Day 1: May 18

 Arrival:  Penzance / Land's End

You will be met on arrival and transferred to the coastal town of Land's End where we will spend our first evening.  After transferring to Land's End and getting the bikes ready, the rest of the day is yours to relax before the evening when we will eat out as a group in the hotel restaurant, an opportunity to get to know the rest of the party and to discuss the programme with your Skedaddle guides.  

Well - many things have impressed me here since I've arrived.  Mostly the ease of moving about and how friendly and helpful everyone has been.  But I've spent some time this morning trying to chase down a couple of problems, and have been running into glitches.  The first - I booked my Penzance hotel on-line and despite having screen shot proof of the correct dates, they somehow moved my reservation to one day later and then charged me considerably more to change it back to the date I needed.  "Oh - call Guest Relations.  They'll sort it", says the young lady at the front desk.  "They're closed now, but call tomorrow."  I mentioned that tomorrow was Saturday; would they be open?  "Oh yes".  Surprise; they're not open.  Next up - the delay repay for the train.  I spent considerable time yesterday trying to do it, but it was blocked because somehow 2pm was "in the future" when I was filling in the form at 9pm.  So - better luck today, but it probably took an hour or so to figure out what they needed and where to find it.  I did it as much out of curiosity about whether they would actually send any money back.  Apparently I'm entitled to a 50% discount.  We'll see.............

After my first hearty "full English breakfast" I walked along the beach & path towards St. Michael's Mount.  I figured if the biking thing doesn't work out for me I could always embark on the 630 mile SouthWest Coast Path.....

It was a lovely day for a walk and the beach & path were busy with walkers and cyclists.  

Lots of activity in/on the water as well - swimming, kayaking, SUPing, and horseback riding(?!?)

I already knew that the Mount was closed on Saturday, but walked over there for something to do and to take a closer look.  I hadn't checked the tide tables, and it was obviously not low tide as the boardwalk was still submerged.  

There is a little town, Marazion, across from the Mount.  Some nice little crafty shops to look around in.  I may have bought a pair of earrings and a necklace depicting a tsunami here in 1603.  They're small and don't weigh much.....  I also had a Cornish pastie because - well, when in Cornwall...  It was pretty tasty but I sure wouldn't want to eat one every day.  

Oh - and here's what it's doing at home today!

All in all, a lovely walk..  I met up with much of the group at the Penzance train station at the appointed hour.  At the hotel we had the full gang.  Two guides - Peter and Amy.  Thirteen guests.  Just 3 Brits - two men and 1 woman (originally from Scotland but living in England now), 2 Kiwis, 1 Aussie, 6 Americans (2 from Oregon - Lise & Carol, 3 friends from Wisconsin + a friend of one of them from Idaho), 1 Canadian.  We're pretty much all "of a certain age".  It sounds like everyone is quite athletically accomplished and they look like a very fit bunch.  Pretty much half and half anyway you look at it - male/female, singles/couples, US/Commonwealth, bike rentals/brought their own.  Not sure if anyone has an e-bike.  No rookies in this crowd!

We don't get our rental bikes until the morning.  Here we go..............

Land's End:  

Land's End is the most westerly point of mainland England where the coal-black cliffs plunge into the pounding surf, and the views can stretch all the way to the Isles of Scilly.  An early LEJOG on bicycle was completed by Messrs Blackwell and Harman of Canonbury Bicycle Club in 1880.  Starting at Land's End they covered 900 miles (1,400 km) in thirteen days.  Makes me look like a slug......

Hotel:  Land's End Hotel & Luxury Stays.  www.landsendhotel.co.uk

Magnificent rooms, spectacular views and fine dining on the Cornish cliffside.

The Land’s End Hotel is rooted in the charm and tradition of its Victorian heritage, with contemporary twists and modern touches throughout. Boasting 30 en-suite bedrooms and a dedicated team of staff, they promise a comfortable and relaxed break during your stay.

Uniquely located on 200ft Granite Cliffs with unrivalled views to The Isles of Scilly and beyond, guests can meander along the coastline to either side of the hotel and take in the natural landscape and dramatic scenery.

The hotel is also dog-friendly, which means you can bring your favourite canine companion along to enjoy the trip.