We arrived back in England and, once again, our friend Fern came to pick us up. First stop was to collect our Wee Donkey, then back to her house to begin the familiar ritual of packing everything up again.
Packing our gear must be a lot like stuffing fat into a girdle. You push one side in and the other side pops out. Push that side back in and something else bulges out. But somehow, eventually, it all fits. We got everything stuffed in, bags strapped onto the bike, and off we went.
Our destination wasn’t far away since it was already late in the day. As it turned out, we had left something at Fern’s house that we thought we didn’t need. Turns out, we did.
We called her and told her we’d be back in the morning to pick it up. But just a little while later, Fern showed up with the part. What a good friend! And it gave us a little more time to spend with her. Double bonus!
The following morning, we headed for Somerset for the evening. Our friends from the US, David and Emy, were also there for a few days, so we had some great catch-up time together. They were headed to the Armchair Adventure Festival in Plymouth in a few days as well.
On the way, we stopped to see some very good friends, Craig and Barbara. They wear many hats in the motorcycle community—from world riders and tour guides for the giant motorcycle touring company GlobeBusters, to being advocates for motorcycling with the government.
We had planned to spend just one night with them.
As often happens with good friends, one night somehow turned into three wonderfully enjoyable nights. We all hit it off spectacularly.
The first night, they took us to the coast at St Ives. There we found the Sloop Inn, one of Cornwall’s oldest and most famous inns, dating all the way back to 1312. Naturally, I had a Cornish cask ale, while everyone else enjoyed their assorted beverages.
We sat at picnic tables that were sloped at such an angle that some of us had to hold onto our drinks to keep them from sliding right off the table. The place was packed, which certainly testified to its popularity.
Dinner was at The Loft, a restaurant specializing in local seafood. The food was every bit as good as you could imagine. What a great night!
The second night, Craig and Barbara hosted a cookout in their lovely backyard garden. The garden was filled with lush green plants and bushes, colorful flowers, and an assortment of birds that came to feast from the hanging feeders. The sounds and colors, all beneath a brilliant blue sky, created the perfect setting to simply relax and enjoy the moment.
Several neighbors stopped by, along with a couple of others from the motorcycle community whom we already knew. Beer and meat were consumed in large quantities. Another fantastic evening.
We followed that up with another meal, this time on the south coast in Porthleven. This little town is home to what is reputed to be the most southerly harbor in Great Britain.
We ordered fish and chips from a small, busy chippy called Quayside Fish. They had a steady stream of customers, always a good sign. After a short wait, we grabbed our paper-wrapped meals and headed down to the harbor.
Fish and chips used to come wrapped in newspaper. I guess the ink isn’t exactly considered part of a healthy diet anymore, so these days it comes wrapped in brown paper instead.
Our meal was fantastic, and the conversation with Craig and Barbara was easy, relaxed, and full of laughs. We took a short walk down to the entrance of the harbor and then returned for a beer. Meanwhile, kids were jumping from the harbor wall into the chilly water.
We sat and watched as the lights of the town slowly began to come alive and the sun slipped down toward the western horizon.
It was one of those simple evenings that you wish could last just a little longer.
In the morning, we said our goodbyes and headed for the Armchair Adventure Festival, where we would camp and spend the next six days with friends. Thanks again for a wonderful time. See you at FriendsMas 2026.
It would be a great time, with new plans, old friends, and plenty of adventures thrown into the mix.
But we’ll leave all that for next time.
Cheers to good friends,
2WANDRRs
2WANDRRs 
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