French Exchange Pedal Bashers enjoy a luncheon at Orchard Barn

I was asked earlier in the year if I’d like to host the Teign Valley Pedal Bashers French Exchange Luncheon – it was a really fun event and particularly as the French guests left their bikes behind and walked instead………..I put that down to the fact that last time they called in for Scrumpy Cider a few years earlier half of them fell off their bikes or worse still couldn’t get on even shortly afterwards!!!

There were about 45 all up including Brit Hosts which was considered a good turn-out as it clashed with Hat Rack’s Coach trip Hash Weekend in France……….Blaster and Rough Jobs rendition of ‘Allouetta’ (sp!!) was brilliant and had everybody in stitches……….as usual. Their warm up at The Royal Oak was apparently terrific………..maybe the BBC should check out a winter edition of The Teign Valley’s Got Talent!!

Hot Pasties, Le Sandwich Anglais avec les oeuffs etc.!!!

The weather was kind despite the appalling forecast and the French Guests all had their fill of Devon Cider, Orchard Barn hospitality, the Pedal Bashers magic humour and terrific company to make this another special day for everybody.

Monsieur Wong from gay Paris avec le grande sourice n’est pas!!

Coffee & Cake at Cannonteign Falls for the FARTs!!

What a brilliant autumnal day for a cycle ride down the Teign Valley – the FARTs were scheduled to RV at Cannonteign Falls for coffee & cake where Potsie welcomes new members regaling the unusual maxim (for him at any rate) that this was an alcohol free cycle ride and………………….. much to everyone else’s pleasure was shaking his head with incredulity when some 10 of the assembled 12 then all voted to head off to The Royal Oak at Dunsford for their magic Tuesday Fish & Chips………..!!

We stopped off en route at Orchard Barn to polish off the left over barrel of Jail Ale and check out the recently pressed freshly barreled organic Apple Juice…………….by late March this new brew will be the 08 Cider and all being well it’ll be as scrummy as the last!! Fingers crossed!!

Bruce and Di at an Orchard Barn pit stop!!

Flossie and Hippy enjoy a glass!!

FART’s polish off the Jail and sample the 08 Apple Juice before it starts to ferment

Blaster with Fallen Woman and Broken Man after Chish-n-Fips at The Royal Oak!!

And a great day was had by all………..what a magic way to spend a Tuesday forenoon…..On On!!

Blaster (left) with Broken Man and Flossie – coffee stop at Megavissie Harbour

Jack Smith as Tour Manager and Ian Glendinning as Route Master (ably assisted by Flossie as Shep’) pulled off yet another brilliant Cornish Cycle Tour last week………….known as the Cornish Millionaires Cycle Tour (only because we all stayed in hotels and dined in luxury rather than penny pinch and cut corners) this tour started with a grand late Breakfast at Jack&Mary’s at Bovey Tracy and a gathering of the 21 cyclists.

Day 1 took the troop to Tavistock via Chagford, Whiddon Down and lunch near Brentor Church, ending at The Bedford Hotel where we dined in the Trafalgar Suite in style with one enormous table fit for a Ladies Night in the Officers Mess…………Jack as Master of Ceremonies led the entertainments, sing-songs, jokes and anecdotes with aplomb and set the scene for an hilarious evening.

Wifi (left) and Trucker after luncheon Day 1 (Tuna on Brown!!)

Day 2 and we crossed from Devon to Cornwall and after an untold number of never ending hills we all fell into the Old Ferry Inn at Fowey for several Riojas and Tribute Ales…………….dits a-plenty and many a sing-song later and we then took the ‘furry’ across to The Ship Inn with a split party and dined at The Harbour Lights. Top Table took wine as usual with the riff-raff and MofC excelled himself as usual with Charles’s (Wifi) solo going down a treat!!

Crossie (you normally see him with Union Jack at Twickenham) and Twiggie take a break

 Day 3 took us to Falmouth via lunch at Dobwalls where Cornish Earlies were the favourite dish of the Hat-Rack Day…….following tea we took another ‘furry’ across to The Rope House where Jack spun his now infamous ‘Take me back to the first roundabout’ joke…..Dinner was at a local restaurant known as ‘Two Short’ which looked after us well. Wifi took The White van for a gay old spin with all the luggage and a magic carpet following an Achilles heal problem!!

Day 4 took us to St Ives via lunch at another Ship Inn at Portloe and a memorable pici stop at Godrieve Lighthouse overlooking the Hayle Sands………..and straight down to the Sloop Inn for a few end of day wets, a short dip in the harbour followed by settling into the Chy-An-Albany Hotel for another fun evenings entertainment.

Wallie (Miss UK’s better looking other half!!) with Godrevie Lighthouse in the background

Day 5 took most of us to Mousehole for lunch and The Tinners Arms at Zennor for a beer before the final CTP on Blasters balcony and the well choreographed dance after dinner where Jack excelled himself once again with his footwork and jiving skills aplenty.

The Trusham Bus with bikes!!

Having checked out on the Sunday morning we loaded 13 bikes onto The Trusham Bus and 8 of us returned after a fantastic break………..198 miles all up and so many jokes and laughs and fun moments. Brilliant – I’ve signed up to next years Tour already. Our thanks to Jack and Ian G in particular.