June 22, 2023
Tour banquet and awards ceremony
The banquet had been bigged-up by the crew. I wasn't looking forward to it. It's not the kind of thing I enjoy as the formality can be boring and the sentiment saccharine. I'd never attended my own degree ceremonies for these reasons.
I overcame my misgivings and am very glad I did. It was a lovely evening.
Crossroads had a room in the hotel for the event. There was a bar and for once the food did not disappoint. I joined a table of mostly Brits, along with Lee, Lisa, Mark S, Ron and others. Conversation flowed readily. Lee and Lisa had bought Ron two (very tasty) lobsters as part of the long running joke about someone kidnapping the toy crustacean off Lisa's helmet.
Paula hosted the evening and struck just the right balance between acknowledging everyone and giving praise, without being too mushy. It was deftly done.
There were awards for completing EFI (Every 'Fabulous' Inch), speediest rider (Simon!), most improved (Christine?), kindest (Jean - for lending her bike to women who had mechanicals with their own bikes) and for Lee and Lisa (I think just for being themselves) (Fellow riders, please tell me if I have got these wrong) and most importantly of all, best co-ordinated kit (Mark B and I). It would be most ungracious to our US hosts and friends to point out where the recipients of this premier award originated.
With only seventeen miles to the coast, and some riders leaving with family straight after that, this was a nice way to start to unwind and say our goodbyes. There was one heated conversation at the end, but most of us were ready to turn in.
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