I had hoped to complete a 50 mile ride before the end of June. Last year a similar ride had taken me over the 1000 mile mark.
Approaching the end of September I was still just short of the 1000 but have set myself a target of a century ride before the end of the year and I have planned a ride in early December into the centre of Birmingham. I have often looked at the canalised between Wolverhampton and Birmingham and thought it would be an interesting ride.
S had a course in Oswestry last Saturday so I decided it would be a good day to achieve the two milestones, even if it was three months late. I was originally going to ride over and come back in the car. But at the beginning of September we had attended the small but very good folk festival at Llanwddyn which is below the reservoir at Vyrnwy. I have cycled there before but have never tried the road to Penybontfawr. So this was the plan.
We got to Oswestry at about 9:30 and I set off including a loop around the town. I had decided to ride the Giant but had neglected to fully inflate the tyres and they felt a bit squidgy. The early stages of the ride were flat on the lanes out to Llanymynech. I seemed to be going a bit slower than usual averaging just over 12 miles an hour. I deduced by the signposts that the Lake, my target was about 29 miles out with the village of Llanfyllin at about 19 miles. I thought I was going OK but as I started the last few miles and the hills I was going slower and slower. As ever on the steepest section I was treated to a rainstorm and got wet as well as dispirited. There was also a lot of traffic which was making much quicker progress than me. But no turning back and I enjoyed cresting the rise by the caravan site and the “alpine” descent into Llanwddyn. A short uphill and across the dam to the tea room.
The coffee didn’t touch the sides and I have to recommend the four cheese and onion baguette. Probably not the best fuel but very tasty. After forty minutes at the cafe I set off back, down into Abertridwr and onto the unfamiliar climb that was the purpose of the day. I was very slow and never confident as I climbed (very slowly) between the trees. It is a beautiful ride with no excessively steep sections and all of a sudden I was descending into Penybontfawr. I was then surprised by another climb followed by a steady descent through the Tanat Valley which was only spoilt by the amount of traffic. I reached Llynclys crossroads and traced my way on the lanes I had travelled only a few hours before – what I hadn’t noticed then was that is was slightly downhill and with the wind so the final miles combatting both were a bit demoralising. But I was there and having packed the bike into the car rewarded myself with a Greggs vegan sausage roll. I had earned it!
Here is the evidence!