A grand day out
The forecast was dire, but the morning was superb - a clear start, with a bit of mist as we rolled down the Taff Trail and over the river into Cardiff, and then cloudless blue skies and sun
Last year the pace across the Levels was a bit frantic; this time it was relaxed - a bit too much so for me at times and I was getting cold. A small group of us pulled away before Wentwood, and I enjoyed a spectacular climb though sunlit woodlands with Lexi Webber. at Usk we found ChrisN and Toby, already tucking into the pastries.
After that it was a headwind the whole of the rest of the way round, which seems unfair. I was just trundling, having ridden nothing much for a year, and spent most of it on my own. I had a bit of a tow from various groups and a decent one into the lunch stop from the Blacksheeps.
I didn't stop - I was suffering from tired legs but felt OK otherwise and I fancied getting as far as I could before the weather closed in; that was to the top of the Devil's elbow, where I got hailed on quite convincingly, and from there it was showery the whole way back
Gog yn y De caught up with me on the run-in and helped me navigate - it's a route I've done probably 10 times before but I was suffering from brain-fade yesterday at times. We got most of the way in in something like daylight (though it was gloomy) with just the last half hour or so being properly dark.
Great sandwiches and a warm welcome at the end - a much better venue than the previous one that this ride has used.