DAY 5

Ice creams and Grand Theft Auto 

By mutual decision breakfast in the lodgings was foregone, departure at 0800. As our accommodation was in the midst of a business area bisected by arterial roads it was decided to use our back up navigation system Deafmannav. This to the uninformed is the audio trail from Google maps blue toothed to Dee’s hearing aids from his phone. Predictably at the first major roundabout Dee took the wrong exit and then to make matters worse at the next traffic lights Buttercup demanded reserve fuel and stalled. Much derisive cat calling was heard from behind, power restored off we set on a scenic tour of the business district sneaking past elevated prohibition bollards, arriving back at the exit road to our overnight accommodation accompanied by the tuneless twins hollering Let’s Go Round Again. Off we set on our second attempt to leave, thankfully Deafmannav on this occasion worked perfectly taking us to Penarth where Monkeynav took over.

In Barry Island the trio stoped for breakfast of toast and hot drinks, sitting at the pavement table the boys saw a 1650cc Valkyrie bike turn up beside the cubs. The rider pointed at the Cubs the us and gave the thumbs up, after parking he came over and introduced himself as Duncan John the proud owner of a C 90.

Duncan was waiting to meet a friend Bill Simpkins with who he’d done Lands End to John O’Groats on C90’s. Bill turned up on his pristinely restored C90, after a great chat we departed later receiving Bill and Duncan’s much appreciated sponsorship, it was superb to catch up with other Cub nuts.

Along the way we stopped for Kodak moments at the village of Donats and Pembrey race circuit.

At the village of Tenby the trio stopped on the cliff face promenade for ice cream, noting the smooth sanded beach below Monkey said to Dee you go down there and write in the sand I’ll stay up here and take a photo. Dee responded saying he’d rather be the photographer, Bowie as the acknowledged adult of the group noting his colleagues infantile excitement sat on a park bench. Meanwhile the seed of the idea blossomed with Dee and Monkey as the frantically looked for writing tools, Dee recalled he had sand sticks in his pannier, adults call these tire levers. Armed with these the duo set off down what must have been 300 steps, never for one moment stopping to reflect that they’d have to come back up the cliff. With feverish excitement they etched in the sand in big letters “Three Old Men and 50 Cubs Were Ere 2023” called Bowie up to demanded he photograph them. Then the return to the promenade faced the duo and with multiple stops on the steps to look back and admire their handiwork I.e. catch their breath they finally made the top. Greeting them was great consternation and kerfuffle – a passing guy driving a small van with his young daughter in saw the cubs and illegally parked the van on the opposing pavement to get out and admire. He and his junior school aged daughter were admiring the Cubs and speaking to Bowie when another guy got in his van and drove it off. Frantic calls to the police reporting Grand Theft Auto in Welsh ensued. Giving contact details to this rather big, not fat but well developed guy the Trio saddled up to leave having nothing useful to add to the situation. Just as the boys were to pull off another rather large bruiser turned up driving the first guys van, confrontation ensued, from what we could gather was that bruiser 2 was a promenade resident utterly fed up of illegal parking outside his gaff. So to teach bruiser 1 who’d stupidly left his keys in the ignition a lesson he’d taken his unattended van for a spin. Sensing that unpleasantness was imminent the trio made good there get away.

Arriving shortly after at Pembry Dock the guys checked into their overnight halt and walked down to the Market Tavern Inn. The intent was a quick pint then dinner in the next door hotels dining room, however the pub had a quiz night on which Monkey entered us in it. Several beers later we came joint third in the quiz and yes there were more than three teams entered, six indeed. The pub residents kindly donated £45 to our cause, thank you all muchly and £2.80 a pint was a bonus.

Dinner would have to be a takeaway with Dee and Bowie opting for Chinese which was prepared with haste I add. Leaving Monkey wallowing in the pizza shop the duo set off up hill to the digs where they sat in the first floor lounge eating and watching Monkey pap up the hill alone. Monkey locked himself in his room and scranned alone.