Anglesey is flat isn't it?

At some point in December last year, a meeting was convened discussing the idea of a weekend trip away. We could rent a house take the bikes and relive some days gone by on the Lejog trip. 

As it was, we found a sportive on Anglesey called the Tour De Mon. Which is a complete lap of the Island in the Irish Sea just off the north west coast of mainland Wales.   As an added bonus it also had a Travelodge where we had spent most of our nights on LEJOG and it felt like a kind of fate. 

Places and hotel booked by the increasingly internet savvy Mr P and August 17th was pencilled in the diary. 

Glory days

Setting out in the van however something was missing. A misadventure involving a game of fetch and a turn of speed so dazzling it would have left Luis Suarez dizzy resulted in one of the three team members being unable to make it. 

This was obviously noted when arriving at the travelodge to see three perfectly made up beds as opposed to the double and couch we had managed on for Lejog. Without going back over too much ground it just didn't feel quite right. There would be no issue over the morning bath duration, I made the tea, my stuff was neat in the corner! At least my bike was in the room to add a degree of normality however the pedals were attached and missing a shoe. 

It has to be said it was quite nostalgic and thoroughly enjoyable just for that. 

The event 

Registration was completed on the Saturday evening, when the town had its first undercoat applied, and was a very efficient process. Number for front, timing chip for seat post, wristband for food stops and some freebies and off we went. 

Wandering around to the start and there was a fair degree of food, drinks and shops available plus a bike museum where Mike and I rembered some of our bikes of yesteryear. In particular the Raleigh Chopper and it's careful positioning of the gear lever to reap maximum havoc on a teenage boy who applied the brakes too eagerly. 

This was not either of our first bikes

Now a couple of blokes away for the weekend and Holyhead was their oyster. The possibilities were endless. A chicken burger, gammon steak and two pints later the town was painted well and truly red.  Amazingly, all done whilst still allowing us to see half of Ironman on Channel 4 and be sound asleep by 9-30. Preparation is everything.   

Tour de Mon

It dawned on me as we made our way across North Wales that I actually knew very little about this event. Normally, I have a reasonable idea of the route map, elevation profile and type of Tarmac used on each strava segment, but for some reason, I had not done that much research this time. 

There were only two things I did know:

1. You got to do a "flying mile" along the runway at RAF valley. 

2. The wind outside was around 25 mph and Anglesey was on the edge of a weather warning. 

Which prompted the kind of debate usually heard in anticipation of weddings or proms; What to wear?  The risk of being too hot or cold with the wind adding complexity was a serious business and some people just brought far too many options. After considering tropical to arctic clothing I finally settled on British (shorts and warm layers on top) and moved on.

Warm welcome 

The Tour de Mon is a tour of the complete island and that is so apt given the welcome you receive. The weather may have been brisk but all around the 103 miles there were people providing warm support. 

The marshals in particular were excellent. When approaching corners, if there was no traffic, the marshals would wave you through such that you did not have to brake. On some occasions they would actually stop the traffic on the road to allow groups of riders through. This is not a closed road event I must stress but the courtesy given by all road users, regardless of vehicle, and the expert marshaling gave it that feel. 

The route around the island is stunning. You go from rugged coastlines to moors to stunning bridges across the Menai straits with Mount Snowdon as a cloud wrapped backdrop. 

Snowdonia in the background

In the middle you get the flying mile.  One straight, flat mile with the wind at your back on perfect tarmac. The father and daughter in sprint position ahead of us on their town bikes were averaging 25 mph!   Chapeau. 

Out to Beaumaris, we achieved 50 ish miles at around 19mph. Feeling fresh, we went straight past the second of the four food stops and then things took a turn, literally, as we headed back towards Holyhead. 

A tale of two halves 

To answer the question at the top of this blog, Anglesey is not flat. It does not have a particularly high altitude on the island but the route masters certainly did the best with the materials they had to work with. 

There was some 1500 meters of climb in the final 50 miles whilst never going above 200 meters. Add the headwind into this, and the course started to bite back after the more compliant first half. 

When you are above the turbines you start to worry

However the views off the coast across the Irish Sea, back across the island to Snowdonia or of the idyllic small seaside towns made for a wonderful backdrop.  My writing skills wouldn't come close to painting the picture they deserve so I won't bother.   

