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Rhayader to finito!

Sun shone brightly to wake us all up super early at Pencelli Castle on the outskirts of brecon. Ally “Super-mum” Hoskins was on the ball with bacon, sausage and beans before I could feel the dew drop on my flip flops. It made for great fuel as we set off for Rhayader. We needed it! What began as undulating hills became a sin wave of road runner downhills and exhausting climbs. Challenging yet uneventful.... You would think!

The fun and games began at a turning point (no pun intended) called upper cefncoed just after Newbridge-on-Wye. It takes you along the Wye Valley walk between Trembyd hill and the Wye river. It's shown on the sustrans map-site as a “rough off-road section”. I hadn't looked on the sustrans map-site! Cue lots of fun for mountain bikers Swifty and Hanno. Not so much fun for road and hybrid cyclists me and Mick. After putting our bikes through some violent vibrations that only a Sea King pilot could endure, we decided enough was enough and walked clippity clop in our cleat equipped cycling shoes, along near alpine terrain (Ahem). It smoothed deceptively to country road gradient, so on the bikes we went and having been starved of cycling freedom I belted it down the Wye Valley, overtaking the mountain bikers just before the path laughed at me and became riddled with immediate dips, ditches and divots. Paul Hanson reported seeing me accelerate past before hearing me shouting expletives in horror at what can only be described as a two foot deep crevice across the path. I attempted last minute to leap “Betty” across said ravine while reciting the lords prayer at pace! I just made it! Mick and I walked the rest of the rough path until reaching a PROPER road. 

You'd think that events would continue to remain smooth. They didn't. For I had made a slight boo boo an the pre trip maps. I marked the Wyeside Camp-site on completely the wrong side of the river and around 2 miles off course. By the time I'd uttered my humble apologies Hanno had gripped us by the scruffs, told us to get a grip and said “lets carry our bikes across the river, stop whingeing and get to this camp-site” (Artistic licence was used in the last paragraph, as if Hanno would talk to anyone like that) So off we went a la Bear Grylls, bikes on our backs and we were at the camp-site in no time!

Rhayader was amazing. Gorgeous weather 25degC. It laid host to a great camp-site, a refreshing river, a pub that doubles as a bike shop and a pub that opens early to feed us massive full English breakfasts. The latter was and continues to be super-mum Ally Hoskins' nemesis. She wasn't the least bit impressed with OUR diplomatic decision to overrule her Granola breakfast in favour of lard! Probably didn't help that I requested granola the day before! Clive Powell runs the Mountain bike centre in Rhayader a pub come bike shop. 

 Following some accurate diagnosing by myself (take note Delwyn Williams, Hanno's ex bike engineer), Hanno decided to bite the bullet and change his bottom bracket ,which had been annoying him with clicks and clangs since Cardiff. Clive also changed it free of charge seeing as it was all in aid of Help for Heroes. We were soon off towards Dolgellau. A note for anyone challenging the dragon, beware of this part of the journey. It's hard but extremely worthwhile. Hafren forest was a blast maybe too much of a blast as I hammered round corners thinking I was Bradley Wiggins. I felt more like Bradley Muggins when I took a corner at 40mph realising my error I clipped out and braced for my inevitable CRASH!

 I lost my cycle computer in the brush, decided it was too much hassle to continue looking, dusted myself down and continued on to meet with the others, yes they passed me! Onwards and upwards eh and man was it upwards. We hit a beast of hill at a turning point just after Dolbachog. The climb began by taking us slowly towards a beautiful viewpoint overlooking the gorgeous Afon Twymyn. On and on it took us slowly forcing our legs to seize with lactic acid. By the time we had “summitted” at Bryn-y-Fedwen we were quite genuinely exhausted, were it not for everyone's support effort some of us might have walked some of the way. 

 We all pulled together and managed to pedal every single inch out. Thank Lord Shimano there was Flapjacks and Isotonic waiting for us. We chilled for a while knowing that just beyond this point and the memorial on route 8 was the descent that made the climb worthwhile, we zipped down towards Machynlleth and it was a sensational ride. 

 Our joy was short-lived we had the climb from Hades awaiting us. After a fairly challenging route to Aberllefenni the Gradient was way too much for any of us and we ended up pushing our bikes up to the summit between Cadair Idris and Mynydd y Waun. We got some crazy looks from workmen removing an old gas pipe (Extensive work all the way from Corris to Dolgellau). We were rewarded with another superb descent into Dolgellau. Where we were accommodated for free by the Vanner Camp-site. Slept well we did!

For reasons that only the trip members will discuss, we were on our way by 7.20am along the beautiful Mawddach estuary. The path here was sublime, Flat no undulation whatsoever and we found ourselves racing towards our first rendezvous. Ally and John were nowhere to be seen and we took great pleasure in reminding them that they had CARS! Hanno took great pleasure in the fact that we had chosen a spot next to “Birmingham Garage” in Barmouth. We were storming towards Caernarfon where I think (being bound for my town) 

I once again let my legs get carried away. Looked back and no one could be seen! I looked where I was and I was standing next to a route 8 sign. I was at the right place. I wasn't at the right place 100 yds previous though, as the cycle route took the team up a huge hill and back down to where I was stood at a junction. Mick Jewitt even descended again to correct my wayward legs only to find I was nowhere in sight. We met further up the road and they spoke to me some colourful words! Having regrouped we commenced to the back roads of Mount Harlech to be gifted with wonderful views of Snowdon and the Lleyn Peninsula.

 We blitzed through Porthmadog in no time and Lon Eifion cycle path was a true pleasure to ride and Caernarfon soon welcomed us to Cwm Cadnant Camp-site.

We awoke to our first cloudy day. Clouds became rain and stayed with us for the rest of the day. The rain however did not dampen our spirits. We went and had breakfast rolls and panads at the SPAR Min-y-Nant store in Caernarfon. We had begun the last stretch of our journey. Flat most of the way, uneventful none of the way. I began by allowing “Betty” to upend me on some slippery bricks in Morrisons car park. I was only doing 5mph but man did it hurt.. Lon las Menai was a kind Journey in the rain. The Menai Straits gave us further impetus as we neared home.

 Just as we neared the peak of Penrhosgarnedd Hill Hanno's rear tyre gave him his first puncture, and having looked at his tyre, it wouldn't be his last today. 271 miles and the Wye Valley rumble strip had taken its toll it was bare. The same could be said for Swifty's knee joint. We were hobbling to Holyhead slowly but surely. Back roads through Anglesey were a lot more substantial than we gave them credit for yet we joked along the entire Anglesey route “What hills”. Following Mawddach Hill and Bryn-y-Fedwen these seemed to pale in comparison. We were scheduled to arrive in Holyhead at 1230pm but we were early. Gave us a chance to top Hanno's rear inner tube up with air and it would have been rude not to fuel up with burgers from the van at Stermat. What an awesome welcome from our families in the habrbourfront bistro. I must be honest it was an emotional finish to a phenomenal bike ride and we all deserved our beer toast at the finish line. We got to know each other much better on the trip and we all found out that Wales is truly a breathtaking country. I was a proud Welshman fanning my Welsh feathers for the entire duration.