Great weekend! Thanks :-)

[Matt]

Cheers Stu, thanks Dee

We a had a great (& challenging) weekend.

Mainly type 1 fun this year.

As ever many thanks for sorting & hosting.

[Scattamah]

Yup...another thanks to Stu 'n Dee from over here...a great weekend that not even the howling wind and ripped up tent pegs last night could dampen.

To all the folks that didn't go due to weather...you missed a corker.

Greetz

S.

[rufus748]

Another great WRT. Weather much better than expected. Thanks again to Stu and Dee.
Great to meet everyone at Nants Rhys on Saturday night. Kev, Chris etc, nice to put faces to the names.
Some unexpected twists this year made it particularly memorable and more thanks are due.
Special thanks to Paul and Viv, your local knowledge and friendship helped my daughter battle through and keep going despite her one or two (nine!!!) off's. Just after we left you Saturday lunchtime in Rhayder she came off, fell on her elbow, and passed out. Initial concerns it was broken were quickly laid too rest by another rider who was a paramedic we met outside the Spar. (I didn't get your name, I apologise, but many thanks!)
Unable to ride any further options were somewhat limited. The landlord at the Cornhill Inn let us leave the bikes in his garage and he drove us back to Stu and Dee's!! Unbelievable friendship from complete strangers.
Daughters on the mend, sore but no permanent damage.
It appears the WRT is a bit like child birth, (witnessed it three times, biologically unable to do it!!) Constant swearing throughout, never going to do it again etc, etc... The pain is soon forgotten though, shes already taking about year.
Thanks again, to everyone.

[paramart]

thanks stu and dee, worth doing for the tea and cake, thanks to neil for a good route and company

[Dave42w]

Another great WRT. Weather much better than expected. Thanks again to Stu and Dee.
Great to meet everyone at Nants Rhys on Saturday night. Kev, Chris etc, nice to put faces to the names.
Some unexpected twists this year made it particularly memorable and more thanks are due.
Special thanks to Paul and Viv, your local knowledge and friendship helped my daughter battle through and keep going despite her one or two (nine!!!) off's. Just after we left you Saturday lunchtime in Rhayder she came off, fell on her elbow, and passed out. Initial concerns it was broken were quickly laid too rest by another rider who was a paramedic we met outside the Spar. (I didn't get your name, I apologise, but many thanks!)
Unable to ride any further options were somewhat limited. The landlord at the Cornhill Inn let us leave the bikes in his garage and he drove us back to Stu and Dee's!! Unbelievable friendship from complete strangers.
Daughters on the mend, sore but no permanent damage.
It appears the WRT is a bit like child birth, (witnessed it three times, biologically unable to do it!!) Constant swearing throughout, never going to do it again etc, etc... The pain is soon forgotten though, shes already taking about year.
Thanks again, to everyone.

Good to hear your daughter is ok and great to hear of people's help and kindness.

[Ian]

Good weekend that was - thanks to Stu & Dee for organising and supplying tea and cake - the Lemon Drizzle cake being especially good

Also to Taylor, Ione, Si, Scott, Jase, Chew & the rest of the Lonely Hearts Club for company at various times throughout the weekend

And to Beth for bravely following my varied and authentic route round mid Wales, putting up with the odd bog, some tussocks, wind, hail, rain and - thankfully - some sunshine and lovely trails. ~140km ridden with 3,200m ascent.

[adjustablewench]

A brilliant weekend as always - thanks to my trusty gps Taylor (although I should remember when I am following a route it is generally better to stay behind them and not miss the turning ).

Made a pleasant change to not be the only girl in the bothy - there were 4 of us at nant syddion . Also a big thank you to jase for all the trail magic

[Jurassic pusher]

Great couple of days, thanks.
My first attempt at bike packing and loved it, apart from........ Tarp blowing off in the dark and lying shivering in too thin a sleeping bag and bivvy in torrential rain! Seems quite funny now and want to go and do it again!!
Also massive thanks to Lee and Mark as new found riding buddies.

[Taylor]

Thank you Stu.
Thank you Dee.
Thanks to everybody that rode with me.
And a special thanks to Jason for going above and beyond the call of duty.

[JohnClimber]

Thanks Stu and Dee for the event and organisation.