The Old bridge that the route crossed

However one point in particular will stick with me. When we rode into Camaes it felt like most of the residents were out enjoying the sunshine on the pub walls or sat on the harbour as the riders had a brief respite from the wind on the descent.  There was an S bend at it's heart with a little kick in the road across some cobbles.   Inspired by the show of support, I leant low into the corner, jumped out of the saddle and accelerated up the hill. For ten fleeting seconds I was on the Champs Élysées in the final meters of Le Tour; then I was stopped at the roundabout by a Ford Fiesta.  But for ten seconds.....

"When a hero comes along "

A good sportive ride is a challenge. That feeling of overcoming the challenge is hard to replace.     

I know I have used this Mariah Carey quote before, (not said very often I suspect) but sometimes, being heroic is simply having the strength to carry on.  There were lots of heroic rides out there.  

All of the rides joined together at the last third food stop and regardless of whether people were on the 100, 70 or 40 mile routes there were people digging deep at this point. I am always in awe of the people who want to stop and just keep going.  

Whilst there was some short climbs in the last few miles the last few hundred yards were downhill to the seafront.  This will have removed a lot of the painful memories of the previous miles as people crossed the line to receive a commemorative slate. 

All in all this was a great event and a big thanks to the event organisers AAH and the people of Angelsey. 

Back where it all began

See you next year. 

Getting ready for a CAT6 race.

Last night at the age of 21 years and some 6,700 days I can genuinely say I tried something new.  I entered into a British Cycling Category 4 road race. 

My performance was completely in line with expectations and I finished dead last in both races.   

Preparation

In true internet age fashion, I had tried to prepare for the event by reading as much as I could about what to expect and what tactics to deploy. All of the articles carried the dark foreboding that you will get "dropped" faster than the proverbial hot potato. 

So with my tactics of riding at the front, and keeping out of the wind ( these two things are slightly contradictory it now occurs to me), I pinned the numbers onto my shirt and rolled to the start line at Rhyl's Marsh Tracks.   My simple goal being to not finish last. 

Reality

The first event was an elimination race.  All riders lap together and the last one /two over the line is/are out. When the Commissaire told the riders to go I positioned myself near the front behind one other row of riders. 

My tactics worked perfectly until the first corner.  Whilst, I was applying the brakes to make sure of safe passage around the bend, everyone else was accelerating; hard.  Bikes were appearing from out of nowhere!  I felt like Admiral Ackbar in Return of the Jedi and fought the urge to scream "it's a TRAP!"  

Now, at the back of the group, I experienced the effect of having to sprint out of subsequent corners to get back into the group who were accelerating earlier.   Think of the effort you sometimes have to expend to get back up to speed after you have been on holiday from work and it is a similar feeling.  :-)

In truth, I experienced this on three corners and then I was out.   The reality was, despite the thousands of miles I have ridden, I had not ridden round corners at this pace in a group this big. 

Still, there was the handicap race to come where I could redeem this performance. This race sought to even the playing field with Category 4 riders going first and then 3 and 2 riders after with the idea that on the 10th lap the entire group would be together. 

There were four Category four riders and as we started I experienced the same thing even in the smaller group. I was not cornering at the same pace as the others and the rain we were riding in made the problem worse.   I then had to sprint to get back on the wheel of the last rider and get precious shelter from the wind. 

This shelter is supposed to provide up to 30% energy saving and the graph below illustrates that I managed this for three laps.  My average speed once the group was lost decreased from 40kph to about 36kph. This is only actually 10% the inner auditor in me is forced to point out.  Moving on...

Reassessing goals. 

Now if you are going to ride around at the back of a race by yourself, having seen the category three riders pass, and felt a rush of air you assume was the category two riders, you may as well do it in a bright pink shirt.  Designed to be visible on busy roads and decorated with the question "Man or Muppet?", it avoids confusion over your identity for sure. 

The predictable shouts of "MUPPET!" soon accompanied my passing the finish line to start a new lap.   These shouts were mostly my son and his friends who were there for the junior races but what are good friends for if they don't kick you whilst you are down?  

However, the encouragement served to help me with my new objective; Do not get lapped.  I soon realised trying to calculate the closing speed of the groups was impossible so I put my head down and pedalled as hard as I could through the rain. 

I have not been so glad to hear a bell ring since I left school for the last time in 1994 and I started my last lap alone, the field somewhere behind me, closing fast, as they accelerated to finish.  

I have to admit I fought the urge to cross the line arms aloft as if I had won just for the hell of it but the slim slither of success felt like a victory to me. 

In summary

Objective achieved, I relaxed and started to think about what I had learned.   Perhaps I relaxed a bit too much as I rode straight off the far end of the circuit narrowly missing a fence whist panicking about the location of the pond.  

Heart out of mouth and wheels back on smooth Tarmac, time for Take 2 on what I had learned:

1. I was really pleased with my average speed in both races. I had not ridden that fast for that period of time before. 

2. Despite knowing the theory of what to do there was no substitute for the real life experience. 

3. I am terrible at corners. Only [insert name of least favourite goalkeeper here] is worse. I also need to be less cautious in the group to have any chance of keeping up. 

4.  My goal for next time is to not finish last!

 

Too relaxed!  (Artist representation bearing little similarity to actual events). 

A weekend for all seasons

The "cat"

Fired up and ready

It's a cold Sunday morning in March and 4 men, still on a high from the recent Jodrell Bank Classic Sportive just two weeks earlier, are ready for the start of their next challenge; The Wiggle Cheshire Cat.  This ride has a reputation for one particular hill the Mow cop Killer Mile that you hit very early on in the ride.  Whether this is a blessing or not is still open to debate.

Cycling weekly picture of Mow Cop.

One hour later and who would have thought that two of the team were thinking of selling their bikes, one was pushing the bike up the hill and the other was wondering what all of the fuss had been about.  Well done to Matty for making to the top of the hill without stopping and earning his well deserved medal.  This says a lot about the hill that you actually get a medal for making it to the top without putting your foot down but more than this you receive the admiration of all your fellow riders.

Once at the top you would expect the descent to be the fun part.  Well, in truth, it is but it has it's dangers at this time of year with wet roads, mud and the twists and turns meant that early braking was the best way forward.  Unfortunately, in Gary's case he slightly misjudged the amount of time it takes for Man, Muppet and bike to slow from 40 mph to the 10 mph needed to navigate the corner.  Dusting himself off after missing the first corner, a quick status report showed a slightly twisted brake lever and a rip to the famous (and new may we add) MMVT malliot rose and so it was back on the road with a lesson learned.

The climbs dont end here though.  In fact they carry on for the next 20 miles which, combined with the cold and the wind, took it's toll on many riders including myself.  Suffering with cramp, in my mind, is nature's way of saying my legs are tired.  Its a simple but effective rule.  The second clue was when the horses I had just ridden past trotted past me once the road again went uphill.   The riders, probably rightly, ignoring my request to be able to hold on to the tail and get a free ride to the top.  Perhaps I should have specified the horse's tail?

Once the first 40 miles is done then the hardest part was over.  However, I would like to point out that the person who shouted "it's all downhill from here!!" has a very different perception of "downhill" as we rounded a corner to face yet another climb.   The rest of the ride went relatively smoothly but the cramp had taken its toll on me so I decided that the 75 miles was enough for the day and so back to Crewe it was.

Who are those mad people waving and clapping?

It's always nice to see the finish line after 75 miles in the saddle but it is made better when friends have taken time out of their day to come and see you home.  Thanks.  It makes a difference.

Crossing the line

It was then time for a cup of tea, the post ride analysis of what had happened on the ride.  Lee passed comment that we had seen 4 seasons in one day.  We had experienced rain, hail, wind and sun all within 7 hours.  Matty then said to his Dad, "Dad, we'll do better next year".  Lee's reply sadly did not pass the censorship test for this blog but can be summarised as "*@!"&* next year!".

Matty hiding after the "next year" moment

From personal experience we all say that and carry on.  So until the next ride.

What a difference a year makes

In January 2013, we decided as a group we would enter into a few Sportives over the course of the year in lieu of a ride similar to the LEJOG we completed in 2012.  The first one we found on our local calendar was the Jodrell Bank Classic.  This was ideal for a number of reasons in that it was due to take place on Mothers day in 2013 and two of the group would not therefore have rugby matches to coach on the day.  I am sure the issue of placating wives and mothers was also discussed.  Well it was thought about.  It's the thought that counts.

If you can tear yourselves away from the garden sun lounger that you have taken out of hibernation in the moderate spring heat wave we have experienced, and cast your minds back twelve months, you will remember that this time last year Britain was under a blanket of snow.  The two weather graphics below perfectly demonstrating the difference in weather between the two rides.

In fact for last years ride, clothing de jour was everything that you happened to have with you.  Two pairs of long bib shorts, winter baselayer, two short sleeve shirts, two long sleeve shirts and then a couple of jackets too for good measure.  Picture the Michelin Man on a road bike and you are getting the idea.  This year, by the end of the ride, short sleeves with arm warmers and shorts were sufficient as the weather was glorious.   But enough about the weather...if you wanted to know about that you would be reading a British newspaper not a cycling blog.


THE EVENT

The Jodrell Bank Classic  advertises itself as a perfect warm up early year sportives such as the Wiggle Cheshire Cat or (if you are lucky enough) any Tour of Flanders style events and takes in 80 miles of footballer infested cheshire contryside.  

Route map...the proper one!

The booking process is easy through the online SI events system and Poynton leisure center makes a great base with a lot of parking and no more traffic issues than you would expect for 700 people trying to descend on one point in a short space of time.  This was all well managed by the marshals on the day so there appeared to be minimal issues.   Getting the race numbers and to the start was all managed with minimal fuss as well which is ideal.

From there, you head out to real footballer country at Aldelley Edge but as this is 8am on the Sunday morning, there was minimal traffic to contend with in both years and the route takes in nice smooth roads allowing for a steady progress.  Sadly, our group did get split at some traffic lights and we never quite got back together. The two minute plus wait for red to become green means the people who made the light now have the best part of a kilometer lead that is hard to pick up.   As the route is flat to downhill for the first 60-70 km this does allow for a reasonably fast rolling pace which a number of people were taking advantage of in making very good times for the first 80 km until the food stop.  

It has to be said, that there were a couple of hiccups on the ride.  Firstly, despite warning riders on the website it was likely to be unseasonably warm on the day, the foodstop had ran out of water when we arrived there.  Given it had taken out around three hours to that point we arrived probably in the middle of the group and at a rush time but this could easily have been avoided.  

The next one came as you caught the first glimpse of the Jodrell Bank Radio telescope the ride is named after.  This is an amazing sight and if you have not visited the telescope then it is well worth a day out.  Looking at the route map you can see a loop by Over Peover and sadly at the point of the left turn to begin the loop the sign had been removed.  As we had a Garmin with the course on it, we were OK and could quickly pick up the signs.  However, a lot of groups took the right hand turn towards the telescope and it did lead to some confusion which is a shame.

Leaving the telescope and memories of last years puncture behind (I hit a pothole whilst wondering if the rider next to me actually was Victoria Pendleton. It wasn't) all of the riders reassembled on the course and headed towards the "stings in the tail".  

The stings in the tail of Pexhall Road and Shrigley

My memory of these hills from last year what that they were similar to riding up brick walls.  That there was an endless ribbon of tarmac snaking up into the clouds on the edge of the peak district.  That we required ice picks, crampons and the help of a guy called Tensing to find the top.  Approaching them this year and I can't see how I got that view with the exception of having been out in freezing temperatures for the best part of five and half hours.

There are two climbs at Pexhall Road and Shrigley Pott that are around 100m each and the latter has a more strenuous gradient with a couple of very steep sections but they are perfect for thinking of longer climbs ahead.  Particularly positioned as they are within the final section of the ride, after you have been enjoying the relatively flat terrain thus far.  I was pleased with my time on the first on in particular as it included a comfort break that is not accounted for on Strava.

After this peak there is then the descent down to the leisure center which is a relief for the legs and a stern test for your brakes.  The view from this point across Cheshire and Manchester is stunning and well worth all of the effort.

Awaiting at the finish line was the professional photographer and some of the photos of the riders are set out below...if you see just one photo of a rider smiling then the links are a bit funny off mobile phones so it may be best looking in browsers.

http://chrismeadsphotography.zenfolio.com/p62125486/h35a2915d#h21ee2b76

http://chrismeadsphotography.zenfolio.com/p62125486/h35a2915d#h2e4e8a38

http://chrismeadsphotography.zenfolio.com/p62125486/h35a2915d#h259a06fc

http://chrismeadsphotography.zenfolio.com/p62125486/h35a2915d#h25967826

http://chrismeadsphotography.zenfolio.com/p62125486/h35a2915d#he2d0414

http://chrismeadsphotography.zenfolio.com/p62125486/h35a2915d#hae0b875

This ride is a little bit like Ronseal in that it does exactly what it says on the tin and has all of the features you would expect from a good sportive. It is a perfect early year training/warm up ride that is well organised and gives stunning views at the end.   We have ridden it twice and it will definitely be on the calendar for next year...providing it is on mothers day :-)

The amazing Mr P


Referring back to the start of this blog we are looking for improvements in our cycling this year.  The comparison below has the data from last years ride and this years ride from my Garmin.  The elapsed time of 6 hr 43 from last year had become something of an obsession for Mike who was determined that he would do a far better time this year.  He was aiming for under six hours and a ten percent improvement.  He actually smashed that time and came in at 5:33 taking the best part of twenty percent out of the time.

Its all in the numbers

There are some other interesting data points I highlighted in that whilst the average moving speed was 4km/h quicker, the average hear rate was broadly the same.  My Garmin heart rate monitor has a habit of picking up very odd readings at times...for a long time I am sure the heart rate I was riding to on my screen was actually Mike's but, if that is true, I suspect it means the average heart rate was lower this year and not roughly the same.

So how did he do it?

The main point has to be the amount of riding Mike has done to prepare this year including climbing hills using a snow plow as a lead out vehicle and that dedication has obviously shown.   He has regularly been riding 80km or 60% of the distance and focusing on his heart rate so the base training seems to be working.  Before anyone thinks this is a full scientific analysis Team Sky would be proud of, it really isn't.  I am just a bit of a geek when it comes to looking at numbers and there my knowledge ends :-).

We also talked about the differences on the day this year and what we had done differently and three main topics and very old adages immediately sprang to mind.

1. You are what you eat -  On last years ride, we may have had one snack bar and grabbed something at the foodstop but I dont remember eating a great deal.  This time I know I munched my way though, two SIS enery bars, three SIS energy gels and a banana.  Starting thirty minutes into the ride and then one item every hour thereafter.  I felt like I had more energy throughout and I know Mike said the same.

2. Together Everyone Achieves More. - We were far more disciplined in riding as a team this year and taking advantage of wind breaks when offered. Be it from other groups or amongst ourselves taking turns at the front.   At one point we found ourselves in a group of about thirty riders in neat pairs flying along at 35-40kmh with no additional perceived effort.  This only broke when a chain snapped and catching back to the group ahead of that was a real challenge.  It is not a sign of weakness when riding to do this.  Ask Mark Cavendish who typically spends 201.5km out of 202km tucked in behind his team mates conserving as much energy as possible.

3. Its a marathon not a sprint.- Last year we did the first 80km in a very quick time.  Downhill with a tailwind and over excited we sprinted off and were keen to make good progress.  The last 50km took nearly twice as long as we had simply ran out of energy. This was the first Sportive for Mike and there is a real sense in those that you want to be seen to be strong from the start.  I did exactly the same in the Etape Cymru ride the year before and paid for it in the last miles.   Finding the right pace that you can maintain for the time is key.  Mike hit this perfectly as at the end he said he didn't feel he had the energy to go any further...but at that point; not 30km before hand.

Any experienced cyclist will tell you all of the above is obvious.  All inexperienced cyclists I suspect will have made the mistakes we did last year.    I suspect the difference in the categories is ticking off 1, 2 and 3 and remembering not to do them again :-).

All in all Chapeau Mr P.  It was a great ride.  It does leave one question...What's next years target?

Bucket full of hellfire

The bucket list

The route map and elevation chart

As with so many of my cycling stories it started with a simple message from Richard:

"Always wanted to do this one! its only short 32miles but lots of cimb!  Available Sat/Sun or Mon mornings early start from Wxm then from Bala over to Vyrnwy and back to Bala in time for lunch. :-)"

Now my renewed love affair with cycling started with a throw away comment from Richard asking if I would like to ride Lands End to Jon O Groats for charity. He has form. I have a lot to thank him for. 

When I initially thought about the question posed by Probikekit.co.uk about my favourite ride, one of those days should probably have sprung to mind. However, as picking a day from that would be a bit like being asked "who is your favourite child?", it didn't.  

What I did think of instantly was the ride that followed the message above. 

The hellfire pass. 

The lots of climb referred to in the message primarily related to Bwlch y Groes. This is Welsh for the Pass of the Cross but the route is also known as the Hellfire Pass.   It features in the 100 greatest climbs in the UK book and was historically a key feature of the Milk race where local legend tells of riders in the early 90s powering up on the big ring. 

It is most famous for being the highest mountain pass road in Wales at 545m or just short of 2000 feet and although this is not a lot in relation to the Alpine climbs the ascent does start from around 180 meters so by UK standards this is not a bad altitude.   This is painted on the road just in case the fact is lost on you. 

In case you didn't know.

Richard referred to this ride as one on his "bucket list". If you are not familiar with the term it is a list of things that you have to do before you kick the bucket. A little bit morbid but we were going to do it so I was wondering would it live up to the expectations? It by far surpassed them.

Ride through the clouds 

Cloudy start at the lake

Starting from Bala lake in cold and cloudy conditions after the drive from Wrexham the route meandered down the side of the reservoir.   There is a cycle path that goes the entire length of the lake, and for those after a more relaxed ride a very quiet road that circles back on the other shore, which provided for a nice gentle start. 

Shortly after you reach the westerly end of the lake, instead of following the shoreline, you make a right hand turn. The road starts to ascend in front of you through the trees on what is an unremarkable country lane. 

The start of the climb

What was remarkable was as the road hit a steeper section the cloud had descended to form a mist. On your right through the trees you could see glimpses of sunlight breaking through and providing the effect of spotlights beneath.

Light at the end of the tunnel

A few more turns of the pedals and we emerged through the top of the clouds to a brilliant sunshine. Bala was not under cloud as much as a mist that blanketed the valley like freshly fallen snow and much like a plane taking off we were now looking down on this serene view. 

At Cloud level.

At the point the photo was taken, we were probably about 2/3 of the way to the top and the remainder of the climb snaked upwards ahead of us. Yet the views meant we were still smiling and just  discussing how amazing this view was. This continued all the way to the top and instead of the usual bout of competition meaning we headed off at different paces, three of us steadily progressed pretty much together chatting towards the summit. 

Approach to the summit

Nick had gone a little bit ahead as you can see in the picture. Now, picture what you expect to see at the top of a hill like this. Something like the picture below?

Not exhausted...just trying not to laugh

Hands up if you picture a Rottweiler bounding towards you at full pelt?  I bet even fewer people pictured a man running after the dog from his parked van with the familiar cry of all dog owners "he is friendly!". For the crowning glory; Who pictured the back doors of the van open with the man's partner asleep on a camp bed inside?  All of that is what greeted Nick and the rest of us shortly after.  We don't have pictures. I just couldn't figure out how to take it without adding to an already odd situation. 

This apparition aside, the views were stunning. Looking back where we had just come from the blanket of mist stretched all the way back along the valley and we were bathed in the sunshine. 

Blanket of cloud from the top

In the other direction was the descent to Lake Vrynwy which looked inviting. Being completey honest, had I not had a "moment" on a descent two days before I would probably have looked forward to it more but the thought of the steep gradient did fill me with a degree of fear. Those road signs don't help.  

Arty shot of bike point downhill

The Anti Yazz

The discussion of the potential reaction of our wives if we suggested the top of a hill in the back of a ford transit for our next holiday destination did provide a welcome distraction however. Whilst, I was brave enough to make the descent, I wasn't brave enough to suggest the holiday. 

Lake Vrynwy

First view of lake

As the road levelled out the gaps in the treas showed the beautiful Lake Vrynwy. The perfectly still water reflecting the sky and shore like a perfect mirror this symmetrical view of the world was just as  stunning as the climb. 

Flat lake path

We rode slowly around the flat road that circles the lake at a reasonable pace in the now blazing sunshine. All the time plotting to come back to stay in the local hotel and use this road for the inaugural MMVT time trial.   The compelxity being we planned to do this at Christmas so ice and bike handling may be more of a deciding factor than strength but we don't do anything normally. 

BoB.  Bike on Bridge

We stopped on the damn that crosses the lake for a quick drink before heading back to Bala. The panoramic view below showing the lake on one side and the drop away to the river on the right hand side. More beautiful scenery and all within 20 miles of our start point. 

Lake Vrynwy Panorama

Having circumnavigated the lake we then took a different route back towards Bala which involved a climb not as long as Bwlch y Groes but steeper in gradient. As I pulled over to let an oncoming car pass, I heard the unmistakable hiss of mytyre popping. 

The mirror like water

As I normally climb ok I suggested that the others went on and I could catch them up. Fortunately, Nick came back just as I realised I had not just popped the tube but ripped my tyre. He had a typical pump as opposed to my CO2 cannister so I was able to deflate the tube again. Had he not come back, I would have been really stuck, not only without a  tyre but also no way to re-inflate the tube. 

"You stay with him"..."no you stay".  Nick came back when he chose paper to Richard's scissors

So how did we escape?  Why am I not still trapped on the Welsh hillside?  

interestingly, there is a link to the royal family in the answer to the question.  I was not rescued by a locally based royal family member in a Sea King helicopter but the Queen played a part...well her image anyway.  A far more experienced cycling friend of mind had said he always carried a £10 with him because the paper was surprisingly strong. He suggested you could fold the note within the tyre and it would hold the tube inside long enough for you to get home. Remembering this conversation, that is exactly what I did. It worked brilliantly as well and came with the added advantage that I couldn't pay for breakfast as my money was inside my front wheel. Bonus!

I can see the pub from here..just not Nick

It did mean I was even more cautious on descents where the tyres would be under pressure. This was a shame with roads like the one above to ride down.  Maybe we can go back this August?  Nick quickly became the dot in the distance as he reached escape velocity and tucked his barber shop sign wrapped frame into as small a shape as possible. 

Bala awaited at the end of the valley and we made great time there with minimal effort. There was one short sharp hill just towards the end that caught us all in the wrong gear.  We tried to out muscle each other by pushing the pedals as hard as we could instead of changing gear. 

Just about winning the ensuing battle with inertia, we then made the final roll down to the town where we parked the bikes and tucked into the aforementioned lunch. Well breakfast really but it was pushing lunch time. 

The spoils of victory

By the time we got back to the lake the scene was an idyllic summers day as opposed the autumnal weather we had departed in.  It was also fair to say that my general mindset had also changed during the ride in a similar way. I had a far more sunny disposition than when we arrived. Three hours in the company of friends and a reminder of how stunning the Welsh and British countryside actually is can do that to you. 

Back to the start

If you have ridden this route and enjoyed this as it brought back memories of the day then I will be pleased. 

If you have not done the route above then I strongly recommend you plan a day or weekend in the summer to take the time as my pictures do not do the scenery justice.

Just ride

In case it is not clear, my reason for this being my favourite ride was the purity of it.  

This was not a ride for training purposes.  There was not a set time limit to make the route in.  It was not a ride where I was aiming for a strava segment (obviously I did record it on my Garmin and Strava because otherwise it didn't happen!).  It was not a ride where I was constantly staring at a heart rate monitor to try and stay within a particular zone.  Yes, there was a sense of achievement in making it to the top of Bwlch y Groes but the time taken was irrelevant.  In fact the views were so breathtaking with the cloud below that a fast time was impossible. 

This was a ride to spend time with friends, Mike, Nick and Richard.  A chance to take in some views that simply have to be seen.  To experience the freedom only a bicycle can bring.  It was almost like a step back in time to being a child where a trip 300 metres along the road with friends was a voyage of discovery filled with awe. 

What started off as a trip to tick an item off a friend's bucket list actually ended up as something I ticked off my own list and I am thrilled I was there for the ride.