Wales ride 2021

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jameso
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Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2012 1:48 pm

Wales ride 2021

Post by jameso »

Burst into heaven
Kiss in the cotton clouds
Arctic sheets and fields of wheat
I can't stop coming down


(or going up)

What a great earworm to have for a few days. There were annoying ones that came with being a bit too hot and tired going uphill, but to have the Stone Roses (and that song in particular) going round in my mind for a few days is a pretty good indication of my summer state of mind during most of my ride though Wales in the recent heatwave. My tempo never matched the drumming in that track, it was rather hot and a few more cotton clouds would have been nice at times but I’m not complaining. The heat was the lesson, I think.

The forecast for a spell of high pressure lining up with my week off to ride through Wales again looked promising. Wasn’t expecting 30 degree days though. I’d packed a proper waterproof and neoprene gloves, not really wanting to know the forecast in detail. And ‘it’s Wales’. I rode 195km from home on the first day in that heat, celebrated crossing the bridge with a pint in Chepstow while waiting for a Chinese takeaway and found a good spot to bivi off a byway on a hill a few miles out of town, new-to-me Gatewood Cape up in a rapid time that’s a sign of a great design more than any tarp dexterity from me.

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Looking NE from the Severn Bridge

In solo road-packing I seem to have found a style of touring that I really enjoy. Throw in some tracks and rough-stuff and it’s even better. Tours treated as a series of solo audax type rides, camp to ride not ride to camp. I’ve done a number of road rides in France and the Germany/Switxerland/Italy corners with a few 300km days in a row then backing off on the miles in the mountains, same time on the bike and minimal time off it though. I’ve probably got onto this topic before, how this way of riding gives me the rewarding challenge of self-supported racing and the places it took me to mentally and physically, with a lack of anyone watching or to compete against that means it’s all on my terms. No-one but me to know or care what I do or where I ride. Internal dialogues from ego and the reward of the numbers, or sense of ability they suggest, all remain though. The heat and my lack of ability to keep going at any pace when it's hot had something to say about all that.

On the afternoon of day 2 I’d already skipped one great-looking, 10km off-road track across a treeless hillside. It would have been hard work on a gravel bike but it was the heat that put me off it. There’d been a sweaty hike-a-bike up the track by the side of the Neath river and a quick cool down in the river, a 15 min respite until my top and cap dried out again. I had early dinner in Brecon (Chinese again, beef and green peppers with black bean sauce, egg fried rice) and felt empty even after all that food, then rode out of Brecon on roads that are a series of small 15% climbs and descents feeling physically deflated.


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Talybont reservoir

It’d been a good day’s riding – the Monmouth and Brecon canal early in the morning, Talybont, Taff Trail and the reservoir, past the lakes and down to the south of Brecons and the head of the Valleys then the hike-a-bike and some warm road miles. But it was too hot to be riding with any flow or feeling of ease unless I just slowed right down. I had low gears so I used them well. I arrived at a high point when the road ran out and turned into a track across the Brecons, just N of Usk Reservoir, and decided that was a nice cool spot to bivi. The views were beautiful and it was totally still and, sheep aside, silent up there. I stretched a bit after sun down (age and posture stuff, not yoga) as a hare wandered along the track without noticing me. It then stopped not 10 feet away and I stayed awkwardly still in my pose until it moved on. Then I remembered the Penderyn miniature I’d picked up from the distillery earlier, part of the reason for heading up through the Brecons from the south. A nice way to end the day.

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Brecons camping spot

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'Roll across the high plains..'

I enjoyed a morning cowboy coffee watching the horses ambling over from one hill top, seemingly to see what that thing on the other hill was. The big open with mountains on the horizon, a cowboy coffee and ‘wild’ horses - very Wyoming. Started the day’s ride with a great off-road descent and a gorgeous grass-up-the-middle lane to Crychan Forest. Took the usual ‘Montana vibes’ photos of pine-lined tracks there that always look a bit rubbish as images later but I keep taking them because Montana vibes come from good memories. Another gravel road that on the map looked ok but was actually a private forest road (small sign, open track though) that I rode anyway. 15km+ of wonderful dirt road. But I bailed into the ditch twice on the descent when I met loaded logging lorries coming up and it was wisest to give them right of way. Rule #1 sub-clause - don’t mess with forestry work. Sorry.

