BB200 2024

[redefined_cycles]

I mentioned it to Dee at the end. She said, 'didn't you read the sign' (which obviously said 'road closed'). It was either in Welsh or I was so focused (on getting to the beans on toast). Well done Valerio, your level of commitment and attention to bridges is amazing.

I think I had thoughts of drawing to be honest, especially since I had to walk through a barrier that was obviously closed. Yours must've beeb open

[Richard G]

I mentioned it to Dee at the end. She said, 'didn't you read the sign' (which obviously said 'road closed'). It was either in Welsh or I was so focused (on getting to the beans on toast). Well done Valerio, your level of commitment and attention to bridges is amazing.

Dee literally sent Stu out into the rain so that you and another rider wouldn't get screwed over by the sign.

Not just that, but with VERY specific instructions on how to fix the notice for you (and very well fixed it was indeed, I saw it clearly as I drove past).

[Tractionman]

Now you've survived, any chance of someone posting up a link to the route so us feeble armchair merchants can see what you had to suffer please?

+1, and any pics too if poss

Link to some photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Pu4fjSmWb9RzDAN97

Very many thanks for this, superb pictures, all looks amazing

all the best,

Keith

[redefined_cycles]

I mentioned it to Dee at the end. She said, 'didn't you read the sign' (which obviously said 'road closed'). It was either in Welsh or I was so focused (on getting to the beans on toast). Well done Valerio, your level of commitment and attention to bridges is amazing.

Dee literally sent Stu out into the rain so that you and another rider wouldn't get screwed over by the sign.

Not just that, but with VERY specific instructions on how to fix the notice for you (and very well fixed it was indeed, I saw it clearly as I drove past).

Rich, I was so focused on food and impressing everyone with my new (to me) yellow non-waterproof, waterproof jacket that I just steamed on. Only when I arrived at that silly 'non-bridge' (you'd not find a cross-able bridge like that in Yorkshire, here they actually put a man-bridge across if anything) did I realise that it was a sign that I was supposed to have read.

Plus,it was chucking it down so much into my non-waterproof waterproof jacket that I didn't have time to look at/for more instructions. I left the properly-waterproof Patagonia shell at home in favour of this Crikey, how much (r a p h a) yellow excuse.

Got back home and emailed the ebay seller explaining how his pile of garbage had done me over. So instead of apologising he tells me to just pack it and send it back. Then, in my sleep deprived, BB200 euphoria state I thought I'd keep it.

So I decided to properly reproof it with Nikwax buy first I needed to clean out the washing machine of any cheap-powder debri. So I put it on a hot (95 degree) empty wash. Only to then realise a plan b.

Cut a long story short, I saved the rapah jacket and my Mountain hardware waterproof bottoms from the hotwash. But the other clothes (R apha merino climbers Jersey and maybe some merino socks) semi ruined. Then had my little one and me holding the boots together whilst the glue eas still soft.

All very lovely indeed and only posy gruelling ride do these epic experiences happen. In the background the wife was telling me off for, 'using me brain'.

[Bearbonesnorm]

What was wrong with the bridge? I did make a point of shifting the gpx line off the track and towards the little bridge

[PaulE]

Now you've survived, any chance of someone posting up a link to the route so us feeble armchair merchants can see what you had to suffer please?

+1, and any pics too if poss

Link to some photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Pu4fjSmWb9RzDAN97

Some cracking photos there! Thanks for the company between Mach & Dollgellau, and to you three for confusing Si by telling him I'd gone ahead to put the kettle on...

[RedX]

What was wrong with the bridge? I did make a point of shifting the gpx line off the track and towards the little bridge

After a bit of figuring out we realised we had missed the turning so retracted our steps and went over the bridge!

[RedX]

Now you've survived, any chance of someone posting up a link to the route so us feeble armchair merchants can see what you had to suffer please?

+1, and any pics too if poss

Link to some photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Pu4fjSmWb9RzDAN97

Some cracking photos there! Thanks for the company between Mach & Dollgellau, and to you three for confusing Si by telling him I'd gone ahead to put the kettle on...

