Day 06 - Sunday 20th July 2014
Pencelli (89.08km)
We both slept much better last night - no noisy neighbours for starters, no storms, no rain, and we woke to blue skies and a touch of cloud. It didn't take long to get too warm and I knew today was going to be a tough day.
Stuart waited until I was ready and saw me away before he left, passing me soon afterwards. We had come up with a better route out of Llantwit Major than the one I had used to drop into it, which was not as steep a climb out, much appreciated. Thankfully he also gave me plenty of room when he overtook me. He didn't need to let me know it was him, our car has a very particular noise to it that is easily recognisable and I knew instantly when it came into hearing range that it was him and once he was gone, it was a case of 4 days home now...
Today was hard, and there was no mistaking that. It was also a hot sunny Sunday and that meant there were plenty of other cyclists out. The morning was pretty much all roadies, some giving me the cold shoulder, some just looking at me in disbelief and one in particular who came alongside me (in Cowbridge) and chatted with me for a few minutes. It turned out he used to do Audax rides and had done a little touring - before leaving he shook my hand (with us both still riding) and wished me well. It was a nice gester.
Soon after he left, the advance safety motorbikes of a cycling road race came through, one holding back to warn me of what was approaching from behind. We established I probably had time to get up the hill (it was hedge lined at this point and there was nowhere I could pull the bike off the road) before the race arrived. As it turned out, the first 2 rides who were ahead of the field ended up overtaking me - the cameraman sitting backwards on the motorbike filming them did a double take being completely taken back my this strange woman on a laden touring bike that had suddently arrived in the shot and then I was able to pull over off the road just before the rest of the peleton arrived. I got a lot of cheery hellos and thank yous from them before they vanished and I was able to continue at my snail's pace. Actually I think snails could have been quicker...
I eventually found the Taff Trail again, bypassed those horrible barriers by remembering that cyclists are not pedestrians and cycling up the bypass - so much easier and quicker.. not sure on the technicalities of me stopping to take a photo are, but here it is...
Then I followed the Taff Trail on and off all the way to Merthyr Tydfil (though mostly off because of those barriers). I quit with it not long after Treharris (just after lunch) for a vaiety of reasons, not least of all the need to locate more water. Today was exceptionally hot and it really was going to be one of those days. I just wheeled the bike into the shop and asked the lady on the cash desk where I could put it... she was very helpful and it stayed in the shop whilst I did my shopping. I needed water big time (and carried spare with me as well) raided the store for Pringles which I had purchased yesterday but my OH had kindly taken home with him (AHHHHHH), nuts & fruit, some emergency Jelly Babies which were massacred ruthlessly and yet more of that Tango or Fanta depending on what was available - have you ever looked at how few calories are in a can of Tango? 63 kcalories per 330ml can! well at least it is 63 more than water... (Fanta has around 126 kcalories per 500 ml so is marginally better when sugar is needed...)
Part of the Taff Trail
In Merthyr Tydfil, I refound the Taff Trail (I know it didn't know it was lost) and after a couple of those horrible barriers it was great. It was tarmac, a constant gradient and easy to sit a plod unhill on. It was also now the turn of the mtb'ers to be out in force and one or two of them got a surprise when I overtook them going uphill...
Looking down the valley from the railway bridge on the Taff Trail at Merthyr Tydfil
An excellent surface and steady incline leaving Merthyr Tydfil climbing up to the first reservoir.
It has finally clouded over and looking a bit 'grim' but it didn't last long.
And looking the other way back the way I have come from.
Approaching the top of the climb the road drops steeply (arrow on the road map) and then climbs steeply again (another arrow on the road map) or I could stay with the Taff Trail and follow a dead end road to a forestry commission track. The map gave the distinct impression that the Taff Trail followed the contour around, so I went with that and I am glad to say it did... which made life oh so much fun... (think more mountain bikers and woman on laden expedition bike... )
At the top of this off-road section and just before the summit of the entire climb, I stopped in a car park for a breather and a guy got out of his car walking over towards me. His first words to me where "is that a Thorn?"... (reference to my make of bike for those not in the know)... He had overtaken me earlier on one of the road sections and now seeing me again was convinced it was a Thorn Nomad because I had just come up the off-road section. He has a Thorn Club Tourer and was a local... We chatted about the trail and the Nomad and he gave me the advice to stay with the canal into Brecon rather than use the road.... He also let me know that I could now see the top of the climb and after that, the forestry commission tracks which I could use were 7 miles of downhill... yippeeee .... I refrained from yelling out until much later when I was on my own and after I had embarrassed a few more mountain bikers... <whistles again>.
to be continued....
just don't use a trangia bowl when it is exceptionally cold out (-18C as I did once...) it froze solid and looked like a poached egg... 
...)
