Hir oes i'r Elenydd! (Sat 14th April 2012)

[PeeJay]

It was my very first Elenith, so can't compare this one with the previous route.   Thoroughly enjoyed it, It's a fantastic route, particularly the mountain road to Tregaron and the road up the Elan Valley.

I rode 100km from home that morning & was starting to feel a bit dozy as we set off from Upton Magna, fortunately the daylight started to wake me up & I was right as rain (pun not intended) by Shobden.   I rode most of the ride with wet feet too after riding through the first ford - it was deeper that I was expecting - learnt from that (too late!) and walked across the foot bridge on the second ford.
There was a fair covering of snow on the hills on the way to Builth Wells & I was wondering if there would be snow up on the Tregaron road, but luckily the snow wasn't that far west. 

The weather picked up after Tregaron, although we were now riding into a headwind.  I stopped to help Bob Bialek tighten up his slipping saddle, but that meant i lost touch with the group I was with and battled the headwind up the Elan valley on my own.

Long Mynd in the dark was an experience.  I rode the climb so slowly I was suprised my dynamo lamp was still lighting the road  & the descent back down was fun in a hair-raising kinda way - dont think I've ever been so fast on narrow gravel strewn lanes in the dark, while fighting to stay awake!

I made the arrivee by about 11pm ish, had a pasta supper & crashed out for a bit of sleep. I slept suprisingly well despite all the hustle and bustle in the hall & left at first light to ride home to complete the ECE and at 500km, it was also my longest ever Audax ride and the completion of my first RRTY - so a sucessfull weekend!

I though all the controls were excellent, very quick service meant not too much hanging around & good food on offer - especially the final stop at Old Wheelwrights, that was a real unexpected treat.

Thanks very much to John & team, for the excellent organisation & catering.

[marcusjb]

left at first light to ride home to complete the ECE and at 500km, it was also my longest ever Audax ride and the completion of my first RRTY - so a sucessfull weekend!

Successful indeed!  Chapeau - a great way to round off a first RRtY!

[bikey-mikey]

someone passing said "apple crumble and custard at the next control".

That was me.  I was very pleased that they actually had crumble and custard.

My eternal thanks for that......   

[Yossarian]

Thats was probably one of the hardest rides I've done I think, relentless wind and climbing for the whole 20hrs - still an excellent and well organised ride! Time to have a few days off I think, I feel like I've overdone it in the last two weeks.

Photos and fragmented write up on my blog... http://thesquarepusher.blogspot.co.uk/

Joel

[bikey-mikey]

Mikey, i'm not sure we like people who refer to The Devil's Staircase as a bit of an anticlimax.  You have done just a bit more riding than most, this season!  (I'm glad it is going so well for you.) 

Well in hindsight I should have said that the unexpected bonus of several pieces of excellent CAIK at the bottom was certainly very welcome and not deserving of the anticlimax comment - apologies to the friendly and efficient helpers there!!   I still like that climb, and the group that follows, as the first one gets your legs going, and the others teach you to hang on in there... 

What did we all think of the Long Mynd?   I heard comments both ways at the arrivee, so wondered what the majority think???

[teethgrinder]

I much prefer the new Elenith.
I never did like the main road bash back for the last 100k when the roads got a bit busy. This new route  is lanes all the way. It's slower, but much better IMO.
Having the village hall the night before and after makes a difference too. I always like the socialising before and after events. I was too tired to hang around and see the last riders finish though. It's now almost twice as far for me to cycle to the start, but having my GPS means that I can do a nice route along lanes instead of bashing up the A5. I even found a very good tea room serving roast turkey on my way home. This will be featured in future DIY events if I can make it work. Alternatively, Shrewsbury is very trainable for me. The whole weekend was 700k for me, so that should help me get a bit fitter.
I think that this route would have never been done 15 years ago, when cycle lights were very poor, with all those lanes in the dark at the end.
I think that the Long Mynd adds something too. While climbing, I did have doubts about whether I'd manage to ride up it, partly because I had cramp in my leg since before the last control. It wasn't bad, but I wasn't especially tired. I think that quite a few would have struggled up that hill at the end of a long ride. But it was the last hill and after that, you can literally see Sherwsbury and it's almost downhill all the way to the finish. The descent was no problem with my Six Pack set on medium.

Yet another great ride from U.N.Dulates. One of the reasons for me entering was my previous experience of his events and this one didn't dissapoint.

[Peter]

Thanks, all.  Teethgrinder, you are fit enough already; stop it!  Yossarian, I liked the blog; good pictures of Justin and the Tregaron road.

[Jord]

I thought it was a wonderful route but must admit I was thinking differently as I hit the Long Mynd climb just before the end!

The mountain roads proved really wonderful riding but I did swear after eating a cake at the control to swing around and be confronted by the wall sorry climb of the Devil's Staircase.

I also found the people and service at all the controls to be outstanding and it was great to meet a lot of fellow Audax riders from near and far.