But when I passed you at the top of the climb you did have your stove on didn't you?

Is this Si then: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ngnqwUidoc6QrsMS9

[Alexinthepeaks]

Yes, I bumped into the same problem. I decided to just go around by going into the river rather than back up, and I thought it had worked... until another tree down 20 metres further on.

Well done to anyone who finished the 300. Stu kindly let me start a day earlier, and from Mach as I didn't have transport to Llanbrynmair. It was all going quite well, but I ran out of food in the middle of the night. I thought I had stocked up at Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, but obviously not enough. I could have just stopped and got the bivi out, but ideally, I needed to finish around 24hrs to get back to the family to skipped the southern section and took the road back to Mach.

It probably didn't help that I knew what the route was like ahead on the southern loop, but I guessed one Twix stick I had left would be pushing things.

My attempt: https://www.strava.com/activities/12576224362

I came back with about 4,000kcal worth of food because I just couldn't face eating after around midnight (I think I managed a Soreen snack pack and 3 Shot Bloks). Luckily I took so long to get around that I was able to get a bacon sarnie in the morning, which helped a TON.

Thankfully I wasn't struggling to get water into me or I'd have really been screwed.

I was the opposite! At 12 pm i stopped in bala for a kebab and chips before a 5hr bivvy in some woods! It was my first ever Bivvy and thoroughly enjoyed it!

[PaulE]

But when I passed you at the top of the climb you did have your stove on didn't you?

Is this Si then: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ngnqwUidoc6QrsMS9

Yes, that's him. Something like teafuelledmutantgingerbiker on here I think... And given that he was pretty blown up at that point, it wasn't until he was handed a lukewarm latte that he made sense of what you'd told him...

[Mrs Polisherman]

Well done Shaf and all you other BB200 and 300 finishers. The 300 was a step too far for me this year.

All was going well until about 5:00 on Sunday morning, just past Bala, when my eyes decided they wouldn't stay open any longer. This was despite the fact that I'd had my caffeine quota (I didn't dare go over my quota for caffeine as the last time I did this it had an alarming effect on my bowels). I was weaving about all over the road when The Man in Red came past (we'd been yo-yoing for a while but I hadn't asked his name) and said that he'd just had a half hour lie down and was feeling a lot better for it.

Before setting off I'd already decided that if I was going to complete in under 36 hours I wouldn't be able to stop for a sleep, but at this stage I was on track and thought that a quick rest might do me good. I lay down in my bags, knowing that I wouldn't sleep as I never do, only to wake up 2 hours later in the light. Oh bugger!

I threw my stuff back on my bike, stuffed down a tuna sarnie and set off pedalling again. Only, instead of feeling revived and refreshed, my 2 hour sleep had turned my legs to jelly and I had developed a hacking cough. I got as far as the top of the climb on the B4391 at the turn off to Llandrillo when it became clear that I would be a liability trying to go over Bwlch Maen Gwynedd in the Berwyns so I called Polisherman who had scratched on Saturday afternoon.

Apparently I looked "barely human" when Polisherman picked me up at Penybontfawr an hour later but I was very grateful for the rescue and the delicious breakfast served up by Dee back at base. In addition, as Polisherman pointed out, my 2 hour sleep meant that I had completed my October Bivvy a Month. Every cloud......

Thanks Stu for another fabulous adventure

[Valerio]

But when I passed you at the top of the climb you did have your stove on didn't you?

Is this Si then: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ngnqwUidoc6QrsMS9

I don't know that man but it's good to see another drop-bar-bouncy-fork imbecil

[Richard G]

All was going well until about 5:00 on Sunday morning, just past Bala, when my eyes decided they wouldn't stay open any longer. This was despite the fact that I'd had my caffeine quota (I didn't dare go over my quota for caffeine as the last time I did this it had an alarming effect on my bowels).

This was my biggest screw up this year. Normally I plan out my caffeine intake, and going right through the night is tough, but not too problematic. However, on Friday I realised that I didn't have any Shot Bloks or chocolate covered coffee beans which absolutely screwed my entire feeding / caffeine plan. Meant that I had to stop for a quick espresso in a few places which obviously wasn't an option overnight. Wanted to buy some caffeine tabs, but didn't come across anywhere that would sell them.

