Event 3.2 – Sunday stroll [REPORT]
It was a glorious day on the London Sunday Stroll skate
A textbook perfect day; glorious weather, lots of able-bodied people, good times, good food, good laughs.
Given that the London skate is an event that is weather reliant (and let’s face it, we just never know in London – it even rained Sunday morning only to turn sunny later) it could only really go up on AYMP last minute. I called it Event “3.2” for two reasons; firstly, it was impromptu, and secondly this is the third instalment of us joining the London skate, an event I maintain is one of the best networking events around.
On this occasion around 200 people were in attendance and the day was sunny and bright. The music bike pumped out the beats as we skated and weaved through London’s streets to our halfway point at Battersea Park (click here to see the route)
Pic-nique and volleyball in the park after the skate
When the skate wrapped up back in Hyde Park, the energy level was high as a few dozen of us skated down the Serpentine and setup camp on a big grassy area for a pic-nique and some volleyball. It was picturesque – sun, sand, grass and glimmering water. And that’s when it happened…
While I was playing volleyball I jumped up to block a shot… and heard a loud tearing sound. When I landed felt a draft downstairs. My shorts had ripped right down the seam – back to front. I heard giggles and smirks. Yep, I had ripped my pants. All good: I hung my t-shirt off the back like a big diaper and got back in play. The show must go on!
As the afternoon weaned we relaxed and took in the sites: A distinguished and decorated Jamaican Rasta skater groovin’, a bunch of disco skaters dancing, and a bounding dog being cheered by everyone in the park as he tried to catch and kill a very fast and cheeky remote-controlled Monster truck.
Even as the sun faded, the energy a day in the sun was still high, so a half dozen of us went back to my place to have a BBQ in the back yard; more good times, laughs and char-broiled steaks. Like I said, textbook perfect summer day.
The day ended with a BBQ at my place
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the London skate is an amazing way to meet people. It’s a free, active day out with a friendly crowd who are always up for follow-on adventure. Indeed at best you might meet someone amazing, and at worse you’ll make lifelong friends. Win-win.
Sunday is the Stroll (nice and easy pace), but now that summer is here there are three skates a week with varying levels of pace.
Photos from the day:
Having trouble viewing this Flickr slide show? Click here.
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This post is part of Event 3.2. |
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Event 3.2 – Sunday stroll [EVENT DETAILS]
The weather is looking gorgeous this weekend, so I’ll be joining the London Sunday Stroll, and then after we will relax in Hyde Park, have a pic-nique and perhaps play some volleyball or other park games. AreYouMyPartner has joined the London Sunday Stroll and London Friday Night skate before (Event 3), and it’s an amazing day out and a great way to meet adventurous, like-minded people so we’re doing it again.
See you there!
Event details
Starts: Sunday, May 8th 2011 @ 1:45 PM
Location: Hyde Park Corner. Click here for map.
Cost: FREE (but you need to bring skates and any safety gear you like wearing. If you don’t have any skates or gear, you can rent the whole kit for the day for £10 from here: Club Blue Room, near Marble Arch)
Who can come: Anyone can come – you can be a novice skater on the Sunday Stroll. All you need to know how to do is stop. You will be in a large, protected crowd of people. It’s very safe, and very fun!
If you don’t want to skate, but still want to participate in this event, you have two other choices to come out on that day;
1) You can bike, but bikers hang at the back of the crowd
2) You skip the skate but join us after the event at 4pm for some drinks – call me at 4pm to find out where we’ll be
Weather warning: In the event of bad weather, this event will be cancelled. The “go” or “no-go” information can be found here on the day: www.lfns.co.uk.
Contact:
Email: ideas@areyoumypartner.com
Telephone: On the day you can reach me on this mobile number if you need to: 07528 282 570 (PLEASE NOTE: that number is only active that day, so don’t call it before or after.)
