Audax UK regulations allow organisers and helpers (who of course can't ride the actual event) to ride up to two weeks beforehand. Four of us signed up - myself, Mike Kelly, Pat Hurt and Peter Turner. Ed Hargraves saw sense and volunteered to spend the weekend in Llanwrtyd looking after us.
Early morning on Fri 9th July saw us set off from Upton Magna. The day looked promising, light winds and sunshine. Turned out to be the calm before the storm as the dragons saw us coming and laughed at us...
Day 1
06:10 depart Upton Magna. Spirits high as the early flat miles slip by.
Llanymynech - cross the border into Wales. The sun promptly disappears behind the cloud.
09:00 - Lake Vyrnwy. Steady drizzle has now set in. As we're too early for the cafe (who will be opening up early specially for the event) we push on up the Bwlch y Groes to Bala. Cloud base is about 400m. Visibility at the summit down to a few metres so the descent is taken cautiously.
10:45 - Second breakfast in Bala. Stopped raining but wind is picking up now. The next section is going to be interesting!
Rain starts again climbing past Llyn Celyn. Gets steadily heavier as we head across Snowdonia. Headwind and climbs split the group up again up Dyffryn Mymbwr. We're all glad to get to Pete's Eats.
15:30 - Pete's Eats. I decide I've had enough - not enough miles recently and struggling to eat at Pete's. The wind is going to get worse as we turn southwards into it. I head to Bangor to get a train home, leaving the others to continue.
Sat 01:45am - Mike arrives at Llanwrtyd (355k) and decides to pack, as his knee has been playing up for the last 80km. Peter and Pat roll in shortly afterwards.
50% down and we're only 1/3 of the way through...(to be continued)
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