The Marazion Ride, part 1.

With it being the first Sunday ride since lockdown, and with a favourable weather forecast, I expected to see a host of riders queuing up at HQ, and jostling for a place in one of the many rides that would be setting off, in sixes, to various coastal locations. In fact it was gone 9.05, when Dean the younger arrived, that we had a quorum for the one ride and we quickly set off for Marazion, Fred nominally leading from the rear. We left three, I think it was, of the ladies to form a second group. The fast boys, and girls, had met at Longdowns and were already way ahead. Fred suggested a reverse direction for the ride, out via Troon and Carnhell Green to St Erth and down the NCN3 to Marazion. I thought I was struggling to keep up with Phil 3, Phil1, Damien, Fred and Dean. Phil3 thought he was struggling to keep up with me. Whether it was because it had been so long since some had ridden in groups that they had not remembered the niceties of following the route suggested by the leader, or waiting at junctions when there was a deviation from the straight on, I know not, but there was some deviation from Fred’s route at Troon, and few had abided by the Wheeler’s rule that shorts season starts on 1 April. Fred felt his Chairman’s position was being undermined and had thoughts of calling a Special General Meeting with a vote of no confidence, in himself.
I say this is part 1 of the ride as I wanted to be back earlier than a ride to Marazion would allow so pulled the plug at Carnhell Green, saying goodbye and taking a left turn, vaguely in the direction of Helston. A bit more main road than I had hoped but the roads were still quiet. It was the usual route back from Helston, via muddy lanes, now, alas knee deep. in sand and gravel and quite dangerous in parts. A report to Cormac is in the pipeline. 40 miles for me. Dean (feeling the much older).