Stumbling Across A May Day Celebration

I don't like to plan much on the road as as a result I am often rewarded with a pleasant surprise when I roll into a village such as the day I rode into Padstow on May Day. It's commonly know as the "Obby Oss Day" (Hobby Horse Day for those who speak english) and is a tradition that dates back to 1803 celebrating of the beginning of summer. There are two Oss', one representing the red village people and a the other the blue. From all the locals I talked to, nobody appeared to really know how families were original distinguished as a red or blue. Today, if your born red you are most definitely a proud red villager and vice versa.

As I rolled down the hill into town, the first thing to grab my attention was large groups of people dressed in white sailor type attire walking toward a cemetery. I assumed a funeral was on and being a fishing village this was just tradition. The closer I got to town the penny dropped, music, dance, laughter and people drinking their favourite pints spilled through the streets. The whole town was alive.

I parked my bike against a wall adjacent the harbour and before I could get my helmet off a number of people were talking to me and asking the same questions that everybody puts to a cycle tourist. I soon met Ben and Jess, two locals out having a blowout and why not. Before long Ben had me onto the local Cornish cider Rattlesnake. At 6% it's a tasty drop that has bite drinking it by the pint. After finally leaving the company of Ben and Jess I met dozens of very merry souls. I shared a drink with the majority of them and the last I remember is my head hitting the pillow, the room spinning and then sleeping like a baby.

I met so many fantastic people that day, all out enjoying life and the company of their friends, family and strangers like me. As I sit here typing this post I'm picking through the many business cards in my handle bar bag from skippers of vessels dotted all along the Cornish coast. I can see their faces, hear their laughter and I wonder, will ever see these truly salt of the earth people again.