When I have time away from the Trail getting back and riding just emphasises how privileged I am to live alongside this facility.
The vagaries of the weather obviously influence my riding experience and to say that we are lurching from one extreme to another might sound over the top but one minute I am languishing in hot weather on a bed of bluebells chilling out and the very next week It's back to being all wrapped up and standing on the peddles to combat a Gale force wind.
Inbetween times Padstow May Day has come and gone and even that weekend was not a busy as usual given unpredictable weather. I have to say I was lucky with this event following my usual early morning start, it was overcast, a little chill but dry.I arrived down in the village about 5.30am having witnessed a Roe Deer on the Trail halfway down ( no photo as usual, not quick enough ) so that was a bonus, the finishing touches were being applied to the Institute and nearby lanes, I always admire the crews that do this since a good few of them had probably been night singing till the early hours. Breakfast time for the crews - coffee time for me as I waited for the Grandchildren to arrive for their first experience of the Children's Oss coming out at 8am.
We met up at 7 just by the Bandstand and in doing so spotted a couple of Mallard chicks abandoned and in obvious distress, these were duly rescued by my Daughter balancing along the Quayside but unfortunately even a box full of shredded paper and some personal warming up could not revive them and they both died, but at least the Granchildren were comforted by the fact that we had tried.
So I am not likely to forget that May Day, the children following the OSS and the beat of the Drums and accordions just made our day complete, the hot drink before setting off back to Wadebridge was most welcome too.
Safe cycling,
Nige
