Some Statistics for the whole ride...

Those people who know me well will not be surprised to hear that I... as well as others (Seth!)... have been keeping track of various stats from the ride based on Garmin GPS devices and Strava on my phone. I've put links to all the rides as captured on Strava in an earlier post but the table below summarises all these stats and I think it's pretty cool... but hey, that's me!!!

The thing that sticks out most to me is the total elevation gain of 5,831 metres, that's 3.5 miles... straight up, almost two thirds the height of Everst from sea level, we climbed with panniers... no wonder my legs are still sore!! Also the fact that we gained 1553 metres in one day - that's nearly a mile - some of those hills did seem to last for ever, now I know why.

Something else is my maximum heart rate: theoretically, a person of my age should only get to 164bpm but mine went to 178, nearly 10% above... those blooming hills, no wonder I thought I was dying at times... numerous times actually!!

I won't bore you with analysis and 'Oooh's' and 'Ahhhs' for all the stats but suffice it to say it really was hard work, very enjoyable but hard work nevertheless, and so I would say to all those people who very kindly sponsored us... you got your money's worth and thank you so much :-)

Day 5 - Brecon to Cardiff and the end!

The Brecon Hotel had hanging baskets which obviously need watering occasionally (very occasionally I suspect based on the rainfall we'd experienced) and the hose they use offered a great opportunity to give the bikes some TLC...

And then we were off... in the rain again... in fact we took the road rather than the canal towpath as it was so muddy our brakes were fouling... also, we didn't want our nice clean and shiny bikes to get mucky!

Bananas are a staple of all cyclists though I'm not really sure the middle of the road is the safest place to stand and eat them... Robin!

Whereas yesterday had been about scalding hot tea and sausage rolls, today was the day of the hot pork roll... they others tested them while I found a quiet corner of a field and once again applied Savlon to my chaffed bits and bobs...

We're now well and truly in the Brecon Beacons and the road started climbing once again, in fact it was ridiculously steep, I found it pretty soul destroying as my whole body ached by now...

We found out later the guys we passed are a father and son from Huddersfield who were doing the same journey as us but they're camping... in other words they were also carrying a tent, sleeping bags, cooking kit etc. on their bikes... mad!!

Seth, the mountain goat, as usual was waiting at the top to greet us... it was fantastic to see him standing there as we then knew we'd made it!!!






Next stop Merthyr Tydfil for lunch at the Station Cafe... it was a lovely couple running it, great home made pies, and then on over the unusual viaduct, built curved so it avoided the rich (and particularly unpleasant - by all accounts) landowner's property.

Everything was going great now... as soon as we left Merthyr the track became a steady downhill run - fantastic :-) - and then... that was it, puncture number 7 - Bob this time...

Rear wheel again, so that's 6 rear 1 front so far and, please note the supervisors!!

Finally Cardiff was in sight... the 11miles sign was particularly welcome especially as it had always been '11miles' to all destinations... so this was 11miles in reality...

and then more easy downhill or level runs brought us into Cardiff's outskirts and to the Bay... It was pity I hadn't properly researched the end section of the route and so wasn't quite sure where the end actually was (in fairness I wasn't sure of anything other than it was by Cardiff Bay)... and then we found it... the Celtic Ring that marks the end...

... so, that was it... WE'D DONE IT, YEE, HAA!!!!

The staty stuff is here:
The Garmin log (what the below image is copied from) can be found here

The photos from the day can be found here


Started at 08:40
Finished 17:35
Average speed 9.5mph
Max speed 32mph
Elevation gain 715m
Max HR 153

Day 4 - Llandidloes to Brecon

While our hotel wasn't quite Fawlty Towers, I got the distinct impression over breakfast that our hosts would prefer to have no guests, plates were slammed down and when the assumed full breakfast wasn't actually wanted it prompted rolling eyes and tuts...

It was raining when we left the hotel with a distinct feeling they were slamming the door behind us but hey ho... we've done pretty well really from the rain perspective, better than England according to friends and family... there you go, it may not have been perfect weather but it's better than if we'd stayed at home...

