There were a lot of questions needing answers last night at Woodlane Social Club as club members exercised their brains rather than their legs for a change.
What was the name of John Lennon’s cat? What was the last Carry On film called? Who is June Brown? Jeremy Paxman eat your heart out, your fancy university degree would have proved useless.
Dan Dare was an impeccable quizmaster and did a fine job including a novel ‘where is the clock tower?’ picture round which was surprisingly hard. JB’s team eventually won and due to a new club rule - the winning team has to provide the next quiz and quizmaster – JB will be testing our IQs later in the year. KK organised a raffle in aid of local charities with many drinkable and edible prizes and there were free Choake’s pasties. All in all a cracking evening.
Many thanks to all who helped make it such a success.

There was some biting easterly wind to contend with but it was a clear, sunny day as 17 members struck out for Perranporth via Truro. At Calenick there was a mini breakaway by those who preferred to go by road rather than follow the old railway track and then the group reassembled in Truro to follow the lovely Idless valley out towards the north coast.

At Perranporth there was a breakfast breakaway as 6 members breakfasted at the café located in the old Healy (as in Austin) garage rather than completely overrun the usual wheelers’ favourite breakfast stop. From Perranporth it was a very nice cycle back to Blackwater, Chacewater and Bissoe where there were even more breakaways as members made off for homes in different directions.

Laura has significantly upped her pace by getting lots of miles in (and borrowing a Specialised Roubaix) and we were joined by a new rider, Laura’s friend Simon, who cycled further than he ever had before but seemed to enjoy it - let’s hope we see him again. This writer did 43 miles. Those who returned to Falmouth via Stithians with Red Leader and Mr Gunner must have done more...

On November 24th last year my best friend, and very popular Falmouth boy, William Styles lost his life in a tragic accident. On March 31st in his honour 10 friends and I will be cycling from Falmouth to Lake Como in northern Italy. 
It's no small feat, even for a well oiled machine like myself. We will be covering roughly 1200 miles in 14 days (including a cheeky rest-day in a vineyard somewhere in France). 

We are aiming to raise at least £10,000 for the Child Brain Injury Trust which is Will's mother's charity of choice. Hopefully with your support we can surpass that figure. 
Here is the online donation page and CBIT's website. If anybody would like to contribute the old fashioned way then we have an account set up for cash and cheques. Email: cornishben@gmail.com for details. 

Cheers in advance,  Bianchi Ben (Wardle)

Weather watchers kept a keen eye on the window expecting the previously forecast storm to be lashing at the curtains as we awoke Sunday morning, but no Dry Clear with even a hint of Sunshine albeit a brash cold!

So the 9.30 ride was on but sadly only three turned up; Mickey, Hilary and Bernie (in shorts). As before Hilary had decided the route and Mickey and I fell into line and followed suit against the strong breeze towards Penryn, down the bypass hill along Commercial Road, up Truro Hill (why Hilary, why?) and on to Mylor Downs, the Norway Inn and Devoran to Point. At this point my knees started to regain their feeling, a bit of a domestic had occurred which resulted in my winter dress code being UN available! (Hilary knows the real story!!!)
On to Playing Place and across the roundabout down to the back end of Carnon Downs then on to Chacewater, apparently I got this point wrong as we should have crossed the cross roads and then returned along this road with the wind behind us, instead of the slow punch directly into the cold blast (sorry Hilary), on to Ricci’s Caff via Twelveheads, making sure our Golden Spoke Award was still in place, and a well earned cup of coffee.

Then on to Perranwell where we split and headed back to our abodes. A very pleasant ride home by 12.30 and another respectable 31.5 miles covered.

This promises to be an enjoyable, informative and maybe even slightly squiffy evening. What more could anyone ask?

Thanks to a superb idea from KK and Red Leader (rumoured to be hatched over a bottle of wine) there will be a wine tasting happening on Friday the 19^th March at Woodlane Social Club (downstairs) 7 for 7.30pm. Nigel, from Wines in Cornwall, will be supplying the wine and the knowledge. The cost is £7.50 per head. You are not expected to know anything about wine apart from how to open a bottle. And you won’t even have to do that!