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Lovely lanes

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Montana vibes

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Forest wildlife - they seem rarer now than when I was young?

Got a bit too hot again riding around Lyn Brianne with sun-trap banks and no shade (I’d remembered the toilets there don’t have drinking water and I really needed some by then). About an hour after getting dry-mouth thirsty I drank a full 1l bottle’s worth from a narrow gulley stream – couldn't see any sheep on the hill above and it was cold, clear and tasted pure. Soaked my shirt and gloves, filling the bottle again since the heat was more likely to finish my ride than Giardia. The track further up the road towards Strata Florida Abbey was a good forest road, a little steep on the descent but good.

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Track towards Strata Florida

A chap in Pontrhydfendigaid told me there was a public tap in the wall of someone’s garden, a great find. It was 1.30pm, too damn hot for my liking. I drank, filled up and went to lie in the shade, eat lunch and have a kip. Sod the kms total for today.
Woke up a bit after 3pm, felt much better and thoughts of bailing early due to the heat seemed silly. What was I thinking? A few days in Wales with weather more like southern France? All I needed to do was change my expectations, to adapt and see it as the gift that it was.

While dozing near the road I was about to head up I heard a few too many cars and motorbikes being ragged out of town so I took the other road towards Ysbyty Ystwyth. A few km up the road I was surprised to realise I knew the chap going the other way on a loaded drop-bar 29er - it was Tim Field who’d I’d ridden with for a while on the TNR in the past and met on the 1st RSR. Had a bit of a catch-up chat, mentioned the tap tip and we both carried on – might see him when he's heading onto the Ridgeway as part of a big 2 week ride (nope, he's passed this area already).

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Cwmystwyth road

Rode up the Cwmystwyth road again as I enjoyed it so much last year. With a bit more time left in the day I went the other way to Rhayader, around the Elan reservoirs. Such a beautiful area, especially early evening on a sunny day like that.

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Elan valley

Had a great dinner in Rhayader – steak + ale pie with mash, veg, a side order of chips doused in mayo plus a Guinness. I used to get mouth ulcers after 3-4 days on these rides, a vitamin B deficiency the suggested cause. Yeast is a good source, so, brown bread or beer?

I’ve bivied along the Sustrans route towards Mach before, this time I took a byway further up the hill hoping for better views. There was one good spot but the nearby bracken was full of bugs. The open hillside above was breezier and with the Gatewood I could take a windier spot and get shelter. A fine plan, until the wind drops overnight. Woke up feeling a bit itchy. I looked up out of the Gatewood’s hood / top vent in the hour-before-dawn light and could see a swarm of tiny bugs plus a few on the inside, like they could smell the air wafting out of the top vent. Packed up without stopping for coffee and was mobbed by those tiny ******s that make your skin crawl, could only stand it for a moment before doing that crazy person thing of running in a circle slapping myself, shouting as I go... Thankfully the route along the valley bottom was cold, misty and bug free. Guess what my Gatewood came with? A bug net. Guess what I left out as part of my TLS approach? I thought about that as I made a coffee down in the cool valley.

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Yosemite? Relief after the bug attack.

Through Llangurig and onto a nice off-road section, randomly thinking about my pedalling as I’d been spinning lower gears more than I usually do and wondered if something I noticed was causing a right-side lower back tension issue that’s cost me enjoyment and fitness in the last 18 months. Turns out that stretches, core strength and other fixes can help but they can’t fix a misaligned cleat on those new shoes you bought about the time the pain started. Stopped, checked the cleat to see it was a bit too far to one side. I adjusted it, sat around for a bit snacking and taking photos of a shimmering grass meadow then rode on up the hill. My back tension didn't reappear on that hill and didn’t come back for the rest of the ride. Perhaps this was part of the great mood I felt on this ride. I’d genuinely thought age and cumulative wear and tear of riding rigid bikes off-road had got the better of me and I was beginning to accept it, yet now there was hope of an answer to at least part of it. I was pedalling up hills like I used to and it felt great.

