Bryan Chapman 2012

[Jonah]

Roll call for the Severn View Travel lodge on Friday?

CC Hackney (-1)

[Chris N]

... chevrons on a couple of places 

The very definition of scenic. 

[L CC]

Practicing...

'Doll-geth-lee', not 'Doll-gell-oh'.

R.

Dollygalloo

[mattc]

Simon and I will be there.

And me. But I don't think there's a bar or anywhere else to 'be' at the Travelodge; so the pub in Aust seems a better mustering point. I'll try to get there for food - IIRC they stop quite early. (Although the beer was good).

[Tewdric]

Practicing...

'Doll-geth-lee', not 'Doll-gell-oh'.

R.

Lie not lee!

Although, as is always the case, you'll hear it pronounced differently by Welsh speakers from different parts of the country!

[Hummers]

We were talking about the BCM last night on the Pompey Wednesday Night Pub run.

Apparently, Postie (of this parish) will be there to soil the early beds at the YHA 

Anyway, good luck and a tail wind to all that are riding this weekend. I shall (no doubt) raise a glass to you all over the course of the weekend. 

H

[mattc]

Practicing...

'Doll-geth-lee', not 'Doll-gell-oh'.

R.

Lie not lee!

I find it helps to adopt my brummie accent.

(The welsh never understand me, so I may as well amuse myself. Of course welsh YHAs are all run by gap-year foreigners - mostly english, but I spoke to a warden yesterday who I'm sure had a japanese accent.)

[Ray 6701]

Roll call for the Severn View Travel lodge on Friday?

I'll be there as will SR Steve 

[vorsprung]

Roll call for the Severn View Travel lodge on Friday?

Yep provided I survive Cribs at rush hour

[GrahamG]

Practicing...

'Doll-geth-lee', not 'Doll-gell-oh'.

R.

Lie not lee!

I find it helps to adopt my brummie accent.

Don't you be taking the piss too - I get enough from Hotflatkunstus

[Henry]

Mark - Not sure if you've seen the email I sent a few days ago - Regret to say I'm out of this. Injured a knee last weekend. Planning to do it as a DIY/perm soon instead with a mate who also couldn't make this weekend.

Good luck everyone.

[Exit Stage Left]

I've been experimenting with making some of my films available at appropriate times, so I've made these two public again.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuZiRgPYKl4&feature=g-upl

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxHWajFKfRU&feature=g-upl

[Ray 6701]

I've been experimenting with making some of my films available at appropriate times, so I've made these two public again.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/AuZiRgPYKl4&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/AuZiRgPYKl4&rel=1</a>

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/dxHWajFKfRU&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/dxHWajFKfRU&rel=1</a>

Not available on mobiles 

[Manotea]

Practicing...

'Doll-geth-lee', not 'Doll-gell-oh'.

R.

Lie not lee!

I find it helps to adopt my brummie accent.

(The welsh never understand me, so I may as well amuse myself. Of course welsh YHAs are all run by gap-year foreigners - mostly english, but I spoke to a warden yesterday who I'm sure had a japanese accent.)

A conversation from my youth...
Where you from? Reading
Leading? Where that?
Near London
Ah, Rundon.

N.b., use a Japanese accent for the inquisition, not Welsh.

[Somnolent]

Rubbery videos !

I'll get my coat....

[bikey-mikey]

I've been working on the GPS files..

At Newbridge on Wye, between Builth and Rhayader there is a right turn on a B road that goes nowhere, and then comes back again - it isn't on the route sheet.  I don't think it's the 'new road' mentioned by Mark above, as it reverses on itself...

Looks like a 'mistaken click' when preparing the route, (one which looks like it's on the main road, but is actually a bit off to the side, causing an out and back detour), so probably can be deleted, though it is, of course, your decision, not mine !!

There's another one up and back on Pehrhos Road, either before or maybe just after the Menai Bridge (it is an obvious 'tag' when viewed..)

[bikey-mikey]

After leaving the YH, take the last right before the A470 into Dolgellau.  Follow the one way system through town and head east on Arran Way.  Take the 2nd or 3rd right uphill onto Fron Serth.  I think it's signposted NCN 8.  Keep going uphill until you reach the A487 then L then R onto the A470.

Ah I see where you mean...but the OS display on bikehike (before it clicked off for the night) showed chevrons on a couple of places 
Me and chevrons do not go together, especially the morning after a long ride.

I have plotted the route from the YH to the Cross Foxes, as above on bikeroutetoaster - the gradients are much of a much compared to the main road route, and there is only another 34 metres of climb, but it is 0.5 km shorter....  surely a lot safer as well??

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=397768

It starts at the YH and ends just onto the A470 and is 11.86 kms in total...

[mattc]

If you plot the routes on (say) bikehike, it shows that:
- you climb an extra 30m the short way, and
- the climbing is done in just over half the distance (then you drop down to the junction).

So I'm pretty certain it's harder! OS chevrons are pretty reliable, and it's hardly surprising that the A-road takes the more smoothly graded path.

But then some folks found the Devils Staircase an anti-climax, so it's all relative ...

[Drone]

That's the route from the scenic option which hasn't been offered this year. As far as safety is concerned, its a Welsh A road at 6am on a Sunday morning! The gradient from Dolgellau to Cross Foxes is more consistently steep on the option you have highlighted. I will stick to the classic route but then I'm slow and lardy

[Tewdric]

Main roads in Wales are where they are for a reason...

[Somnolent]

Main roads in Wales are where they are for a reason...

For Welsh drivers ?
A long TL controlled single carriageway on uphill mainroad certainly does not sound fun and the scenic would undoubtedly be safer.
Despite my "chevron aversion" I think the thing to do is to take a look on the descent tomorrow, and make a decision then as to the route to be taken on the return.

[LEE]

I have plotted the route from the YH to the Cross Foxes, as above on bikeroutetoaster - the gradients are much of a much compared to the main road route, and there is only another 34 metres of climb, but it is 0.5 km shorter....  surely a lot safer as well??

Safer?  Probably not.  The main roads are fairly empty and wide.

[simonp]

I had the same thought as Ppete, look at it on the way down and see if it looks like it will be ok.

[Chris S]

Sigh.

There is no way I'm going to be able to ride. I just walked the one mile up to Madgetts to collect my bike, and had to stop for a rest half way. I've effectively not eaten anything since Wednesday lunchtime, still can't really persuade myself to eat now - and the Nuuns don't seem to be helping much.

It would be stupid to try and ride. I'm probably not safe driving the car - seeing as I fainted twice yesterday.

What a shame. The weather looks benign, and I really wanted to manage at least one Blacksheep event this year.

Bugger. I'm going back to bed with the Petulant Lip out  .

[simonp]

That’s a real shame Chris.

GWS mate, we’ll be thinking of you as we hack and cough our way round Wales.