Lardyboy
New Member
- Location
- Still Somewhere In Wales.
And so after a very large brandy and a good nights sleep we headed out of Welshpool and, as we got to the first roundabout, Rocket Ryan was almost taken out by a silver Peugeot that didn't look if there was anything coming. How there wasn't a collision I'll never know as there was only inches between Rocket Ryan's front wheel and the wing of the car! 
After we'd gathered our breath again we took the road past the airbase and then turned towards Montgomery. Once more the roads were very good with very little traffic to speak of but there were a few niggly little climbs which were too long to attack but too short to spin up so you ended up going up and down the chainrings looking to find a comfortable gear. It wasn't too long before Montgomery came along.
A few miles down the road we crossed for the first time into Shropshire then almost as quickly we were back in Powys again much to the amusement of Rocket Ryan, only for his spirits to sink when he realised that we'd be in Bishop's Castle and Shropshire very quickly again. We were keeping quite a pace up and Bishop's Castle came and went and we carried on towards Clun. Here we stopped to admire the tiny little stone bridge over the river complete with resident ducks, but also to contemplate the climb out.
That climb out of Clun sent the tone for the rest of the day. If we weren't going up there was another one around the next corner.
Those climbs just kept on coming with not a lot of rest bite either and for the first time the road surfaces were beginning to get worse. On one descent they had chipped the surface and it was treacherous, I tried to take a photo but nearly lost the front wheel and thought better of it. Knighton was our next town and once more we were back in Wales. The descent down into Knighton was fast and furious.
Having taking part in the Autumn Epic Fairweather and I knew that the Horse and Jockey would be the ideal place to stopped for a bite to eat. So a steakburger and chips please if you don't mind. A much better lunch than an energy bar and Torq drink!
So after a leisurely lunch we headed up the hill, surprise surprise, and went out of Knighton the reverse way the Autumn Epic finishes.
Fairweather quite the happy chap to get to the top. Rocket and Grinder just happy to be still vertical!
After that there was quite a lengthy drop in altitude till we reached Burlingjobb (I kid you not).........
Then it was up and down, up and down until we reached Painscastle. Where Rocket had to stop to refill his reserves with a pint of local cask cider.
Then it was back in the saddle for the final 10 miles or so to just outside Brecon and our B&B. We had been warned that the road down to the A470 was a bit "technical" by the Rev.
what he meant was a series of 14% hairpins that dropped away very,very quickly!
By the time Fairweather had got to the bottom his brakes had faded away to nothing and mine were only just a little bit better. We did have to tell the Rev. that his description was a little bit economic! However at the bottom of the hill we were greeted by the River Usk.
We pedalled on towards Brecon following the river all the way until we got to Llyswen. We loaded the bikes onto the trailer, jumped into the Landrover and headed into the hills towards the B&B. This was the view from farmhouse.
That's where we were heading tomorrow! But that night it was Brecon and the Jazz Festival!!!!
After we'd gathered our breath again we took the road past the airbase and then turned towards Montgomery. Once more the roads were very good with very little traffic to speak of but there were a few niggly little climbs which were too long to attack but too short to spin up so you ended up going up and down the chainrings looking to find a comfortable gear. It wasn't too long before Montgomery came along.
A few miles down the road we crossed for the first time into Shropshire then almost as quickly we were back in Powys again much to the amusement of Rocket Ryan, only for his spirits to sink when he realised that we'd be in Bishop's Castle and Shropshire very quickly again. We were keeping quite a pace up and Bishop's Castle came and went and we carried on towards Clun. Here we stopped to admire the tiny little stone bridge over the river complete with resident ducks, but also to contemplate the climb out.
That climb out of Clun sent the tone for the rest of the day. If we weren't going up there was another one around the next corner.
Those climbs just kept on coming with not a lot of rest bite either and for the first time the road surfaces were beginning to get worse. On one descent they had chipped the surface and it was treacherous, I tried to take a photo but nearly lost the front wheel and thought better of it. Knighton was our next town and once more we were back in Wales. The descent down into Knighton was fast and furious.
Having taking part in the Autumn Epic Fairweather and I knew that the Horse and Jockey would be the ideal place to stopped for a bite to eat. So a steakburger and chips please if you don't mind. A much better lunch than an energy bar and Torq drink!
So after a leisurely lunch we headed up the hill, surprise surprise, and went out of Knighton the reverse way the Autumn Epic finishes.
Fairweather quite the happy chap to get to the top. Rocket and Grinder just happy to be still vertical!
After that there was quite a lengthy drop in altitude till we reached Burlingjobb (I kid you not).........
Then it was up and down, up and down until we reached Painscastle. Where Rocket had to stop to refill his reserves with a pint of local cask cider.
Then it was back in the saddle for the final 10 miles or so to just outside Brecon and our B&B. We had been warned that the road down to the A470 was a bit "technical" by the Rev.
what he meant was a series of 14% hairpins that dropped away very,very quickly!
By the time Fairweather had got to the bottom his brakes had faded away to nothing and mine were only just a little bit better. We did have to tell the Rev. that his description was a little bit economic! However at the bottom of the hill we were greeted by the River Usk.
We pedalled on towards Brecon following the river all the way until we got to Llyswen. We loaded the bikes onto the trailer, jumped into the Landrover and headed into the hills towards the B&B. This was the view from farmhouse.
That's where we were heading tomorrow! But that night it was Brecon and the Jazz Festival!!!!
