To be fair it was a slightly miserable forecast, a good chance of rain and cold winds, but there were a couple of new excuses to avoid the weather – running away to Newcastle was good but my favourite was “doing porridge”, although the author of that one managed to break out and join the gang, a slippery customer!! Even our new joiner Steve (of shorts and tee shirt persuasion) was put off by the weather.
Three met at UC, Sylvia sporting a bright red helmet cover which prompted a quick discussion on sartorial elegance and heatstroke versus aerodynamics.
Before we had arrived at the other place, we three had become four, Phil C joining on the tail, citing some story relating to emptying his freezer of chips before breakfast, I think I got the gist of it!
Four then became eight, destination Miss Molly’s. A familiar route, Penmarth, Bolenowe, Troon, on towards Camborne and a right past King Edward mine, through Brea and on to Miss M’s for a warm welcome as always, plus an excessive amount of Xmas decs – Baa Humbug!
Miss M’s moggy (bizarrely also called Molly) took advantage of us opening the door to sneak into the warm, only to be evicted soon after by the staff. Somehow she re-appeared almost immediately only to be shown the door once more, this time by a punter muttering something about cat phobia, but determined to have the last say she managed in yet again but this time nudged in between two Wheelers where she remained, passively, for the duration.
While waiting for our orders, conversation drifted around unnecessary Xmas card swapping and other yuletide excesses, but not long to wait before an egg and bacon bap arrived, followed by a bacon and egg bap (I’ve no idea !!), and a few rounds of toast etc. I went for toast and marmalade which has always been generous in the past, but now (as a nod to Covid I’m guessing!) came with marmalade in plastic mini pots, requiring a Black and Decker hammer drill to open, but I guess that’s progress!
Conversation switched to sea swimming apparel and how to avoid ice cream headaches, a brief chat about relative merits of YHA hostels, glamping, 5 star yurts (with free sea swimming thrown in !!) and even highland Bothy shacks, followed by a detailed discussion of cycle friendly accommodation, ranging from hotels demanding that bikes be stored outside with the dustbins, to those insisting bikes be kept in the room, although with a caveat in one case that the bike be lifted without touching the floor all the way to the room, to prevent an additional “carpet” charge!
The return route sounds v familiar, Tregajoran, round the edge of Carn Brea, Carnkie, Four Lanes, Penhalvean where Simon and Jan jumped ship, on to Stithians and Crane garage where the author split to go see a man about a plank.
All in all, well worth the effort with only a couple of short, sharp showers.
Those dressed up : Amanda, Jan, Adrian, Fred, Simon, Phil C, Sylvia, Paul.
35 miles for me.
Paul