FNRttC Friday Night Ride to the Coast - Cardiff to Swansea 20th May 2011

[User482]

The thought of calling you out to pick us up from Swindon never entered my head!

Chepstow, perhaps...?

I jest: to illustrate just how mental serious and committed we are, I will be recce'ing the western bit - Cardiff to Malmesbury - early on Saturday morning, at the same time as you guys will be rolling towards Bognor.

Hi Frank

1. You're mad.
2. I'm toying with the idea of riding from Bristol to Cardiff, which I think is about 45 miles. More my sort of distance!

Anyway, it'd be nice to meet up and head over the bridge, if you fancy it?

 

[Aperitif]

I was worried about that too. So I thought that if we have a nice big lunch then set off, it would add an element of challenge to the ride...

What? Lunch in Cardiff and then pootle to the Gower... I know a nice guest house there actually. A few pints or cwrw, and I suppose we could get a lift back to Caerdydd in Claude's van - if we ask nicely.

 

[theclaud]

I will be recce'ing the western bit - Cardiff to Malmesbury

OK... who's gonna break it to Frank that he's going the wrong way?

 

[MacB]

OK... who's gonna break it to Frank that he's going the wrong way?

In life in general or just this specific time?

 

[theclaud]

In life in general or just this specific time?

You decide...

You coming on this one, Mac? We miss you!

 

[MacB]

You decide...

You coming on this one, Mac? We miss you!

I really want to but will be waiting to see how the fitness is coming along, I'm now up to 14 miles at a time but doubt if I could get beyond 20 at present, or at least not in any comfort. Still problems with left arm I'm afraid and I resorted to my usual sort of comfort in all the months of minimal riding.....food. Right now I'm targetting late June for lengthier rides but I've had great leaps of progress before.

 

[frank9755]

Hi Frank

1. You're mad.
2. I'm toying with the idea of riding from Bristol to Cardiff, which I think is about 45 miles. More my sort of distance!

Anyway, it'd be nice to meet up and head over the bridge, if you fancy it?

That would be great!
What sort of time are you intending to set off (so we don't keep Claudine waiting too long in Chepstow...

)?

 

[frank9755]

OK... who's gonna break it to Frank that he's going the wrong way?

Well actually, as it happens, I shall be doing it both ways...

 

[mistral]

You decide...

You coming on this one, Mac? We miss you!

+1

Hi Al

 

[theclaud]

Well actually, as it happens, I shall be doing it both ways...

No need to show off. Just so long as you do it the right way on the 20th... and we don't want to hear any Too Tired to TEC nonsense, either...

 

[frank9755]

No need to show off. Just so long as you do it the right way on the 20th... and we don't want to hear any Too Tired to TEC nonsense, either...

From what I saw when I did my first bit of TEC work experience on the way into Southend, the job seemed to involve riding a bit more slowly than everyone else and stopping for a chat and a mouthful of whisky every couple of hundred yards...

 

[User482]

That would be great!
What sort of time are you intending to set off (so we don't keep Claudine waiting too long in Chepstow...

)?

I suppose if we're aiming to be in Cardiff say 11pm, then I'd probably leave Bristol at around 7pm. I tend to average around 15mph on the move, so that should leave enough time for food stops, getting lost, etc. But I can fit in with your requirements - are you planning to head through Bristol, or are you heading north of the city?

 

[frank9755]

Will be to the north, coming through Alveston, Elberton and Aust - so probably wd meet just before the bridge.

And probably slightly earlier. Not discussed times with 'Teef yet (other than in jest, which is not particularly helpful) but I was sort of thinking that it would take about 12 hours (including reasonable breaks) to get to Cardiff, but we'd want a reasonable buffer in case Claudine has to come and pick us up anything goes wrong. So we would probably set off first thing to get to the bridge about 9 hours later.

How early would you want / be able to get away?

 

[Aperitif]

This is an 'Adam sized' (XL) ride actually...

 

[User482]

Will be to the north, coming through Alveston, Elberton and Aust - so probably wd meet just before the bridge.

And probably slightly earlier. Not discussed times with 'Teef yet (other than in jest, which is not particularly helpful) but I was sort of thinking that it would take about 12 hours (including reasonable breaks) to get to Cardiff, but we'd want a reasonable buffer in case Claudine has to come and pick us up anything goes wrong. So we would probably set off first thing to get to the bridge about 9 hours later.

How early would you want / be able to get away?

Ok - there's a motorway services at Aust, which is at the start of the cycle path over the bridge. Unfortunately I have a meeting that afternoon which means I can't leave Bristol until 5pm but that would mean I could meet you 6ish. It's possible I could re-arrange it to finish a little earlier if it's going to be a problem for you.