BB200 2024

[Rumps]

I rode the 300 with Matt aka the Sloth and I cannot improve on his account above. I can add that he swore he would never darken Stu’s door again but that was at 3 am on Sunday before we found the public toilets which if Carlsberg built public conveniences……
Thanks also from me for the company of George, Valerio, Tom, Tim until Mach and Tim again later.
My strava post is below which of course was written for readers who think Bear Bones is about something you find in Canadian woods .

https://strava.app.link/S6jWcWlmwNb

[Valerio]

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.

Beautiful photos, and a great recap.
When I finished I thought "perhaps I should have tried the 300" (clearly, I wasnt thinking straight) but it sounds like I made the right call!
I honesty enjoyed it all this year and there were very few "WTF" moments.

Riding with others definitely helped the mood, thanks to everyone I rode and chatted with.

[Rumps]

Very good to meet you Valerio. You clearly could do the 300. If the 200 is fun then it would be such an easy way to double that fun.
And Shaf - I echo the sentiments from
Others and great to meet you.
And Stu - I not only forgive you - I think that was the best route so far.

[Richard G]

Riding with others definitely helped the mood, thanks to everyone I rode and chatted with.

I was thinking about this... the only time I've ever failed to finish a BB200 turned out to be the COVID one (where we had to do it completely solo).

There's definitely value in shared suffering, even if you're not spending long with others.

[Valerio]

Not very good photos and not very good videos, but here's what I have from the weekend:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/8Bd7UyWvNG8G2MwN9

I hope to find time to write about it at some point, and maybe put together a video recap although I don't feel like I have enough entertaining material.
Most of the descents were just too much fun to stop to get the GoPro out.

[Rumps]

Very good to meet you Valerio. You clearly could do the 300. If the 200 is fun then it would be such an easy way to double that fun.
And Shaf - I echo the sentiments from
Others and great to meet you.
And Stu - I not only forgive you - I think that was the best route so far.

[Valerio]

Very good to meet you Valerio. You clearly could do the 300. If the 200 is fun then it would be such an easy way to double that fun.
And Shaf - I echo the sentiments from
Others and great to meet you.
And Stu - I not only forgive you - I think that was the best route so far.

Very good to meet you Nick!

I can't say if I could do the 300....there are plenty of additional challenges, but on a route as good as that one (and in good weather) it definitely felt like it would be worth a shot.

[TeaFuelledMutantGingerBike]

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

... Albeit a slightly slower one.

[Richard G]

I forgot to say... I worked out that the first 200km of the 300 was probably the hardest BB200 I've ever done, and it didn't even bloody count.

My overall average speed was the slowest I've ever had in a BBX00 event, utter madness.

I can't say if I could do the 300....there are plenty of additional challenges, but on a route as good as that one (and in good weather) it definitely felt like it would be worth a shot.

Based on your 200 time, definitely. You monstered it.

[vegancheese]

Great to meet so many cheery faces on the 300, including the Polishermanses before they came to sticky ends.
I forded the Afon Hengwm ford before realising there was thr cut back to the footbridge. So had to re-ford back on to the route to have a clean conscience and legs for a while.
Glad I wasn't the only fool scrambling through the horizontal trees before the sustrans into Barmouth.
Thanks to Richard G...you inspired me to keep on rocking and face that Berwyn instead of climbing into the bag. Some of those hallucinations were my gormless grinning face as we flip-flopped.
Thanks Stu and Dee. My comments about horses being up to their bollocks on some of the bridleways was of course praise indeed for surpassing yourself with route planning.

[Richard G]

Thanks to Richard G...you inspired me to keep on rocking and face that Berwyn instead of climbing into the bag. Some of those hallucinations were my gormless grinning face as we flip-flopped.

You're welcome, was good riding with you. I remain inspired by your ability to stash sandwiches... it's a skill I one day hope to acquire!

(There's nothing quite like knowing you've got a delicious sandwich when you can't face the usual crappy cycling food)

[Mrs Polisherman]

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.

I saw your bikes parked up outside the toilets and wondered what was going on in there!

[Richard G]

This was in those toilets... might be worth throwing them a couple of quid as you valued them.

