ScotRoutes wrote:Might be a bit late now but if you want a bit more off-road/gravel action then the The West Loch Awe Timber Haul Route runs parallel to NCN 78

If the weather is good I'd be tempted to cut off the logging road at Loch Avich & head over the String of Lorne*. I did it as an out & back a few years back & fair enjoyed myself, but then again I wasn't riding it on skinny tyres with a load of miles in my legs so YMMV
*Sadly there are no square sausages involved :)

On track up to Barnstable tonight.
And the long dry spell is set to continue for a while longer as well

Ankle is still screwed, but I'm going to pop some pills and do my best to join you just as you leave Newport. Assuming you start at 8am I'm guessing you'll get there some time around 10am, I'll take my mobile to keep track of your position on SPOT. I'll be on a silver GT carrying a red camelbak and will be rolling slowly up your route along the canal until you catch me.

IMG_2762 by flatfishrufus, on Flickr

Dispatched at Border control.

Good luck with the rest of the ride lads.

Today we learnt that Taylor is the best trail chef out there. His curry cakes and beef pies were works of on-the-move nutritional art. Also big shout to Richard who rode a 110 mile epic on his mtb in order to do a few miles (and a feck off great climb) with us.

Nice work chaps :+)

125 miles in the end... I'm wrecked. Ironically the way back started with a monster climb, and there was another later for good measure.

https://www.strava.com/activities/413814530


Was good to meet you both. Am still very envious! ...and to round things off, here's the boys looking purdy in Hay-on-Wye:

Still smiling? Make note of that, as today will be a tough day.

They've got some good gravel trails NW of Knighton, Kerry Ridgeway, Long Mynd and the Stiperstones and then lanes to Llangollen.

Good luck fellas - sorry I couldn't join you.

Glad this weather is holding fellas really wanted to join u today for a few miles but work has stopped play. Enjoy it guys ur doing really well.

Hope the lads are ok...they missed the right turn onto Kerry Ridgeway a little while back. That's quite a climb back up if they come out of Kerry up towards the back of Anchor.

Greetz

S.

How many times so far, do you think people have asked Andy where him and his dad are going?

I notice they've just done a slight detour and gone straight up the A483 missing out the "Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty"

Good to see 'em back on track...glad I didn't go sit up on top of Long Mynd now with a couple of coldies for 'em...I may have been waiting a while!

Greetz

S.

Tis a bit of a climb up there. Nice once you make it though.

Scott I'm sure u could of finished them off for the guys

We decided to seek out some flatter stuff today as we just weren't making progress on the high moor sections. Found a beaut of a path following the Severn that is probably cheeky. Then suffered for the team again on the run in to Llangollen with a long off road climb followed by a very long and steep road one.


Stu, you are now in my little black book

Stu, you are now in my little black book

Don't know if that means you're cross or whether we're going on a date

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow on the Wirral.

BTW, John said he'll be at mine at 6pm for you to start signing your books, so you'd better get a move on as he's blagged some food as well and may have finished it before we get home.

https://www.v-publishing.co.uk/books/ca ... -year.html
RRP £20, signed copies £16 with free postage????? Maybe don't sign them and ask for more money

Ferry cross the Mersey........ come on sing along


Book signing session


Buy your signed copies here
https://www.v-publishing.co.uk/books/ca ... -year.html

200 books signed, hope there's not too much braking tomorrow.

Humm not doing anything so might throw the bike in the car in an hour when I get up and try intercept them at th forest of Boland / Yorkshire dales

From earlier this morning, I stayed with Dave and Andy for my planned 20 miles as a Fat Bike "lead out" man but these guys are so strong I was in 2nd place 90% of the time I blamed the 25psi in 4.8" tyres

JohnClimber wrote: From earlier this morning, I stayed with Dave and Andy for my planned 20 miles as a Fat Bike "lead out" man but these guys are so strong I was in 2nd place 90% of the time I blamed the 25psi in 4.8" tyres

and sadly I was in 3rd place for most of my trip with them yesterday!

still they were happy to see me or rather the flatlands of the Wirral, it would have been a bit earlier had it not been for Dave's navigational faux pas when it came to North Wales!



The grimace on Dave's face is that he knew we were only 1/2 hour from meeting up with John.

Poped up on to the moors, but you cut out that bit so missed you , was epic cx though excellent gravel track

Sorry George, we are adjusting the route all the time to balance riding enjoyment with hours in the day. In the end we did the climb from Slaidburn up to Cross of Greet which was fantabulous and empty. The weather was not great today either. Expect more diversions as the forecast worsens.