Our two KotM's wore their polka dot jerseys for this the fourth day on the basis that the hardest climbs were over now, Robin and I decided we would share the Over 50 (but less than 60) King of the Mountains accolade as we tended to alternate who got to the top first... though I admit when Robin was first, he did it with style and a flourish, panache even, whereas I did it with sweat, wobbles and cursing.

However, the easier day didn't last very long...

... but at least it was pretty... I suppose it's the rain that makes it look so green...

... but what is it that makes Robin look like a bruiser... anyway, we entered a very picturesque village...

With some rather odd villagers... it reminded me a little of the League of Gentlemen... 'This is a village shop'.

Even the bridges left something to be desired...

It was around now that Seth and I started to get a little concerned we hadn't seen any Route 8 signs for a while... Hmmmmm, a bit worrying... but there was an 'information' sign pointing up what looked like an access road so, off we went to find some information and I'm so pleased we did as at the end of the access road was one of the highlights of the whole trip... Elan Dam...

It is so impressive, I strongly recommend visiting it if you have the opportunity... it is absolutely stunning...
We spent quite a while there taking photos and then grabbing a bite to eat in the cafe. it was while chatting to a helpful walker that we realised we were actually about 3 miles off route... We weren't sure how it happened until we saw this on one of the junctions (this time reading the map carefully rather than just coasting along!)... can you see it... the blue sign tucked away inside the hedge... hmm, neither did we!

ANway this meant retracing our route around a rather large hill, but that was interesting in its own right... it was equidistant... as proved by the road sign when we got to the other side... 4 1/4 miles to Elan Village, whether you go round it to the left or to the right...

Anyway, it was a 6 mile detour (as evidenced by the little stub on the map below) but I'm so pleased we did it, if I'd have known about Elan Dam, I'd have suggested we visit it anyway!!

We finally got to Buith Wells and our lunch stop, once again, taken on the hoof outside a newsagents...

Robin and I had a cup of scalding hot sweet tea and it went right to the spot... fantastic... I could feel the energy flowing into me as it scalded my throat on the way down. The tea had been served by the self proclaimed 'Best looking birds in town' in the tiny bakers just down the road from our restaurant area, they were good fun and enjoyed the cut and thrust of negotiating with Reg and Robin over how many mini sausage rolls they could have for a Pound.

I asked a butcher (his trade isn't important to be honest but there were two butchers' shops next door to each other in this sleepy town... it seemed very odd... there were no others to be seen anywhere...) anyway, I asked a butcher for directions out of town and he then went into the longest convoluted description, including the colour of the house on the corner of the 6th junction we'd get to... no matter how I tried to reel him back in and ask just for the first couple of junctions so I could remember and then ask again if necessary... he'd start off simple and then get dragged into the breed of dog that barks at cyclists if you get too close to the fence.

Seth gave me a taste of what it's like slipstreaming... great fun is the answer, though it's also a bit scary cycling at 20mph with my front wheel less than 6 inches from his rear wheel... it concentrates the mind...

Time for another break (partly so I could reapply Savlon to my chaffed bits!) so we pulled into a cafe that's actually a disused station and on the wall they've kindly installed a map showing all the National Cycle Routes and ours, Route 8, highlighted...

It was 5 O'Clock, we'd cycled 50 miles and still had a way to go when we got to 'Robin's Hill'. Robin's Hill because it was particularly steep, looked pretty long and Robin was particularly unimpressed that we were going to take it at this stage in the game!! But it was this or a very busy A road so... up we went and he didn't complain once: well, he did tell me to F' Off... but he did it with a smile on his face so I don't think he meant it... much!

After what felt an age we got to the top, it was amazing to think we'd just climbed from the road at the very bottom of the hill, in one climb... it didn't help that it started raining - heavily - almost as soon as we got to the top.

Somehow we missed a turn again (OK, I know I was map reading!) and ended up taking the 'scenic' (i.e. long!) route into Brecon but it was worth it when we got there... the Brecon Hotel was great and the beer they served went down very thank you so much, it was a great dinner as well to cap everything off... a great night.

