My pride knew no bounds

I left Penzance station at about 3pm to cycle the ten mile scenic, and only, route to Land's End. A mile away from the hotel I passed "The Last Inn in England" and felt sad and not a little anxious. The low mood didn't last for long though as things cheered up quite a bit at the hotel. I parked the bike and approached reception clad in cycling shorts, cycling shirt, cycling shoes, cycling helmet, cycling sunglasses and cycling gloves. The receptionist, helpfully labelled Victoria, looked at me and then said "Did you cycle here?" A witty response was clearly warranted, it was an open goal, an absolute shoe-in. "Yes" I said "it was quite warm for the time of year actually." Ha! Brilliant! Read it and weep Oscar, read it and weep.

The flowing, poetic banter didn't stop there as Victoria provided a very informative and helpful running commentary on her every action. "I'll just find my blue biro, my black one ran out earlier, and I can register you." ....... "I'll look in my pile of forms for your details." ..... "Oh deary me I am soooo disorganised!" (God help the rest of us then luv). "Here's the pile and... ooh look! Yours is on the top." And then .... she said it ....... "Well done you!" I was just about to do one of those snorty laughs that can go so messily wrong if mistimed when I inexplicably felt an overwhelming sense of pride and achievement at the position of my form. Top! First! Numero uno! How many can say that, eh? I wanted to punch the air but instead settled for "Oh, great".Two witty ripostes in the space of a minute. I'm on a roll.

So a great start to the ride. Victoria was wonderfully helpful and friendly and the towels are so fluffy I can hardly shut my rackpack. It all starts tomorrow with a 120km ride to Bodmin. Hopefully I'll arrive in time to see England scrape through courtesy of the inevitable jammy deflection. Wish me luck with the next form shuffle. Can't see me managing two in a row. But you never know eh? How good would that be!