Lardyboy
New Member
- Location
- Still Somewhere In Wales.
Well we couldn't believe our luck when we woke. It was still sunny! With the summer we've been having I was half expecting a monsoon as we left the B&B! but there we were on the road into Brecon and almost not a cloud in the sky.
Rocket Ryan had an aunt living in Brecon so we had arranged to pop round to say hello and have a quick cup of coffee. Whilst Rocket, Fairweather and myself were partaking of a brew the Rev. and Grinder were mopping up the stragglers from the Jazz Festival for suitable atonement for their sins - donations in the box please.
After 30 minutes we were back on the road, only to be told by Grinder that the Rev. had already departed for Storey Arms. So the "chase" -"cough" - was on.
Fairweather and I were aware about the length of the drag up to the Arms, Rocket on the other hand was not. So we told him to slow down and sit tight and let us pull him up.
At first it doesn't appear to you that you are climbing, but you soon begin to notice that you are putting in more and more effort as the road begins to ramp up.
And you look back and you then realise how far you've come
And then how far left to go!
You then reach Storey Arms and think that the climbing is over. But you turn onto the A4059 and there's still a little more to go before you reach the plateau above the Llowyn-on Reservoir going the opposite way the Dragon Ride follows.
It's quite bleak up on the top and the wind was for once in our faces. So it took a fair effort to keep a steady pace up. Fairweather and Rocket coming over the final rise in the road and about to go flying past me as my mobile phone was ringing. The welcoming committee wanting to know how long we'd be!
By the time I'd told them I was all alone on the common! Not a person, bike, car, buzzard in sight!!!!!!!!!! So I had to ride like it was a TT to catch the bu**ers up again. And I still managed to take some photos too. The first one below was taken over my shoulder and I'm quite proud of that!
I eventually saw that Fairweather had stopped by the Landrover just above Penderyn, so I had the chance to catch my breath and for Paul, who'd come up to see us that day, to take a photo of me outwardly smiling, but cursing internally!
Then it was the drop down into Penderyn itself and then into Hirwaun, before going across the Heads Of The Valley road and taking the plunge down the old road into Glyn Neath,
where we eventually meet up with the Rev and Rocket. The road from Glyn Neath to Aberdulais is quite flat and again the pace was lifted too high for most of us. Only the Rev seemed to be keen on maintaining this speed but Rocket, bless him, is never one to turn down a challenge and no matter how ofter we'd told him he took on the Rev in an ever increasing duel of pace setting. It would only end in tears. Or in our case the Rock And Fountain!
Notice if you will, the disgust with which Rocket had turned away from the half eaten plate of chips and is choking on a hot beef roll. Whilst Fairweather looks on happy in the knowledge that his hunger is a last satisfied and Grinder is wondering how those chips are going to get into his grasp without anyone noticing!
Meanwhile the Rev is a pouting Billy No-Mates. He didn't want to stop, so he's reading his historical novel and damn us all!!!!!
So in a short while we're back in the saddle and on our way towards Neath and then Skewen, where we turn to Jersey Marine and the last stretch. I say we turn to Jersey Marine, in that I meant Rocket, Fairweather and I turn, the Rev goes straight on. So I have to go and chase him down, shouting all the time, before he eventually hears me and turns around. only for grinder in the Landrover to come past us. So we have to wait for Grinder to turn around as well now because he missed the turning. The irony that the Rev who devised the route gets lost 10 miles from the finish was not lost on us.
So once again a TT situation arises. This time at least there are two of us to share the front. It took us from Skewen to the Tower in Jersey Marine to catch Rocket and Fairweather and this time I was knackered! So thankfully we settled down to a more sensible pace back down Fabian Way into Swansea. Or so we thought because the Rev and Rocket were at it again, egging each other on going faster and faster. In the end the Rev just pulled away at the traffic lights whilst we caught them. But, vengeance was ours!!!! Who was about to have the only puncture of the ride? You've guessed, divine intervention I call it.
Puncture fixed, this time we insist on a gentle pace down to the Junction cafe and then the climb up through the Mayals and onto Clyne Common.
Then it was the drop down through Bishopston, up the hill to Kittle, before turning down Venaway Lane and a quick check to make sure everything was in order.
We were mostly in one piece and were quite happy to carry on to the Airport just a couple of miles away now. and here we are just coming into view.
And this was it. The finish!!!!!!
After 212 miles of mostly glorious roads, beautiful scenery, fantastic weather and dare I say it brilliant banter and company we'd made it. Who would deny us a bit of a celebration?
But lets not forget what the ride was meant to do. Raise money for this most important service that could be called upon to save a life at any time.
I'd like to thank the boys for making this ride a quite unforgettable experience and that we may do it again some time. In the meantime it looks like the ride is going to become a valuable fund raiser for the Welsh Air Ambulance as the Rev and Grinder have decided to make it a bi-annual occurrence. So if you want to follow in our wheel tracks and can raise a minimum of £750 each then go here http://www.merlincycletours.co.uk/content/view/25/46/ . It's been christened the Air Base Challenge.
