7th September 2009
Entering the unknown by signing up to this event as the most i'd ever ridden was 63 miles some 3 years ago. With my sidekick Daf signing up having not touched his bike for 3 months I knew I wouldn't be doing the chasing. My old man also entered but was way ahead of us with the training hours as he'd just returned from a 3 week cycling holiday around India. The Trans Cambrian was 87 Miles with 2600m of climbing and started from Rhaeadr through Mach,talybont, Ponterwyd, Devils Bridge, elan valley and back to Rhaeadr. We arrived in the Cattle market in plenty of time and quickly sign up watching all the fancy bikes and gear rolling in through the gates. My predictions for the race were to finish comfortable and enjoy the day. Dyma ni mynd - We started shortly after 7.45am and were one of the first off, pace was good for the first 15 miles, loosing the Huw on the first climb out of rhaeadr stuck in his granny gear. Weather was superb, warm, dry and no wind. The ride from rhaeadr was sweeping and very enjoyable, the hard work began after we left llanidloes. I knew the climb to Dylife would be the toughest of the day and once past the first clywedog damn Daf was feeling a little cheesed with the relentless hills. Sweeping run down to Machynlleth saw our first feeding station which was very welcome. Cheese rolls, cakes, biscuits, energy drinks and gels. Couldn't have asked for more. The road from Mach to Taly was as it was, rough and head wind, uch. Stopped at home for a drink and toilet and then spent the next 30 min riding between home and talybont looking for daf as I'd gone ahead of him before my break. Eventually I zoomed off from the White inn and caught up with him half way up to Nant y moch, he was in a bad way and really wasn't enjoying his day, dim ond 46 milltir i fynd. The climb from nant y moch was from sea level to 1500ft over a distance of 6 miles. The slog continued all the way to devils bridge were there was a constant head wind. A long climb up from the falls up to the arch and the second feeding station. 10min break to fuel up and off we went down the elen valley. The wind was picking up at this stage and following the damns down to Rhaeadr it was a direct head wind, struggling to spin the pedals. Finally arrived at rhaeadr after 7h 6min of riding. I'd really enjoyed it and would do next years event aiming to beat the 6hours mark. Daf on the other hand promised that he'd never ever do it again. Hero for finishing.
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