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There was a lovely photo to be had here about half an hour earlier with slightly lower sun and more photography skills.

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Love these forest roads.

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Dylife Gorge.

I was close to BB HQ, through Hafron Forest and past Dylife Gorge. I wondered if Stuart and Dee were been around for a 'sub standard' coffee and a good chat but it was 8am and already feeling warmer than it should, I kept riding to make the most of the cooler part of the day and quiet main road climb. The 500m descent off the top of the hill there towards Machynlleth (Forge Rd?) has to be one of my favourites, the perspective at the top makes it feel like a rollercoaster drop. There’s enough view down the road to be able to see if it’s clear ahead and take the corners fairly fast. It was clear and there was enough speed to get a vocal reaction from me as the wind noise hit a level I’m not used to, a real blast in every way.

I had ridden past a ‘bonus’ 65km gravel section option that started at the top of the hill, going towards the reservoirs. Too hot for shade-less gravel tracks, saved for another trip. There was another long gravel and moorland section coming up but I decided to use the Sustrans + EV2 route towards Dolgellau. Cruising on flatter roads felt good.

Crossed the Mawddach, rode up a stupid-steep road onto a track that took me into the forests above Coed-Y-Brennin. Snuck in a short section of trail centre route to be reminded of how bad gravel bikes are on chunky stop-start terrain. Nearly took out my front mudguard over one rock step and did the awkward ‘highposter stuck going downhill’ dismount on the next one. A bit of flowy blue trail on the other side of the main road was lot of fun though, little roller crests for a few inches of floaty air. Felt way better than it looked, I'm sure. The forest roads lead me into that gorgeous open space just SE of Trawsfynydd, then riding over the bridge I slept under last year with the wet feet incident, and dinner in Trawsfynydd itself.

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Looking back down the track that took me from Mawddach to Coed-y-Brennin.

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Towards Trawsfynydd.

While eating I could overhear four local guys, speaking Welsh and having some beers. I could hear classic English swears every half dozen words so it seemed that Welsh doesn’t have swear words within the language, but that can’t be true. Anyone know more about this? Was great to listen to and it all fitted in quite elegantly.

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'hike-a-bike' aka F-F-S

I reeled off some classic English swears on the next section, an example of why that type of trail that’s very faint or not visible on the satellite view is always a gamble. Should have realised it would be a bracken-filled sheep track, a walk-push-fk it for a few miles past a couple of off-grid farm houses. Lovely area, best to think of it as a rough stuff link type of route towards Porthmadog. It was a tricky area to find a good camping spot that wasn’t likely to see me doing the madman dance again, found one off a bridleway near Beddgelert on a hillside with a bit of breeze. Packed up fairly fast in the morning and was onto the climb from Beddgelert to Llanberis pass by 6am.

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Evening light towards Portmadog.

I’d seen a fire engine with lights going coming down the road the night before, on the way up to the the pass that morning there was a NP Ranger’s truck stopped at the side, 2 guys looking over the edge where some long skid marks ended. A car had locked up after a straight, gone over the side before the apex of the corner and down a steep bank with no barrier or wall to slow them down. Nasty, I didn’t stop to look any closer.

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Miner's Track

The bridleway part of the Miner’s Track up towards the top of Snowdon has been re-surfaced which makes it an easier out-and-back ride. It can be so silent up there and sound carries across the lakes well enough that I could almost hear what two walkers on the path up Lliwedd were talking about as I stopped there for a while. I’d thought a bivi in the area would have been nice but the timing hadn’t worked out, but it was good timing for a Large Breakfast at Pete’s Eats down the other side of the pass.

