Is it really nearly a year since our friends at Tally Ho! took the Guvnors’ Assembly around the East end of London? And we have still not regaled the unfortunate chaps who could not attend with our tales of daring-do, adventure and spiritual home coming.
As many of you are aware, it has became somewhat of a tradition for Tally Ho! Cycle Tours to take the GA around the less travelled roads of London, where we get to go off the beaten track and our wonderful guides get plied with as much beer as they can drink during our frequent stops. In talks prior to the ride, Mr Jack Harris was musing over possible routes, “Do you think the GA would like to have a gin tasting at a new distillery that’s opened?” Destination sorted.
The spiritual home of Tally Ho! is The Walrus and so this is where we met, slowly gathering in numbers, a few new faces, a few old faces and a few old friend faces. We were eventually enticed onto our bikes by the promise of gin and if we behaved our selves a pint (maybe two). Such was out keenness to push on, even with several stops en-route to point out we arrived at the gin tasting far too early so we were packed off to Ropewalk on Maltby Street. When every man and his dog pops along to Borough market, Ropewalk was a rather pleasant change with a rather tasty breakfast being found in a Bloody Mary at Little Bird Gin the perfect aperitif before our twelve o’clock at Jensen Gin. Jensen’s are a small batch gin distillery, producing two main gins (Bermondsey Dry Gin and Jensen’s Old Tom), rather conveniently they produce smaller batch specials such as Chai Gin, in a rather handy pocket sized bottle.
To a lesser cycle club, this would have signalled the end of the day, not however the GA. Bikes are to be ridden so ride them we do, this time heading up along the Regent Canal, where unfortunately one of our number suffered a puncture, the GA have a credence “Never leave a man behind”, however we were near the pub, sorry our destination, Alan assured us he was in good hands so we did the decent thing and popped off down the road and popped one in the pump for the late arrivals.
The Palm Tree in Mile End, was a marvellous Public House, untouched by the fripperies of the outside world it was in every sense a London Boozer. This seemed to have an unusual effect on Mr Simons, who suddenly became more Cockney than a barrel full of Pearly Kings and Queens, insisting it was his manor, he was in the chair and if we turned his offer down he would “lace” us, shortly before dancing out of the door singing “Doin’ the Lambeth Walk ‘Oi”.
Time running a little short a little charge was needed across the old Met, with a quick stop to thank Jack and Niles for an outstanding day out and giving them (rather embarrassingly) proper bottle of beer as a token of thanks.
If this sounds like a good way to spend a Sunday after the Tweed Run, or you just fancy an interesting ride around London then the good news is Jack has yet again offered to take us to another new and unusual route, details are a little hazy at the moment although we will be meeting at the Walrus ten(ish) and finishing at the Walrus at four(ish), Mr Harris also mentioned something about “Whisky Mick’s” new ride.
A quick update, make sure you have on your best Bib and Tucker, we maybe immortalised for future generations.
Sounds like it could be a good’n.
To maybe whet your palette are few snaps from last year,
