April 2011

The noggin at St. Mary’s Golf Club was well attended and both the food and the service were very good. It’s worth getting there early so that you can place your food order before 7pm. That way you benefit from the “2 meals for £8.50” deal.

It was unanimously decided to continue using this venue for our Thursday noggins.

The Usk noggin wasn’t in Usk this month, as they couldn’t cater for our group. Nigel & Max stepped into the breech and invited us to have the noggin at their new bistro, the Bacaro. Eighteen of us turned up and had a very pleasant evening, with good food and excellent service.

We hadn’t had a February run for a number of years but David & Jean organised this one and 24 members turned up at the Abergavenny rendezvous in support. Colin Thunhurst came along in his 1976 4/4. This was his first TaffMog event – but will it be his last? We hope not. The weather wasn’t brilliant but all Mogs except two arrived with hoods down. The culprits were an elderly, frail couple from Brecon and a pair of youngsters from Haverfordwest. Two couples turned up in tin tops because their Mogs were on SORN. The route was interesting, with a run over Hay Bluff. The views from the top would have been superb, if we’d slowed down a little! However, we had a coffee stop to get to. When we arrived, Nick and Elizabeth were already finishing their half-covered chocolate digestives, having circumvented the start. We were soon also joined by Ian & Elaine Blair from Llandrindod Wells for the first time on one of our runs. We hope they’ll join us again in the future.

After coffee, we set off on a tortuous route to Penybont for lunch. Some members missed a turning –believe me, quite by accident! – and so arrived at the lunch stop 10 minutes before the main group. Elizabeth was observed frantically filling a doggie bag after the meal; was Nick going to enjoy bubble and squeak for lunch the following day or were their dogs really going to have a banquet?

After lunch, we said goodbye to Ian & Elaine and set off for Crickhowell via Builth Wells, Llangorse and Llangynidr. Tea & coffee were prepared and waiting for us but where were the Welsh cakes and scones that we’d enjoyed on a previous visit? In their place were two disgustingly pink (I won’t mention the taste) sponges. A disappointing end, perhaps, but we’d all thoroughly enjoyed the run and we are grateful to David & Jean for having put in the time and effort in organising the day.

Don’t forget, the 3^rd Wicked Welsh Weekend takes place at the end of next month. Registrations should be logged with Paul & Lesley Harris – contact them by email trevorrick@gmail.com or ': 01633 263574.  Participants must make their own reservations with the Metropole Hotel ': 01597 823700.

Make sure you quote TaffMog’s Wicked weekend for the preferential rate.