Please let KK or RL know if you are coming as numbers may be limited….

It's Quiz Night time again on Thursday 11th of March, 7.30 at Woodlane so get those thinking caps on and earn some extra points on the night by finding the hidden wheelers in this jumble of letters -DCTAJSTDOROLEVONENIEHURENGUOWVORSEBUIN
ETDSONCHRONKARDLENNERISTOPINHERSRTON. And whilst you are around and about in the next two weeks you will need to KEEP AN EYE ON THE TIME!

Another good turnout with 16 riders but this Sunday we decided to take an easy ride to Godrevy for tea and cakes. All in all about 50 miles (I turned off my Garmin mid-ride by accident) and no hills to speak of – compared to last Sunday that is. However, we did maintain a good average speed which kept the blood pumping.
After a chilly start the weather became sunnier and sunnier and coats and gloves came off. It became almost warm. Along North Cliffs Dale sped away at the front never to be seen again (see message board). Don Gunner said that at his age he couldn’t keep doing these long rides and then revealed he did over 8000 miles last year! Yours truly had another puncture. 
Even though there were a few familiar faces missing 16 riders seems to be the average on a Sunday 9 o’clock ride now. Gone are the days when all the 9 o'clockers could get in the Jam Pot at Gwithian for breaky…

Dispatches from Bernie...After last weeks 0900 ride I did expect more to turn up for the 09.30 start, but no ,they must of all recovered or forgot the pains of Mevagissy!
Dave’s and Mickey’s ride has for a few weeks been joined by others and is slowly gathering momentum in supplying a twenty to thirty mile ride and getting home for around 12 to 1300hrs, leaving enough time to continue the gardening or visit the in-laws, or in my case the decorating.
This Sunday with Dave (Admiral) being away at Rugby duties somewhere in Italy, Mickey was pleased to have some company (well I think that’s what he said!) Hilary had already decided on the route so at 9.30 sharp of the three of us went, usual route through Budock no-mans land, Treverva and Halvasso, at which junction we saw a flash of Caroline who was doing her own thing speeding back towards Penryn via Longdowns, onward past the reservoir and up to Lanner, across towards Caharrick and down to Bissoe (Riccies café) for coffee and hot chocolate.

At Perranwell we split at the Royal Oak with Hilary and Mickey heading of to Mylor and myself on back to Stithians, a very pleasant ride in some sunshine and plenty to talk about, home by 12.30 and another 32 miles under the belt.     

Holiday disasters or near death incidents always provide plenty to write home about as indeed did our ride today. There's so much to talk about it's best to keep it short and maybe keep the details for a short novel later.

Looking back, the point of no return, like the point when Shackleton realizes it's do or die and he will have to cross the South Atlantic ill equipped in an open boat and there's no going back for me was when we really should have turned left for Tregony but didn't.
Instead we carried on to Caerhays Castle and beyond into the Roseland hinterlands, up and down some very big and brutal hills, becoming ever more tired, hungry and lost. At one point, or I should say one very low point, we struggled up a particularly nasty, long incline (I'm talking Trengilly Wartha here) to discover that we were actually on a housing estate. The road we'd struggled up looped back down. That was a cruel and pitifully low moment as we were over 4 hours into a tough ride (we all agreed comparable with the Dartmoor Devil) with no tea and cake.
How did it come to this? I blame Melinsey Mill. It was closed and there was little hope of refueling anywhere near so we decided to push on to Heligan without really knowing how we were going to get there. As we passed pub after pub, café after café, all closed, even the normally gay and amusing banter in the peleton started drying up.

