Really enjoyed this ride, although I found it very tough in places.
Thursday, nice easy start into a modest northerly wind, fairly gentle countryside although the hills were enough to stop me sitting in a group after Buntingford, seeing various riders at the controls at St Neots and towcester and finally meeting Ian and Paul (again) at Tewkesbury to ride together down to Chepstow and then on to Magor services to grab a little rest indoors.
Friday
set off after being disturbed enough by people in the services and saw tge acme train asleep/resting on benches in Newport and then pushing through the hills to Tonypandy, it seems the acme group passed me when I used tesco express in Caerphilly as I was told by a local that a group were just ahead of me on the climb before pontypridd. I saw them just as I rejoined the road in Tonypandy and stayed with the group until Lampeter, although they all had better climbing legs than me. Discussion of leaving port Talbot at 4am the next day, and then I crawled slowly back over the hills including black mountain just before sunset. Getting list in Neath and getting to bed at 10pm, setting a 3:40 alarm was painfull.
Saturday
Woke at 5:35, grateful I'd missed the group as I needed the sleep. Rushed to Barry worried about the time limit, reaching the control with 10 minutes in hand, wishing I had left earlier, but also knowing that the hills would have prevented me keeping up with the group anyway. Across Cardiff Bay and then the flat roads to Magor now a group would have been welcome with the wind relentlessly from the east. Met Jack at chepstow, he had started before me but after the group, then the next set of hills in the first of Dean, with additional stops at Coleford and tewsbury before following the Avon to the next control at pershore, and beyond. Nice flat Mike's to build a time buffer. If I don't make Towcester with 3 hours in hand there is no point stopping for a sleep at St Neots.
Quick feed at McDs, but outside as doors locked at 10pm (so much for open 24 hours) then on through the night. Caught sight of metal tubing and leather in the ditch in Salcey forest, was that a crashed motorbike? Looped round for a second look, no just some fly tipped furniture GRRRRR. Caught Tom and companion who had been dropping me on hills all day Friday and pushed on heading for my bed in St Neots.
Sunday
After getting listvin St Neots trying to reach the route without going all the way back to the town centre (should have just used the dual carriageway) I rushed to Buntingford and met Phil W and friend meeting acme grand audaxers and taking photos. Don't worry they said you have loads of time, it's easy from here to Witham, but I think they were npt accounting for the heat (where did that come from) the easterly wind or the complete inability of my legs to go up any hills at a reasonable pace. After stopping again at Felsted for more water and ice cream, I reached arrivee with 25 minutes in hand, ordered lunch and drinks and forgot to collect a receipt. I think I'm ok on this one, I was sitting chatting with the organiser.
