Hi,

I have created my first attempt at a route. There are definitely some bits where I am guessing a bit from the satellite images that there is a route through (on MapMyRide these are obvious as the places I had to turn off "Auto follow roads". On MapMyRoutes these show up as 5 red bits on the route (you might have to choose to COPY the route first to see these).

Route is public at http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/601708416/

66 miles in total, with an evening meal at http://www.thealeppo.co.uk/ in Carno after 39 miles (where I'd meet family for youngest son's birthday meal).

Bivy somewhere in the 4 miles or so after Carno.

Hits 9 Fords in total.

I'm basing it on the assumption that it is reasonable to aim for half the distance and half the speed of recent full day non race road speeds (without massive hills).

Thoughts?

You should be ok with that. Some of the sections like the transition into the forest 3.5 miles may/may not work, but thats half the fun.

Things to consider:
I'd generally budget on being able to move at an average of 5mph. Plenty of time to take in the views, take a few pics, open gates, check the map. You may end up rushing/being late into Carno?

Are you fixed on Carno?
I can think of somewhere else that would give you another good pub, let you see more of wild Wales, and be more of a journey. Thinking you'll be riding to a point, rather than just a big circle to bring you back to the start.

Planned Bivi spot
4 Miles after Carno. You'll find there are windmills up there for a reason

This is my first attempt. I know sections, but not all of the route. There is at least one stinking unrideable climb towards the end, but I can't see another way to link it up. Unsure weather to do it clockwise or anti-clockwise at the moment.

I think its only missing one point, which is East of Nant-y-Moch. It was looking rather convoluted to connect them all around NyM.

Does anyone know if there is any grass around the start/finish?

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/601756080

Chew wrote:You should be ok with that. Some of the sections like the transition into the forest 3.5 miles may/may not work, but thats half the fun.

Yep, I'm getting the paper maps to check that there is at least in theory a route through but yes I expect to have to divert at times (also if some fords too deep).

Chew wrote:Things to consider:
I'd generally budget on being able to move at an average of 5mph. Plenty of time to take in the views, take a few pics, open gates, check the map. You may end up rushing/being late into Carno?

Are you fixed on Carno?
I can think of somewhere else that would give you another good pub, let you see more of wild Wales, and be more of a journey. Thinking you'll be riding to a point, rather than just a big circle to bring you back to the start.

Planned Bivi spot
4 Miles after Carno. You'll find there are windmills up there for a reason

Not fixed on Carno. Might just cut out one ford on the way there to reduce the distance. Just not yet found many places to eat. Family are staying at Montgomery so ideally not a million miles from there.

Bivy: I did see a wood on the left side on the way to the next ford.

By default I tend to assume circles are more interesting ;-) Very open to lots of suggestions.

Does anyone know if there is any grass around the start/finish?

For what Matt?

Bivy: I did see a wood on the left side on the way to the next ford.

Yetiman knows a good spot not far out of Carno, he did point it out to me but I can't just remember it now.

s8tannorm wrote:

Does anyone know if there is any grass around the start/finish?

For what Matt?

Doing it in a one-er and still sleeping outside.

mattpage wrote:

s8tannorm wrote:

Does anyone know if there is any grass around the start/finish?

For what Matt?

Doing it in a one-er and still sleeping outside.

Just sleep at the last one?

FLV wrote:

mattpage wrote:

s8tannorm wrote:

Does anyone know if there is any grass around the start/finish?

For what Matt?

Doing it in a one-er and still sleeping outside.

Just sleep at the last one?

Wow, you must have a lot of confidence in your bivy bag ;-)

There's a great bivy spot under some trees at this grid and its sheltered by trees n a hedgeline. The lane is quiet so ul not be bothered, well we weren't anyhow n its only ten mins or so from the pub

Grid 947967 where you see the tree sign on a 1:50k map there is a gate into the field turn left and tuck in under trees against the hedgerow!! Enjoy

Doing it in a one-er and still sleeping outside.