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Near to Tryfan and Llyn Ogwen, from the Sustrans route opposite the A5

After that fill-up stop, a steep climb towards the quarries and the Sustrans path towards Llyn Ogwen. Taking Sustrans paths in between highlight roads and forest track sections was proving to be a great way to make up a ride, they’ve put in some really good routes in this area - far better than the byway I picked to get out of the Penmachno valley which was a loose rubble hike on both sides. However it did end at a lovely lane and lead me very nicely onto a road I’d been looking forward to, the B4407 toward Cwm Cynfal. It’s one of those desolate, open moorland areas with a small road across it and almost nothing else. Like the Denbeigh Moor road, but more beautiful I thought. There was nothing there, just space. Only a couple of cars passing. This road, then turning onto the B4391 towards Bala and a small road avoiding the A-road further on was a highlight of the ride – just beautiful open roads and long views.

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Roads like these are my idea of heaven...

From Bala and Lake Vyrnwy area there was a choice to head over to the Berwyns and a planned pilgrimage kind of ride on Wayfarer’s route. I’d been covering less distance each day though, and the idea of a sweaty hike-a-bike didn’t appeal a lot, particularly on a route originally done in winter. From Vyrnwy I could ride east to Cannock Chase in an easy/shorter day and get a train home from Rugely, generally unusually cheap for the distance. If I didn’t take that option I had 2 more long days in Wales and then one more from Monmouthshire across to the Chilterns. The weather was due to change on Saturday and I really didn’t wat to end the ride with a wet slog on roads I know too well, almost a commuter’s familiarity with the Cotswolds-Chilterns routes. So following the general relaxed attitude of the ride so far I got pizza in Bala, supplies for the evening (cold beer and snacks plus breakfast and a full water bottle) and headed up over the road towards Lake Vyrnwy, a really lovely climb up to almost 500m. Got in the stream on the way up for a bracing splash at around 8pm. Seemed so quiet. But why does a car always appear when you’re having a river bath?

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Sunset, 600m up.

At the top of the road is a track that took me up to the hill top ~600m with great views across the surrounding hills. Nice breeze, no worries about noseeums. A couple of cold hipster beer cans and food, a red sunset, incredible night sky view at 2am, a great last night bivi. So good I slept past sunrise.

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Sunrise

The ride down to and around the sunny side of the lake was so quiet, I didn’t see a car until past the post office + shop past the end of the lake.

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Descent towards Lake Vrynwy, ~6.30am.

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The bridge over river on the southern side of the lake.

The ride to the train station was easy enough, I felt good, feeling faster or stronger than when I set off. There’s that classic training advice ‘to go fast, first you must slow down’. I felt that day 5-6 diesel power, a strength developing on the hills from repeated hilly days on a heavy bike, something I hadn’t felt in years. It was something I’d experienced in my early lower-mileage touring days that gave me confidence to race but then, having not really been bitten by the race bug, in the years since I’d just pushed myself and accepted that in my mid-40s, day 6 diesel was behind me. It wasn’t - I’d just been pushing on during the rides, attrition rather than natural adaptation. Slow is good. It took 6 days of riding at a pace and ‘rules’ set by the heat to realise this, better late than never. The weather really was a gift.



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The Gatewood Cape

A bit of gear nerding. I’ve generally used a bivi-only for my tours, taking a small tarp sometimes. My last few trips have involved too many miles at night beyond the time I wanted to stop simply because I wanted to find cover in case it rained. That’s ok on some minimal fast rides but it influences where you stop too much on a ride like this and I missed staying on hilltops for the views. I have a Bearpaw Lair and I like it, the format is good. The Gatewood Cape came up as a recommendation and having seen Reg’s the weekend before that recommendation, plus being a sucker for lighter, more compact kit I went for it. I think it’s a really good bit of kit.

Pros -
It’s really easy and fast to pitch, like the Lair in that respect. It’s light and compact. It’s fast to pack up into its own pocket. Just about enough space for me at 6’ if I use the bike’s bar end as a pull-out point. Good coverage.

Cons -
I missed seeing the stars though the hood vent hole makes a nice porthole view or I can sleep half out of the cape, just using it as a windbreak. The pole is in a slightly annoying place on all of these tarp tents so I’ll add a line so I can use a tree branch as a pull-up pitch option for the next trip. The tie-back for the front flaps isn’t that effective as the material is so light and slippery.

