Now That's What I Call Music Vol IV

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Slow Hand

Our group now totals 28 and last night we had our first group dinner.  To streamline this we pre-ordered, but it was still well over an hour before any food appeared.  The first people to get their dinner were finishing by the time the last person was served.  The staff were grafting but the waiter to hungry customer ratio was way too low!

Price Tag

I am accustomed to everything in Merica costing more than the advertised price but last night my $28 meal cost me $38!!!!  There was the tax, the tip, the large group charge, the tax on the tip, the use of a chair fee and christ knows what else.  After I picked myself up from the floor I presented my card and was told that would be another 3%.  I paid cash and will be sulking for a good few weeks.

It's back to raw eggs from here for me!

Something Better Change

Of the 28 in the group, 23 are riding and it is already starting to feel like herding cats.  Having agreed 8:30 as the van loading time I snuck down at 7:15 for a quiet breakfast only to find the room packed with riders itching to get going.  By 8:15 a good number had already set off...ignoring my request that anyone leaving early should find me for a briefing.  The rest were prising open the van doors with their tyre levers in order to load their bags before the agreed 8:30 loading time.

This trip has been 2 years in the planning and, recognising the potential for chaos on the ride, we provided an extensive set of guidance and some rules....do's and dont's, baggage limits, bike prep advice, navigation tips and much else.  Those who know me well will be able to imagine the torment I now find myself in as person after person reveals some advice they decided to ignore or a rule that they felt shouldn't apply to them.  I am old enough and realistic enough to understand that it is me who will have to adapt but it still hurts.

Santa Baby

We are in Santa Cruz with the expanded group's 1st day under their belts.  They are visibly relieved to have popped their Pedal to Phoenix cherries and I at least now better understand the challenge of the coming two and a half weeks.

It is a nice town and we are a stone's throw from the promenade and funfair.  It's within the flip-flop zone so I may take a stroll later.  Meanwhile I am sitting by the pool waiting for the first beer to kick in.  

Comments

  1. Marisa Fink5 May 2026 at 00:09

    May the Fourth be with you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Declan5 May 2026 at 00:51

    I hope nobody had the audacity to ruin your quiet beer with a request for a briefing before the briefing. Some people...🙄

    ReplyDelete

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