I can't help but think that's completely missing the point of the whole thing It's not about how far you go or how fast you go ... however, I do understand 'once a racer, always a racer' but do try and find somewhere nice, exciting or inspiring to spend the night.

Yetiman wrote:There's a great bivy spot under some trees at this grid and its sheltered by trees n a hedgeline. The lane is quiet so ul not be bothered, well we weren't anyhow n its only ten mins or so from the pub

Grid 947967 where you see the tree sign on a 1:50k map there is a gate into the field turn left and tuck in under trees against the hedgerow!! Enjoy

Thanks, I could just switch direction for my route to get there, would also reduce distance on Saturday and there are easy options to cut 2 fords and a chunk of distance on Sunday if I need it.

It's not about racing it, but a test ride for HT550 and challenging myself.
I think you are right though, finding somewhere a little more interesting to stop will be better.

mattpage wrote:It's not about racing it, but a test ride for HT550 and challenging myself

One of the skills you'll need to build up ahead of the HTR is to ability to find somewhere suitable to stop when you're cold, wet and tired. This is something you can only really learn via practice.

mattpage wrote:It's not about racing it, but a test ride for HT550 and challenging myself.
I think you are right though, finding somewhere a little more interesting to stop will be better.

I don't think the rules stop you visiting each ford multiple times to make it more of a challenge ;-)

I am treating the grid refs as a guide only, and am trying to link up some good trails with as many of the fords, but also trying to get as much riding in over the 2 days as my passout will let me.

Matt, one of the big challenges for the HTR is not the number of miles in 1 day, but the ability to get up the next day and do the same again, and again (but I expect you know this already).

Dave, use google earth to try to figure out what might be rideable and what might not. The 1st year I stuck to bridleways and had a lot of deathmarch, the 2nd I stuck to tracks somewhere near bridleways. I enjoyed the 2nd year much more! It's Wales, and what might exist on the map does not mean a nicely way marked path across the hills. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best might be the best adage.

slarge wrote:Dave, use google earth to try to figure out what might be rideable and what might not. The 1st year I stuck to bridleways and had a lot of deathmarch, the 2nd I stuck to tracks somewhere near bridleways. I enjoyed the 2nd year much more! It's Wales, and what might exist on the map does not mean a nicely way marked path across the hills. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best might be the best adage.

I've been using the Google map satellite view and trying to compare that to the OS maps. Bikehike.co.uk should be good for that but I found the route creation on it slow and awkward.

slarge wrote:It's Wales, and what might exist on the map does not mean a nicely way marked path across the hills. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best might be the best adage.

Very true! One good rule is avoid the straight line bridleways!
bikehike is good, but I've found "where's the path" even better as you can input then mark the checkpoint and try and map around them.

It still is a long process though. Save the track periodically too. I refreshed the screen by accident and lost an hours worth of planning.

Where's the path - http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm

mattpage wrote:

slarge wrote:It's Wales, and what might exist on the map does not mean a nicely way marked path across the hills. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best might be the best adage.

Very true! One good rule is avoid the straight line bridleways!
bikehike is good, but I've found "where's the path" even better as you can input then mark the checkpoint and try and map around them.

It still is a long process though. Save the track periodically too. I refreshed the screen by accident and lost an hours worth of planning.

Where's the path - http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm

Will try wheres the path once I have control of my laptop again, currently in a whole family Civilization V death match.

I've found http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm really good.

So I have created a revised pair of routes using the recommended "Yetiman" bivy spot, a bit shorter (missing a couple of Fords) and reversed (am aiming for a start closer to 10am than noon on Saturday).

Sat: 47km distance with 1089m to climb see http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/602733278 (evening meal at http://www.thealeppo.co.uk/ with family).

Sun: 38.5km with 1086m to climb see http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/602735866

Feedback welcome!

I'm not bothering planning mine until a couple of days before when I can better guess the weather and ground conditions.