Bike Stuff

My all-road tourer, the ongoing project bike. Almost 4 years on this frame now, forks were a new set late 2019. 26-38 FC, 11-32T CS - perfect gearing. 650B x 50 G-One Speeds - fast tyres, really comfy. New pads and rotors in TRP Spyres, far more sensible than rim brakes last year. Still adjusting the position on this bike but it's close to what I wanted it to be/to do, with a steeper STA saddle position than was planned for and middling bar height. Seems the bar reach is important for me being comfortable on this bike, the STA less so. I'd rather it all worked with a slacker STA yet the steeper position is great on steep climbs, just like lock-down Bombers BITD, and the weight distribution works well overall in this set up.
Dynamo lights F+R plus B+M USB Werk charger on the bars by the stem - phone, camera and GPS stayed charged with that.
Wildcat seatpack (must be 9 years old now?) holding a 265g PHD custom quilt, Terranova moonlight bag cover/bivi, Neoair full mattress and Decathlon pillow, plus the Gatewood Cape. Wildcat custom frame bag with tarp pegs and pole, spares, coffee, mug and meths + BB 8g stove, head torch etc. Ortlieb Accessory bag on the bars, customised to be a stand-alone bag, holding base layer, thin ME down jacket (aka beer cooler), camera, a few bits 'n' pieces. 2nd bottle cage bag is holding waterproof jacket and gloves plus spare socks and I fitted guards back onto the bike a few weeks ago - dead weight or the guarantee of hot weather for this trip? :grin:

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Lazarus
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by Lazarus »

it seemed that Welsh doesn’t have swear words within the language, but that can’t be true.
Its is pretty much true - You get a rude word for a number 2 - cachu [ bit ruder than crap ]

The one thing you dont expect in Wales are desert like conditions and that looked a superb trip.
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Bearlegged
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by Bearlegged »

Really liked that James, thanks for sharing.
...rode out of Brecon on roads that are a series of small 15% climbs and descents feeling physically deflated.
This brought back some memories!

On the Gatewood and its slippery front doors, I find one or two of the magic clips from Joe's shop help.
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RIP
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by RIP »

Another epic James, stunning. Going to have to re-read it to make sure I've savoured it. Your head must be full up to exploding with experiences of that trip. Some fab 'philosophical' stuff, ace photos, and interesting chat about gear and bike. One of our best reports this year I reckon.
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

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thenorthwind
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by thenorthwind »

Another great write-up James, with some stunning photos to boot. The thought you put into route choice - even if some of it's as hoc - really comes across. Enjoyed reading it sat in the garden with one of them hipster beers. Cheers.
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fatbikephil
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by fatbikephil »

Great trip tale and well done for cashing on the fab weather :-bd
jameso
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by jameso »

Thanks, and Reg you're too kind. You're right about the head exploding thing, re-reading this it seems to me quite similar to one of my first tour write ups - everything's new and there's no sense of weariness or familiarity with the experience. A bit "In't Wales Brilliant!! Amazing!" Fast Show guy : ) but it's so refreshing to be in that frame of mind for a while, to know how easy it can be to get back there. I'm easily pleased.

One minor downside of taking it fairly easily and a relatively short trip is that I'm itching to get back out again after only 2 days at home.
the magic clips from Joe's shop
Thanks :-bd
jameso
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by jameso »

Landslide wrote: Sat Jul 24, 2021 7:29 pm On the Gatewood and its slippery front doors, I find one or two of the magic clips from Joe's shop help.
Went to buy the clips, bought them and some other stuff inc a 50g Ti hipflask :grin: 150ml size, just right.
redefined_cycles
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by redefined_cycles »

Thanks for thw write up James... you make it (riding far, hot and sweaty) look so easy... Was that big worm a snake and if so what snake was it pls. :smile:
redefined_cycles
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by redefined_cycles »

NB. Amazing pics btw. Makes my carema look dated
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UnderTheRadars
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by UnderTheRadars »

redefined_cycles wrote: Sun Jul 25, 2021 12:47 pm Thanks for thw write up James... you make it (riding far, hot and sweaty) look so easy... Was that big worm a snake and if so what snake was it pls. :smile:

It’s a slow worm, it’s not slow, nor is it a worm or a snake; to make things more confusing it’s a legless lizard!
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TheBrownDog
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by TheBrownDog »

Super write up James, thanks. Really enjoyed the pics too.
I'm just going outside ...
vdubber67
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by vdubber67 »

Lovely pics - looks like an epic ride!
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In Reverse
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by In Reverse »

Lovely stuff James.

