Jour Trois: The Girl Friday goes Royal

June 13, 2011

Wow, what a fun day!

I bagged the idea of going to London. It would have been fun and there was a place that sells maps that would have been handy in France, but in the end I really wanted to ride, and I'm glad I did.

It started out overcast but dry and I made my way towards the town of Stains, where I bought fuel for my camp stove, and then on to Windsor Castle, part of which was a bike route along the Thames River-WOO HOOO!

I met and talked to one of the Lock Keepers who saw my bike and said, "Is that a bike Friday!?" Of course that spurred a conversation. He is retired and works there over the summer and we chatted about locks.

Closer to Windsor I passes a postal carrier, doing her mail route on, that's right, a bike! COOL! I stopped her and chatted for a minute and when I told her I was going to the castle she said, "It's Royal Ascot Day you know." Of course I hadn't a clue what Royal Ascot day is but apparently all the Brits know. "It's a two day event that culminates in the queen riding from the castle in a carriage that goes to Ascot," which has something to do with horse racing from what I could tell. "In fact William and Kate might be there but I don't know for sure." Wow, I was to be witness to a royal happening.

There seemed to be events for the public and two other events that required an invitation and would involve the royal family (or at least the queen). One event required a blue invitation and the other was green. An older lady was standing near the entrance of "green" and I asked what it was all about. "It's an invitation only ceremony," she said. Then she kind of looked at me, and then the Bike Friday, and said, "Do you want an invitation?" She had two and who ever she was meeting couldn't make it.

It was REALLY tempting! Me, part of a royal thing! But, in the end I had to decline. For one thing I had no idea what to do with my bike, which could not be brought in. The idea of mixing with men in 3-piece suits and woman in hats and tea dresses, while I was in grubby cycling clothes would have only been a small matter, at least to me. But the biggest thing is that this "thing" would last at least 4-hours and the lady said, "once you go in you can't leave until it's over." Apparently it was like the royal version of the "Hotel California."

In the end it was probably for the best. On my way out I heard the green crowd inside singing "God Save The Queen." The only words I know to that tune are "My Country 'tis Of Thee" and I doubt that would have gone over well with that crowd.

Still, I had fun watching all the other stuff. I spent most of the time talking to an Irishman who, like me, watched the goings on with a mixture of amusement and interest.

After all the fun I had lunch in the town of Windsor and then rode home, starting with a ride down "The Long Walk" in front of the castle, which was strictly forbidden for bikes. But, I figured if they caught me I would just play dumb about being there. I'm an American after all and what do we know?

By then it also sunny and a very nice! All and all a fun day!

Tomorrow I head to the coast!