Sunday 30th August We cheated quite a lot in that we, a. waited for the rain to stop before getting the bikes out and b. stopped for a coffee just three miles up the road at the St. Cleer Farm Shop – probably about 20 minutes after we started! Nevertheless we were out for a ride and then, once I had stopped Geoff from cycling back down the hill to Liskeard, we headed on up to Bolventor.
Whatever you might say about The Jamaica Inn, it is always open and that fire in the old inglenook fireplace is always alight, even in August. They have just changed round their dining room too, although it is still dated. However, I managed to have a great mug of hot chocolate by getting one straight from their machine and then asking them for a tea pot of hot water with which to top it up – brilliant!
Then back via Colliford Lake (so mostly downhill as well as being very scenic).
Tuesday 1st September We needed to go into a Nationwide Building Society branch. With our choices being Plymouth or Truro I suggested we cycled to Truro and made a morning of it. Nice weather forecast too. CTC members will know it is vital to get onto the Glynn Valley early (6 am at the latest) for safety reasons. For our family this poses specific problems because the horses have to be done first. So, up at 4 am (Geoff grumbling a lot) and the girls (our three mares) being woken up at 4.30 am – all three soundly asleep in bed and very surprised – for an early breakfast and turn out.
Now Goeff was telling me in no uncertain terms that he did not think he could make it to Truro and that this was a ridiculous idea. Anyway, off we set at 6 am – Glynn Valley was quite busy but we were only passed by one bus and four lorries (in terms of big vehicles). A cup of tea at Bodmin Parkway; a mocha at Victoria Services, a quick look round the Methodist preacher pit at Indian Queens, yet another cup of tea at Ladock Shop and Community PO (sitting on their wooden seat in the sun – lovely) and finally safely into Truro at about 11 am – a lot easier than Geoff had expected.
As well as our chores we popped into Halfords and bought Geoff some over-boots for the winter (£10 and seem as strong as any). Then we went down to Clive Mitchell Cycles and had a chat with them about women’s cycle leggings. My opening question: ” Do you do women’s bib shorts, with no gripper elastic, a zip off bottom half and a very thin chamois without all those seams and lumpy padded bits that can only have been designed by men?”
Although the answer was, No – this lovely man did say he had had exactly the same enquiry the week before from another woman and was going to let Endura know there was an issue for women with the current items available. I see that on line there is a building body of female discontent and a number of women, like me, have been forced to use tri suits instead with all the issues you then have when you need the loo.
Nevermind, I am sure the more appropriate products will be along in a couple of years. Meanwhile, this winter I will look for a pair of leggings with no padding to wear over my very comfortable tri suit – and will allow 20 minutes each time I have to visit the loo.
Train home with the bicycles and Geoff said grudgingly that he had had a nice day!
Ann enjoying Cornwall CTC (coffee, tea and cake?) 