Quick overnighter in the Brecon Beacons

[Stevemorg]

Thanks to RIP for great company on a quick overnighter into the Beacons - reasonable but not silly miles, some great views and a few pints. I only took a few pics - hopefully Chris will have some more pics if he can get his phone working!

IMG_0890 by Steve Morgan, on Flickr

IMG_0892 by Steve Morgan, on Flickr

IMG_0884 by Steve Morgan, on Flickr

[RIP]

Yes that was a lovely little trip - many thanks for showing me round your "manor" Steve! Had a great time - top company enjoyed, serendipity partaken, wandering was done, gear with fiddled with, drink was taken, twaddle was spoken (now that's MY definition of "bikepacking" for the other thread ). Train from Cardiff to Merthyr, then, having managed to decline the heady pleasures of the fragrant Merthyr kasbahs, up into the Beacons via various little twists and turns. Recce'd quite a few nice potential future bivi spots, including a locked up bothy which bears investigation at some point (for those that are into sleeping inside walls ). Crashed out in a field near Talybont, which appeared to be hosting an overnight slug convention, then back up over Torpantau next day (bivi option in old railway tunnel declined due to 12" of water). Heck of a windy night as well, although perfectly cosy in Minim K under 9x7 tarp. "Summer setup" seemed to work OK even though it's October as everyone's said: 5L drybag (Minim K s'bag 390g, down hat 40g) and 8L drybag (9x7 tarp 190g, pole/pegs(*)/lines 170g, tyvek 50g, Hyperlite mat 360g, pillow 40g, pump 40g) strapped straight to bars; stemcell with Steripen and 175ml frozen milk; gaffertape stemcell with 500ml water 15g bottle; rear Koala with 250g kitchen (22g stove, windbreak, 65ml bioethanol, ex-porage-pot "bowl", porage, ovaltine, spork etc all rammed inside 750ml Ti mug), dried eve meal, chewy bars, 1st aid cabinet 75g, tools/spares 380g (too much), tube 135g, bathroom 130g), gastank with "admin" sundries. "Zipped-up fleece slid over pillow and mat" anti-slip scheme now working well. Given up "tinypic.com" now and using "imageupload.co.uk" which seems OK so far. (*) 6 x 15g main pegs, please can someone invent 6g Ti ones guaranteed to handle same ground as 15g ones? My 6g Ti / 6g StuCarbon are fab, but only if ground is sympathetic.

"Reg"



Popped in for a cheeky lunchtime half at the Red Cow, Pontsticill. Trying to get back to basics this time after recent cappucino/avocado backsliding, and may have managed to avoid the bloke selling cappucinos and carrot cake out of the back of his ex-horsebox at Torpantau summit, but, arg, can't get away from hipster ale! "May be hazy"? Yeah that's me most of the time.



"It came off in me hand guv honest":



The cafe that was ALWAYS "2 MILES" away from wherever we were. Baffling.

[Richard G]

I've lost count of the number of times I've been across that aqueduct.

[RIP]

Cefn Coed viaduct in Merthyr - I'll probably get told off for this, but yes once you're on it you end up zipping backwards and forwards trying to avoid the ne'er-do-wells advancing from both ends . I think I'm still on it at this moment actually, never having escaped.

[Pickers]

Looks like another good trip Reg.

Why did I read that sign as "Tearoom, 2 Milf"

[RIP]

Hey Rich, how're you doing?! Yes that's exactly how I read it at the time but I thought I'd wait for someone else to point it out - thank you .

Are you managing to get a few rides in down to the shops to get in training for BB200? Yep, cheeky booger that's me

Must do another outing sometime, too long to wait until WRT mate. We still haven't tested out our new top secret spot yet .

[Pickers]

Must do another outing sometime, too long to wait until WRT mate. We still haven't tested out our new top secret spot yet

Up for another do at some point, the weekends are getting a bit booked up though. Got myself a R I G 7 tarp as well now for a bit of extended luxury (#bemoreReg )

[Richard G]

Cefn Coed viaduct in Merthyr - I'll probably get told off for this, but yes once you're on it you end up zipping backwards and forwards trying to avoid the ne'er-do-wells advancing from both ends . I think I'm still on it at this moment actually, never having escaped.

Ahh yes, viaduct... and also, yes.

[RIP]

I wasn't intending to correct your nomenclature there, sorry Rich. Perhaps 'farking great bridge' is another description :). Built by the Brecon and Merthyr Railway in 1868.

[RIP]

Rig7, crikey(*) Rich, I've always been impressed by your minitarp hardcoreness, now you've joined the softies like me with our palatial mansions. We'll have to do an outing and ceremonially rip off each other's 'Dont Be Soft' stickers .

(*) there was a lovely use of 'jings' earlier, now I've gone all Famous Five.