The fact that Hootie and the Blowfish sold 21 million copies of their album, Cracked Rear View, placing it as number nine in the list of top selling Albums, EVER, would have been just one of the multitude of things you would have learned if you had joined us to today, the last OGIL ride in August 2018. It was a little cooler when I woke and donned two layers, but glancing out of the window it looked wet and windy. Never mind, the first chance to wear my Night Vision (almost) waterproof jacket; pm me if you would like to know where I bought it. But it didn’t matter about the weather; I didn’t ride on Sunday and missed the gym yesterday. Like Reece Mogg, I wasn’t worried about the conditions I just wanted to get out. It was, of course, Bank Holiday Wednesday and the great migration was well under way; fully loaded 4x4s would be heading back to the Home Counties, after spending the summer in this delightful corner of the UK. Mummy will be coming to the end of her supply of Prozac and looking forward to Oliver and Zara’s new school term, Dad looking forward to getting back to the City and interviewing the new interns. Nothing like a bit of mizzle to help them on their way.
There are now two sets of traffic lights along Bicklandwater Rd, so I was late arriving at Union Corner; the others had gone on; or had they? No, it was just me that joined Sheila, Mike, Andrew and Simon at Halvasso turn. Keith, Jan, Phil1 and Ian had sent in their excuses and Kath needed to write a hash “run” report, but where was TD, Paul, Phil3, or Fred?
Simon had been looking for support for his idea toted around last week – The Water Gardens, aka Penrose Kitchen, but he was ignored again in favour of Perranuthnoe. It’s an easy straightforward route and we were there early. The rain came and went and was in its “went’ stage when we arrived. When setting out there would have been few takers for a bet that we would sit outside in the sun. Funny enough, it was the cake and teacake contingent that were missing, those present ordering proper food. Apart from Hootie and the Blowfish- the who- no not the Who, Hootie and the Blowfish, Mike learned about Nell Gwnne, and there was some discussion about inappropriate language. There was some mention of a second coffee but Andrew’s suggestion of an ice cream at Porthleven won the day and after the sweep down from Rinsey we were all in ice cream mode, and happy to sit and carry on the conversation. Trump, of course, the taxman and appeals against fixed penalty notices for private, off street parking were on the agenda. I learned there was another side to Simon and his wish to occasionally drive a bulldozer. Down through Penrose, up through Helston, muddy and hidden lanes, Halvasso, again, and homewards. The earlier rain all forgotten, it had all been a wonderful ride. Though it was only 49 miles for me it was 3pm when I got home. Dean