A pack of ZT’s are………….

[FLYING BANANA]

………………………… on the prowl in and around Newquay in Cornwall today, and tomorrow. A bit of a wild bunch with support from two non MG’s, might be a Rover 75 Tourer with them. But the 75 Tourer is a bit of a lightweight so may drop out at some point.

Seen within the group is a Ignition Blue saloon, Trophy Blue saloon, a very rare ZTT in Orange Grove and the leader of the bunch is a very well known Sunspot Yellow ZT.

Approach with caution. Don’t offer them food or fuel. But they will pose for photos if the money is right.

This is the annual pilgrimage of the Southwest crew’s weekend away. We normally convoy up to the Isle of Wight but because of the Covid we opted to attend one of our old hunting grounds in Newquay. We actually traveled down on Friday afternoon. Saturday saw us leaving the cars at the hotel and getting the bus into Newquay for a wander around the shops. The weather was atrocious with hailstones and a biting wind. I forgot to take my woolly hat with me but my friend Nina bought me a large woolly Santa’s hat. Got a few strange looks but at least it kept my neck and ears warm.

Back on the bus to the hotel, at the Pentire, we met up in the bar where I had a pot of tea. There is a reason for me drinking tea. Mr & Mrs Ratty aka Allen and Val had travelled down with me as Allen has a trapped nerve in his thigh. And Saturday night saw us 3 attend the Cornish MGOC Christmas meal at the Quintrell Inn at Quintrell Downs. So I was the driver for the evening hence the tea.

Fabulous evening with the MG club. There was only 52 of us this year owing to the Covid restrictions on on social distancing in the restaurant. Back in 2018 92 of us sat down for dinner. The first drink, alcoholic or non, was on the house. Paid for by the publican, this was a very nice gesture by him. It was his way of saying Thank You for the continuous support that the MG club has kept the monthly dinner meets going throughout the Covid restrictions. Obviously not in the lockdowns.

The food was a Carvery. Choice of three meats, Turkey, Beef and Lamb. You could have all three if you wanted, and they didn’t skimp on the meat, a very generous helping. Then there was roast pots, Yorkshire puds, stuffing, pigs in blankets, sprouts, carrots, baked parsnips, swede, cauliflower cheese and gravy.
Dessert was a choice between sticky toffee pudding, banana and toffee cheesecake, raspberry roulade, trifle gateaux and a mince pie. All served with either Cornish clotted cream or proper Cornish ice cream. And all the food was at £15 a head.

There was a raffle and the awards ceremony. I never won anything from either of them but not bothered. The money raised goes back into the club for future events and pays for cloth badges, pin badges and window stickers. Throughout the Covid lockdown our chairman supplied us all with cloth badges free, although we had paid for them in a roundabout way.

We managed to get back to the hotel for last orders. So for me that was 3 pints of Rattler and a few Jameson’s.
The rest of the crew had stayed at the hotel, obviously, and had a Christmas meal. And that cost them £25 a head but wasn’t as good as ours.

I’m suffering a bit with a knee injury but once on the move I’m ok. But sitting too long in one place gives me pain. So once home I’ll be off to the quacks for help, if I can get an appointment.

I’ll keep the report going and will post up photos once home.

(The two non MG’s are a dark blue Nissan Juke and a white Suzuki Swift.)

[FLYING BANANA]

……………………………. yesterday by a fellow MG ZT owner, but not a forum member well not yet but I will be working on it. His comments on Facebook was that he had seen a fabulous Yellow ZT and a Copper coloured ZTT. He failed to notice the other two ZT’s and the Suzuki Swift. No doubt the Yellow ZT blinded him.

So after breakfast on Sunday we all convoyed, barring one that being the Nissan Juke. We started off going to Par Market down near St.Awful, sorry St.Austell.
We had a mooch around the market before retiring to the cafe for a cuppa. On the way to Par Market Banana was designated lead car.

So after tea we was then off to Jamaica Inn over on Bodmin Moors. Within our convoy we had two drivers, Trophy Blue ZT and the Suzuki Swift. Now these two chaps are born and bred Cornishmen. So you would have thought that they would have offered to lead us across country to the Inn. But no it had to be Banana. But we used our secret weapon, Allen’s satnav on his phone to guide us.
So we led off with the Ignition Blue and the Orange Grove. Then the Trophy Blue with the Suzuki Swift at the back.

Alas the Trophy Blue got lost after falling behind at a roundabout, and naturally enough the Suzuki followed him. Oh! Was they in for some ribbing, when they eventually arrived at the Inn. All lighthearted fun.
Jamaica Inn is very famous as Daphne de Maurier wrote a book with the same title. The Inn is just off the A30 and if in the area it is well worth a visit. Not only is it a fine pub with a restaurant it also has accommodations. Plus there is a farm shop and a museum, the museum is only open during the summer months though.

And it’s in the middle of Bodmin Moor. From the Inn you can walk to Brown Willy which is the highest point in Cornwall. Standing at 1378 feet above sea level
It was whilst we was at the Inn we got spotted.
We stayed long enough to to have hot drinks, the weather was dry but we still had that cold biting wind.
Now for the journey home to Newquay is straight forward you just come out of the car park and turn right which after 300 yards drops you back on the A30. We was the last car to leave but we thought the other cars would line up on the slip road to let Banana take the lead.

But no. They had all gone leaving us to travel back on our own. And we thought we was friends. Banana will be having words with the others at the hotel.
We arrived back at the Pentire about 15 minutes after everyone else. We met up in the lounge and discussed where we was going for dinner. We looked at the in house menu but having eaten there on Friday night we was not that impressed.
Allen suggested to ate at the Quintrell Inn, we here had been the night before with the MG club. So after a quick phone call by Matt, we was off again.

And Banana was now back as the leader. It’s only about a 15 minute drive to the pub. So we all managed to stay together plus all park together. Into the pub we trooped and was shown to our table.
Some went for the Carvery and few others, including me, went for the choices off of the menu. I had the beef stew cooked in Guinness with mushrooms, mashed potatoes and grilled corn on the cob.
Some of the party also had desserts, but not for me as I’m now diary intolerant.
The size of the desserts were HUGE.

Everyone agreed that the food was fabulous, there was not a single complaint about any of the food, and the service from the staff was impeccable. So we lined up to pay, but the first person up paid for all of us as a surprise early Christmas present. I’ll not embarrass him with a name but I’ll give you a clue. He fixed Banana, and got her up and running. And best of all because of this absolute diamond of a friend restored my faith back with Banana.

So with ole Yella leading we went back to the hotel. After a few pints we all turned in.
Going home tomorrow, but it’s been a fantastic weekend.
Hoping to get some final photo’s tomorrow to post up.

Thanks for reading.

Keep safe till we meet up again.

[FLYING BANANA]

…………………………………… have split up and gone there separate ways along with the Nissan and the Suzuki.
After breakfast it was time to load up the cars and say our goodbyes.

Banana was the last car to leave, I like to warm her up a bit before driving off. We drove home at a steady pace, we only hit 3 figures once whilst overtaking a coach.

Bananas steaming “incident” is in the past. On the diagnostic read out the temperature never went over 88 degrees, it averaged 85 on the trip home.
We covered just a mere 180 miles and got 38mpg on average over the weekend.

Happy with that.

The roaming pack will be meeting up again on the 18th December for Christmas dinner.

Keep safe.