Thanks to Alpkit for the goodies


Thanks to Wales for such a great area


Even the tussocks were bearable


At the top of the Devils Staircase after riding up it I had the urge for an Ice Cream. So I rode to the sea side


Then took in the Nant Yr Arian Trail Centre


129 miles in the 48 hours
14,965 feet of ups and downs

[boing boing]

thanks stu and dee, worth doing for the tea and cake, thanks to neil for a good route and company

What Mart said. Thanks to Stu and Dee for organising such a fun event. Must practice your philosophy Mart, "I don't mind and the legs don't matter!"

[Ben98]

Thanks to Stu and Dee from Adman, George and myself for the hospitality after our comedy of errors and c*ck ups, your field was mighty fine accommodation! One day we might actually finish a route we set out to do

[psling]

More thanks to Stu & Dee, the time and effort you put into your events is much appreciated. This weekend was a great exercise in trying to keep at least some kit dry enough to not get that horrible cold, wet, clammy feeling the next morning which is why I ended up in Nant Rhys for night #2 (great to meet the guys there + Sergai the collie!). The ride around Claerwen was a mix of headwind (Taylor and the LHC had the sense to enjoy a tailwind), hail, rain, and glorious sunshine and the tea + chocolate & beetroot cake at Pont Rhyd y Groes was to die for. Pleased to get 150km under my belt at my pace and in the conditions, a thoroughly enjoyable weekend. Now, time to get on with scrubbing the Welsh mud off all my kit...
Thanks again Stu and Dee (and Ian is correct, the Lemon Drizzle cake was indeed fine, thanks to whoever baked it!)

[Bearbonesnorm]

Right then ... my turn.

First off, I'd like to thank everyone who entered. Without entrants there's no money raised.

Obviously I'd like to thank those 114 riders who ignored the impending doom of the weather forecast and made their way to a seemingly not discript field in back of beyond Wales. Those who have been before 'know the score' but if it was your first time, you must have thought you'd knocked on the gates of a green and wet hell

Our prize sponsors deserve a very big thank you. After 7 years I still find it hard to believe that people willingly hand over hundreds of pounds worth of products for me to give away ... or struggle to give away as it appeared this year. If you enjoy cake (and who doesn't) then Alpkit Izzy deserves your appreciation for her baking contribution while feeling very much under the weather.

Taylor, Chew and Matt once again, for their parts played in helping prevent the entire thing turning into a giant train wreck ... cheers fellas

I'd like to thank the good people of mid-Wales in general. They really aren't used to seeing lots of people at the same time but their generosity, interest and willingness to help, never fails to surprise me.

Lastly, a big thank you to Dee. The list of jobs and tasks she performs is a long one, from baking and paperwork to shouting and artwork. There could be 1000 entrants, a million pounds worth of prizes and clear blue sky all weekend but given I have the organisational skills of a baboon ... if she wasn't there, the WRT wouldn't happen.

With the help of all the above, this years WRT has raised £2489.65 for the Air Ambulance ... well done!

Right, as you were

[Artie Fufkin]

It was my first WRT, so didn't really know what to expect. I wondered what I had done when I found myself standing in a field at 8.30am Sat. in high winds and sleet. I was all worth it to arrive back in beautiful sunshine and to the welcoming choice of cake. The Bara Brick was delicious!!!
Thanks to Chew, for sorting a superb route. Thanks to ever shrinking and expanding LHC for some great company and much needed morale boost when the hills got just seemingly too big!
Highlights for me were the ride around Clarwen fighting for space with the Landrover boys, and the night at Nant Sidion, when there was no room at the Inn, the lowly cattle shed, with its leaking roof, provided all the home comforts you need on a trip like this!
Most of all thanks to Stu and Dee for their amazing organisation and hospitality. Without that, none of this would happen. Keep up the good work!
Thank you everyone and see you all next year.

[Richard G]

That's some top notch fundraising. Excellent job!

Had a good time despite wrecking my knee on the first day. Was so pleased to run into the two guys at the end of day two at Claerwen reservoir who told me about the bothy. I told you I wouldn't remember any of your names, sorry! (Like I said, I did remember potato and cheese man though...).

Big thanks to the gentleman who provided me with the quality drugs on the sunny hillside Monday afternoon. I genuinely doubt I could have made it back without them. I'll definitely carry more in future, even if it's just for others to use.

Lastly big thanks to Dee and Stu (and un-named helpers) for all they do to organise it (and for cakes). Oh, and for helping me off my bike at the end.

Things I learned for the next one.

* Take all the drugs
* If your knee starts to hurt, back off immediately, don't power through it
* Take enough guylines to actually use your tarp
* Muc Off dry shower stuff actually works!
* There is no route skirting Garn Gron to Strata Florida... I don't care what the map says. If people thought the route past Moel Prysgau was bad, they should try that!