Pete well done on your first SR series. I find this hard to believe as you have always rode a extra few 100 km's on every ride I've met you on!

Brilliant ride and all what was missing was a bit of better weather - I had to purchase a fleece and gloves as I was froze on reaching Builth!

[veloboy]

Well, it certainly lived up to the expectations - in fact, turned out ultimately epic!!!
The Roman Road was a little too wet, muddy/grassy/gravelly for my liking..., so moved to the front and rode with ekimeno.

The fords were running near 15cm deep [I wondered if my BB at some point might be submurged!].
Then the persistent and sustained rain Shobdon [a quick stop, we pushed on, thinking it MUST we hoped it would get better]!

But the rain got heavier and the temperature dropped [2.2 degrees, I was told at the Staircase control!] and SNOW on the hills 25m aboveus!!! Getting to Builth was a real effort - especially enjoyed the alteration via Warden Road (sp Picnic Site) alternative to Builth! Slightly shorter [but hillier] I suspect [and in the process, dropped ekimeno]!

Arrived in Builth (only 46km) and feeling really in a bad way - probably not enough layers [was counting on 8-9 degrees, as forecasted, as opposed to the 2-3 degrees actual conditions...].

THANKFULLY, we arrived and found a cafe cum pub with a warm welcome and  LOG FIRE where we could dry our we wares! Had a full cooked brekkie, and it wasn't too bad either!

Still, it was cold and challenging for the remainder of the ride - the headwind all the way home!! And never really got warm during the day.

After climbing the staircase (1st climb) I discovered that what seemed like a small rock/pebble in my glove was actually a frayed gear cable strand! Not the place for this, but made it to Rhayader and at least found a 'Campag compatible'  cable from the LBS [insurance policy=£3] - - still, the original lasted  to the end(and home)!

The descent off the Mynd just before dusk was something magical was like a magic carpet ride o the finish! Was pleased to finish just after dusk with Greg!

Many thanks to UND and his team for such a superb event and repellent catering at the finish!

[JohnHamilton]

repellent catering at the finish!

It wasn't that bad surely.

[PeeJay]

I liked the Long Mynd section. I'd rather a hilly laney route than an A road bash any day (even in the dark). . This is an AAA event after all.

[marcusjb]

I liked the Long Mynd section. I'd rather a hilly laney route than an A road bash any day (even in the dark). . This is an AAA event after all.

+1 - I really liked the climb (even with pretty battered legs), though the kick up once you made the right turn to Thresholds was resolve-testing.

I think it was an improvement on the old route overall, that last section in particular, the climb up Clee? Hill into Kidderminster was such a drag with a number of false summits.

And that descent back into the finish was pretty much as promised!

I can see myself riding this ride next year - it's just too good a ride to miss out on (even on a pretty miserable day like Saturday).

[Euan Uzami]

What did we all think of the Long Mynd?   I heard comments both ways at the arrivee, so wondered what the majority think???

I thought that was the best bit of the ride to be honest.  like teethgrinder says i like how you can see the lights of shrewsbury in the distance, and I like how the descent doesn't stop when you get to picklescott but carries on (enjoyed it so much I almost went the wrong way where the tracks met at atcham bridge and headed off out for another lap )

[vorsprung]

What did we all think of the Long Mynd?   I heard comments both ways at the arrivee, so wondered what the majority think???

Like I said to you at the end, I don't see what the fuss was about.
I'm glad I had a good light for the lanely mostly-ascent ride to the finish from the top of it

[Swallow5]

I really enjoyed the last leg - despite a heavy shower just before the Long Mynd. I don't know what they put in the custard at the Wheelwrights, but it certainly gave me a new lease of life. The climb over the Long Mynd wasn't as bad as I'd feared and the run back to Upton Magna was a blast, with a few scarry moments on one or two of those bends. It was just such a relief to be able to turn the pedals easily for the first time since the climb out of Presteigne. 

Overall, a great day out - my thanks to John and all your helpers.

[mikek]

as I'd feared and the run back to Upton Magna was a blast, with a few scarry moments on one or two of those bends.

Blimey. How many times did you fall off ?   

[Revellinho]

I really enjoyed the last leg - despite a heavy shower just before the Long Mynd.

You should have been at the back with us slow ones - it was a fantastic starry, starry night as we rode along with belly-fulls of custard!

[Joolz]

Hello, 

Bez and I had a great ride. Weather to b-Wells was not nice at all.  One of highlight was the picnic road instead of the main road bash.  All controls great, the bowls club must be the best control on any Audax.  The wheelwrights was great and much needed,  John and Linda thank you taking this on the Audax year would not be the same without it. I know at the end of the ride I mentioned that I didn't like the decent to the end on the country lanes, now I have thought about it I think it's a better end.  Overall a great route that is a bit slower than the old one with more hills and lanes.  Can't wait to next year Joolz