No photo's, sorry. Today was a mileage cruncher and it was dark for most of it due to the weather.
Friday night was my third Christmas doo. My colleagues and I went to Brecon, from Cardiff, for a meal and a good old chat. It was a nice but late night. Gail, Lindy and Tom are good company, I've decided.
Anyhoo. Up and out at first light. God, it's early and I'm feeling it. It's been a couple of busy weeks with sporadic early (and late) nights where I have been up at 5am every morning. It's my Team Boss, Rob that keeps me on track with pep talks when I'm struggling. Cheers, Dad!
24hr riding and preparation is a lifestyle and it involves your whole day, and then some.
I arrived at Sugarloaf Halt, in a howling North Westerly wind and headed north in the rain on wet silty fireroads. Heading around Llyn Brianne on the East side on a very hilly road left me breathing out of my ears and other orifices quite quickly.
Progress was quick. Well, it was relatively quick when compared to my speeds over the last few weeks in Rhayader. What was slowing me down was the dead feeling in my legs from 20hrs of training this week. 20hrs, up to the point where I plopped my sore hamstrings on the front of the saddle this morning. I tried to find a way of stopping all the cold, stiff bits in my legs and back from complaining, but failed.
Today would be a good indicator of my potential speed in the middle of my unsupported non-stop ride from Caernarfon to Cardiff.
I had one episode of moon grass, but due to the info supplied by Numplumz, I knew that if it didn't get any better then I could turn around and find a better track. Maggie (the Mk111) and I turned around 30mins into bog trotting, after disappearing up to our knees and axles, and having to use the bike to drag myself out.
So, we then headed off, together and in a Westerly mood, until we joined up with a track that would eventually lead, both North and South, in exactly the direction that I was actually going! Result!
To cut a long and windy story short, I ended up in Strata Florida. I was tired after battling with the headwind for the whole 50km or so (with detours).
No messing, here. I turned around straight away and headed back on the "new route" (Cheers Jack, Matt Page and Ian Barrington for the help) and skirted the West side of Llyn Brianne on a fire road that eventually took me over the dam at the end of the reservoir. The track is not identified as a "right of way" but there is an open gate (people sized) at one end to stop cars and totally free access at the other end. It is accessed on this ride from the totally open end and I know that this route is used by local mountain bikers with no issue- So it stands as part of the route (so far). In any case, most of the trail goes through Forestry Commission gravel tracks, which are fully and legally regarded as accessible at the moment- so I'm ok.
I got back to the car via the same route, at Sugarloaf Halt, which was hard but uneventful. My watch said that I had burned 4000 calories so I dropped into a sweetshop in Llandovery and spent a small fortune. :)
Maggie is turning into a real mileage bike. She's super efficient and and comfy. I couldn't have had a better bike, even for this area where there are lots of fire roads. But I will definately need all of the travel when it comes to skirting and riding some of the Coed-y-Brennin, Climachx, Mach and Nant-yr-Arian trails on my way to Cardiff.
This morning, Sunday, I woke up late (7am) and got out of bed a little gingerly. After downloading my watch and calculating my training stress score for the week, I realised that I had gone over my score with a day to go. Tss of 900 when I should have ended after today's work at about 750. Recovery day today, in case I over reach.
I'm happy with yesterday's ride, and the fact that joining up to Nant-yr-Arian will be straight forward, so I'm not stressing about not having reached there this weekend.
Going Christmas shopping now.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!
Dave
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