No pals to ride with? Not suffered a WRT before? Daren’t enter Golden Sands chipshop alone? Then you’re welcome to join the famous/notorious WRT Lonely Hearts Club.

All you need is some sort of bike, something to sleep in, and some snacks to keep you going until the next pub or potato field. You’ll get wet and knackered, and you’ll get lost, I mean “temporarily misplaced geographically”. Then again, you’ll get to keep some great memories.

The plan, such as it may be, is fluid and will change en-route, but there should be plenty of water around (ha ha - Wales!), and at least one cafe/shop/pub a day. There will be civilised places (for Wales ) and remote places.

In my version of the LHC there won’t be a massive mileage, prob'ly less than 100 miles total. I’m not really into distances, speeds, etc; what (and who and where) happens is more important in my book. Aptitude for talking rubbish in pubs seems to be a useful qualification though.

Small print: You must be able to self-extract from any eventuality under your own steam, although we can assist with rescue helicopter pre-bookings. This is also not an officially led ride, but a loose group of chums, although obviously we’ll all be looking out for each other.

Last year we had 11 in the group, which was fun but was hard to find bivi spots. I’d like 6/7 this time, and my good friend Si has offered to mop up any “overflow”. Show interest on this thread please. I’ll be on hols next Monday-Friday but will try and keep an eye out here.

Yes I’m a big kid really – and dead excited already, aren’t you?

Cheers for now, ‘Reg’ (and the faithful Panda)

I've started my route reg ,but your offer seems very appealing low mileage and talking ,sh@£e ,put me down ,but if you get too many people not a problem I will use the route I've already started ,I too was looking at around 100-120 over the course of the weekend, too many miles means too few pubs

Cheers 'Madness.

Depending on how many contestants foolishly register interest, we may have to introduce some sort of "filter" based on levels of actual loneliness/area-knowledge/round-buying-ability/etc.

But obviously no problem sticking names down, see how it goes, and we can fight it all out nearer the big day

Other folks often pop up anyway offering their "leadership services" for different types of ride groups. I gather there's people who want to do all the GRs and no pubs for example, so there's generally something for everyone, and patently no accounting for taste .

I know we are a strange bunch but who wants to do all the gr's and no pubs please name and shame these athletic people

You had me at 'No pals to ride with?' so sign me up

This will be my second overnighter and I haven't done many hills for ages so I'll probably be the one lagging at the back.

I'm sure I'll be keeping you company lagging at the back!

Of course Steve I've just remembered you'll be weighed down by that full set of ten WRT T-shirts that Dee will finally get rid of onto you . A full set is probably worth a packet now as a collector's item too!

Hi Reg,
It would be great if you could fit me in to your lonely Hearts Club group at the 10th WRT.

I am new to bikepacking, have just purchased my first off-road tourer. I will be arriving alone so is a perfect opportunity to ride with similar minded people, undoubtedly with much more experience.
Cheers!

so is a perfect opportunity to ride with similar minded people

Don't know why but I read that as - so is a perfect opportunity to ride with simple minded people.

Bearbonesnorm wrote:

so is a perfect opportunity to ride with similar minded people

Don't know why but I read that as - so is a perfect opportunity to ride with simple minded people.

Must be talking about me as I pointed out to you in that messages

'Simple minded people' . Oh dear, my cover is blown!

Was hoping to join the lonely hearts club this year , but sadly working now :( ... enjoy

"No pals to ride with". Check
"Not suffered a WRT before". Check
"Daren't enter the Golden Sands chip shop alone". If there's sand can I bring my bucket and spade?
"Simple minded". Most definitely.
"Slow and fond of a beer". The best bivvy's always start with a lock in
I trust that this brief CV will be sufficient for me to reach the formal interview stage, may I suggest as a suitable location the Star Inn, Friday 4th May 2018 about 3pm, should give us enough time to have a few beers before chucking out time (I do believe lock ins are a thing of the past, but hope springs eternal ).
Let's play the music and dance
Looking forward to meeting up with you all, I hope!
P

Hello, this will be my first WRT so it'd be great if I could join in with the LHC please!

I think I tick all the boxes!

Cheers, Rich.

Please all vict....sorry participants make sure reg removes the panda hat before attempting any food bookings.
https://g.co/kgs/EDgzbW

Honestly Steve mate we'd have ended up far further down the culinary scale than Rhayader pizza palace without her. She knows which levers to pull to keep me vaguely on the straight and narrow. If you're looking for a culprit, I reckon Professor Branestawm has a lot to answer for....

The cheesy garlic bread from the Turkish Delight kebab shop in Rhayader is ace.

Yeah we saw the TD but panda had a quiet word in my shell-like .

I reckon that's LHC 'Group 1' pretty much full up then unless any of the current contestants hurriedly bail out after seeing a/ my route (published in all fashionable colour supplements shortly), and b/ me. But do please continue signing up and perhaps my co-conspirator Si will be along soon.

As I tend to fester at the 'two wheeled tramp' end of the spectrum perhaps one of the high-speed/distance fellows could form a breakaway group for those so inclined?

I suspect whatever we may think we've organised here we'll all just meet on the day under the Sign Of The Panda or Heart, form some little groups, and wander off on bikes somewhere .

Why did I only just see this thread?

If there happens to be a bail in the group, or room for another then I'd very much like to add my own brand of badinage and buffoonery to the LHC. I have a sense of direction and I'm not afraid to use it, but damn little experience of midwales biking or bivvying and I promise not to fart while riding right in front of anyone. Well, not too often.

Hi Reg

Sorry for the delay - just looking over the maps at the moment! Trying to balance pubs, cafes, kebabs, mileage etc as per the LHC tradition. Yes, room for some more. Oli are you interested?

Cheers
Si

Oh yes. :)

Right, you're in! Any more?

Bound to be more like me who didnt think to look in this corner for a LHC thread. Given a few more days/weeks I'm sure there'll be others.

Good on you Si! Will give you a buzz after the weekend and we can compare notes perhaps?

Hi peeps,

Please could everyone above Private Message me their email address and mobile phone number? I can send a bit more info and attachments via email.

I think that's middleagedmadness, PaulB2, John G, PeterC, Grunderhunter and Oli.vert at the moment?

I'll CC Simon in my emails so we all know what's on offer - then you can select, reject, or whatever depending on what you think .

(Mmmmm, .. post number #1111.. I do like a nice palindrome!)