Stat's below...
The Garmin log (what the below image is copied from) can be found here

The photos from the day can be found here

We had no punctures!!!

It rained - quite lightly - for the first 30 minutes and heavily for the last hour

Considering it was an 'easier' day today, it was still tough especially Robin's hill which came after 50 miles and at 5pm on a long hard day. There was dissent amongst the ranks!

We started at 8:30, finished at 18:15

Climbed 4,538 feet

Cycled 65.5 miles (should have been 56!)

Saw the Elan dam, which was a real highlight for me :-)

Day 3 - Barmouth to Llandidloes

Mary came and said 'Hello' over breakfast. We met Mary and her sister Sue and brother in law yesterday evening outside the hotel, she'd come up to introduce herself as Sue had seen our Parkinson's UK shirts and she wanted to say thank you to us for doing what we are as her husband had died (indirectly) from Parkinson's only three weeks ago and they'd come away to the seaside to have a bit of a break.

Here's Mary in the middle with sister Sue on the end... it was lovely chatting to them and I really feel as though we were meant to meet that day... without getting too gushy... it just felt to be more than a coincidence... it made us all feel as though we're doing a good thing and I truly think it helped Mary. Having said that we do look a little like the Mafiosi with the shades on... 'Hey you, I'm gonna make a you an offer you can't a refuse...'.

Anyway, they waved us off and that was it, the start of day 3.

First of all it's round the corner to.... the Birmingham Garage, which we found a bit odd as, a) it's a bike shop and b) it's about 120 miles from Birmingham but hey, the proprietor was very helpful and put air in all our tyres... especially Marty's!!

You can see Seth here demonstrating why he passed the Cycling Proficiency Test with a distinction... what a wonderful textbook left turn signal :-)




And then it was straight on to Barmouth Bridge... which is glorious... this photo doesn't do it justice... trust me it is one of those things that everybody should see once in their life...

We fitted the GoPro camera to the rear of Seth's bike today (rather than the top of my helmet!!) so we'll get a different aspect on things... here we go for starters...

 You can actually see me in the background taking the photo of the bridge above :-) (well, I think it's interesting... sort of voyeurism!)






I'm not sure what Bob is so happy about in the background here!!!!

I think the reptilian arm you can see here - that Robin is looking so perplexed about - is mine (hmmm, best I get less skin or more flesh methinks!) sorting out the GoPro, it had flopped during the bumpy ride over the bridge...

Every photo of Reg shows him champing at the bit... desperate to just be off and eat those hills alive... Reg is 'the man' and I assure you that is not sarcasm, it is respect.

The first ten miles or so were a very pleasant - flat - spin alongside the river Mawddach to Dolgelau, however, flat and unassuming it may be, there are plenty of opportunities for Marty to fall out of his bike again...

... at least this time there was no young mum around to add insult to injury by asking if he needs help!!

 Dogellau gave an opportunity to stock up on energy and make some adjustments to bikes before the big hills started.. almost immediately afterwards...

 It wasn't too bad at first but fairly soon became pretty tough... the photos don't really do it justice as it is pointing down the hill at the same angle as the hill so it looks almost flat... it wasn't... you can see in the next couple of photos how I'm having to traverse backwards and forwards across the road in order to reduce the gradient to a manageable (for me - Seth just ate it up!!)  level...

But... what a sense of achievement when we go to the top...

It was a nice run along the ridge for a while until we saw what was coming next...

I'm still not sure if it's worse being able to see - and know - what's coming next or if I'd prefer to just meet it as it arrives... I suppose it's pretty irrelevant... whatever will be will be...

I need to check but I think it was that hill that saw my heart rate go to 178, the theoretical maximum heart rate a man of my age can achieve is 164 so I've gone to 110%... I do believe in putting in the effort if necessary!
It was pretty awesome and we were all very pleased to make it... here's Robin celebrating with Seth... our new 'size 0 model'!!!

but then... out of the blue...Seth has just had another puncture so that's number 6 of the trip... on two bikes!!!!!

