WE 2019

[RIP]

May as well get the show on the road....

Very relaxed train ride to Caersws, the latter part of which was accompanied by a big brew and a particularly fine example of a caramel wafer biscuit furnished by Messrs Tunnock & Co Ltd of Uddingston.


20190111_141613 by Reg

Next stop the tap at Llawr-y-Glyn .

[whitestone]

About to head off and get last minute supplies then pick Cath up. Should be at The Star for about 1959 (sorry Reg, not a prime number )

[sean_iow]

Should be at The Star for about 1959 (sorry Reg, not a prime number )

Are you travelling there in the tardis? sorry, couldn't resist.

Loving the panda bell Reg

Have fun all.

[whitestone]

Should be at The Star for about 1959 (sorry Reg, not a prime number )

Are you travelling there in the tardis? sorry, couldn't resist.

Loving the panda bell Reg

Have fun all.

There's a reason I chose that time/number

Just reminded me of the old joke: "This is your captain speaking. Welcome to Wales, please turn your watches back to ..."

[pistonbroke]

Should be at The Star for about 1959

That's appropriate as thats when it was last refurbished.

[whitestone]

Took a few shots.

Heading towards Commins Coch


Another ruddy hill


A steep push to complete a steep hill


Cafe in Mach. SLarge at the counter, counter clockwise from Cath, Mark, Mike, Andy and HUX


360 inch wheels make the trails come alive!


"I want a route with views" she said. "OK" says I ...


About to get blown off the bike, near Bugeilyn


By the time we got to the old mines at the head of Afon Clwyedog the weather had turned so we cut short the intended route at Staylittle and headed down the road.

Many thanks to Dee and Stuart for another weekend's adventures.

[summittoppler]

Massive thanks from me for my first real BB event. Also thanks to JC for letting me follow his route. TBH I felt as sick as a dog on the Saturday due to 2 weeks of the lurgy but felt a lot better today. Was also good to put some faces to names and can I just say what a great bunch of folk we have here.
We probably have one thing in common, pushing bikes!!

A few too many pics:
20190111_213651 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Reg trying to eat JC's phone
20190111_220942 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20190112_104712 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20190112_105715 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Marvellous, just marvellous!
20190112_114137 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20190112_114201 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20190112_133223 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

O the shame, I had a Lemsip in the pub!!
20190112_153858 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Log trucking!
20190112_161631 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20190112_165311 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20190112_202017 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20190112_202509 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20190112_202729 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20190113_074735 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20190113_093810 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20190113_095330 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

[whitestone]

Where's the BW captioned "Marvellous, just marvellous"?

[Dave Barter]

Who is the imposter "Reg" with only one set of glasses?

[Bearbonesnorm]

Where's the BW captioned "Marvellous, just marvellous"?

Next valley over from us Bob. The fact I've never even put it in a BB200 should be all you need to know about it

[Dave Barter]

Where's the BW captioned "Marvellous, just marvellous"?

Next valley over from us Bob. The fact I've never even put it in a BB200 should be all you need to know about it

I went up that path on my first ever WRT

[whitestone]

Where's the BW captioned "Marvellous, just marvellous"?

Next valley over from us Bob. The fact I've never even put it in a BB200 should be all you need to know about it

Ah, Is that the mountain road at centre right that you can just see?

[Bearbonesnorm]

Ah, Is that the mountain road at centre right that you can just see?

I'm not sure you can actually see it Bob but yes, the far distance would be the very bottom of the mountain road.

[thenorthwind]

A trip to Rhayader to replace a forgotten helmet and (I suspect) a few mild hangovers form those at the Mid Wales Inn on Friday left me plenty of time for tea, toast, nattering, and faffing Saturday morning, but meant we didn't leave til getting on for half 11. We immediately jettisoned a bit of the planned route and headed straight overt the top to the Star, which we reached (the first time) about 2. Despite our meagre pace, we pushed on (usually literally) round an anticlockwise loop over Foel Fadian, across to Talbontdrain and back over a ridge which is marked as Rhiw Goch on the map, but became affectionately known as "The Death March" to Glaslyn again, where we cut out to the road for the blast down to the Star. It was half 9

Top marks to the Star for feeding and watering us, and generally reviving the weary, with complimentary pudding a nice bonus Soon we were being offered all sorts of accommodation to convince us not to pitch up in the gale blowing through what must be Wales' least sheltered valley. Starting with the field behind the pub, we were upgraded to a polytunnel, a shed, and finally, a living room floor. Admittedly some of us took less convincing than others Our "bivvy" came complete with beer, a bathroom, and breakfast, plus an excitable collie. Not sure it entirely adhere to BaM rules

Sunday featured a bit of road, some forestry bridleway bashing, and a trip through an extremely productive wind farm, before heading back for more tea and toast. A good weekend of type 2 fun - some people were already talking about next year before we left, so it can't have been that bad - must try harder

A few photos below, but more here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/CjJCEA1nxrxrsG3m9


Paul's cable tie-base radar (for finding hike-a-bike? Seems to work)

[Dyffers]

20190112_165311 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20190113_093810 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Two good candidates for the 2020 calendar right there

[RIP]

On my ride from Caersws to the Star, I indulged my interest in "urbex" and nosed around an old school with some nice slate cladding. I rather liked the idea of bivvying on the double-deck sofa.

