Mt. Biking - Llanwrtyd Wells

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Owner: MartinF
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Worst Wipeout Award 2003

Member#: 72
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Registered: 28-10-2002
Diary Entries: 184

Mood: needing time out

16th November 2007
Mt. Biking: Llanwrtyd Wells
Wind Direction:
Wind Stength:
Surf / Sea State:
Air Temperature: 6 - 7 C
Sea Temperature:
Weather: overcast
Max Speed:
Distance Covered:

Well, the Real Ale Wobble came and went. It had all the attributes of all other RAWs I've done: cold, wet and muddy. Very muddy, in fact. Very, very muddy, in parts. And very wet.

This year, they changed the route so that the section which was the last section of last year's route, was very early on on this year's route. This is the section with the axle-deep rock pools. Just to make sure your feet got a really thorough soaking early on & thus maximising the cold, numbness duration.

The beer was also too cold, but you couldn't complain that it was below ambient temperature.

This year, there were a couple of slightly-more-challenging-than-usual descents. One of these being after a long, energy-sapping hack across grassy, muddy, exposed moorland (the highest point of the trail, in fact). The descent being grassy, steep & - did I mention - muddy?

My rear mech gave-up for some way - sulking beneath several Kgs of mud, and steadfastly refusing to play. Eventually, it rejoined the spirit of the thing and reacquainted itself with a variety of different cogs.

All in all, really good day - most of the climbs were on firetrack, though there were a couple of pretty impossibly steep rocky climbs, too. Though we did see a couple of guys clean one of these. Respect.

Most of the return leg was on road, so pretty boring, and not the best use of the available trails. But at least it was quick.

Sat night at the Stonecroft (following a very adequate meal at the Neuadd Arms) and the beer showed no signs of not flowing. Packed to the gunnels - great atmosphere, great band.

By 10:00pm, old age started to tell, so back to my B&B. That's another story all of its own.

Stats:
23miles in 4hrs, 30mins
total ascent- 976m
calories burned: 3592

Sunday didn't so much dawn - it sort of greyed. My head told me that all thoughts of meeting up with Huw at Brechfa were - at best - ill-advised. That and the forecast. 4 degrees C & torrential rain is not the way I want to christen Brechfa. It'll be there another day - soon, I hope.

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