It was a day trip to the Brecon Beacons on Sunday for me, Trevor and A group guest rider Matthias. Trev had a 200km route mapped out to take us the length and breadth of the National Park and over plenty of hills. Starting just north of Merthyr Tydfil, we crossed the moors to Hirwaun to do the big climb over to the Rhondda Valley, out via the Bwlch road and down to Neath. Super climbs, long but not too steep, and fast descents where you hardly need touch the brakes. We passed hundreds of cyclists going in the opposite direction on the Dragon Ride, including an unknown SWRC rider at the Neath feed station - if you're reading, let us know who you are and how you got on. From here we were alone to Black Mountain, encountering en route a hill so steep we had to walk rather than ride
down it. The 8km climb over the western flank was followed by a lumpy 20 miles across the foothills, where we were chased by farm dogs at one point, to a much needed stop at Trecastle. 80 miles down, 45 to go; but time was getting on and I was having a bad day so we decided to shorten the route and go for the direct 20 miles back to the car. Trev and Matthias were leaving me way behind by now and as they rushed up the final climb of the day beneath Corn Du, I slogged up wondering how on earth I'm going to manage the Marmotte in 3 weeks time.
It was a day trip to the Brecon Beacons on Sunday for me, Trevor and A group guest rider Matthias. Trev had a 200km route mapped out to take us the length and breadth of the National Park and over plenty of hills. Starting just north of Merthyr Tydfil, we crossed the moors to Hirwaun to do the big climb over to the Rhondda Valley, out via the Bwlch road and down to Neath. Super climbs, long but not too steep, and fast descents where you hardly need touch the brakes. We passed hundreds of cyclists going in the opposite direction on the Dragon Ride, including an unknown SWRC rider at the Neath feed station - if you're reading, let us know who you are and how you got on. From here we were alone to Black Mountain, encountering en route a hill so steep we had to walk rather than ride down it. The 8km climb over the western flank was followed by a lumpy 20 miles across the foothills, where we were chased by farm dogs at one point, to a much needed stop at Trecastle. 80 miles down, 45 to go; but time was getting on and I was having a bad day so we decided to shorten the route and go for the direct 20 miles back to the car. Trev and Matthias were leaving me way behind by now and as they rushed up the final climb of the day beneath Corn Du, I slogged up wondering how on earth I'm going to manage the Marmotte in 3 weeks time.
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