Lesson learned. I can get away with not touching my bike until the day before the event, but I HAVE TO get my calories etc ready in advance.

I have never, ever felt that tired and not been able to sleep. Was horrible. Also hallucinated for the first time ever... nothing strange, but was continually seeing things that weren't actually there (a building where there were trees, a person that was a signpost, an animal that was a leaf etc). I've got a method for next time I feel that tired (basically a 15 minute reset by closing my eyes and breathing in a specific way)... but I didn't work it out until too late this time.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Also hallucinated for the first time ever

I secretly love that level of tiredness

[Hyppy]

All was going well until about 5:00 on Sunday morning, just past Bala, when my eyes decided they wouldn't stay open any longer. This was despite the fact that I'd had my caffeine quota (I didn't dare go over my quota for caffeine as the last time I did this it had an alarming effect on my bowels).

This was my biggest screw up this year. Normally I plan out my caffeine intake, and going right through the night is tough, but not too problematic. However, on Friday I realised that I didn't have any Shot Bloks or chocolate covered coffee beans which absolutely screwed my entire feeding / caffeine plan. Meant that I had to stop for a quick espresso in a few places which obviously wasn't an option overnight. Wanted to buy some caffeine tabs, but didn't come across anywhere that would sell them.

Lesson learned. I can get away with not touching my bike until the day before the event, but I HAVE TO get my calories etc ready in advance.

I have never, ever felt that tired and not been able to sleep. Was horrible. Also hallucinated for the first time ever... nothing strange, but was continually seeing things that weren't actually there (a building where there were trees, a person that was a signpost, an animal that was a leaf etc). I've got a method for next time I feel that tired (basically a 15 minute reset by closing my eyes and breathing in a specific way)... but I didn't work it out until too late this time.

I did one cup of coffee mid-afternoon at Mach then the kind folk having a lock-in at Llew Coch in Dinas Mawddwy gave me a can of coke at half-past midnight but it wasn't enough. I totally forgot to carry anything with caffeine and came dangerously close to nodding off on the bike later on. As rookie an error as not splitting a route that has loops into discrete out and back GPX files!

[Richard G]

Also hallucinated for the first time ever

I secretly love that level of tiredness

You're a wrong'un.

As rookie an error as not splitting a route that has loops into discrete out and back GPX files!

I usually use waypoints, but yeah... that's a decent idea, fair play.

[slarge]

Lots of good tales - memories are made by events like this, and they're a subject worth talking about to (anyone capable of listening) people....

I love the stories of hardship, and "I just kept going cos I didn't know what else to do".....

Remember, as someone vaguely famous said " it'll be alright in the end. If its not alright, it's not the end" . Sums up events like this perfectly

[Richard G]

I love the stories of hardship, and "I just kept going cos I didn't know what else to do".....

Related, I totally would have quit on the climb up towards the Berwens... except I realised that would have involved finishing the climb anyway (or laying down and dying), so there didn't seem like much point.

[mattpage]

The huge climb up to the Berwen was a pig, and the traverse too. The one after Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant had me swearing at Stu quite a lot, both up and down.
It was all in the dark for me, and there was a big bog at the top that I had no choice but to just follow the dot, and then coming down the dot didn't quite line up with the track on the ground - again, much swearing while walking through the bracken.

[thesloth]

Once more unto the breach dear friends...
After failing and bailing on last years 300 (lets blame the weather), I felt compelled to return to the bog.

Good fun riding with a great group to Machynlleth. Mist in the valleys and golden light.
From our group the trail claimed a phone, a derailleur hanger and split a tyre. Hopefully the hanger and tyre got sorted.
The phone? ...well a there are worse things than an enforced digital detox.
My own mechanical woes were totally inflicted. My relaxed attitude to bike maintenance means I started the ride with brake pads that only had a quarter of meat left (front and rear )
Both were replaced ok, but the stress and delays could have been avoided.

