Time for a break in Cornwall for the Chaps - Friday & Saturday night although I might do the Thursday night run again
8 max (7 + Chap) unless Phil wants to pitch the tent in the garden if we're over-subscribed!!
From Simbers - Count me in. Happy to drive. Prefer leaving Fri Lunchtime but can book all Friday if others prefer going down Fri am.
Barring disasters England's WRC QF will either be 8th or 9th 8:30am ko - Rog will need to be up early to get breakfast ready in time!
The first wave of Chaps (Chap, Daz, Rog & Phil) set of at 7.15pm on Thursday night. Making good-time we arrived at Tesco in St Austell around 11.00pm where a well balanced trolley of brekkie food, pizza, garlic bread and beer was loaded into the Rog-taxi, arriving at the bungalow around midnight.
Phil sorted out the pizzas and garlic bread whilst everyone settled in and then munched our way through the afore mentioned pizza and garlic bread washed down with a few beers before bed time.
Friday morning, chef Daz produced the first full English of the weekend for the Chaps and after brekkie Phil and Rog set up the tents ready for a camping extravaganza (more about camping later!!) whilst we waited for the 2nd car load of chaps to arrive.
Sim's taxi containing himself, Ian, Tone and Steve made good time arriving around 11.30am. After settling in we headed down to the Standard to have a couple of beers before catching the bus in to Truro for the planned Skinners brewery tour. Some fool suggested a half in the pub (after the 2 pints already consumed) as there was still 1/2 hour for the bus to arrive. Just to point out this was a 'Cornish 1/2' i.e. pretty much a full pint that Dave the landlord topped everybody up with - big mistake.!!.
The bus journey (45mins) started off with the usual jovial chap banter, but after about 1/2 hour this became none existent as the ageing bladders full of ale began to take a grip. Must say I've never heard the chaps so quiet as all of us were sitting there cross-legged desperate for the bus to get to Truro. Relief was had finally as we legged it off the bus straight into a pub and straight for the bogs!. Steve drew the short straw and in true style went for the sink option!.
We arrived at Skinners later than planned but had a swift pint before embarking on the 20 minute tour. After that it was back in the bar to have a couple more ales to make it worth the entrance fee of £7.50. (NB next time we'll skip the tour and just stay in the bar for 2 hours!). After the tour we headed back to a pub in Truro to wait for the 6.00pm bus back. Tone raided M & S for sausage rolls whilst Chap and Ian demolished the pubs free supply of monkey nuts. We moved to another ale house as to be honest the ale in the first place was naff before finally getting the bus back. The journey back was slightly less fraught as the chaps made sure that the bladders were fully emptied before getting on the bus.
Arriving back in Gerrans after a quick piss we were planning on having Fish and Chips form the mobile chip shop, this plan was abandoned after waiting in the queue for 1/2 hour with nobody being served - forgot it's Cornish directly time. Plan 2 was to head down the Plume to eat there and get a few ales in. Phil checked out 'the club' to see if we could nip in and watch the England game later which was sorted ok. After finishing the food and beer at the Plume we headed off the 'the club' to watch the footy. This proved to be the normal England crap and it was not long before the Chaps started playing pool or dozing in the chairs (the Dorridge dozer boys back in town!!) to avoid watching the footballing shambles.
After the footy we headed back up to the Standard for last orders, a couple of beers before heading home for the night and the first sitting of the 'Pork-Pie' club, Tone having brought a couple of monster PP's down from his butchers. After pie and beer the weary chaps headed off to their respective kipping quarters.
Saturday, Full English provided by the Tone meister in between watching another English sporting debacle with us losing to France in the rugby, the brekkie however was excellent. We decided on a walk to work of some of the previous days excesses so headed off across the coast path to Nare Head, a nice little yomp of 7 miles there and back. Arriving at Nare Head we enquired about having a drink in the posh Hotel (the Nare Head Hotel, Daz so you know when you book the week-end!!) there which we were duly welcomed. Marching through the lounge in walking gear to the terrace was certainly and eye-opener for the resies!!. Waiter and waitress service supplied the cider and water for the Quakers to quench the chaps thirst before making our way back to Gerrans. Arriving back in Gerrans we had a refreshment stop at the Plume before walking back up cardiac hill to the bungalow. Various versions of Rattler (pear and apple) was well as the usual lager gnats piss were consumed before embarking on the walk up the hill.
Evening fodder was steak and chips with Chap BBQing the Asda Rib-eye steaks raved about and provided by Tone. This went down a treat with some of the chaps showing a bit of sophistication by having a glass or two of red wine. it was during the meal preparation that one of the topics discussed in the pub came to light. Sim inadvertently mentioned he had watched Broke Back Mountain, quickly stating that he'd switched off at the Gay frolic in the tent scene. Unfortunately for him this was seized upon by the evil chaps as a subject of ridicule, and despite his protest that it was a top rated film in the Times the piss-taking was relentless. Sim also did himself no favours by wearing a lumber jack shirt for the evening!!
The Chaps lobbed down to the Standard for more beer, the cider certainly flowing well. More piss-taking of Simbers was done until he finally realised it was best to keep quiet and let things die-down. The chaps also had their usual heated football/rugby arguments with Phil informing us about the rules of lifting!! (Something Simber's or should we say 'Brokers' maybe aware of!!).
Finally the chaps headed back at closing time for 'Pork-Pie' club 2 and a few more beers before retiring for the night.
Sunday, brekkie provided by a consortium of chefs for the chaps before a bit of domesticity and departing for home.
An excellent weekend had by all, here's to DTW5 (in Barmouth - ho, ho!!)
Piccies here