St Lo, September 2007
St Lo FFCT 40 Years in the making! Well Norman Payne certainly has a lot to answer for! The largest concentration of Wessex CTC cyclists to invade Normandy for many a year. Fifty-two in total made their way in waves across the channel departing from Poole and Portsmouth. Gill and I arrived in Caen on Friday morning. The 70km to St.Lo passed quickly enough and by mid afternoon we were on site discussing with the UCT St. Lo President Loic Vaudry where to put our tent outside the entrance to the main hall and gain early access to the shower blocks.
Following many kisses and whilst everything was being set up in the hall we set off to Carrefour for our oysters, crevettes, swordfish steaks and wine for evening tea; good to be back in France.
There was an early awakening Saturday morning as the 150km Brevet riders arrived to sign in and have their breakfast before setting off. Alternative rides of 40 and 60km were available for the rest of us including young Henry (5) who was a stoker for dad Michael's tandem. In the time honoured fashion of progress the club no longer uses arrows pasted on the road but now used spray paint as direction arrows. These were perfectly adequate, though as some were to find out during the day, it did help if you were using the correct day's map. The morning routes had a refreshment point half way round with lunch back at the main hall. As usual this was a feast and included the infamous Normandy cider, specially brewed for the 40th Anniversary. The weather was glorious on the Saturday and we were grateful for our shower after returning from the afternoon 40km. There was not much time to get back to the hall for the 6pm celebratory reception where Loic and the local Mayor gave thanks to all those that had travelled to join the club to celebrate their birthday. This led into the meal at 8pm where in the tradition of previous St. Lo concentrations, the club members acted as waiters and waitresses to the approx 200 diners. 
Great to see the children helping out with activities from serving to the prix draw for the racing bike and a multitude of additional prizes. Loic took time to once again thank everyone for attending. He then brought out the personalised tea set that Wessex CTC had presented to him and the club when they visited us last year to show that it had travelled safely across the channel. I was then presented with a very kind invitation for the whole Wessex CTC to return to Lo in 2008 for a twinning visit. Loic reminded us of his speech at the Wessex dinner on the standardisation that comes with globalisation and then being surprised by me turning up in my Kilt which on this occasion had been left at home as it was far too heavy to drag across Normandy in the pannier bags!
The evening dinner was a multi coursed meal including the infamous Normandy Calvados sorbet that unfortunately young Andrew and Francesca were not able to indulge. Dad Richard looked quite happy about this!
A lovely evening with music provided by a four piece drumming band that played Bonne Anniversaire as Margot with the flaming inferno cake led the St. Lo club dancing and singing round the room.
We were all out on another set of rides on the Sunday morning along the Vire Valley following the river and passing all the walkers who were out on their 10 mile hike that was organised for those who did not cycle. Back in the hall for lunch, we the Wessex CTC were presented with the cup for the club with the most numerous members attending the event - Norman you will have to bring it along to the AGM for everyone to see!
That afternoon at 4pm there was a closing reception with more cake, cider and kia. We had organised a Wessex CTC photo call and then called on all the St. Lo club members to join us. This was a fitting end to a joyful weekend where it was nice to spend time with members of both clubs enjoying our common interest of cycling.
Thank you to all the Wessex DA members that attended the event and in particular many thanks to Norman for orchestrating the arrangements and making sure that we were all organised.
Jimmy Walker President Wessex CTC DA