See you all next year I think.

Edit - Oh, and managed 138 miles, 4,528 meters of climbing. I think had I not hurt myself then I'd have managed the original target of 155 miles OK.

[Zippy]

Quick post from me as I'm supposed to be working.(shhh!)

Thank to:

- Stu + Dee (and entourage) for all the organisation etc.
- Those that I spent the night with in the Nant Rhys Bothie,
- Everyone I bumped into and chatted to en route somewhere.
- Jase for the firewood at the Bothie I had to myself Sunday night!
- Taylor + Si for the lift to Llangurig as I went searching for my Camera
- Ian + Beth for driving back where I thought I'd lost my camera and then finding out where it was, and then giving me a lift all the way back to my car.

For those who I told, that lost camera I have been re-united with through doing a bit of a de-toured drive back (it was at the post office). :)

Proper post with photos in due course! In the meantime, strava:

Welsh Ride Thing: https://www.strava.com/activities/298493071

plus camera hunting: https://www.strava.com/activities/298499332

Total: 115miles (185km) / 13,116ft (3,997m)

[Nick]

We had a GPS route recording failure but we definitely exceeded 200km and 20,000ft of climbing according to my software calculations. Think we might have even picked up 4 CPs by accident.

Took in that lovely track from Glaslyn to the top of Nant y Moch, tussocks via the bridge in the middle of nowhere, some good stuff in Nant Y Arian, enjoyed a few pints in the Miners Arms with Andy and Jane, Strata Florida, the Splashes, Doethie Valley (sub standard), a bit of tussocking from Llyn Brianne over to Trallwm, over Carnau for a very lively night in the Cornhill Inn in Rhayader, did the steep chute down to Garrag-ddu then climbed back up (well I walked it) to the Roman Camp, then we climbed over to Llangurig for a crap sandwich in the Bluebell Inn, before heading over to the Clywedog Dam and then climbing up to the Carno windfarm as there was still a bit of daylight left to use up, sneaked past Belan and down into Pennant.

Rolled into Ceulan at about 8:30 last night

Stu, Dee, thanks again for putting this on, and to everyone else who helps and donates prizes (although this is the second year in a row I didn't win anything other than a sore arse)

[Bearbonesnorm]

(although this is the second year in a row I didn't win anything other than a sore arse)

Should have ridden your Fargo

[Mrs Burty]

Thanks a lot to Stuart and Dee for a great weekend. It was my 1st WRT and I won a saddle bag in the raffle, which I have ordered ready for Becky to take to the TBB. I cant wait for next year much to Pauls dismay.
I enjoyed the bothy talk on the first night all the people are lovely who I met and listening to the stories from over the years. not so much the snoring even if I did join in with that bit myself.I had a lovely 2nd night camping by the river side, then just a stones throw away from the tea and cake for the next morning.

Thanks to Matt for making me a cuppa and fetching me a slice of cake.
A big thank you to Paul for taking me out and bringing me back , as I know he got a bad neck looking back for me all the time, as he said.

Andy sorry to hear Cody fell especially as we had just left you. Did she get the day off school today or go in with her adventure story.

[rufus748]

Andy sorry to hear Cody fell especially as we had just left you. Did she get the day off school today or go in with her adventure story.[/quote]

Viv, I made her go to school, she could still walk.....!! She was disappointed to have missed out on the second night, but (at the moment) she's planning to come back next year.
Hopefully Paul's neck will soon get better

[Mrs Burty]

Glad she is ok. Well maybe flat pedals next year. and ear plugs for everyone

[Richard G]

Ugh, yes... ear plugs. As soon as I saw the guy I'd be spending a night in a room with I knew I'd made a mistake by not having any.

Maybe next time I'll take sleeping pills too. I don't know how the rest of you manage, but I got literally 0 hours on Saturday night, and only about 2 hours on Sunday night. :(

I don't think I'm built for sleeping in the outside world (or random huts in the wilderness).

[Bearbonesnorm]

I don't think I'm built for sleeping in the outside world

You seemed to cope reasonably well when you were out with me ... although you did look a little groggy first thing

[GregV]

What a superb event. My first time wild camping & only my second time riding with the bike packed up. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I totally overestimated how much I could do on the Saturday but loved the flexibility of being able to set up camp more or less wherever I wanted. It's a stunning part of the country & definately want to get back to see it in the sunshine.