Rocket Ryan had an aunt living in Brecon so we had arranged to pop round to say hello and have a quick cup of coffee. Whilst Rocket, Fairweather and myself were partaking of a brew the Rev. and Grinder were mopping up the stragglers from the Jazz Festival for suitable atonement for their sins - donations in the box please.
After 30 minutes we were back on the road, only to be told by Grinder that the Rev. had already departed for Storey Arms. So the "chase" -"cough" - was on.
Fairweather and I were aware about the length of the drag up to the Arms, Rocket on the other hand was not. So we told him to slow down and sit tight and let us pull him up.
At first it doesn't appear to you that you are climbing, but you soon begin to notice that you are putting in more and more effort as the road begins to ramp up.
And you look back and you then realise how far you've come
And then how far left to go!
You then reach Storey Arms and think that the climbing is over. But you turn onto the A4059 and there's still a little more to go before you reach the plateau above the Llowyn-on Reservoir going the opposite way the Dragon Ride follows.
It's quite bleak up on the top and the wind was for once in our faces. So it took a fair effort to keep a steady pace up. Fairweather and Rocket coming over the final rise in the road and about to go flying past me as my mobile phone was ringing. The welcoming committee wanting to know how long we'd be!
By the time I'd told them I was all alone on the common! Not a person, bike, car, buzzard in sight!!!!!!!!!! So I had to ride like it was a TT to catch the bu**ers up again. And I still managed to take some photos too. The first one below was taken over my shoulder and I'm quite proud of that!
I eventually saw that Fairweather had stopped by the Landrover just above Penderyn, so I had the chance to catch my breath and for Paul, who'd come up to see us that day, to take a photo of me outwardly smiling, but cursing internally!
Then it was the drop down into Penderyn itself and then into Hirwaun, before going across the Heads Of The Valley road and taking the plunge down the old road into Glyn Neath,
where we eventually meet up with the Rev and Rocket. The road from Glyn Neath to Aberdulais is quite flat and again the pace was lifted too high for most of us. Only the Rev seemed to be keen on maintaining this speed but Rocket, bless him, is never one to turn down a challenge and no matter how ofter we'd told him he took on the Rev in an ever increasing duel of pace setting. It would only end in tears. Or in our case the Rock And Fountain!
Notice if you will, the disgust with which Rocket had turned away from the half eaten plate of chips and is choking on a hot beef roll. Whilst Fairweather looks on happy in the knowledge that his hunger is a last satisfied and Grinder is wondering how those chips are going to get into his grasp without anyone noticing!
Meanwhile the Rev is a pouting Billy No-Mates. He didn't want to stop, so he's reading his historical novel and damn us all!!!!!
So in a short while we're back in the saddle and on our way towards Neath and then Skewen, where we turn to Jersey Marine and the last stretch. I say we turn to Jersey Marine, in that I meant Rocket, Fairweather and I turn, the Rev goes straight on. So I have to go and chase him down, shouting all the time, before he eventually hears me and turns around. only for grinder in the Landrover to come past us. So we have to wait for Grinder to turn around as well now because he missed the turning. The irony that the Rev who devised the route gets lost 10 miles from the finish was not lost on us.
So once again a TT situation arises. This time at least there are two of us to share the front. It took us from Skewen to the Tower in Jersey Marine to catch Rocket and Fairweather and this time I was knackered! So thankfully we settled down to a more sensible pace back down Fabian Way into Swansea. Or so we thought because the Rev and Rocket were at it again, egging each other on going faster and faster. In the end the Rev just pulled away at the traffic lights whilst we caught them. But, vengeance was ours!!!! Who was about to have the only puncture of the ride? You've guessed, divine intervention I call it.
Puncture fixed, this time we insist on a gentle pace down to the Junction cafe and then the climb up through the Mayals and onto Clyne Common.
Then it was the drop down through Bishopston, up the hill to Kittle, before turning down Venaway Lane and a quick check to make sure everything was in order.
We were mostly in one piece and were quite happy to carry on to the Airport just a couple of miles away now. and here we are just coming into view.
And this was it. The finish!!!!!!
After 212 miles of mostly glorious roads, beautiful scenery, fantastic weather and dare I say it brilliant banter and company we'd made it. Who would deny us a bit of a celebration?
But lets not forget what the ride was meant to do. Raise money for this most important service that could be called upon to save a life at any time.
I'd like to thank the boys for making this ride a quite unforgettable experience and that we may do it again some time. In the meantime it looks like the ride is going to become a valuable fund raiser for the Welsh Air Ambulance as the Rev and Grinder have decided to make it a bi-annual occurrence. So if you want to follow in our wheel tracks and can raise a minimum of £750 each then go here http://www.merlincycletours.co.uk/content/view/25/46/ . It's been christened the Air Base Challenge.
