Mille Cymru - Welsh 1000 - 23-26/07/2010

[Hot Flatus]

S&C speeds suggest a 9.30pm finish on the first day, but like FY I will be riding with the next day in mind. So let's call it 2am with several daytime hours in cakeshops.. 

[scottlington]

S&C speeds suggest a 9.30pm finish on the first day, but like FY I will be riding with the next day in mind. So let's call it 2am with several daytime hours in cakeshops.. 

 

[mattc]

S&C speeds suggest a 9.30pm finish on the first day, but like FY I will be riding with the next day in mind. So let's call it 2am with several daytime hours in cakeshops..  

Don't be upset if I wake you coming to bed, darling.

["S&C" ?]

[Greenbank]

Snowdon & Coast 400. Shared much of the same route as MC1K day 1.

I got to Aberystwyth an hour after Flatus was back at the finish in Shrewsbury.

[Hot Flatus]

S&C speeds suggest a 9.30pm finish on the first day, but like FY I will be riding with the next day in mind. So let's call it 2am with several daytime hours in cakeshops..  

Don't be upset if I wake you coming to bed, darling.

["S&C" ?]

I wasn't planning on having a nap in Tenby
 

[simonp]

2am is 18kph. I think I will aim for midnight.

[Weirdy Biker]

2am is 18kph. I think I will aim for midnight.

This is my hope as well, but my timetable has some flex in it for up to 2am.

[Hot Flatus]

Realistically it'll be midnight for me too I think. I'm taking a camera with me and I've got a lot of faffing to do.

Rain= more time in cafe

[simonp]

Realistically it'll be midnight for me too I think. I'm taking a camera with me and I've got a lot of faffing to do.

My time relies on collecting my card the night before, a 4am start from the hotel, cutting out several km, and bouncing all controls.

[Hot Flatus]

 Bollocks, you'll be fine If you don't overdo it in the first 80k like you usually do

[simonp]

Bollocks, you'll be fine If you don't overdo it in the first 80k like you usually do

Due to all the miles, I'm too tired at the start of rides to overdo it.

[JohnHamilton]

Compus mentis again (and I was just helping). Quick write up on the blog http://mc1k.blogspot.com/

So what have we learnt from our weekend?

1. Not riding for 5 weeks beforehand is not good preparation.
2. Riding fixed is a silly idea
3. On a serious note... Stock up on bonk rations in Dolgellau. It's 115k from there to Llanwrtyd and the only shops are in Llanidloes and Rhayader, both of which close at 11pm.
4. The natives in Cilgerran are friendly (Iddu will provide the story I'm sure)
5. The final leg back from Llanwrtyd to Upton Magna can be ridden quite quickly, even after 900k. Pat & Pete both made it back in 7 hours. So don't panic too much if you're close to the limit at Llanwrtyd.
6. Everything on the route is rideable on 34x27

Our "plan" was based on getting to Llanwrtyd between 1 & 2am on Saturday, then leaving at 6 Sat & Sun. The wind meant we were an hour or so behind that, and we were unlucky in that it didn't let up until late Sunday afternoon, and for the best part of three days it wasn't really in a favourable direction.

Thanks to Ed Hargraves for giving up his weekend to look after us at Llanwrtyd. At some point after the event is all over I intend to make a perm version available. Riding as a small group, using the hostel in Llanwrtyd as a base made for a great weekend.

And finally, to whet your appetite a bit further, your jerseys arrived here on Thursday (perfect timing). As modelled here by the (not so) fantastic four at the start


and by Peter at the finish


PS. Peter is most put out at being confused with Pete Turnbull. It's Peter Turner, Derby Mercury.

[Hummers]

Those look mighty fine shirts. 

I just hope mine will fit. 

Perhaps I'll leave it to the end of the ride before I try it on....

H

[Weirdy Biker]

The key message is:

DON'T PANIC

and remember where your towel is.

[mattc]

Which one?

