- Location
- Egham
Yesterday's Ride. Wild Wales Challenge 2018
This year WWC should be renamed. Wild Wales Weather Challenge. Of 650 entrants only 240 were brave enough (in the face of the forecast) to sign on. Well just how bad could it be? It was a tad chilly and damp at the start (Bala) and having met Andy G we were soon warming up on the testing hills away from HQ. At 2 miles Andy punctured. After a brief assessment he suggested I carry on and we'd meet at the first control rather than us both get cold. So I headed up the valley to climb the Hirnant Pass. Head wind wasn't helping and progress was slow. We were all grinding slowly up into the clouds. 1663 feet is the top and as we went over onto the descent the rain was biblical. Cold too. Some groups got back together at the bottom and the ride along Lake Vyrnwy was fairly brisk. The rain continued. It was quite a slog over the steep lumps (several at 17%) on the way to Dolanog and I was beginning to loose the faith. Thoughts of abandoning and heading back were dismissed, well until the first control anyway. Others around me were also discussing sending a rider back for a car. It really was tough. Eventually the first control hove into view. I was unable to get my timing card scanned because I couldn't get my gloves off my cold hands. Once sorted I could get some hot tea and food into me. Riders were hanging over the few radiators in attempts to warm themselves and dry clothing. Helpers were continually mopping the floor as riders dripped.
After recovering a bit and waiting for Andy I decided I'd ride on as I didn't want to get too cold or stiff. So back out into the downpour I went for the gradual climb over the Nant Yr Eira. In this weather it was a bit of a slog but nothing for it but to carry on. Eventually the descent took us to Talerddig to start another climb up and over to Bont Dolgadfan. Now we were faced with a real struggle of a steep and long climb up the Bwlch Glynmynydd and the drop to Talywern was a welcome change. Just some 17% slopes before we joined the Dylife mountain road and we could ride easily into the lunch control at Machynlleth.
Refreshed I headed out into more rain. But it was a bit warmer. The ride in the lanes north by The Centre for Alternative Technology to Corris and Aberangell is superb on a nice day. It was still a lovely ride in these dire conditions but the 20% slopes in the Dyfi Forest were quite a struggle. These hills are noticeable but the real monster was still ahead. The time passed quite well tho' and I rolled up to the control in Dinas Mawddwy to the news that one of our number had left the road and may be injured in a field. The rescue helpers headed out.
Now it was time to ride up the valley and climb the monster. The Bwlch Y Groes climbs 1100 feet in 1.5 miles and has sections of 20% involved. Brutal with 85 miles of much climbing already in the legs. Today the wind was helping until nearly the top where it reversed. That was it really although the weather was grim up there (1774 feet) it was a case of put the windproofs back on and drop to Lake Bala. It wasn't long to go from the bottom of the climb to the HQ and often times this bit of road feels easy. It almost did today. I'd completed a very tough Challenge today that's for sure. It wasn't about speed this one. Survival was the key. I'm here to tell the tale! Oh - 11700 feet of climbing and 101 miles today - I know I've done it. Time for some rest.
Somehow a mere 'like' doesn't seem enough. Well done for sticking at it
. Shame about the weather 
Next August BH I expect you to do the equivalent of a rain dance - the Welsh Sundance 
for a few days so got my @rse into gear this morning..as the last of the Darlington rides is this Sunday (the hell of the north) which is the 100 miler. and the old legs need some big miles in them 
so it was of to darlo to see my old cycling buddy Walter but rather just go straight there about 7 miles thought I would do the route were we first became cycling buddy's, way back in 2001
