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Due
to the cancellation of the Wessex july show at Poole, a few of us decided to go
to St Ives instead. It's been a few years since I've taken the rod to Cornwall
but the memories of touring the superb coast, and knowing the organization
would be first class, a chalet was booked for two families to share.
As
seems the norm now, my 32 and Rich's A were making the trip alone, but we were
meeting up with Reg once installed in the camp site. He due to circumstances
had to leave the Dorset at home and take his camper van instead.
First
cock up, if you arrange to meet someone in Brent Knoll services, don't get on
the motorway at Bridgewater as I did - and then find out that Brent Knoll is
behind you (sorry Rich). |
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Forty
five minutes he and Mary waited as I sailed on down to Taunton. Still we did
eventually meet up and then carried on down through Somerset, Devon and
arriving in Cornwall in time for dinner. Here we eat in the grounds of
Lanhydrock House just off of the A30 at Bodmin. Next time you are in the area
call in, as it's just a stones throw from main road and will take a good few
hours to see all of its splendor. We left there, returned to the A30 and within
a few minutes whilst in the left hand lane of the dual carriageway a Mitsubishi
Shogun goes fleeting past carrying Pinball Wizard on it's trailer. "Quick" I
said to Sue "where's the camera - take a pic or no one will believe us". But by
the time it was found the Shogun and trailer had gone out of sight! |
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We arrived at St Ives
about 3 o'clock, went to reception and picked up our chalet key then unloaded
both cars. There were already a collection of rods and customs around our
chalets and as we found out later if we had arrived earlier we could have got
the key and gone down to the beach. |
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With
the cars unpacked a quick trip to the campsite was undertaken and we both let
the hosts Surf Coast Cruisers know we had arrived. Behind the hosts caravan
there in all its splendor was Pinball Wizard so this time camera out pics
taken... |
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Now
due to the lack of space in a hotrod it was time to hit the shops and stock up
on food and refreshments and the third fuel top up of the day. This completed,
back to the site and a tour of the huge campsite, and a walk along the beach
was undertaken. Friday night was spent talking to fellow campers in the field
and then onto one of the sites two pubs for the evenings entertainment . |
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Saturday: Up and cars fueled to max, we met on the site to await
todays cruise taking in Cornwall's finest countryside. Even though I have done
it before driving through St Ives in a hotrod takes some beating on a summers
day, and when there is a convoy of cars cameras are flashing all around you.
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I
don't know if you watched Britain's greatest drives shown on BBC 2 Sundays at
10 o'clock but our next route followed the same path, stopping at a tin mine
for a photo session on route. |
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Each
time I do this route it tips down and today was no exception (next time Kev
Rooney - have a top for your roadster) but by the time we had reached Lands End
it had cleared up. |
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Straight through the pay barrier our hosts had arranged all in
advance which including special parking. We stopped here for lunch then
regrouped and made our way once again in convoy through Penzance and onto
Marazion where we parked up overlooking St Michaels Mount. The return trip to
St Ives was taken at your own leisure with most people drifting off
individually. |
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Saturday night was PASTY NIGHT, again all in the price of your
weekends ticket. We did wait a while mind - as Graham likes them at a set
temperature - but once he had given the okay we all tucked in. The rain
had now started and did it pour down, still as we were trapped in a marquee it
made more sociable than had we been stood outside. Later on we all drifted into
the pub for that evenings site entertainment. One concern - why did the
bars close so soon on a Saturday night - 10.30 last orders... |
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Sunday: Cars once again fueled up we met on site for today's trip
to Truro and a show and shine on the main Piazza. Today we had a cruise sheet
set out so that we could see the sites and read their history. It took about
forty five minutes to arrive and set up on the town square. We had to be off by
2 o'clock as per arrangement with the town council, perfect planning by our
hosts once again. |
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Here
trophies were given out, with Rich picking up best engineering. After the prize
giving everyone made their own way back to camp where we once again went on the
beach (with coats on mind). |
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Sunday night was spent in the pub watching the entertainment but
tonight the bar called last orders at 10. 10 o'clock ??? For a site as big
as this one was I found the opening / closing times rather strange. The next
day was home time, so with a quick trip to St Stevens to visit my family, we
came back to Bristol.
Our thanks go to The Surf Coast Cruisers and
Graham and Lynne for a marvellous weekend, and I don't know how they do it for
the money...
Phil |
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EV24 |
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