The one after Dolgellau is the same as the BCM route.

I haven't got it in front of me. If a climb to cross foxes is the worst of day 1 then it's ok.

The tracklogs climb figure was about 7000m. So it's on a par with the bcm on day 1.

Simon (and anyone with less technical ability - there can't be many?):

If you're on the MC profile page e.g.
Mille Cymru 1000 - 23 July 2010
... you can click on a climb (or lake, bed, etc) and it is highlighted on the map. Jolly clever, and useful for identifying features that have you quaking in your Sidis.

Hope This Helps.

[Manotea]

This thread is going to 20,000 views soon and its still a couple of weeks before the event!

[Greenbank]

Ah, but compare that simple profile with the more detailed reality. The section from Dolgellau to Llanwrtyd looks like it has two major climbs plus a couple of other bumps. It actually looks like this:-

[Weirdy Biker]

Meh, detailed profiles leave me cold and tell me nothing more than the "smooth" one on the MC site.

The main thing will be whether the legs feel good on the day and if the weather gods are smiling upon us.

All the up-down, wiggly-jiggly stuff should be taken foregranted by anyone up for this event.

[JohnHamilton]

Perhaps I'll leave it to the end of the ride before I try it on....

Mm. Putting them on at the start was obviously tempting fate.

[JohnHamilton]

The key message is:

DON'T PANIC

and remember where your towel is.

In your bag drop?

[JohnHamilton]

Ah, but compare that simple profile with the more detailed reality. The section from Dolgellau to Llanwrtyd looks like it has two major climbs plus a couple of other bumps. It actually looks like this:-

The profile does hide some of the smaller lumps being the whole of each leg.

THere are two main climbs on the Dolgellau-Llanwrtyd leg:
- Bwlch Oerddrws. This will be familiar from the BCM as it's the first climb out of Dolgellau past Cross Foxes.
- Cwm Pennant. R in Llanbrynmair and head up the Staylittle road. This is a good well graded climb, nothing too fearsome.

After that, which doesn't really show too much on the profile is a real roller coaster past Llyn Clwyedog. Fortunately the general trend is down (Llanidloes being significantly lower than Staylittle) - this is a real brute in the opposite direction. Llanidloes is half way to Llanwrtyd - the second half of the stage is much easier (until you get to Newbridge anyway).

[Weirdy Biker]

Hmmm, that road before Llanidloes is surprisingly tough, especially when there is a headwind on.  As I found out on Saturday.  It has a 12% V drop and haul, with some less than straightforward stuff before it.  Rollercoaster is an appropriate description of that road as I remember my altimeter bouncing between 300 to 350+ many times over the space of 15km.  A nice descent into Llanidloes though  

It reminded me, in some ways, of the Beulah road from Newbridge to Llanwyrtd, which is also on route.  Both roads are potential spirit breakers if they catch you in the wrong mood.

The stuff around Snowdonia NP is mostly harmless.

[mattc]

...the second half of the stage is much easier (until you get to Newbridge anyway).

Or to paraphrase another Adams character:

The first 300m of climbing were the worst, and the 2nd, they were the worst too. After that, I went into a bit of a decline ...

Thanks for the morale boosts John. It's great knowing 1 rider has already completed this, only requiring 3 domestiques en route

I've just noticed that Pat packed after this leg:
7. St. David’s – Cilgerran (53km, 737m climb / 13.8m/km)

St David’s – Fishguard – Newport – Nevern – Cilgerran (577km)
So that's after the coastal "lowlands" stretch we've all been dreading ...

[iddu]

Is it coggable

t'cog - DUH!

Actually, it's not that bad; a bugger from Petes Eats, and some silly grumps from sea level on day 2, but overall most climbs are <=15% and long - there's just a shedload of them...

[simonp]

Which one?

The one after Dolgellau is the same as the BCM route.

Yes, looking at it at home, that's the one.

Not really that worrying, then.