Gone very quiet.

[Ray Young]

Gone very quiet on here, anyone else feeling lonely?

[Anthony]

Busy at home converting our loft ready for the arrival of baby #2, wishing I was out there too.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Rain's held off so far although it's not what you'd call warm.

Quite a large number of no shows which is surprising ... maybe the forecast played a part in that. The weigh in was it's usual amusing self, joint lightest bikes coming in at 33lb ready to roll inc food and water

I'll try and get a few pics up later.

[gairym]

i'm here!

[Anthony]

Keep us posted Stu :)

No shows due to weather

Who were joint light bikes? Suspect that's not 100% self-reliant food and sub 1L water, still impressive mind.

[slugwash]

[waves] Skiving no-show here (though did email Stuart yesterday) [/waves]

It's pissing down in Devon at the moment as I sit here gazing out of the window and generaly feeling grotty. I'm sad I couldn't make it but glad that I made the right decision as, in the past, I've turned up to, and completed long Audaxes with flu and sh*t and suffered even more for it long after the event. I think I've finally learnt when it's best to accept when you're not up for it.

Shame I could'nt have foreseen missing the WRT a week or two ago. Then I wouldn't have suffered a fortnight of 'solid fuel or gas - Balloon Bed or Alpkit Aric??????' anguish :?

[Bearbonesnorm]

Few pics at the link below for those at home ... poorly or otherwise.

http://bearbonesbikepacking.blogspot.co.uk/

Anthony ... bikes belonged to Ian and PaulP, both 33lb on the nose.

[gairym]

looking good.

maybe next year i can fabricate a reason to be in blighty around the right time???

[Ray Young]

, in the past, I've turned up to, and completed long Audaxes with flu and sh*t

Your right to have skipped it if you are so unwell, doing high intensity exercise when you are unwell is one of the worst things you can do, it puts your already under stress immune system under even more stress allowing whatever is causing the illness easier access to your body making you more ill. I worked as a nurse in the prison service for a while, one of the prison officers was an avid runner who trained every single day even when ill. They totally ignored my advice about needing rest days and not training when ill, one year she ended up being off work for 3 months (2 weeks in hospital) due to continuing to run despite having flu. She did stop running when ill after that but never did learn to take rest days. Funny how she couldn't understand why her fitness would never improve.

Stu, who won the Alpkit framebag or are you keeping that for later/another post and can we see pictures?

[Ray Young]

Quite a large number of no shows

Stu, how many would that be and how many turned up?

[Bearbonesnorm]

Stu, how many would that be and how many turned up?

128 entered and 36 no shows ... 9 of which had let us know before the start. That's more than we've ever had, perhaps the thought of the rain forecast for today was just too much. On the bright side it does mean that there'll be loads of cake tomorrow :D

[gairym]

who won the Alpkit comp???

[Bearbonesnorm]

Oh yeah ... Rob Bradley won the AlpKit frame bag comp.

[Cheeky Monkey]

Been trailbuilding at Stainburn this morning. Weather is pants, cold and wet with rain that seems to hang in the trees waiting until you're sheltering beneath to drop down the back of your neck. Hope it's better for the riders at your end.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Hope it's better for the riders at your end.

No, the weather today has been pretty nasty. Those who make a second night out will be a much smaller number than those who set off yesterday ... I think I may be eating cake and flapjack for quite a few weeks

[sillybigfella]

My back tyre was looking rather 'bulgy' just above Lake Vyrnwy today (Sun), so I decided to cut short a weekend that was increasingly getting wetter and wetter, and nurse it back home. Unfortunately, just as I rolled into Dinas Mawddwy, a large pop emanated from my rear (tyre that is), and that was that, a blown tyre - weekend over. Luckily, as I live fairly local, the missus came and collected me. Unluckily, I'm on washing-up detail for a month. Mind, the thought of unwrapping a wet tent and probably soaking sleeping bag didn't thrill me.

All-in-all a great day-and-a-bit, only slightly spoiled by the rain. Did notice a lot of cars gone from the start/finish area when I finally made it back.

[Wildcat]

I think I may be eating cake and flapjack for quite a few weeks

Save me some, see you tomorrow in the afternoon sunshine.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Save me some, see you tomorrow in the afternoon sunshine.

I think there'll be plenty to go round

[Dan_K]

I bailed early today. Headed to the lake yesterday and camped in a field by a river. Think I pushed a bit too hard to get there as I was drained by the time I settled. Slept ok despite desperately needing a wee but refusing to go because it would mean putting my bog filled boots back on! Finally gave in and went barefoot instead. Woke up to rain which made for packing away the tent wet and a miserable start. The more I went on the colder I got and even wearing a jacket on the climbs couldn't generate heat so I decided to call it a day and head back to Stu's. I figured that if I couldn't get warm cycling in the day, I'd be in for a miserable night.
Finished up having done around 65 miles in all and had some brilliant moments.
Sitting at home now enjoying a beer wearing my WRT 2012 T shirt - definitely worth the effort!

Thanks Stu for a great weekend.

[sillybigfella]

Did we camp in the same two-quid campsite??

Enjoying a bottle of Wainwrights.

[Dan_K]

Did we camp in the same two-quid campsite??

Enjoying a bottle of Wainwrights.

We did! Although I think you're being generous with the term "campsite ".

[Bearbonesnorm]

Well the sun's made an appearance this morning, I'm just 'setting up' ... tea and (rather a lot of cake) here we come.

[numplumz]

Had a great night at the railway inn last night, then found a good Bivy spot a short wet hop away. Early start and rode up and over from the lake Vrywyn (sp) and now enjoying a cooked breakfast in the cafe at Foel before the final trek back over for cake. See u about 12.30 I reckon.

We did an anti clockwise loop and seem to meet everyone going the other way at various times.
The Dutch lads single speeding up the hills in the rain still looked cheerfull, rather them than me.

Wales has tested us but we've survived, kept it wild and loved it.
Jack and Sean.

[Ian]

Suspect that's not 100% self-reliant food and sub 1L water, still impressive mind.

I went out to be self-sufficient with food, though did buy a small amount when I passed a shop and a cafe. 750ml of water - it is Wales, after all
I actually brought some food back, which having just weighed it (like you do), came to 900g. So, I could have tipped the scales with 31 lbs 8-)

[Anthony]

That really is pretty impressive, nice one.