Author Topic: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye  (Read 7826 times)

Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #25 on: 31 May, 2017, 12:49:28 pm »
Pat, the cycle path from Cross Foxes to Corris, is that paved ? google street view doesnt go up there so wasn't able to see.
 :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Eddington Number 75

Chris N

Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #26 on: 31 May, 2017, 12:57:31 pm »
Tarmac, with a generous helping of sheep shit. :thumbsup:

Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #27 on: 31 May, 2017, 01:08:55 pm »
Tarmac, with a generous helping of sheep shit. :thumbsup:
Thanks Chris I had heard a rumour it was a dirt track  ;D
Eddington Number 75

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #28 on: 01 June, 2017, 02:22:43 pm »
We go where google fears to tread. Randonneurs ho!
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

iddu

  • Are we there yet?
Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #29 on: 05 June, 2017, 11:24:35 am »
Ow - I ache. 

Bar the againsterly for 80% and it hooning down in Newtown for 20 mins it were grand - anything better and you'll have an excellent w/e.  You can call me (insert expletive of choice) when you finish ;D 


Dylife Gorge


Looking over towards Pumlumon Fawr, & sources of Severn & Wye...


Wheeee!


Happy Valley


"Is that the lights of Barmouth?...Yes"


You utter GIT - 8Km of constant rise :thumbsup:
I'd offer you some moral support - but I have questionable morals.

Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #30 on: 05 June, 2017, 12:15:48 pm »
You utter GIT - 8Km of constant rise :thumbsup:

What, no fixed? Things must be bad... :o

iddu

  • Are we there yet?
Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #31 on: 17 June, 2017, 07:40:00 am »
38 starters - let's see how many survive  ;)

I'd rather be on a bike..
I'd offer you some moral support - but I have questionable morals.

Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #32 on: 19 June, 2017, 01:21:40 pm »
Thank you again to Pat for putting on this amazing ride. Sorry I had shot off at the finish, I would have liked to have stayed to recount tales of searing heat and opening every gate in Wales  :o

https://www.strava.com/activities/1042482391/shareable_images/photo_based/11271454/1/4AEEC800-FAB6-4321-8B4D-4CE4513D8ECE?hl=en-US&v=1497791008

iddu

  • Are we there yet?
Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #33 on: 19 June, 2017, 04:07:55 pm »
De nada.

Same time next year? :demon:
I'd offer you some moral support - but I have questionable morals.

Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #34 on: 19 June, 2017, 06:06:57 pm »
Well I survived but there were times when I wasn't quite sure.....

Stupendous lanes on the 75 km stage to Llanidloes required the 24" gear far more than expected. Wonderful lumpy countryside tho'.

That "road" below Cader Idris. I didn't mind the gates as it was a chance to admire the views. More of the same on the NCR to Corris.

Fish n Chips at Borth - mmmmm. The super climb in early evening sunlight to Nant-y-Moch. Blessed easier A roads on the 100 km to Newtown and the Ludlow hall.

Cool air on the morning run to Gt Malvern and a good breakfast at the hall courtesy of Mr Blacksheep & Roy "Would you like some pasta?". Yes please! Leaving the control and riding for a while with Richard on his classic Raleigh fixed.

Walking up those monster Cotswold climbs was hard work in the heat.

Enjoying a cold shandy with just 30 km to go.

Yes a memorable weekend Mr Iddu. Could you turn down the heat a little on the next edition please.



Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #35 on: 19 June, 2017, 06:12:30 pm »
Well that lived up to the "Cambrian on steroids" billing. Clearly Pat does the parts of Wales that others can't reach and weren't they incredible? I feel like I now know ever inch of the road and the delightful NCR8 around Cader Idris. I was in good company riding with Carl and Heather but our collective lack of sleep put pay to any prospects of tackling day 2 in the heat so we talked ourselves into bailing out at Ludlow. Even Matt's motivational greeting when we arrived after closing time wasn't enough to get us going again, but we were very grateful for the late breakfast. A couple of hours sleep under a tree in Ludlow, a nice bit of lunch in the town and I then rode back to Leominster to find Pat relaxing in a hammock, awaiting the arrival of the survivors. Despite bailing out I feel quite happy to have ridden the first 350k, a proper adventure which is what it's all about for me. Thanks Pat and Matt  :thumbsup:

iddu

  • Are we there yet?
Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #36 on: 19 June, 2017, 11:50:37 pm »
Well, that was a baptism of fire, both figuratively (due to the heat) and literally, in that it's the first overnighter I've run - a bit stressy, because

a) I didn't have a clue where riders where in the first 350Km; needs a couple of spotters for next time.
b) I had nightmares of people only wanting light salads, and having to eat baked potatoes for the next month and a half ;)

Once they started turning up I could chill.

