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Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 9:38 pm
by whitestone
The chat's been spread over some odd threads :???:

I suppose it depends on which side of the ridgeway track you ride :lol:

There's a 24hr garage at Welshpool, it's a couple of km off-route but it's a flat off-route. I think the café at ByS will be open, something like £13 for unlimited tea and a packed supper(?).

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 9:41 pm
by Bearbonesnorm
does £5 still get me some grub at Bwlch-y-sarnau?
Cafe will be open on Sat but it may only be brews and cake. Just take some cash.

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 9:58 pm
by Ian
whitestone wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 9:38 pm I suppose it depends on which side of the ridgeway track you ride :lol:

There's a 24hr garage at Welshpool, it's a couple of km off-route but it's a flat off-route.
As in Kerry Ridgeway? That section is pretty straight forward, is it not? (have ridden it before several times and nothing stands out in my mind) :???:

Tuffins - good shout. Might be useful. Any port in a storm, and there's moisture forecast Saturday night. Looks like you can get to it via the canal, too, save riding the drag racing strip of the A483.

Stu - cheers for that.

Edit - blimey, there's even a 24hr MacDonalds. In Welshpool. Chuff me. Wales has caught up :-bd
Bet they've never seen a muddy bikepacker at 2am, mind you...

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 9:59 pm
by Asposium
are we now allowed to talk about BB200 part one?

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 10:08 pm
by whitestone
Asposium wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 9:59 pm are we now allowed to talk about BB200 part one?
I doubt there's much info that you can impart that would be of any advantage at this late stage.

Ian - the border runs along part of the KR, hence English one side, etc.

I've done most of the Welsh side of things but a lot of it in the opposite direction. Percentage wise the English side is probably the reverse, just done bits around the Long Mynd and Stiperstones.

I'm thinking that with the recent rains things might be "interesting" off-road. Just thankful we aren't doing cowshit track into Bwlch y Sarnau.

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 10:13 pm
by slarge
Ian wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 9:58 pm
whitestone wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 9:38 pm I suppose it depends on which side of the ridgeway track you ride :lol:

There's a 24hr garage at Welshpool, it's a couple of km off-route but it's a flat off-route.
As in Kerry Ridgeway? That section is pretty straight forward, is it not? (have ridden it before several times and nothing stands out in my mind) :???:

Tuffins - good shout. Might be useful. Any port in a storm, and there's moisture forecast Saturday night. Looks like you can get to it via the canal, too, save riding the drag racing strip of the A483.

Stu - cheers for that.

Edit - blimey, there's even a 24hr MacDonalds. In Welshpool. Chuff me. Wales has caught up :-bd
Bet they've never seen a muddy bikepacker at 2am, mind you...
They have Ian, but it was 12am not 2am😃

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 10:15 pm
by Ian
Right, got you Bob. Went over my head that one (out of practice).

There's bits of the route reminiscent of 2018 (I think), though the other way around. That was a great route, and the off road bits look sufficiently punctuated with tarmac that there's opportunity to gather wits periodically. Looking forward to a trip over Pole Bank actually and down Portway. Haven't done that in years and years. Pity it'll be dark by then, though.

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2021 10:17 pm
by Ian
slarge wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 10:13 pm
Ian wrote: Tue Nov 02, 2021 9:58 pm Edit - blimey, there's even a 24hr MacDonalds. In Welshpool. Chuff me. Wales has caught up :-bd
Bet they've never seen a muddy bikepacker at 2am, mind you...
They have Ian, but it was 12am not 2am😃
Ha! I'm not as quick as you though :wink:

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 7:50 am
by ChrisE
The www says the Welshpool tesco is open til midnight on Saturday (reopens 10am sunday)

Have no idea how realistic getting there for sat night is?

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 8:32 am
by Ian
Pretty sure I won’t make Welshpool for midnight. A 2am MacDonalds is a questionable strategy for me, as I’m sure that all I’ll want to do after eating it is fall asleep (even if I chase it down with two coffees).

That said, it’s doubtful I’ll be able to ride right through the night, so perhaps aiming for Welshpool and sleeping for a few hours somewhere around there isn’t a bad strategy.

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 9:41 am
by Bearbonesnorm
are we now allowed to talk about BB200 part one?
Rather not. Ian and Bob are both on the 300 this weekend so are purely speculating.

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 10:01 am
by sillybigfella
I’m sure Newtown Maccy’s is 24hrs at the weekends.

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 11:41 am
by Richard G
sillybigfella wrote: Wed Nov 03, 2021 10:01 am I’m sure Newtown Maccy’s is 24hrs at the weekends.
Takes a surprising amount of time to get there / back off the route. I did it on this year's WRT from exactly the same place.

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 12:11 pm
by macinblack
I was getting somewhat confused (easily done) about McDonalds in Welshpool until I twigged you were on the 300 - Hell of a detour for a Big Mac otherwise.

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 2:23 pm
by Escape Goat
If it was burger king.....

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 3:12 pm
by Pete-G
macinblack wrote: Wed Nov 03, 2021 12:11 pm I was getting somewhat confused (easily done) about McDonalds in Welshpool until I twigged you were on the 300 - Hell of a detour for a Big Mac otherwise.
not just me then :lol:

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 3:38 pm
by Richard G
Escape Goat wrote: Wed Nov 03, 2021 2:23 pm If it was burger king.....
:cool:

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 7:17 pm
by whitestone
Since I don't eat meat, the location of said fast food joints is neither here nor there. I'd probably detour off-route to avoid them :lol:

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 7:57 pm
by lune ranger
For me it’d be…


Since I do eat meat, the location of said fast food joints is neither here nor there. I'd probably detour off-route to avoid them :lol:

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 9:09 pm
by RIP
whitestone wrote: Wed Nov 03, 2021 7:17 pm Since I don't eat meat, the location of said fast food joints is neither here nor there. I'd probably detour off-route to avoid them :lol:
Was going to say that too but didn't want cause an upset - although quite why some people find it "threatening" I've no idea :smile: .

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 9:46 pm
by fatbikephil
There is a good food source at K132 on the 200, right on the trail :mrgreen:

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2021 10:01 pm
by whitestone
fatbikephil wrote: Wed Nov 03, 2021 9:46 pm There is a good food source at K132 on the 200, right on the trail :mrgreen:
Veg based I hope :wink:

Actually the 300 doesn't go that way.

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2021 11:49 am
by Richard G
I don't remember seeing anything there.

Was dark when I got there though, so I could have missed it I guess?

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2021 12:49 pm
by thenorthwind
fatbikephil wrote: Wed Nov 03, 2021 9:46 pm There is a good food source at K132 on the 200, right on the trail :mrgreen:
:lol: Vegetarian friendly too!

Re: BB200 route.

Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2021 12:57 pm
by Richard G
Ohh... I get it. :lol: