so here's my little write up! won't be as good as those before me but here goes!
the reason i decided to do this ride was mainly because of the hills!!!
living in the flatlands of hampshire is not ideal training for the mountain mayhem course!!
so i decided to make a good weekend of it. i stopped at cwmcarn on friday on the way up as this would break up the driving which to north wales is almost 5 hours! :shock: so i hit the xc loop and had some fun on the downhill sections, i was riding my modern ST4 for this as i like full suss for cwmcarn. then came the long drive from cwmcarn to nannerch, 3 and a half hours on country roads after 2 and a half in the morning! :shock:
saturday morning came and after being fed an awsome full english/welsh/british breakfast at my b+b i left for Cilcain, the start point for the ride, there was no parking in the village so we had to drive up to the viewpoint to park (this would come back to haunt us) after unloading the bikes i got a suitable dressing down by mr K for riding modern toss, it was retro themed though being steel and in a classic paintjob, but that just wasn't good enough, i felt embarrassed, i had let them down, pitiful behavior for a deputy AEC.
Mr K specifically put me to shame in the retro stakes with his stunning retro beastie!
off we went, initially thinking this doesn't seem too hard at the mo, a gentle first climb took us out on to the range with an awsome view at which point Mr K said we were about to hit the first downhill section, i hit the switch on the leftside of my handlebar, suddenly giving me 100mm of suspension on the front of the bike, i got a look of disdain, then a hand gesture suggesting that i'm self lover!!
that's probably where the bike and me were christened "modern toss!"
after that was alot of up and up and down and up and more up and a bit of up followed by some gate opening, we sort of developed a system of taking turns as there were so many of them which on one downhill section was really frustrating!! :x
the pub stop happened after 17miles where we were told "sorry no food" Mr K and DSP opted for the local ale anyway, me and woody kept our sensible heads on, me with caffiene cola and woody with a refreshing lemon and lime, by the time we'd got to the next pub option a mile away you'll notice that the 2 non alcohol drinkers didn't go around the place smashing up doorframes with our foreheads!!
there was good conversation, bike related of course as well as talk of beautiful girl bikers!
the 14 mile return leg started ok enough until we turned up a country lane that was a 1 in 7 climb . . . that went on . . . . and on . . . and on . . . and you get the idea! :shock: i refused to get off, DSP and woody made it look easy . . . gits.
not long after this, and after the one and only mechanical, woody's puncture, we hit a road descent and hit the road for the last part of the ride back up to Cilcain at which point i was cursed by the others for suggesting a high parking point
drinks were had before saying goodbye, i had a 10minute drive back to the B+B at which point i sunk into a warm bath knowing that the guys were still driving for atleast an hour, i have to say i didn't feel guilty about that!!
i'd like to say a big thanks to Mr K, DSP, and woody for allowing a southern fairy to be a northern monkey for a day!!
although FYI, i am a northerner by heritage, i moved from the north when i was 12 so i am a hybrid! oh god, modern toss riding fairy monkey!!
the ride was great the company was awsome, what more could i ask for. fantastic days riding
i capped off the weekend by hitting some trails at coed y brenin on sunday morning while it was still quiet before the rush, the adams family downhill sections are awsome, fast, flowing and technical, smile inducing trails.
after this came the long drive home 4 and half hours,
was it all worth it? . . . . . . **** yeah!!
here's my pics
in no particular order
