Home now - fed and clean.
Stayed at Sedbury - lovely camp site with Hummers, John Spooner, Pompey Phil, iddu, Mercury and vistaed there too, as well as some others.
Counted 6 other fixed riders: Teethgrinder, jwo, iddu, Greenbank, Peter Simon and Manotea. Not sure who had spokecards from C though - just Greenbank, Manotea and myself, I think. Louise (Rogers? Rigby?) couldn't work out what my spokey dokey thing was.
Stonking tailwind all the way to Llangurig - recorded my V
max coming down the new bypass into Bronllys: 66km/h, 193rpm. Turned into a horrible headwind over Plynlimon, with cold heavy showers. Stopped at the Red Kite cafe to warm up but wish I'd pressed on to the visitor centre at Bwlch Nant yr Arian instead. The chap cooking at the Red Kite really ought to scrape some of the crap from under his nails.
Hooked up with Vorsprung and Louise at Tre'r'ddol, but pulled away from the on the climb to Corris - past the 'Good Luck Bryan Chapman riders GO GO GO' sign. It's a lovely climb anyway, but that made it better. Started to get a bit of cramp on the way down to Tal y Llyn, but it eased as I got to the top above Cross Foxes. The gusts of wind helped push us up, but the hail was most unwelcome - got a good soaking just in time for the descent into Dolgellau.
More showers on the way up to Harlech - you could see them blowing in off the sea, getting closer and closer. Thankfully none of them lasted very long and it was just warm enough for me not to need to stop to put my waterproof on. Stopped at Penrhyndeudraeth to stock up on snacks for the ride back from Menai then had a rest a bit further on - outside the shop in Garreg. It's got a long bench under a verandah that faces West, into the
sun rain.
Best bit of the ride was the stretch from Penrhyndeudraeth to Pen y Pass - dry, tailwind, smooth tarmac, stunning scenery and no traffic. Heard my first cuckoo of the year at Llyn Dinas too. Even a little sunny in places. Got to the top of the Llanberis Pass at 7.41 and got a thorough soaking on the way in to Menai. Was a real shame not to have revrob cheering us on through Llanberis this year tough. Saw some VC167 riders heading back at about 8.30.
Back into the wind on the way out of Menai, but actually enjoyed the first section - the sky cleared and the stars were out. Started getting dozy so stopped at Maentwrog for a nap, waking up when Jules, Garry King, Vorsprung and a couple of others came past. Had a good time climbing up past Trawsfynydd - steep enough to be interesting and to warm you up, not so steep as to be painful. Goes on a bit though, with plenty of crests to get your hopes of a descent up.
Back at the YH by 2.15, managed to ride all the way up the drive then tea, soup, spotted dick and a shower before a couple hours sleep. Fire alarms went off (and off, and off, and off...) just before 5 so got up and had breakfast. Not enough breakfast, it turned out, as it took me over three hours to slog the 65km to Aberhafesp. More freezing cold rain just before the control - so I hung about waiting for it to stop - didn't leave before 10.
Sun came out on the climb out of Newtown, everything started to warm up and I was feeling good all the way to Knighton where I stopped for coke and crisps. Past the lumpy hedge at Brampton Bryan and then it started raining at Lingen. Heavier and heavier, and by the time I got to Pembridge I was soaked through. Even Pumpe's favourite stabby climbs couldn't warm me up. Stopped for hot pasties and a drink at Weobley and the rain eased but didn't stop. My fingers were freezing by this point and I'd run out of dry gloves so had to put my waterproof mittens on - eventually they warmed up.
The sun came out again at Madley but the wind was picking up too, which made the A466 a real chore, though at least I was dry now. Cheated in Monmouth then onto the final stretch past Tintern. More rain but the climb out of Tintern was a pleasure this year - it's a lovely gradient and the last few wiggles to St Arvans through the woods seem like another country.
Worst bit of the ride: descending past the racecourse, a truck pulling a caravan pulls out of the car park on the right where there had been a circus. As it goes, raw sewage is spilling out the back of the caravan, leaving a trail of shit round every roundabout.
I had to follow the trail down to the A48.
Got to the finish just before 7, but didn't hang about so after a quick chat with jwo, Toby and Mark I headed back the tent, stopping at the Marmaris kebab shop for a large lamb doner and chips. Was bloody lovely, sitting in the tent listening to the rain and trying to hold a can of beer with greasy, garlicy fingers.
Breakfast this morning in a pub in Chepstow with John Spooner and Hummers (Beer, at 9 am? Surely not.) and home by 2. Thanks to all the helpers who did such a good job of looking after us, really appreciate it.