20190111_150613 by Reg

20190111_150348 by Reg

For some strange reason we decided to actually visit some of the gridrefs this year; so MaM, BDS, Crewlie, ScottWoods, Al, MarkW and myself duly headed straight up the nearest nasty hill towards Mach, although after a km MarkW realised he needed another slice of lemon drizzle and dropped back to the start to partake further (that was the rumour anyway!). The gloop factor was high, but the precipice traverse at the top made it worthwhile.

20190112_113010 by Reg

20190112_114957 by Reg

Over the top and down to Darowen, and the track through the ford brought us to a very steep track above Melinbyrhedin, easily bypassed on the road. There was a nice downhill the other side but not for the last time there was mutiny in the ranks (well, all of us mutinied), and after a stern "DBS" talking-to we voted 48%/52% to go for it. Lucky we did because at the top we met some sort of retired rock-star guy who told us all about his bonsai collection, and MaM found his ancestral home or possibly his next bivi:

20190112_140031 by Reg

Scott looking surprisingly happy on yet another push:

20190112_151354 by Reg

A quick water stop on the hill above Aberhosan, after which the track "continued" on the map but a rather unfortunate disparity with reality meant a slog through ferns and brambles which ripped everyone's nylons to shreds and spoiled any hope of visiting Mach's trendy nightclubs later.

20190112_153110 by Reg

20190112_154219 by Reg

Sadly it was dark by the time we got to the long Glyndwr's Way hill top track above Talbontdrain, then a final downhill skitter ended up at the White Lion in Mach which plied us with fine ales and vittals. Unfortunately we realised we were way too knackered to reach the Bearded Lake (an appropriate spot for bikepackers we thought!), so our backup "plan" took us to the old scout camp nearby. Breakfast was a nice spread of kippers, kedgeree, devilled kidneys, finest early grey teas... ah no, it was porridge and ovaltine as usual wasn't it..

20190113_083359 by Reg

After a second breakfast at the "BBB Cafe" in Mach, a low-level route took us along the back road to Cemmaes Rd, up the bridleway to Commins Coch, and thence through the forest back to LBM. Normally we'd bimble along the bridleway through the wood (Bob n Kath's outward route I think), but I'd not tried the gentler parallel climb up through the forest which turned out to be a lovely remote little valley only a mile or so from LBM:

20190113_134948 by Reg

Our frequent stops to talk rubbish and take in the scenery meant a fairly late return, to find all the lemon cake gone! An agast Crewlie had to be held back, and I had to console myself with a cherry-topped substitute quickly thrust into my hand by Dee before all hell broke loose.

A great weekend, with some lovely people, all that remains is the adjustment back to unreality, sigh.....

R

[middleagedmadness]

Well put reg , definitely a bit of type 2 over the weekend ,thanks for the effort you put in for the route, will pull my finger out and get some pics put up soon

[darbeze]

A great weekend, with some lovely people, all that remains is the adjustment back to unreality, sigh.....

R

I do like your write ups Reg. They bring a smile to my face...

Thanks,

Si

[RIP]

Thanks Si. It's really verbal diarrhoea rather than a diar-y . At the risk of a being a big softy (wot me?) thereby incurring Stu's wrath, I'd say it's just a byproduct of being part of this nice little family - bit like being sat round the dinner table with a few bottles and chewing the fat. I just need an electronic bottle now...

[Bearbonesnorm]

At the risk of a being a big softy (wot me?) thereby incurring Stu's wrath

Eh, I only do it for people's own good and well-being

[MuddyPete]

"...the double-deck sofa."

Brilliant idea Reg, already immortalised in Lego...

https://youtu.be/G9UZv-egULY

[summittoppler]

Two good candidates for the 2020 calendar right there

Thanks you kind sir, I was pretty happy with them too!

[benp1]

I see Scott bought some pogies!

[JohnClimber]

Riding with Jeff (this first BB event, not counting Bear Stock), Allen (only had 1 wild camp before and never been to a bothy) and joined by Richard G halfway through day 1.

[whitestone]

Jeff looks a bit rough there lying in the heather

Did you point out the best way to cross the bog of doom to get to the footbridge in Hyddgen? I assume so otherwise there'd be the appropriate shot. Given the generally low level of the rivers I assume that the ford just after there wasn't as "interesting" as on the BB200.