Date: Wednesday 28th October 2009
Rider: Paddy (aka Lonesome George)
Departure time: 19.50
Arrival time: 22.55
Distance: No bike ‘poota but it had to be 20 – 25
miles
Weather: Mild and dry, light wind, temp about 13°C
One resident gathered in the hope another might
join him but ill children put paid to that!!! So, ‘twas only me…….and
the Darkness (I believe in a thing called love….just listen
to the rhythm of my heart!!), and being a trained killer and
hardy ex-submariner, I am of course scared of the dark (when
those bunnies come at you out of the dark and from your peripheral
vision, boy do they get the heart beating!!!).
With the weather benign it seemed silly not
to take advantage of the pink chit, so Colin gallantly persuaded
me to go to Clearbrook
on the cycle track and perhaps have an urban evening??? Once
past all the murderers, demons, goolies and things that go bump
in the night between Yelverton and the Golf Club, confidence
built and I needed the exercise. So a quick drop down to Goodameavy
on the road and then the cycle path to……..Marsh Mills!!!
Be careful at Plym Woods in the dark, the hairpin at the end
of the track appears VERY quickly, especially when you’ve
forgotten it is there!!!
Time seemed to stand still and it was still
only 20.25, and I had found street lighting to allay my fears
so I reckoned on
popping down to the Hoe to see what
was going on via embankment, the cinema complex and Barbican.
It was only on arrival that it dawned on me that the Barbican
is at sea level…..and Yelverton is not (for interest WP
sits on the 180m contour). Mmmm, problem.
From the Hoe back to Yelvy via Millbay (what
do those ladies do?????), Devonport (following the Dockyard
wall for posterity
and a wave at Neil in his des res at Latitude 52). The Royal
Naval Arms, at Drake Main Gate still, surprisingly, seems to
be in business (oh the memories) but that couldn’t tempt
me with another 150m vertical distance and about 10 miles horizontally
to climb.
Then to St Budeaux, up and over the A38, along
Budshead Road taking the left through the lanes to Tamerton
Foliot and then
to Roborough Roundabout via Lukes Fruit Farm and back to WP along
the A386 arriving in WP to give Greg a quick text as he had threatened
to join me for a pint. Ill children once again scuppered that
idea (I think he was in his PJ’s with a hot cup of Horlicks
by now anyway) and I couldn’t drink alone, and so managed
to achieve a first. No Jail Ale after a bike ride (what’s
the point of the bike ride!!!!), just a pint of squash and bed.
2 hours on the bike and not a bump, rut, boulder
or tor to be seen. The trouble with cycling alone is that when
you stop, there
is no one to have a blah blah with, so you don’t bother
stopping. Does anyone have a cunning way to stop lower back pain
after about 45mins in the saddle. If so, answers on a postcard
please!!!
Reporter: Paddy
President's Footnote: Unfortunately, this doesn't qualify as
an Official GOWCC ride. Although yet to be written, the Constitution
would insist on a minimum of two riders for two reasons 1). Safety
& 2). Someone to share a pint with after. I'm sure Paddy would
be the first to argee!
