BB200 2020

[redefined_cycles]

From what I hear pal I think ur about to slow right down
Nice and cosy here in the house with the heating on!

+1 to this. Say hello to the horses (and the streamy-river)

[Bearbonesnorm]

I’m that mystery 300 rider, currently sat in Builth looking for the shortest way back to Kington. 170km in 21.5 hours, and I think it’ll take 13 or so to finish. I’m absolutely knackered, and don’t think it’s wise for me to go through a 2nd night without sleep - I lost a bit of coordination last night so want to play it safe.

Very sorry to hear that Steve - you were going well and ground conditions really can't be good. Well done.

[flyingpig]

I’m that mystery 300 rider, currently sat in Builth looking for the shortest way back to Kington. 170km in 21.5 hours, and I think it’ll take 13 or so to finish. I’m absolutely knackered, and don’t think it’s wise for me to go through a 2nd night without sleep - I lost a bit of coordination last night so want to play it safe.

I honestly think the bail rate will be very high this year.

Impressive run, I know how you must be feeling contemplating this decision having invested so much and then to face a long ride back.

I agree, the rate will be high this time unfortunately, my thoughts were that out could be no worse than 2018 but it felt it for me with weather coming later in ride rather than early and the ground conditions seem much more difficult now.

[Richard G]

Wow... I know how strong a rider Mr Large is from experience so it really must be rough out there.

Get back safe buddy.

[slarge]

From what I hear pal I think ur about to slow right down
Nice and cosy here in the house with the heating on!

+1 to this. Say hello to the horses (and the streamy-river)

I didn’t see the horses Shaf, but the river was fine. I rode through it no problem. The problem fence you found with the nail - yep - identical problem. There is no path on the ground and no gates or stiles etc. I meandered around lifting over fences and gates on that section.

[slarge]

Back in the van now so can relax!!

So a few reasons for bailing : the hills. They are short and sharp or long and sharp, with no flat bits to recover. Endless hills, and they wear you down. I was pushing up silly stuff towards the end!! The ground is soft and many paths are seldom ridden so long grass and hidden rocks etc. The off road is slow, and the road is slow with the hills, so time just evaporated.

I think it would have taken 36-38 hours to complete the 300, and I just don’t have the fitness or strength for that type of punishment. I’ll be very impressed if there are any black badges or orange badges this year unless Stu extends the time limits.

[redefined_cycles]

From what I hear pal I think ur about to slow right down
Nice and cosy here in the house with the heating on!

+1 to this. Say hello to the horses (and the streamy-river)

I didn’t see the horses Shaf, but the river was fine. I rode through it no problem. The problem fence you found with the nail - yep - identical problem. There is no path on the ground and no gates or stiles etc. I meandered around lifting over fences and gates on that section.

Thanks kind sir... looks like I might know how to read an OS (and Wahoo) map afterall. Hope you managed to hop over it and didn't hit yer knackers

[redefined_cycles]

Back in the van now so can relax!!

So a few reasons for bailing : the hills. They are short and sharp or long and sharp, with no flat bits to recover. Endless hills, and they wear you down. I was pushing up silly stuff towards the end!! The ground is soft and many paths are seldom ridden so long grass and hidden rocks etc. The off road is slow, and the road is slow with the hills, so time just evaporated.

I think it would have taken 36-38 hours to complete the 300, and I just don’t have the fitness or strength for that type of punishment. I’ll be very impressed if there are any black badges or orange badges this year unless Stu extends the time limits.

and there you have it... You can be rest assured when the Americans (Bikepacking.com) come to ride the 2020 route they'll not go away writiting stuff like 'it's easy enough*'...

*not in them words but thats basically what the nice chap who wrote the 2017 route wrote and I couldn't help thinking of him up some of them (road) HAB hills that Steven mentions. Hope Stu might take 8t easy for next year.

Oh, and by the way Slarge, you was meant to write it in the 'spolier alert' thread

[Richard G]

So a few reasons for bailing : the hills. They are short and sharp or long and sharp, with no flat bits to recover. Endless hills, and they wear you down. I was pushing up silly stuff towards the end!! The ground is soft and many paths are seldom ridden so long grass and hidden rocks etc. The off road is slow, and the road is slow with the hills, so time just evaporated.

I think it would have taken 36-38 hours to complete the 300, and I just don’t have the fitness or strength for that type of punishment. I’ll be very impressed if there are any black badges or orange badges this year unless Stu extends the time limits.

Oh sh*t!

[slarge]

So, I had a bit of a run in with a farmer on Friday on the 300 route (shared with the 200 in this area). I accidentally carried on the track and into the farmyard, where I was met with "WTF do you think you're doing" shouted from the other end of the barns. We had a bit of an exchange, and he clearly believes that Wales is still locked down and no one else should be there.

So, as a heads up, the farm is 12.4km after Kington, and is called Dreavour Farm. You'll know you are coming to it as the gates are tied up with orange baling twine.

The bridleway turns left through a gate before the farm, and goes up to a gate in front of the house. The bridleway marker roundel is pretty well destroyed so you almost certainly won't see it! Don't go through the farmyard as he's a bit of a shouty angry man! There are 3-4 dogs that will have a good bark at you.

It might be worth being (patronisingly) nice to him

Good luck, and apologies if you get a load of crap from him because of me (I hate rude obnoxious people).

