Superb. Nice one Jimmy.

Glad to hear that suits guys. Will respond more fully tomorrow.

Bike packed for SWWB ! Looks like we're in for 'lively' weather but we have Reg with us so what could go wrong !! Verena has it all sorted .... apparently! I suspect Abergavenny Premier Inn might get some visitors !

godivatrailrider wrote: ↑Fri Dec 06, 2024 11:11 am But we have Reg with us so what could go wrong

Ah. Erm. Have you been here long?

godivatrailrider wrote: ↑Fri Dec 06, 2024 11:11 am Bike packed for SWWB ! Looks like we're in for 'lively' weather but we have Reg with us so what could go wrong !! Verena has it all sorted .... apparently! I suspect Abergavenny Premier Inn might get some visitors !

Liking your optimism!!

See you shortly.....

JimmyG wrote: ↑Tue Dec 03, 2024 6:01 pm Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Looks exciting! Are you bringing an anemometer to measure the speed of the wind blasting through that tunnel?

RIP wrote: ↑Fri Dec 06, 2024 12:39 pm

godivatrailrider wrote: ↑Fri Dec 06, 2024 11:11 am But we have Reg with us so what could go wrong

Ah. Erm. Have you been here long?

Good luck EVERYONE bivvying out this weekend

MuddyPete wrote: ↑Fri Dec 06, 2024 6:35 pm

JimmyG wrote: ↑Tue Dec 03, 2024 6:01 pm Untitled by Jimmy G, on Flickr

Looks exciting! Are you bringing an anemometer to measure the speed of the wind blasting through that tunnel?

No need to bother. Storm Darragh will be a mere memory by the time the SWB takes place next weekend and, of course, we'll have gorgeous weather as usual.

Good luck EVERYONE bivvying out this weekend

Indeed. 'tis a naughty night to swim in.

Good morning from SWWB...not quite swimming yet but getting there...

Just thought I'd check in and let you know that we've all survived the night...I think,.from what I can make out looking out over the still silent pile of soggy bivvy bags in front of me..

Verena wrote: ↑Sat Dec 07, 2024 8:11 am Just thought I'd check in and let you know that we've all survived the night..

Nutters. Tell me you're not going to go for a nice bike ride and do it all again tonight?

JimmyG wrote: ↑Fri Dec 06, 2024 8:19 pm No need to bother. Storm Darragh will be a mere memory by the time the SWB takes place next weekend and, of course, we'll have gorgeous weather as usual.

thenorthwind wrote: ↑Sat Dec 07, 2024 9:27 am

Verena wrote: ↑Sat Dec 07, 2024 8:11 am Just thought I'd check in and let you know that we've all survived the night..

Nutters. Tell me you're not going to go for a nice bike ride and do it all again tonight?

Erm, well it was quite bracing at Blaenavon today

Tonight... hmm.....

Well that was an adventure

godivatrailrider wrote: ↑Mon Dec 09, 2024 9:20 am Well that was an adventure

Wasn't it....

Time to question ones choices, when the time/cost/effort/heartache to travel there and back is about 5 times greater than the time actually spent there?!?! ( I got off very very lightly on that front of course )

I knew before I left we were being foolhardy and tbh a bit stupid.
But I refused to listen to my 'sensible' head and went with the 'ahh fook it' bit.
It worries me how easily I was swayed.
Friday night was dangerous, we just got lucky with finding the 'shelter' ( I use that word cautiously ) good blagging Reg! and more so that you, Verena happening to have a spare bivvy with you
I would have used the Lunar solo as a makeshift bivvy I guess.
The devastation of the pub garden could easily have been nasty for us.

Oddly the Saturday riding was all ok.

I'm glad I bailed and went back to Abergavenny Premier Inn and a hot bath & lovely bed.... those rooms are excellent for drying kit ! You just leave the bathroom light on and the aircon kicks in and sucks the moisture out of anything wet !

Sunday and the lack of trains led me to either staying put in Aber or being proactive and riding to Hereford in a 40 mph headwind.
I rode.

At Hereford I found there were no trains despite me having seen one on the ride up.
So I was heading to Premier Inn again when Kev phoned me and said he was at Hereford station to give me a lift home.
Kev you're an incredible human being!

70 miles done, few were easy, all seemed to be into a headwind.

I guess I'll start looking into bivvy bags.

Great to meet and ride with Verena, Reg & Sean and especially Kev.

It's interesting how everyone deals with a variety of different bikepacking situations. Personally I was evaluating and making continual calculations about the proceedings and felt completely happy with the various on-the-fly decisions that we all made about kipping spots, gear useage and riding options. At any point anyone might have suggested we pop round to the Premier Inn down the road , or indeed bail out completely. We didn't, and it resulted in an interesting, albeit challenging and testing, experience. I've had worse and I've had better .