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This post is part of Event 3.2. |
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Event 3 – Wheelin’ [REPORT]
Yesterday was a great day out: good people, good weather, mobile music… The London Sunday Stroll Skate doesn’t disappoint!
Now this is how to get to know someone… skate through the streets!
– Karen, 26
The music bike was in attendance with some great tunes, and so we followed the beats and the lead marshal as they guided us through the streets of London to our half time point at St. Paul’s Cathedral. People cheered from sidewalks, buses and balconies and we bobbed and weaved on our skates before we ended back where we started: at Hyde Park Corner.
I would estimate that the skate attendees numbered just under 90, and as usual everyone chats and has a great time.
Below are a few photos from yesterday, and I’ll make a video about the skate and what we might do for Chapter 4 in the next few days…
Having trouble viewing this Flickr slide show? Click here.
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This post is part of Event 3. |
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Event 3 – Wheelin’ [EVENT DETAILS]
Sometimes the best way to clear one’s head and think is to take a walk. It’s REALLY good for problem solving. OR…
…Or grab rollerblades and weave through the streets of London in a crowd with music. Last night I did just that, and figured out what we should do for Chapter 3!
Photo from www.lfns.co.uk
When I first moved to London five years ago, I discovered the London Friday Night Skate. It was a God send; Every Friday night (weather permitting) 150 to 200 people gather to do a street skate along a pre-planned route that is protected by marshals, but lead by music and energy. Pedestrians in the street, on balconies, in cars and on double decker buses take photos and cheer as we roll by them.
It’s an amazing way to meet people, to date and to network. It’s perfect for AreYouMyPartner.
Photo from www.lfns.co.uk
(The friends I’ve made on the skate over all these years have become deep, lifelong friends that are always up for adventure and good times. And what is more, many of those friends met their now-partners and spouses on the skate!)
So last night while I was skating, I thought about all the feedback and ideas that have come from both Chapter 1 and Chapter 2. One main theme that emerged is that both events were very cerebral and really helped people get to know each other using objects. But how about some physical challenges to get to know people? A sporty day out? Something that works the body and the brain?
Photo from www.lfns.co.uk
Well the Friday night skate is for fast skaters, but it’s cousin the Sunday Stroll is for anyone from a novice up, so it’s a perfect fit! But there is a twist…
I will bring with me to the Chapter 3 event a couple of choices for what we organise next for Chapter 4. The people that turn out on this occasion will get first view of what we could do next, the ability to vote on their choice, and then we’ll make the winning choice happen!
Photo from www.lfns.co.uk
Here are all the details:
When: Sunday March 6th, 1:30pm (skate departs at 2pm)
Where: Meet at Hyde Park Corner. On the day you can reach me on this mobile number if you need to: 07528 282 570 (PLEASE NOTE: that number is only active that day, so don’t call it before or after.)
Who:
Anyone can come – you can be a novice skater on the Sunday Stroll. All you need to know how to do is stop. You will be in a large, protected crowd of people. It’s very safe, and very fun!
IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SKATE, but still want to participate in this chapter, you have two other choices to come out on that day;
1) You can bike, but bikers hang at the back of the crowd
2) You skip the skate but join us after the event at 4pm for some drinks – call me at 4pm to find out where we’ll be
What:
Cost: FREE!
(But you need to bring skates and any safety gear you like wearing. If you don’t have any skates or gear, you can rent the whole kit for the day for £10 from here: Club Blue Room, near Marble Arch)
How:
In the event of bad weather, the skate gets cancelled, and they always announce if “It’s a go” or “rained off” on www.lfns.co.uk. HOWEVER, even if it rains I’ll be there, and there is a Plan B, so come along anyway.
Any questions, get in touch, otherwise see you there!
PLEASE NOTE: All the photos you see in this post are from previous London Friday Night Skate and Sunday Strolls. You can see more here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/lfns/pool/
Having trouble viewing this Flickr slide show? Click here.
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This post is part of Event 3. |
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