Still, good old Seth (bless him!!) timed it such that we could enjoy the glorious sunshine and lay in the lush grass while offering our very useful advice from afar...

And so it continued through lovely leafy lanes. the weather was kind to us... not overly hot (which you don't want) but bright and dry... it was great

While the lanes were generally very quiet... we did occasionally come across mayhem (hey it's all relative, this is the equivalent to London rush hour in these parts!)

It was also good fun having a bit of a play in the sun...

We stopped in Machynlleth for lunch not by the Tesco bins today... no, by the Spar bins... not sure if that's up or down market as a venue but hey...

We moved the GoPro again and this time mounted it on Robin's handlebars, which gave us another view of the world... like this... what on Earth are Bob and I doing... synchronised cycling... it looks very camp whatever it is!

 ... and then, 'So Colin, I just pressed this button and that light's flashing... do you think it's recording? And, do you think Bob's finished having a wee yet?'

If it wasn't the earlier hill that took my heart rate into the stratosphere the next one did... it really felt to be never ending and to add insult to injury... I was slogging up the hill with sweat dripping down my forehead and stinging my eyes and noticed the same car overtaking me and then parking up in one of the viewpoint lay-bys and, when I'd struggled past, he'd set off, overtake me and then pull into the next view point for a couple of minutes until I passed again. He must have done this three or four times when I got to a hairpin bend (which I hope was close to the top) and as I started rounding it I could see the road became even steeper than it already was and just continued upwards... it was taunting me... and then I heard, 'Hello, I'm sorry to stop you.' It was the guy in the car, he'd pulled into a viewpoint on the other side of the road just on the hairpin bend.
'I'm sorry I can't stop, I won't be able to start again' I managed to whisper through gritted teeth.
'Oh, I just wanted to give you something'.
'I'm sorry.'

He turned and wandered off, putting his hand in his pocket at the same time, no doubt he would complain later that I hadn't wanted his money... I'd have loved his money but he obviously didn't realise just how strenuous it is to climb a hill that's 9 miles long, starts at around 3% and gets steadily steeper until you finish at 17%, nearly 1 in 5. My whole body ached and was racked in pain, my legs had no strength left to push down on the pedals, my forearms felt to be bursting from pulling on the handlebars, my eyes stung from the sweat running in them that I couldn't wipe away as it's impossible to take one hand off the handlebars when you're pulling on them so much - I'd have flown off sideways and my heart, my poor heart, it felt as if it would pump out of my chest... but it didn't :-)

Still, one really good thing about climbing a hill is that you get to descend at some point... We'd climbed 1630 feet (about 500metres or a third of a mile) in 9 miles and now we got to descend 700 feet in 4 miles... a 4 mile downhill... on a fantastic surface with no traffic... oh bliss!!!

We passed Dylife Gorge which is a lovely V shaped gorge cut by glacial melt water... or so I read... Bob told us it's a, 'Magnificent example of geometaphysical activity.' Well, I think he did... I'm sure he'll let me know if that isn't what he said!!

The road soon levelled off... and then started climbing up through the woods as we took one of the 'loops' Robin became so fond of... basically a 'long cut' designed to take us off the main-ish roads and through the more scenic areas...
And then it was all downhill again... we dropped 700 feet in the last seven miles into Llandidloes... Wonderful.
Then, in the hotel and it's time for beer, stretching, and an award ceremony... Seth was presented the polka dot jersey for being King of the Mountains, which he most definately is... for the under 50 year olds, however... Reg is the undisputed King of the Mountains for the over 60s!!!

The staty stuff is here:
The Garmin log (what the below image is copied from) can be found here

The photos from the day can be found here

We started at 9:15, finished at 17:15

Cycled 48 miles and averaged 9 mph

We climbed a total of 5323 feet

My maximin heart rate during the day was 178 bpm (my theoretical max is 164!)

We had one puncture in Seth's rear wheel - the sixth overall!!

It was gloriously sunny weather for a lot of the day with no rain. 

Reg was crowned Over 60s King of the Mountain

Seth was crowned Under 60s King of the Mountain. 

This is the elevation profile