[vegancheese]

Hellava bank account name, my bank didn't like it but sent them a squid.
For the liquid input and output. Not the accommodation.

[thesloth]

This was in those toilets... might be worth throwing them a couple of quid as you valued them.

Thanks for that. I transferred them a few £, so hopefully this fine establishment can be enjoyed by future generations of Bear Boners (err.. no puns intended there!).

It was so good it could be listed on Airbnb.

[Dave Barter]

My new Welsh boner phishing scam worked!

[phy7tes]

Those toilets were also a highlight of my ride. Very much enjoyed reading the reviews prior to the event and they did not disappoint.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XhAEoFfbQBFcxc7M7

[redefined_cycles]

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

Yes, I just checked. You're so right!! When I saw that Ford, I didn't even bother looking down at the gpx. Chucked a shoe across and the second went for a little swim after I had onlookers (they used the bridge). Lesson learnt for next time to be more thorough before trying a 'fording'.

[TeaFuelledMutantGingerBike]

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

Yes, I just checked. You're so right!! When I saw that Ford, I didn't even bother looking down at the gpx. Chucked a shoe across and the second went for a little swim after I had onlookers (they used the bridge). Lesson learnt for next time to be more thorough before trying a 'fording'.

I'm not sure the bog I scrambled through to get to the bridge was any drier than the ford would have been... Nothing was going to get swept away though I suppose.

[whitestone]

Have to say that the ford in the shot looks very (very, very, very...) benign compared to the times I've been there when the rider would have been stood in the water contemplating grade 5 rapids There's a "trick" to the bog that avoids getting "too" wet, well at least not being up to your knee in slutch.

[redefined_cycles]

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

Yes, I just checked. You're so right!! When I saw that Ford, I didn't even bother looking down at the gpx. Chucked a shoe across and the second went for a little swim after I had onlookers (they used the bridge). Lesson learnt for next time to be more thorough before trying a 'fording'.

I'm not sure the bog I scrambled through to get to the bridge was any drier than the ford would have been... Nothing was going to get swept away though I suppose.

I can confirm. As I chucked my first shoe over, I ended up with an audience of 3. 2 young lads and a girl. They went for the bridge soon after seeing me throw my other shoe across but missing and it going as a boat ride through the ford-river as I ran across and caught it.

Anyway, as they went for the bridge (and that bog after as I was keeping a keen eye to try and keep up) I got my bike across, put on my shoes (without socks, hoping it'll dry out) and started riding. They were fast and I managed to get back on course as they appeared, so definitely the 'fording' way was technically the same amount of time - after considering that I still needed to stop and put on my socks.

Twas a very good experience and my first ford-river crossed, barefoot!

[redefined_cycles]

Have to say that the ford in the shot looks very (very, very, very...) benign compared to the times I've been there when the rider would have been stood in the water contemplating grade 5 rapids There's a "trick" to the bog that avoids getting "too" wet, well at least not being up to your knee in slutch.

What is it please Bob. I asked them about the bog and they all had ridden it. But, they did suggest it wasn't pleasant and very deep.

[josh]

Well, that happened.

Thanks to Stu & Dee, and every rider I rode with, even if I was monosyllabic at best – I’m not hugely talkative normally.

It took a little while, but I’ve edited together a video from my ride.


https://youtu.be/eXMmqzHKPCs

A blog is in progress, but it’s a bit of a treatise right now and needs some hard editing.

[redefined_cycles]

Well, that happened.

Thanks to Stu & Dee, and every rider I rode with, even if I was monosyllabic at best – I’m not hugely talkative normally.

It took a little while, but I’ve edited together a video from my ride.


https://youtu.be/eXMmqzHKPCs

A blog is in progress, but it’s a bit of a treatise right now and needs some hard editing.

I enjoyed that. Thanks for taking the effort. Just after them double stairs - how you all did em in the dark I don't know - I had my first fall as I tried to 'crack on'.

[Hyppy]

It took a little while, but I’ve edited together a video from my ride.

Nice one, Josh! That really showcased just what a top day's riding it was.

And I lolled at "there's another one"

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