Friday, 21st June 2024.
A beautiful day, actually, a bit hot, at 22C. Isn't it wonderful, raining, we complain, too cold, we complain, too warm, we complain.
Kathleen is still very unsure about cycling on roads, particularly on unfamiliar territory, so, we decide to walk the cycle route to the Regatta venue.
According to Google Maps, and the Cycle Travel Website, it is approximately 4 miles.
Sure enough, the route is almost all shared path cycle route, or, very quiet roads, and, we find the Regatta venue reasonably easily, and, they are already beginning to set up for tomorrow.
Mission accomplished, we walk into St Ives town, and, enjoy a pleasant lunch at Nelsons Head pub.
By now, we have walked about 6 miles, and, it is rather hot, so, we head for the bus station to see if there are any buses heading in the direction we wish to go. Not a successful trip. No information point, no routes displayed.
So, Uber to the rescue, within five minutes we are picked up by Renato, a very friendly Romanian, who, for £12.96 drops us at the entrance to Priors Field Farm. Aren't there any British people doing jobs in the UK?
The rest of the afternoon is spent unloading the bicycles, ready for tomorrow, and, then, drinking beer (me), J2O (Kathleen) and lazing about.
After our evening meal, a phone call from Gary, with some unfortunate news, Gabriel is unwell, and, will not be able to compete tomorrow (or Sunday, he is/was in another Regatta at Reading on Sunday).
A revision of plans is called for, I will have to put my thinking cap on. There is another Regatta at Egham, Sunday 30th, perhaps, we could make that, from Chertsey CCC site?, thinking time.
Just to add a little more spice to my life, a hiccup with the Insurance for the Motorhome, which we are currently travelling in. I received renewal documents just before we left home, after literally hours of attempting to call Saga Customer Services to remove Kathleen from the policy (she no longer drives, and, no longer has a valid driving licence), I gave up.
What actually happened was, whilst waiting on hold for Saga (30 minutes and counting), I thought I would spend my time productively, and, search for alternative quotes. Interestingly, the Caravan Club came up as almost £200 cheaper. Still waiting for Saga I was able to complete the application with CAMC, and Saga still had not answered.
Today, I get an Email from CAMC telling me that the proof of no claims discount was not suitable, and asking for the complete renewal pack. This is rather inconveniently at home. For some reason, the Saga Website will not download the documents to my MacBook, fortunately, I was able to download them to my iPad, so, hopefully, this has worked, and, CAMC will be happy.
Saturday, 22nd June 2024
A disappointing start to the day, after the recent fine weather, all of two days of it. Cloudy, with light drizzle, still warm at 22C. By 10:00 it has brightened up, but, not full sunshine.
We are still the only people here, but I understand that another van will be arriving today at some point. I say "understand" because, it would appear that the owners have gone away for the weekend, and, it was a chap who stores his mobile food vending trailer here, who told me that snippet.
We actually had a couple of small deer running around, this morning. Didn't get a photograph, by the time I get the camera, it has gone.
I have the bicycles out, in readiness to cycle to the Regatta, but, we will not be doing that now, since Gabriel is not. competing, and, family will not be there.
A quest to find the nearest Catholic Church, is the plan.
I should know, from past experience, but, google maps is not good for cycle routes, it takes no account of rough terrain, or, busy roads. A product like Cycle Travel is much preferable, however, with Cycle Travel, it is necessary to plot the route on the laptop, then, download it to the Garmin, which requires a degree of forward planning which I didn't have on this occasion.
We find the church (Sacred Heart, St Ives), but, only after a 1.5 mile section (called Conger Lane) only really suitable for mountain bikes, which Kathleen will not cycle on, so, we are reduced to walking that section.
The good news is that once we find the church, we recognise where we are, we walked past here yesterday, so, we know our way back, via a much more suitable, and shorter, route.
We pass this rather ornate village name sign, I cannot resist a photograph.
Kathleen's plan is to cycle to church, this evening, via the shorter route, for mass at 17:00. We will see how her resolve lasts ;) .
The church has an interesting history. It was designed by Pugin, and, originally constructed in Cambridge, In 1902, it was dismantled, and, transported by barge, to St Ives.
Well, the resolve stayed. Kathleen cycled to church, as planned.
We took the "short route", there and back, so, no unpaved tracks through long grass and nettles, but, still 7.46 miles.
17.29 miles today, if my maths is correct.
