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I can't figure out how to do a blog, even though I have done them in the past and no photos have arrive yet so I have posted here instead. With apologies to all present here is my promised 'blog'. Nick may want to edit it!
The weekend started with a Friday ‘working from home’, always helpful before two days of mountain biking and camping in North Wales. El was on holiday for the day so we were guaranteed a prompt depart, which was good as we were facing a two hour ride to just outside Dolgellau.
I finished my work and sat in a sofa and I think had a little doze…
Meanwhile, El checked the bikes, oiled them, checked the indexing on the gears, put the rack on the car, loaded the bikes, packed the camping stuff, put up the tent to check it was ok before repacking it, sorted all of the food, ice packs, milk, cereal, cookers etc., packed helmets, shoes and finally sorted all of her personal kit. Meanwhile I played a quick game scrabble with my brother on my ipad – the wonders of modern technology, did my nails and threw some stuff into a bag and we were off.
An uneventful journey saw us in the campsite where Nick and Tim were already set up and were lazing around taking it easy. We were joined later by Matt and Jeff and finally Steve the following morning.
What followed was two days of fantastic company and mountain biking. Nick as usual had no real plan, maps or knowledge of the area and tended to leave it to the rest of us to decide what to do, which always leads to a well organised trip.
Matthew has not really recovered from a couple of spills recently and seems to have lost his nerve descending. However, the rest of us don’t mind waiting for him at the bottom of all of the climbs. I personally think that the stabilisers don’t help him at all but if they help him get his confidence back all well and good.
Jeff was amazing, safety is not just a word to him but a way of life, and a more considered careful biker you couldn’t wish to meet. Always keenly aware of his surroundings he constantly spotted bits of kit on the trail and gradually accumulated quite a collection of odds and sods.
It was Tim’s birthday and old age has not treated him well. He seems to have lost all of his pace and struggled on most of the climbs. Still El is always very helpful and was seen giving him a bit of a push up some of the steeper bits. Talking of El, what a star, as we all arrived back tired and emotional on the Saturday after over 6 hours of relentless biking she announced, ‘don’t worry boys it’s not fair that you should have to buy your own food, I’m female and know my place. She then knocked up a five course meal in the campsite served with lashings of ginger beer, negating the need for us to go to the pub.
Then to Steve, well he did surprise me with his encyclopaedic knowledge of the area and the historical sites, pointing out such famous landmarks as Harlech castle, Tyn Y Groes power station, Stonehenge and St Pauls Cathedral, the guy is a legend.
Finally yours truly, the back bone of the group with my quick wit, encouraging smile and photographic memory for routes and the way to go. I think everyone felt safer with me in the team.
Then I woke up ……..
Sounds like a great weekend Kev. What would the little lady do without you hey! 😉
Having read Kev's post (I despair of the man) I feel I should counter with a straight version - but there again, maybe I should leave that to readers' imaginations! At the very least - we had a fantastic time.
So at least - I will provide the details Kev's forgotten to mention. We spent Saturday on the Coed-y-Brenin trails, doing the Beast in the morning and pootling on other trails in the afternoon. Racing snakes Matt and Tim were at their fluid fast best. On Saturday night we cycled to the pub, and at the end of the evening we returned to our campsite under a sky full of stars and a full moon, which shone so brightly that it almost turned night to day. On Sunday Nick devised a fantastic loop, up and over the Rhinogs via The Roman Steps (Nick tells us this used to be an old Rough Stuff route) then onto some beautiful quiet lanes to Barmouth, crossing the estuary on the railway bridge and a fabulous bike track and more lanes back to Coed y Brenin. Warm sunny weather, stunning views, quiet roads and tracks, and great company - who could ask for more.
The highlight of the weekend for me was Jeff, a good man to have on tour! He refused to be beaten by the descent off the Roman Steps, which was unrideable, but he was undeterred, continually hopping onto his bike to give it a go, then coming off again after a rocky step too many. I don't know how he didn't hurt himself, maybe it was the heather which he tied to his handlebar for good luck. Then as we approached the cycle route along the prom into Barmouth we suddenly realised we'd lost Jeff - we looked around for him and there he was sprinting, across the seemingly endless sand, straight out towards the sea, because, according to Jeff, you can't go to the seaside without getting wet. Which he did. Then everyone tried to burst his bubble by telling him the salt would ruin his bike, which I thought was a bit curmudgeonly of them. Fortunately, Jeff's bubble doesn't burst that easily.
Thanks to Nick for organising a fantastic weekend. And thanks to Nick, birthday boy Tim, Matt, Jeff, Steve and Kev for your fabulous company! Hopefully somebody will post some photos...
Sounds like a great weekend Eleanor. What would that mischievous man do without you hey! 😉
Lol I love kev's blog that was funny reading!
Glad you enjoyed the weekend, it was a good mix of trails and proper off-road across the hills. Here are a couple of photos courtesy of Steve. At the foot of the Roman Steps and then on the prom at Barmouth. Also a photo of the campsite. Thanks for the report El (and Kev) I'll attempt to copy El's report to the Blog and the pictures too
I got into work today and was asked if I had a good weekend. I said yes, then thought about it and said no I had a great weekend, in fact I couldn't think of how to improve it. Great organisation, fun, hard work, company and scenery. Thanks Guys (and El).
Actually, when I thought about it, beating Tim up even one hill would have made it a bit better!
in fact I couldn't think of how to improve it.
You could have come to my house and continued the decorating.
Loved Saturday though. Don't get to Coed-y-Brenin often enough, it's a stupendous day out.