Just before Barmouth rode with James for a bit. He was going well, but sadly also became a broken hanger victim. He tried to bodge a singlespeed, hoping to get to train a few km away.
Tom, Nick & I enjoyed an alfresco dinner in the Co-Op car park Barnmouth and watched a few locals getting oiled for the Saturday night.
Then the climb out of town. Yes the 600m one. It took a long time. Long enough for it to get very dark.
I was riding with Nick, who at one point took an impressive sounding tumble (he was behind me, so I didn't see it).
He was pinned down by the weight of a carbon fiber bike, helpless and in pain. Thought about the rules about not assisting other riders, but then reasoned that it would probably be ok if I lifted it off him, so I did.

Before Tom shot off at a pace I couldn't match he said that between 150km & 200km it was all on the road. I strongly suspected that this was a lie, but mercifully it turned out to be true.
Not a very flat road mind. Was seriously struggling to stay awake. Sometimes the nights are kind to me, other times less so.
My bike may have left the road and ridden into a ditch at one point.
Slow progress meant the 2am closing kebab shop was out of range.
Salvation came in the form of the Llanuwchllyn Public Toilets. This was ride highlight. Seriously, that's not my attempt at humor. Just check out the fine reviews of this establishment.
The two of us got in there and fired up our stoves had a hot meal and lay down and slept for an hour. Just lay on those super clean tiles. No mattress, no sleeping bag, just the warmth of contentment.

Four of us met up for breakfast at the shop in Llandrillo to swap stories about the night. Their coffee machine worked hard for us.
After the satisfaction, the action: Up and over Bwlch Maen. The crux of the route and I believe the highest point ever visited by a Bear Bones.
It wasn't a hard ride, because there was no riding. Push all the way. Pumping wind at the top.

Was not in a very good frame of mind (to put it mildly) for most of day two. "Never again" was thought a lot. It might have even been said out loud a few times.

Recovered a bit towards the end was hoping to smash the last 10km. But someone put a steep hill, a pathless bog and a muddy pine forest in the way.
Still I did see the humor when Nick proclaimed "Look up there on the path! It's a person! A person in a wheelchair!"
hmmm... looked like a tussock to me.
Quality hallucinations without taking harmful drugs. What a treat.

Some photos:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/YawKB7QPmc74n4W46
(as joie de vivre was in short supply on day two, so most of the photos are from day one)

Well done to all who rode.
& much thanks to Dee & Stuart.

"Never again" ...but I'm thinking that the missing blue badge needs to be added to my collection.

[Hyppy]

Mist in the valleys and golden light..

Great summary and yeah, that light on the Saturday morning was a bit special. To quote Ferris Bueller, 'If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it'.

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[Richard G]

Once more unto the breach dear friends...

I think I passed your lot, but I don't recall it happening all at once (mind may be a bit fuzzy).

I'm sure I gave you some cheerful encouragement on the way... I'm much friendlier to others than I am to myself!

Edit - Ooh, you clever f*ck*rs... I never even thought to go in the disabled section of those toilets. I did pop in and sort some stuff out, but it was pretty small in the gents. I might have had 20 mins kip had there been a bit more room!

[redefined_cycles]

My write up done https://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpB ... 61#p328861

It's a long report and does contain a few Quran verses (so feel free to skip and just look at the pics if that might make you annoyed. I think I used every single pic (bar 1 or 2 duplicates) in the report so a day today well invested in the days yesterday.

Thanks again everyone and hope to see you again soon.

[Richard G]

Thanks again everyone and hope to see you again soon.

I missed you completely this time. You need to be in the early starting group so I can pass you and give you my best!

Edit - Oh, unrelated... apparently this was the most elevation I've done in a single ride. Oddly the hills didn't feel like the problem at all, more that the terrain was just... slow (challenging?).

[RIP]

Edit - Ooh, you clever f*ck*rs... I never even thought to go in the disabled section of those toilets. I did pop in and sort some stuff out, but it was pretty small in the gents. I might have had 20 mins kip had there been a bit more room!

Arg, sshhh, don't give bivvy secrets away . I've kipped full nights in "disabled" loos twice, and one of those was in a graveyard, thus combining two of my ever-reliable options.