Having brought 3 riding jerseys with him H has had plenty to chose from every morning worrying mainly about which one least accentuates his reported girth - now thanks to feedback from friends and relatives he doesnt have to worry as all have queried what he's packing under his jerseys ..... maybe one omlette too many !
After collecting my bike we left town (midday) just in time for the sun to burn off the morning cloud cover and just in time for a car crash on our exit road (thankfully no one badly injured).
Working our way past the accident site and after as false start heading momentarily in the wrong direction, we were soon climbing into the fringes of the Snowdonia National park on narrow steep lanes tormented by the UK relative of our March fly (biting buggers!)
The beauty of traveling by bike is that it is often a conversation starter as it was today when a Welsh farmer pulled over to simply ask about our journey and give us the opportunity to enquire about life on the land in Wales (like everywhere - hard !)
He mentioned in leaving something about a hill coming up. The 'hill' was a 25-30% gradient, 2 km long, narrow,10 mph signposted lane ! It rates the toughest we've done so far on tour ! Riding was out of the question and even walking had us in danger of twanging multiple tendons and muscles !
The road condition did not allow us to fully open up on descent either and the remaining 5 kms were a continuation of undulations that had me running on empty - a combo I think of too much heat and too little sleep !
H though was doing well and perversely enjoying some of the small steep climbs, a good sign that he is back to full health and that little pity should once again be applied !
We arrived in Dolgellau (our pronunciations don't even come close to the way the Welsh say some of these places) in time for a big weekend long Welsh / Celtic festival meaning that all hotels and b&bs were fully booked.
The tourist information people instead sent us to a booking at Llanfachreth just 3 miles away saying that the ride would be a bit up and down !
In fact it was 3 miles straight up going from one type of climbing to another moving further into this magical place of Mtns and Myths.
We arrived at our guesthouse to be met by great hosts and marvellous views (see pics) having numerous cups of tea while watching the sun slowly set and a nice breeze finally providing some relief to the heat !
Yes H is enjoying himself too, glued to the tube cheering on the Aussie golfing contingent at the British Open having given up on that ordinary cricketing lot !
Tomorrow see some challenging riding through some off road sections in Snowdonia as we move towards Porthmadog.
PS.
B2 is about to wrap up his culinary tour of France by watching the final TDF sprints on Sunday down the Champs Elysée while Marysia is bravely fighting the cold wet weather on her epic cycle from Adelaide to Melbourne (currently near Portland) - go girl !
'Slow progress' at least it's not 'snow' progress'. Then it would have been 'mush mush"!
ReplyDeleteNice that you are able to enjoy a proper summer.
WMc