The extraordinary heat made it a challenging two days, both for the experienced and first-timers at 600Km - I can't say it's a ride I'd have picked for my first 600, but chapeau to those that did and finished in time...you have nothing to fear from any other event.

51 entrants, 38 starters, 23 (nominal) finshers, 15 DNF's - returns in tomorrow, so your name in lights when TPTB shuffle  the paperwork into the right place.

Thanks to those that came to play, and my ever helpful assistants Mark, Matt & Roy
I'd offer you some moral support - but I have questionable morals.

Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #37 on: 20 June, 2017, 09:04:45 am »
Pat that was brilliant, I was one of the DNF's  :( a few minor mechanical issues and the heat and I had talked myself out of day 2  :-[

Thanks to everyone who helped Pat, you are awesome.

I'll put up some photo's later.


The midgies at Nantymoch were horrible clouds of the buggers I am covered in itchy bumps  :-\ I had only stopped to write down the info control details and get some food out of my bag.


Anyway see you next year Pat  :thumbsup:
Eddington Number 75

Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #38 on: 20 June, 2017, 09:09:48 am »
Thank you to Pat and your helpers.
The route was often challenging and picturesque. Lots of memories to take from this many already mentioned above.
Still not recovered from the heat. 4 out of 5 contact points are still sore as a result.

Sent from my SM-A320FL using Tapatalk

LFCC

Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #39 on: 21 June, 2017, 10:37:37 am »
A big thankyou to Matt, Mark, Roy and especially Pat for putting on this event.

Loads of new roads for me with plenty of 'wow' views in the glorious sunshine.  I have some problems remembering the order in which it all occurred - not helped by the zig-zag nature of the route on Saturday.  The high temperatures meant I was very conscious of monitoring the water situation but also gave me an excuse to massively increase my ice cream and crisp consumption.

I felt pretty frazzled when I got to Ludlow and didn't really get any sleep.  On the basis that if I can't sleep I might as well pedal I set off at 0330 on Sunday morning.  My GPS obviously fancied a lie in and started behaving very strangely.  My lack of sleep, a few comfort issues, the prospect of another very hot day and now a dodgy GPS made it very tempting to pedal 5 miles back to my car for a DNF.  Fortunately switching the unit off and on seemed to sort it so I would have to find another excuse.

The run across to Malvern was refreshingly cool and the welcome from Mark and Roy put me back into audaxing mood.  Clubmate Steve arrived not long after me and, as with Saturday, we loosely rode the rest of the route together.  There was far less climbing than on Saturday but the Leckhampton Road and the climb away from the girl guide camp still needed taking seriously.  A relaxing milkshake in Cirencester was an interesting contrast to the madness that was Swindon's Orbital shopping park on the hottest day of the year.

It was good to turn for home but the day was really cooking up now.  With hindsight I wasn't really drinking water because I was thirsty but because I was too hot.  I might have been better pouring it over myself than through myself?

Coming past Ledbury my legs sniffed the finish and I really enjoyed the good surface and gently rolling road.  The terrible surface on the A417 soon stopped the enthusiasm as Sunday's farm track skills were put to good use in dodging potholes.  Finished at 1830 and after a delicious pint of squash and a brief (and fuzzy-minded) chat with Pat I headed the 7 miles back to the car reflecting on what had happened in the 38 hours since I cycled the other way along this stretch of road.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #40 on: 24 June, 2017, 06:48:25 pm »
First time posting picies from GoogleDrive:

Both from the Ludlow control (350km):

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B48Coy5_cszLM0FUcUc2aG9jeTA
riders happy that they've decided 350k is enough

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B48Coy5_cszLcms0dmdYcTVtbFk
Ruffa??

(it's probably better to use proper photo hosting, innit? Maybe later ... )
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #41 on: 25 June, 2017, 08:05:59 pm »
Thanks for the pic! I think we were just happy to have survived sleeping in Newtown Macdonalds on a Saturday night.......and to see you and Pat's lovely smiley faces as we breezed into Ludlow after closing time  :-[

iddu

  • Are we there yet?
Re: Take EWE to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #42 on: 21 February, 2018, 11:02:59 pm »
Mmm, gonna skip this this year; there's a lot of other Welsh events covering similar ground....don't worry, I'll give you a 2nd chance next year.

Am planning (600) something for your delight and delectation ;D around the South-East thobut, so happy days soon.
I'd offer you some moral support - but I have questionable morals.

Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #43 on: 22 February, 2018, 10:30:24 am »
Any chance of an 'official' perm ... ?

iddu

  • Are we there yet?
Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #44 on: 22 February, 2018, 11:22:13 pm »
Glutton for suffering, eh?

I'll have a think on it.
I'd offer you some moral support - but I have questionable morals.

Re: Take Ewe to the Severn, Seas & Wye
« Reply #45 on: 24 February, 2018, 06:04:19 pm »
 :thumbsup: