Not quite a Poldhu day, with the wind blowing off the sea, but as near as damn it. Perranuthnoe seemed a good alternative, as it can usually accommodate the OGIL, though we need to be there before 11 when the breakfast menu finishes. Just Phil1, myself and new rider, Pete, at Union Corner but a goodly collection spilling out into the junction at the other place, discussing Mike2’s new Gore-tex jacket. My social influencing wasn’t working. Kath’s absence was noted; she had posted on FB that she was having problems getting her bike out of the shed. Clearly the wrong Key to sort out a jammed padlock. (Kath’s book entitled “100 eeble excuses” will be in the shops on riday if she can ind the “f” in John Bull Printing Outfit).
Once you get to Longdowns, where we met up with Jan, it is an almost straight line to Goldsithney, where we took a left, and down into Perranuthnoe. Well in time for the breakfast menu but not as early as a group of women Ramblers, all in the queue to order. However, whilst they considered whether it was too windy to sit outside, we had nipped in and draped coats on enough chairs to reserve sufficient tables for the 12 of us, Jan and Pete on one, Paul and Keith on another and Fred, John, Phils 1 and 3 and Mike 2 on a third. Simon, Ian and myself sat to one side, awaiting the arrival of Robin, he drove, for a final pre record attempt meeting. I did ask Fred what the other topics of conversation were but he had already forgotten.
The route back took us up the road from Goldsithney to Leedstown and on to Praze, again a fairly straight route on reasonably quite roads; I don’t know why we don’t go that way more often. The only drawback was that we got a bit spread out and arriving at Praze, Fred, Pete and I found no one waiting. Choosing to turn left by the school we made our way up towards Nine Maidens. The others, of course, had chosen the Drift road and on to Black Rock. Ian did, eventually, come looking for us but we didn’t catch up with the rest, apart from John who had disappeared along the way, until we got to Penmarth, where they had also bumped into Emma. 45 miles for me. Dean