They were from Brum IIRC. More hippy than luvvy.

I took the steep and direct line up onto the Long Mynd. The stiff tailwind had me in two minds: grateful for its assistance as it pushed me up the steep slope, but also wary of the black clouds that were pursuing me on its currents. Along the top was gorgeous. The gliding club didn't seem to be flyi...

https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/111/369/482/097/666/229/original/20309ee5f57ad8ca.jpeg Day 4. A gentle blanket of cloud lay over the valleys, so no spectacular sunrise, but a pale glow stole gently across the landscape as I climbed up to the Kerry Ridgeway. It was as beautiful...

Another oh-fuck hill or two, and some primo grav guided me into Clun, where I arrived to nightfall and welcoming lights shining from the windows of the White Horse Inn. Clun Brewery's Citadel ale is a cracker, but unfortunately its presence at the inn was not matched by the chef. I grabbed some past...

The Elan Valley visitor centre made for a welcome second breakfast. Unable to choose between bacon and sausage, I simply opted for both. Warm and refuelled, I then had an easy roll along an old railway track to Rhayader. The road to Abbeycwmhir was closed for works. I proceeded in hope, but was turn...

Day 3. I woke as the dawn light gently stole in through the window. Porridge, packing and pics were sorted, and I was on my way just after 9am. The track to Elan village was by turns smooth and rough, up and down, headwind and tailwind. After the previous day's climbs, my legs were leaden and recalc...

It was hard work over the moors' deeply rutted, braided trails, trying to manage climbing, steering and avoiding pedal strike. But the terrain turned to gravel, and then tarmac again, and swoooooops! It had been a tough day; not huge distances, but plenty of climbing. I was excited and relieved when...

Descending into Pont-rhyd-y-groes I disturbed a buzzard and a crow sharing some entrails. The rain seemed to be easing off, and I started to feel a bit more hopeful of seeing the Cambrian Golden Eagle. The Cwtch café is now long closed (another victim of COVID?), but just opposite was the Tea Hut, o...

That feeling when you look across a valley at a steep and winding road and think, "I'm going up that," and then you're proven right. Sigh. https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/111/368/765/987/379/301/original/3ba6c44a77ecb309.jpg I struggled upwards through the forest to N...

Day 2, and the first 1.5km included a ford, almost a murmuration and an oh-fuck hill. Llandinam served up a nice old bridge, and a monument to David Davies, noted builder of railways and founder of Barry Docks. Also on the menu was a non-existent bridleway, so I headed for the road rather than slith...

A slinky trail through the woods, yes, this was what I was in search of. No traffic noise, just rustling leaves, creaking boughs, and a lively stream chattering its way down the clough. As I climbed out of the trees and onto the patchwork flanks of the hill, more Kites rode the thermals. It was a lo...

One from a couple of years back that I wrote up but never got round to posting, a 4-day tour from The Wrekin to the Elan Valley and back. This wasn’t what I’d planned, but it was what I needed. I’d signed up to do the Bearbones 200 again, but as summer waned, I could sense that my battered mind didn...

18 Bikes have certainly done Pinion frames in the past. I'm not sure how much they're doing custom work at the mo though, I think they're concentrating on their off-the-peg range.

Various Firepot meals on offer at Sport Pursuit:
https://www.sportpursuit.com/search?s=firepot

Flat rate £5 p&p I think, so anything over 2 packs and you'll start making savings?

I'm tempted by those 7R bags just for their tagline, "Ride your bike where even wolves are scared to sh*t"!

I've got a set of the old 105 series (ST 5700). Ideally, would like to flog them with an old 11-36 cassette and chain, plus a non-series 10 speed mech (RD-R350-10-SS). Oh, and some Spyre disc calipers. £50 the lot?

Lovely sunlight on the hills this morning. Definitely one of those days when I'm tempted to bunk off, but I've got an appointment at the tattooist today for something bikepacking-related...

Johnallan wrote: ↑Thu Nov 02, 2023 10:53 pm

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Thu Nov 02, 2023 9:00 pm But how would you deal with all the tiny hole son the side John

I'm kinda hoping someone comes along with some tips for that too

Are you going for the "Woke up somewhere different to where you went to sleep" award?

Presumably one's butler carries it in the support car.

Love the pics Lu, it's amazing how many lost souls you can fit under.a small tarp these days!

You really want that tent, eh Rich?

My measurement is house to bivvy spot as the crow flies.

RIP wrote: ↑Tue Oct 31, 2023 12:09 pm One wheeze I was thinking of for December was bivvying as close as possible to our house, bearing in mind we live right in the middle of the town.

I just checked, and my current (non-COVID backyard) record is 3.76km.