today (Tuesday) the riders stopped off at Halfway Junior school on the outskirts of Sheffield (at the top off a very big hill!) to meet the kids there and tell them about their journey.

Asked what exciting events were planned for Wednesday, one of the participants advised that Wednesday mainly consists of cycling 60 miles into a headwind and pissing rain.

Your correspondent almost broke his pencil.

At least one of the cyclists mentioned that they might be interested in the Cop out Camp on Saturday if the location was "sufficiently groovy" and the weather bearable.

Friday Update

Following a blissful evening at the Sumac centre in Nottingham on Tuesday (details elsewhere, when your correspondent finds the time) the cyclists headed for Peterborough, then Cambridge.  Both fine destinations with excellent hospitality, but no internet access, alas.

The journey to Cambridge was blighted by heavy rain and an unforgiving headwind, but by the time we had called at Warboys school for tea & cakes, and inspection of the new bike station (not shed, mind, station)...and finally a photo-op with a selected group of photography-approved children, the rain had stopped and the sun almost came out.

The second half of the journey to Cambridge included a section along a yet-to-be-opened guided-busway (a former railway line doomed by the Beeching Cuts) where we learned the joys of rolling along super-smooth concrete with the wind, finally, to our backs.

By the time the tour left Cambridge this morning there were 19 riders (and a few extra cyclists seeing us off) and the sun was out again. After a stop for more flag-poles at the cane shop we ploughed on through another brisk headwind, lunched at Ware, stocked up on horns for honking-enablement, and finally arrived - via cycle route 1, the Lea valley tow-path (five punctures and a premature return to the smooth tarmac and people-killer world of the main roads) -  at the Hornbeam Centre for a tasty evening meal.

We expect reinforcements from Manchester any time now, and are looking forward to joining with large numbers of other cyclists tomorrow for the Climate Emergency Bike Ride. 

Saturday morning update

Cyclists breakfasting at the Hornbeam, polishing their rims, oiling chains, and preparing for the big bike meet-up at Lincoln's Inn Fields

 

Additions

Thursday Update!

Having spoken to our intrepid reporter this morning, I can confirm that the group has now reached the outskirts of Cambridgeshire and have spent a slightly slower day cycling today though a plethora of punctures and less than great weather.

Our correspondent, phone in one hand, puncture repair kit in the other, and lamenting his lack of vision in packing waterproof clothing (though he does it would seem have some kind of bike-poncho which is 2 sizes too small) explained that the group had not had access to the internet for the last few days, but that more pictures and updates are to follow soon.

Wheels on fire!

Saturday Update

Telephone despatch received at 1700h:

The bikers have now arrived at Trafalgar Square where Climate Camp is in the process to being pitched. There are two tripods up, one of them occupied by someone with a transparent umbrella. A 6x4m kitchen tent has been erected and people are chopping vegetables within. About ten pop-up tents are about and bike generator for power. There are at least two Northerners there, and possibly more nearby. There is talk of occupying the site for up to two weeks. Spirits are high and there hasn't been much harassment. Banners are showing "Stop Climate Chaos" and messages critical of the COP15 process.