[Alexinthepeaks]

Another bailer here...Update on other thread...

It was hard and i swore alot.

[JohnClimber]

So, I had a bit of a run in with a farmer on Friday on the 300 route (shared with the 200 in this area). I accidentally carried on the track and into the farmyard, where I was met with "WTF do you think you're doing" shouted from the other end of the barns. We had a bit of an exchange, and he clearly believes that Wales is still locked down and no one else should be there.

So, as a heads up, the farm is 12.4km after Kington, and is called Dreavour Farm. You'll know you are coming to it as the gates are tied up with orange baling twine.

The bridleway turns left through a gate before the farm, and goes up to a gate in front of the house. The bridleway marker roundel is pretty well destroyed so you almost certainly won't see it! Don't go through the farmyard as he's a bit of a shouty angry man! There are 3-4 dogs that will have a good bark at you.

It might be worth being (patronisingly) nice to him

Good luck, and apologies if you get a load of crap from him because of me (I hate rude obnoxious people).

I may be wrong, but I think that this is the farm right at the very start/end of Stuarts route.

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3201779

[ChrisE]

I may be wrong, but I think that this is the farm right at the very start/end of Stuarts route.

https://www.geogr
aph.org.uk/photo/3201779

Great....... I was going to park there and leave my car in his yard. What could go wrong?????

[Richard G]

Another bailer here...Update on other thread...

It was hard and i swore alot.

Starting to scare me now!

I may be wrong, but I think that this is the farm right at the very start/end of Stuarts route.

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3201779

If that is the place, I checked the ROW long and hard and it definitely goes right between his buildings. I guess over to the left through the gate though, rather than up the ramp.

[slarge]

Another bailer here...Update on other thread...

It was hard and i swore alot.

Starting to scare me now!

I may be wrong, but I think that this is the farm right at the very start/end of Stuarts route.

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3201779

If that is the place, I checked the ROW long and hard and it definitely goes right between his buildings. I guess over to the left through the gate though, rather than up the ramp.

Exactly that Rich

[Richard G]

Glad to know it then, because I'd have definitely gone right up that hill and been less than patient had I been confronted.

Definitely a safety issue in this case.

[shutuplegs]

The man in the first house you come through in Middle FFynonau (A couple of Km’s before the end of Stu’s route) was not best pleased at all that I rode through at 2330. He came out with a torch and was shouting after me. I didn’t stick around as he didn’t look too friendly. The ROW goes straight through his property...

I made it back to my car in 27.5 hours. Will send Stu the gpx when I’m home for official confirmation though!

[Richard G]

Awes0me, first finisher!

Edit - He'll HATE me as by my reckoning I'd be there at 04:00!

[redefined_cycles]

The man in the first house you come through in Middle FFynonau (A couple of Km’s before the end of Stu’s route) was not best pleased at all that I rode through at 2330. He came out with a torch and was shouting after me. I didn’t stick around as he didn’t look too friendly. The ROW goes straight through his property...

I made it back to my car in 27.5 hours. Will send Stu the gpx when I’m home for official confirmation though!

Awes0me... Well done. Sounds like the 'shutuplegs' technique works... well done (did I already say that)...

[Verena]

vaguely exciting, congratulations!! Ermm, so basically I'm going to be crapping myself all the way round East Radnor then until I'm safely on the Begwns ?! Do you think they'll be a bit kinder on me, being female?? Especially if I start crying as son as they challenge me (which I probably will anyway, especially if I'm dog tired)?

[Verena]

vaguely exciting, congratulations!! Ermm, so basically I'm going to be crapping myself all the way round East Radnor then until I'm safely on the Begwns ?! Do you think they'll be a bit kinder on me, being female?? Especially if I start crying as son as they challenge me (which I probably will anyway, especially if I'm dog tired)?

He, I wrote vaguely exciting but it typed vaguely exciting?!?

[Verena]

vaguely exciting, congratulations!! Ermm, so basically I'm going to be crapping myself all the way round East Radnor then until I'm safely on the Begwns ?! Do you think they'll be a bit kinder on me, being female?? Especially if I start crying as son as they challenge me (which I probably will anyway, especially if I'm dog tired)?

He, I wrote vaguely exciting but it typed vaguely exciting?!?

Stupid phone keeps changing what I write! Bloody well done

[whitestone]

It's the forum's swear filter - Stu added certain words and phrases to it.

[Richard G]

Ermm, so basically I'm going to be crapping myself all the way round East Radnor then until I'm safely on the Begwns ?! Do you think they'll be a bit kinder on me, being female?? Especially if I start crying as son as they challenge me (which I probably will anyway, especially if I'm dog tired)?

Yeah, you'll likely get less grief, though we all look fairly similar covered in mud!

It's just all round unnecessary though. If you don't want to deal with people passing through, don't live somewhere where there's a public right of way... and if they're straying from the proper path, then maybe make sure it's obvious.

I usually just say "sorry buddy, I've got a bit lost and I'm just trying to get back to the road". Though I have been known to go off on one if I think someone is taking the p*ss.

[Raggedstone]

Started from Builth about 8 this morning sitting at a cafe in Hay now . It's bloody tough missed the track quite a few times so if I finish it will about 250 but it's been a fantastic day . Contemplating Right for Builth left for what looks like a wall .
Middle whatever it was have now got a padlock and chain around the bottom gate had to lift bike over .