https://www.komoot.com/tour/930064562This was a stunning days ride. We had incredible weather. I can't remember ever travelling through mid-Wales without a drop of rain.
I adore riding at night - the countryside comes alive with the business of the beasts. The surprisingly loud hoot of an owl, hidden in a tree top. And a playful bat dancing in my light beam collecting insects drawn to my beam. Or the crash and rustle of unseen animals returning to hedgerows as I glide past: We both think - what are you?
As the sun rose slowly a tired brain cleared as the Malvern hills appeared quietly in the gloaming. The temperature kept dropping - but even the cold brought a visual gift: The morning mist hung like a blanket over fields, meadows and streams. Always tantalisingly hard to photograph, but the memory is sharper in my mind as a consequence.
The full sunrise painted the sky red with promise. In the distance, the hills increased in number and size. Drawing the rider towards a fine day in the land of hills and song.
The views in mid Wales are astonishing. For the most part our route took us through benign contours with 1000ft steep sided hills either side. And although I took the old A470 and added some miles and climbing for my trouble - the new A470 wasn't as bad as I feared. In fact, I was extremely jealous of the incredibly smooth tarmac.
The crowing jewel of the ride was the Elan Valley. One of my favourite places to ride a motorbike. The drama is the same on a bicycle, but the views much more hard won and more satisfying to behold.
But it isn't all joy and unicorns in the life of a long distance cyclist. This beauty demands its payment. And mine was fatigue thigh cramp for 100km of riding. It's annoying, but manageable and a small price to pay for a dry day, in crisp sunshine in mid Wales.
The final hurrah of the day was a glorious 40km along the Golden Valley, downhill with a tail wind. Which set the mind with enough optimism to cope with the final 50km which I will christen, "When will these bloody hills end!" To which I always answered, "When you finish climbing them grumble-guts". I hoped to get back for last orders (11pm) but I would have missed it by 2 minutes: Which is a fine lesson in the resilience required to complete an Audax.
In closing I send my wholehearted chapeaux to Mark - this is a man with romance in his soul, a creator of amazing experiences who decorates his Audax organising with subtle magic. Yes, they present a fair challenge to the cyclist, but that makes the memories stronger.
Thank you Mark.
