Revel without a Course

With apologies to James Dean, and to you for the contrived title, but, well, it reminds me of when I secured the prestigious job of Chair of our college Film Society, by being the only person in the room when they were looking for successors.  My only qualifications were that I had been taking the money off people for our weekly film showings (sound familiar?), and being slow to think of an excuse.   My first assignment was to book the films for next term - and I quickly realised that I hadn't a clue (my film experience being pretty well limited to Mary Poppins and Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines).   So I asked the outgoing chairman to suggest a programme.   Being a film buff, he was only too happy to scribble down fifteen or so titles for me.

During the holidays, I had to decipher his illegible writing and find these films in the bulky film distributors' catalogues (several the size of an old telephone directory) .   One eluded me: my best guess was Revel Without A Horse.  Much later, I realised it was the James Dean classic, Rebel Without A Cause.   

What does this have to do with cycling?   Not much, but I decided to share it anyway.    Meanwhile, on the cycling front, I needed an excuse to come up with a different bike ride today.   I left the house without a clue (and without a course, of course) and headed to Richmond.   On the way, I decided to check whether the River Thames was still there, so my route consisted of Richmond to Ham, to Kingston, via Thames Ditton to Hampton Court and continuing on the south side of the river to Walton, where I crossed to the other side and went through Shepperton, turned right before Chertsey Bridge, (thereby missing Chertsey Abbey again), up to Laleham and Staines, almost all off the towpath (which wasn't that busy, in fact) but quite often in sight of the river.  A pretty thorough survey, I think you'll agree, but more to the point, a nice ride, 36 miles, no hills and not too many people.

Was the Thames still there?   You decide.

Still there.

Still there.

Still there.

Still there.

Still there.  But no ferry, no ice cream, and no boat hire.

Still there.

Still there.

Still there.

Still there.

Still there.

Still there.

Still there.

Staines, still -on-Thames

Swan Upping

PS.  On the way home I had to go through an annoying 4-way control set of temporary traffic lights in Feltham, which have been there for weeks.  They weren't working, and everyone was using common sense and getting by just fine.   Perhaps Stay Alert is working...?