Trans Cambrian Way ITT ... is here!

[pedalhead]

Oh yes, that bridleway was still tough going even after the dry spell when I rode it. The road just to the right was sooo tempting! :D

[Ian]

...
Going to be doing the TCW-ITT as a group of 3 sunday June 3rd. As a charity fundraiser.

Details here: https://sites.google.com/site/bigdayrideforhenry/home.

I read the background to your trip, and it is a very sad story. I've made a small donation and hope that others read your story and are as moved as I was to do the same. I wish you the very best of luck, dry trails and a following wind.

Ian

[evilgoat]

Thank you so much for your donations and kind words.

We have tried to do something each year in Henry's memory to help 2 charities who helped us. Sadly the numbers of still birth or neo-natal deaths are not reducing, and it's not well known how common it is.

In previous years we did the welsh 3000s on foot, and last year my wife rode her horse up the pennine bridleway to Settle.

As for the TCW I know some of the trails: the section round claerwen resr, Hafren forest, and up past the bothy near Afon Diliw, plus the area round Dylife.

We are planning on having a GPS with OS map on a bar mount plus I'll sort laminated maps which will keep in a shorts pocket for quick checks as riding along.

Cheers for the parking recommendations. At dovey I found a parking place marked on map a little further down the main road at Dyfi Furnace. May try there.

Pedalhead - thought you must be sponsored to set such a time. Either way my little lie helps to put the challenge into perspective for non-cyclists.

[evilgoat]

Hello

Just a word to let you know how we did.

As the WRTers will attest, the weather yesterday was filthy.

We did ok from our 6am start, apart from a minor nav error and my front brake pads falling out we made Rhayader in 4 1/2 hours. By that point we were soaked to the skin and freezing. James wasn't feeling good so bailed out there. Paul and I continued on, pretty strongly, warming up on the run to Elan and climb up from there. Got to Claerwen in 2hrs 20. But a bit of unclear instruction meant that we ended up waiting there for half an hour for our support crew (my wife). She drove to the bottom car park whilst we were in the top. whoops.

We got past the Resevoir and into the "desert" ok. But the cold set in on the descent the other side. Turning north-west we were riding in to the strengthening headwind and rain. Neither of us could feel our hands or feet. Braking and changing gear was getting difficult. Then coming through the woodland section to Cwmystwyth I was really starting to feel painfully cold (and a bit dizzy); and Paul could no longer change gear his Rohlhoff shifter had locked up in ninth. We met the support crew for a hot drink and ate, swapped into my last dry base layers and pushed on, but we knew that going all the way was going to be risky. So after the broken track north of the campsite, we turned onto the minor road and ground our way up and over to Llangurig. The descent was bitter, rain and wind very strong and knees, hands and heads freezing cold. James came to meet us in Llangurig and we called it a day.

I think i finally got warm at 1am when I had to fight my way out of my sleeping bag in the Bunkhouse.

I was really disappointed and upset that we didn't do it. But on reflection we gave it a bloody good effort. We still covered around 120km in 13 hours. On a dry day we're confident we could have completed it, and for us 16 hours on a dry day would not be unfeasible.

I think we'll be back.

[Taylor]

unlucky, but good effort.
t'was quite damp in our part of WRT land too.

[pedalhead]

Hard luck chaps. Many of us on here can certainly attest to how filthy conditions were on Sunday so I think you did well to get as far as you did. I hope you can sort another attempt when things are more favourable.

[Blackhound]

Hard luck, it was filthy out there.

Think pedalhead has been doing a rain dance ever since his attempt so that no one else can get near his time

[Bearbonesnorm]

Aye you really didn't have the best conditions, what a difference a day would have made. Congratulations all the same.

One point that has absolutely no bearing on your efforts, is that your time couldn't have been added to the TCW ITT list, as you were supported ... really just a heads up for anyone else considering it.

[evilgoat]

I've written a more detailed account with the few pics we took here: https://sites.google.com/site/bigdayrid ... postscript

Stu - I knew that we couldn't add the time, it was nice having a support crew on a day like that for moral support and hot soup. :)

Blackhound - there was never any danger of getting near Pedalheads time!

[Ian]

For those who haven't been following twitter over the weekend, I'm rather chuffed to announce there is a now a Trans Cambrian Way Double record :D

My Knighton - Dyfi Junction - Knighton trip began yesterday morning (Saturday) at 5.30am and finished today, at 13:03, resulting in a total time of 32 hours 33 minutes. I made it back as far as Nant Rhys Bothy at 00:50am this morning (Sunday), and got about 3 hours sleep before packing up and heading back out into the cold and dark to finish off the last 120km of the route. When my head has cleared and I've caught up on some sleep, I'll post some more about the ride, but in the meantime, you can look at the:

SpotWalla page here: https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id ... owInfo=yes

and

Strava GPS data here: http://app.strava.com/activities/51216973

On thing I would add is I will have a long lasting memory of pushing up Foel Fadian in the fading light, having already ridden 110 miles :evil:

[Bearbonesnorm]

Well done Ian ... wondered how long it would be until someone had a pop.

You're right, Foel Fadian not a nice climb (push)

[Zippy]

Congrats Ian, good effort. I look forward to reading about it!

[Cheeky Monkey]

I can't imagine anything I would enjoy less but well done, bonkers 8-)

[faddyvictor]

Crazy but brilliant, well done :)

[Ian]

Thanks all.

Part one of write up is here: http://ianbarrington.com/2013/04/29/tra ... le-part-1/

Will try and do part two tomorrow...

[Ian]

Part two: http://ianbarrington.com/2013/05/01/tra ... le-part-2/

[Taylor]

Excellent read there Ian.

[evilgoat]

Fantastic - congratulations on a great ride. I also wondered if the double would go soon.

Good read on your blog, the place names brought back a lot of memories.

:)