I left it until about an hour before the cut off, and did, for a few moments, consider entering the 200Km, but the forecast suggested it was going to be hot and I was glad that I decided to enter the 100km. It’s a great route and what a day to complete it. It also marked, for me, a full 100km without the assistance of Mr Watt. There was a little problem with the Garmin that I had purchased at the bring and buy last month; I easily downloaded and uploaded the gpx file but when the time came, though I could see the course on the screen, when I pressed “Go”, it went. This looked like a return to old school paper route, but fortunately there were 4 riders from One and All who also started a bit late, and I tacked on behind them. Den & Don, and Ian had of course shot off without a thought for me, or perhaps they had.
I have never liked the long drag out of Perranwell and up Tubbon Hill, and this morning did not alter this feeling, but we soon turned off at Burleys and made our way over to 4Lanes and then to Beacon. Near Camborne RFC ground there was a delightful little lane I had not experienced before, although it bring us out on to the old A30, which wasn’t so pleasant, and then a right turn down Gwithian Lane and on to the first visit to Gwithian Church Hall. Whilst Simon checked cards, Trevor had the tea pot in his hand as soon as I entered and there was cake galore, and bananas. Time for a sit in the sun for a while but was surprised when the first 200km riders arrived. They had started an hour earlier than us but had done around 45miles; we had done 16. Just two Wheelers amongst them, Robin and Phil, 4, with the Mylor boys sandwiched between them.
Leaving Gwithian we turned left, to ride through Hayle, on to St Erth and then across to the other coast, to Jordon’s at Marazion.. I thought we might be stopping for lunch but the One & All guys thought differently, and if I wanted to make use of their Garmin route, I needed to be them.
At Long Rock we turned right into the Industrial Estate and over the bypass by means of the foot/cycle bridge. The road starts to climb, through, Gluval, Madron and up over the Moor. The view was fantastic and spring flowers lined the route , not urging us on but nodding in the easterly wind and suggesting we should stop and admire them more. Dropping down to the North Coast road we came across the first of the check points, before turning right towards Zennor, and hopefully, back to Gwithian. There were a few hills to enjoy before that though, and I was holding my own. Bypassing st Ives we eventually dropped down in to Hayle again, this time taking the Mad King George path around Copperhouse Pool, and on back to Gwithian. There was still lots of cake. No sign of Ian, Den and Don though. Ian had been through but where were the bikers? Had they stopped for a leisurely lunch? Was I envious? Never mind, with 50 miles completed home didn’t seem so far ahead. First, of course, there was the climb up to Hells Mouth. When cycling with the Wheelers the stretch across to Portreath always seems to be a race but today there was time to enjoy the view. Portreath came and went, leaving the distance to the finish now in single figures. The hill at Mawla Church wasn’t as arduous as I had remembered but there was mention of Hicks Mill ahead. I remembered “running” up that about 30 years ago and I didn’t think cycling up was going to be any easier. Mr Garmin suggested that it would be quicker to walk, so I did, only losing about 20 metres to the last of the group of 4. We were, really, just a few miles from rhubarb crumble and custard, and a drop down into Perranwell had us there in a trice.
I did draw Martyn’s attention to, in my mind, the needless inclusion of Hicks Mill, and declared that from this day he and Margaret would no longer be referred to as the M&Ms. From now on it would be the S&Ms. I forgot to mention this to Margaret – she was tied up in the kitchen at the time.
The Crumble was as good as expected but it was time to say farewell to those I had shared the day with, Richard, Mike, Tony and Clare; the Royal Oak beckoned. Ian, accompanied by a chap called Alex, was already half way though a pint of Padstow Brewery’s best, – who needs to cycle all the way up there. It wasn’t long before Den & Don passed by; Don had suffered a mechanical near Zennor, and it didn’t seem that long before Robin, Phil (4) and crew rolled into the carpark. I was driving home so left them to it.
66 miles for me, and certainly didn’t regret going.
Dean