| This
so called Randonnee befits its title. A 150Km ride starting out from Truro,
it follows the rugged Cornish coast past tin mines, coves and cliffs, and
Granite outcrops, descending past Lanyon Quoit to Penzance, past the impressive
St.Michaels Mount and on to the Lizard peninsula, home to the legendary
green (sometimes red) serpentine stone for which the area is famous. Several Torbay CTC riders were heading West to ride this event, and it’s smaller sister the "Lizard Loop" I drove down in the van with Bob Legg. The weather forecast was grim, and skies were grey, and as we turned in to the HQ at the Football club in Truro, there was a hint of rain. |
|
We signed
in and chatted with friends until the off was given. The main group stayed within our sight, and after crossing the old A30 we caught them all up as a herd of cows was blocking the route! Eventually the road cleared apart form a layer of steaming manure, an off we all set. |
|
|
The
scenery was becoming grand as we headed down to Portreath past old mines
and chimneys. The weather was picking up with clearing skies after a few
tiny spots of rain, and on the climb out of Portreath things were getting
quite warm. On top the views over the cliffs out to see were fantastic,
- distant lighthouses, and then the distant view of St.Ives across the bay,
before descending rapidly to the sea, and along through Gwithian to an Information
Control. We soon ran through Hayle, a couple of Urban miles before we headed
off into the hills again, but only for a handful of miles to the first control,
the Petzing residence at Merrythought cottage. Cups of tea and coffee despatched it was a climb up the ridge which runs along the North Coast of Cornwall. This was a superb road winding up and down along the clifftops past tin mines and old ruins, with a dazzling blue sea. |
|
|
It
was along this section of road that I went to grab the camera and take a
picture of Annemarie riding up the hill toward Zennor. Balancing the bike against my backside, I got ready - suddenly I felt the bike slipping. As there was a large verge behind Idecided to let the thing go and land in the soft verge. The problem was I hadn't noticed the large hole in the verge down which the bike rapidly disappeared! Apart from slight bent handlebars and scrunched mudguard, nothing was hurt except pride, and a considerable reduction in "cool" points! |
|
Click
for next page:
