Well it seemed a good idea at the time! Andrew (Straws) was delighted to find he was amongst the lucky folks that got a place on the 4th plinth in Trafalgar Square during Anthony Gormley’s latest art installation. But what to do?
Seemed like a great idea to ride his bike for an hour … especially as trying to track stand for an hour was never going to happen! So on the fateful day, after lazing around in the London sun for the day, his big chance of fame and his place in history approached….as did the rain clouds!!!!!!!!!!!
About one second before the cherry pickers plonked him on the plinth the heavens opened and more rain fell in one hour, than usually does in the whole of August in London. To say he got wet was an understatement!!
A few hardy souls turned up to support him, but the rest just sat indoors in the warmth and laughed at the live feed on Sky Arts.
If you fancy a look / laugh then click here and for those easily offended, then best to skip the first few minutes as the realisation that the rare occasion of the London Monsoon had arrived.
Highlights
2 mins in and a failed attempt at blatant political / cycling ’comment’ fails as it is too wet
12 mins - Davide from appears in free pack a mack from Pret a Manger
14 mins - really raining now!!
25 mins in and time to promote Sustrans and strip to a t-shirt
29 mins - local lads he told he was up there for a week fans go home
32 mins in and top road guide Imogen and owner of a dirty laugh arrives and then goes to the pub
34 mins time to read the brochure
39 mins everyone buggers off expect John who is looking a little cold and decides to ‘dance’!
45 mins - still raining
50 mins - getting bored now
60 mins - time for a cuppa!
Many thanks to Lisa (that lass of mine really does put up with some daft ideas of mine!), Alasdair (silly bloke with no coat)…cheers for the loan of the flat too and sorry i broke your spoons!, John (daft lad in the biking helmet), Simon and Julia (where is my umbrella that you borrowed?!?) and cheers for the Tate Britain present, Imogen (ta muchly for the post dunking wine), Stevie Woods for the turbo trainer, Davide and Giant for the bike, Sustrans for the t-shirt and Anthony Gormley for having such a great idea and for all the folks who text me…sorry i did not reply as my phone got a little waterlogged!! and apologies to my mum and dad for swearing at the start
If you can’t be bothered to look at the web footage then below are a few photos.
3 Responses to “Skedaddle Cycling holidays take their place in art history and cycle on the 4th plinth”
August 22nd, 2009 at 8:08 am
Strawsy - we’d have come out and watched / heckled if we’d known…..
Looks like it was a bit wet - at least the bike didn’t need cleaning after. Good one!
Cheers
August 24th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Straws,
Just been watching the web clip…awesome…we haven’t laughed so much for ages ….
Lesley-Anne read the Skedaddle Twaddle and thought that Stevie Woods had lent you a turbo hairdryer !!
You should have told us you were in London….I think you were on the plinth the same evening we were ensconsed in a nice (dry) restaurant….we came out and all the streets were flooded and half the Underground was shut down cos of flooding !!
We thought the weather was always like that in Newcastle so surprised you weren’t in your element….and so little actual cycling !!!! By the way it’s been a heat wave in London since early August
Just make sure the sun shines for us in the Picos next week !…and it’s been much more entertaining than watching the crap on Friday night TV !!
Lesley-Anne and Kevin
September 4th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Well done you Andy! It’s a brave thing to do, and you kept a smile despite all that rain.
Thanks for wearing the Sustrans t-shirt!