Roger
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roggys.bsky.social
Roger
@roggys.bsky.social
Brompton & big wheeled bike rider, cycle campaigner. Narrowboat owner, Salar, Slough Arm Ex IWA Trustee. Likes Belgium beer www.youtube.com/@roggieLondon
Reposted by Roger
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.

They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
When at Brussels Midi.... Cantillion.
November 25, 2025 at 1:24 PM
One for Thomas, gentle pedal around the Citadelpark then off to the Botanical Gardens,
www.gum.gent/en/ghent-bot...
November 25, 2025 at 1:23 PM
15 minute bike ride back to another old favourite in NW Gent, Café Congé with it's interesting beer list.
November 25, 2025 at 1:20 PM
They don't really do heating at Café Oude Drie Leien so next stop was Cafe Grand in Drongen centre, they love their Christmas lights. Some might say OTT but Sinterklaas has come.
November 25, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Best made plans to watch cyclo-cross & Gent 6 on TV in local cafe, closed permanently. Headed out to one of my fav local cafes, Café Oude Drie Leien on the river. Owner very happy to see me again. WiFi just good enough to watch races on my mobile, great effort by Cameron Mason.
November 25, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Sunday was a celebration of Sinterklaas in Belgium, came across parade in Gent suburb of Drongen.
Interesting to read about traditional, including controversial blacking up. I note that there was some subtle blacking of helpers in photo.
www.discoveringbelgium.com/sinterklaas/
Weather not good.
November 25, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Swift pedal thru town to the always excellent Trappistenhuis. Very quiet. 2 bottles of Chouffe came with pretty unimpressive hat.
November 25, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Café Folklore, pretty close to the Castle of the Counts, Gravensteen. Only open limited weekends as owners are not getting any younger. Busy, buzzy and friendly. Heard our 'Jupiler pop' for the first time. Loads of locals there for a big card game.

Thanks to @pisci.bsky.social for recommendation
November 25, 2025 at 12:55 PM
What to do on a cold Saturday morning in Gent.. go swimming in the impressive Art Deco pool. visit.gent.be/en/see-do/va...
November 25, 2025 at 12:47 PM
This is what you missed @bonsvoeux1.bsky.social
Gent 6 half time entertainment.
November 25, 2025 at 11:54 AM
You pop into a small brown cafe in Bruges and who do you find.... Perhaps not a coincidence;-)
November 25, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Lovely day for a bike ride, Gent to Bruges, 40+km mainly along canals. Stopped for refreshments in de Brug, Sint Joris.
November 21, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Winter weather in Gent today, rain, sleet and snow. Today visited a wool shop (!!), Le Bal Infernal - used book café & the ultra touristic Dulle Griet with it's shoe deposit for their 1.2l beer glass. The latter does have a huge beer list.
November 20, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Found a thrift store here in Gent, right by a university campus. Pretty good selection of Belgium beer glasses at €1 or less. Very disciplined and only brought 1. There were Ypres glasses but so brittle that unlikely to survive the trip home.
November 20, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Back in Gent, local beer in a local cafe followed by a selection of delicacies in nearby friterie.
November 19, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Interesting article about @greenjennyjones.bsky.social in the current @iwa-uk.bsky.social magazine.
Amazed that one of her highlights wasn't when I joined her on the boat exploring Deptford Creek. A unique experience indeed.
November 17, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Looks like 2 sessions of the annual #Gent6 cycling event will be available to watch on TV, other sessions only if you have a BE Pickx subscription. I’ll hopefully be watching Sundays coverage in a comfortable cafe in Drongen just outside Gent.

https://cycling.pickx.be/fr/
November 17, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Gent.... I'm off to Gent on Wednesday for our annual Gent 6 trip. Any recommendations as to not obvious places to visit welcome. Doesn't have to have a great beer list but different. Have been going for decades so know it well but always worth asking others.
November 15, 2025 at 1:58 PM
@iaindale.bsky.social the lady was speaking about her family allowance being stopped because she went to NY.
November 10, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Found a handy place to moor.... Almost right outside a decent pub in Uxbridge, The General Elliot. Saves cooking tonight.
November 8, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Lots of questions to the board at @shepherdneame.bsky.social AGM, some critical. Perhaps too many as long Q&A is eating into tasting time and some groans from sections of the audience show this.
November 7, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Reposted by Roger
This is good news! A well maintained, accessible network which preserves the important heritage of our canal system benefits all. The Cotswold Canal trust shares the same goal as IWA in creating a navigable network. Investment is needed. #inlandwaterways #ukcanals

www.bbc.com/news/article...
Restoration project for Gloucestershire canal gets £6.4m
An accessible towpath from Stroud to Gloucester will be created to form a "wildlife corridor".
www.bbc.com
November 6, 2025 at 11:04 AM
7 months old Orval @ Dovetail for a pre Ronnie Scotts evening of jazz....
November 6, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Reposted by Roger
🚨Breaking News! Britain’s 5,000 miles of canals are at breaking point
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
🌧️ Floods in winter. 💧 Drought in summer. 💸 Years of underfunding.
If nothing is done we will lose part of our living heritage, and vital blue-green lifelines for wildlife & communities.
Britain’s canals and rivers face lack of funds amid climate pressures, campaigners warn
Many waterways vulnerable to breaches and closures and face mounting maintenance costs, charity says
www.theguardian.com
November 1, 2025 at 11:30 AM