 
I felt especially sorry for Neil who was riding his own company (ICE) recumbent. Neil had bade his lovely wife and family farewell to join the wheelers on one of our usual 4 to 5 hour not-overly-taxing-but-you-know-you've-had-a-ride rides but instead found himself limping home 7 hours later after enduring a ride of near epic proportions. All we can say is, Neil, it isn't usually like this. And it didn't help that the majority of us weren't at our physical peaks of summer fitness and this was possibly the hilliest part of Cornwall and we were lost.
Still, this writer didn't regret going, even after a rear wheel puncture 2 miles from home (oh joy) to finish off the day. And there was a certain sense of achievement when I finally reached home. I know how Shackleton felt.

On a positive note the food was good in Mevagissey as was the company - as always. 60 miles that as Lorna said, felt more like a hundred.

9.30 ride... What a masterstroke opting for the 9.30 outing!  Having requested permission from the Admiral & his first lieutenant Bernie, to join the ride out to Gweek we enjoyed a chilly but dry run at a good, easy pace,  that regrettably forced Mrs Lightfoot to break off @ Halvasso to ride in her own company.

At Gweek,  Admiral disappeared up Chapel hill at a pace Schalatchi would of been proud of.  This man is wasted on the 9.30 ride. Clearly in training for the Cornish foray to Rome this weekend to see England play – he really should be riding with the 9.00er’s.  Across to Porkellis (pub was closed...) before heading back up Carnkie hill and home via Carclew with Hilary. 

Back by 12.15 and a highly sensible 35 miles - any takers???

A thick frost and the forecast of snow prompted the ‘sensible’ Wheelers to stay in bed, whilst nine mad ones met for a ride to Porthtowan. Don G and Shaun elected to take a direct route and the rest of us headed for Halvasso.

The temperature rose and the sun came out, the only thing that marred the view at Hernis was the huge black clouds to the north. We peddled west through Porkellis and Releath to Nancegollan. Near Clowance Scalatchi received a worried phone call saying it was snowing in Falmouth but we were in warm sunshine.

At Carnell Green Ironman headed home perhaps hoping for a short ski before lunch. Over to Gwithian and along North Cliffs through Porthtreath to Porthtowan where after a brief sleet shower we were greeted by Don G and Shaun saying the Blue Bar was closed.  Dale was disappointed.  The nearest place for bulk vitals was Smokey Joe’s which never closes.

As we left the coast the weather changed, first to slush, then snow, then packed snow. The café was reached with no mishaps and fuel ordered. Paul was asked by the manageress if his bum was wet as the delicate fabric of the chairs would stain easily, she also offered to check it.
The sleet was starting so Don, Shaun and Paul had a quick coffee and headed for home. There were queues at the door as the rest of us left, Devoran Steve and Robin going left to Blackwater and through the valleys, while Dale, Scalatchi and I headed to Redruth, along Sandy Lane and over Lanner Hill to Penhalvean. As we crossed the reservoir we saw the black clouds ahead which we found out afterwards were dropping their contents on Don & Co. The rain held off long enough for me to reach home (and I hope for the other two as well).
A very enjoyable ride of 50+ miles with an interesting selection of weather.    Jim

Following our Webman's request - I was the lone Wheeler who supported Tom Readings and Co on their Saturday charity ride to Lands End.  It was a lovely day.  Route was via familiar Wheelers' territory through Carnkie, Godolphin Cross, Marazion, Mousehole and St Buryan.  Arriving at Lands End around 12.30. 
The scenery was, as usual, magnificent - especially the view of St Michael's Mount on the road down to Marazion. They were meeting others there, but, as time was moving on and I had no lights - I excused myself and attempted to 'blast' back in quick time; however rear mech started to foul up and kept dropping the chain - so jumped on the train at Penzance! 
Anyway, it was a good day out, and I am sure they enjoyed the ride and made plenty of money for Shelterbox - a very worthy cause!  Yes, its been said before - you never regret going! Dan Dare

Webman: Unfortunately several regular Sunday riders were tied up with other things on Saturday and couldn't join the ride, but well done Tom Readings and friends for raising money for such a worthy and practical cause.