How tall are you? We're roughly the same height if my hazy memory serves, how is the Gatewood Cape for length?
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atk
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by atk »

Saw your post about the ride on Twitter and was hoping to see a write up here again. Unsurprisingly, another great read!
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

Welsh do tend to both swear and count in English.

8am, I'd have been up for hours and I'd have treated you to a Nescaf Latte from my stash :-bd
May the bridges you burn light your way
slarge
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by slarge »

Great write up James - your trips make me somewhat jealous (but next year I'll be not working so the shoe might be on the other foot!)
jameso
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by jameso »

Thanks for the + comments 👍

Andy I'm 6' and it's ok for me, same width and angle as the Bearpaw I'd say although I've only used the BP a few nights. Using the side tie-outs on the Gatewood does help. Not a lot of space to sit up in it and faff when the fabric's damp but it's fine for what it is.

Stuart, I did feel a bit antisocial not calling in, but if I wasn't a bit antisocial I wouldn't be riding solo for 6 days and enjoying it so much, right? I'll plan ahead a bit better like last time on my next trip. Is the latte special for the southerners?

Shaf, really it was a very manageable ride for anyone who does the sort of miles you do. Let me know if you want the gpx files if you ever head over that way (and the location of the 2 hike a bike bits I'd skip next time!)
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faustus
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by faustus »

Excellent write-up and thanks for sharing! Nice to vicariously relate to the 'Wales is brilliant' feeling you experienced.

Tidy bike and set-up too, gloss black is classy :-bd
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Bearbonesnorm
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

Stuart, I did feel a bit antisocial not calling in, but if I wasn't a bit antisocial I wouldn't be riding solo for 6 days and enjoying it so much, right?
Hey, no one more antisocial than me - I get it :-bd
May the bridges you burn light your way
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benp1
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by benp1 »

Cracking trip James

How did your nav work? Did you know where you wanted to go and made it up, or were you using GPS (scrolling in and out of the map or using it for the route)
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Verena
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by Verena »

...rode out of Brecon on roads that are a series of small 15% climbs and descents feeling physically deflated.
That is me every weekend :lol:

Wonderful write up of a great trip!
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BigdummySteve
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by BigdummySteve »

Superb trip report James, I’ve ten days off at the end of August and have been pondering what to do with them. Big prescribed route or an unplanned ramble?
You make the latter option sound very appealing :-bd
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Charliecres
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by Charliecres »

Thanks for posting this - great stuff as usual. That weather!!! :-bd
jameso
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Re: Wales ride 2021

Post by jameso »

benp1 wrote: Tue Jul 27, 2021 1:57 pm Cracking trip James

How did your nav work? Did you know where you wanted to go and made it up, or were you using GPS (scrolling in and out of the map or using it for the route)
Cheers Ben. Remembered the WRT a few years back as I retraced a bit of the route we took there. I had a Garmin with my route in 3 sections plus options and alternates along the way. When I went off-route it wasn't far. The rwgps app has an offline ability for downloaded routes and komoot is good for scanning for ideas, use OpenCycleMap layer on both as it shows Sustrans routes etc.
That is me every weekend :lol:
I'm envious! Sort of! :grin: I'll be living much closer to the Severn bridge in the near future, excited to be in the Brecons more often.
Big prescribed route or an unplanned ramble?
You make the latter option sound very appealing :-bd
tbh Steve it was a bit of both, a pre-planned route with enough scope to make something work when I was there. TNR mapping approach really. A fixed single line seems hard to stick to within time available or harder to adapt when the mood takes you up a different valley etc.
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