My Community
General Category => Club Runs => Topic started by: Jason T on August 21, 2017, 08:30:51 AM
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***08:00 Start Time***
During the last club run some of us mentioned rides out to Tirabad, the Devil's Staircase etc due it it being a Bank Holiday Weekend. I believe a couple of people who fancy this are not available this coming weekend (Sunday or Monday) so we'll hold off for now but how about;
Pencoed -> Talbot Green -> Church Village -> Pontypridd -> Merthyr -> Pontsticill -> Talybont on Usk -> Brecon -> Heol Senni -> Devil's Elbow -> Rhigos -> Bwlch -> Home
The ride would come in at just under 100 miles with a Lunch/Coffee Stop in Brecon at just over the halfway mark;
https://www.strava.com/routes/10022472
***08:00 Start Time***
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looks good! 8, 8.30 or 9 start time?
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I'll be there, probably best to start early
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I was thinking of 09:00 but I was going to cycle to Bridgend, what time do people prefer as I'll just meet you on the way if you fancy a 08:00 start or whatnot?
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You no me, easy going! Will go with the flow! :)
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Yes looks another good ride Jason, I can start anytime so go with the flow.
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Not as quick as last time please Jason, we were in Brecon before the cafe opened!
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Do you lot want to start at 08:00 and meet me at the bottom of my hill at 08:45 like last time?
I couldn't face leaving my house at 07:10 to get there for 08:00.
Hopefully we will be in Brecon for close to lunch time ;D
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08:00 Start Time People
I'll meet you at the bottom of my hill around 08:40/08:45 then :)
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Fine with me, see you sunday
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What time are you starting on Sunday?? ;D ;D
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.:::08:00:::.
;D ;D ;D
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Enjoy the run Gents. Just gonna try and get some consistency back in my legs before I book a Sunday morning off 😂👍🏾
I know one thing though ..... no more kids. I feel like a 50 year old !!! No offence Harp 👍🏾🤣
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Got the day off now so ill meet you in Pencoed on the college roundabout at 8:10, looks like it gonna be a good one :)
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Jason,
What hill are you on about meeting at? Cross Inn roundabout or Llantrisant? I dont fancy the extra 10 Miles to the start or leaving early!!
Si.
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It would be at the traffic lights in Llantwit Fardre, the ones before the old East Glamorgan Hospital turning. I guess you could always pick up the group as they come through at the McDonalds roundabout or Cross Inn roundabout.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Llantrisant+Rd,+Llantwit+Fardre,+Pontypridd+CF38+2SN/@51.5612911,-3.3283386,19z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x486e1748211d6533:0xd114d65d02dadd6
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I picked up the club run coming through Llantwit Fardre this morning so there was;
Me and coming from Bridgend;
Harpo,
Greg,
Mark,
Paul (who also cycled to Bridgend for the start),
Nige,
Steve
We had an excellent pace going up to Merthyr where we turned off and headed towards the reservoirs, Mark then peeled off just above Trefechan as he needed to be back early, we kept the pace going and climbed to the highest point before descending towards Talybont. The pace down here was excellent, so much so we kept it going to Brecon where we arrived nearly an hour ahead of schedule.
Harpo fancied stopping at the same cafe as last time.... much to Steve's disgust :) After ordering our coffee (which I think was Mellow Birds) and the guys having what appeared to be their Tesco Value Flake Cakes we set off for the Devil's Elbow.
I think this was a new route out of Brecon for some, I've ridden it a couple of times as it's much nicer than heading back down the A470, a slow long climb to some very nice straight and fast roads. We then took the usual road towards the Devil's Elbow which I think was the first time Nige has climbed it, after regrouping at the top we smashed it down to a different road which Harpo suggested we take, after some climbing it actually turned out to be a better climb than the planned one through Ystradfellte (who would have thought it ;)).
After popping out on the main road above Penderyn we had a quick discussion, due to the pace should we take an easier and flatter route back or stick to the plan and go over the Rhigos and Bwlch... we chose the latter.
Climbing the Rhigos wasn't too bad but I used a lot of energy trying to chase Paul, Hapro and Steve down to Treherbert as we were all faced with an unwelcome headwind.
We all regrouped at Carpanini's Cardiff Arms Cafe in Treorchy, a place untouched by time, at this point the temperatures were starting to hit the high 20's so I thought I would treat everyone to a drink. I quickly mentioned that we were still looking for a captain but didn't have any takers, my plan of treating near delirious people to a cold drink and suckering them in failed :-\
We then set off for the last major climb of the day, or so I thought, and we all hit the Bwlch. This was a bit of a beasting, nearing the top Steve looked like he had been slapped around by the boogie man. Again, we regrouped at the top and I think it's safe to say we were all suffering in our own ways at this point, so off we went down to Nant-y-moel where some of us and a bit of a hairy moment with an oncoming car and Paul fishtailing while trying to stop in time.
After this point we were in survival mode, every little rise was giving my legs a kicking which started to feel worse than the whole climb of the Bwlch.
Harpo, Paul, Steve and myself made it back to Bryncethin as a group, Harpo headed over the common while the rest of us made our way across to Heol-y-Cyw.
Steve then peeled off at the Pencoed roundabout and Paul and myself headed back to Talbot Green, Paul was starting to suffer from what sounded like an awful hot spot on his foot so hopefully his return leg wasn't too bad.
Hopefully everyone made it back Ok and good on everyone for sticking to the whole route, I think it was worth it :)
I'm off to try to rehydrate, I don't think that I've ever seen my top with so many salt stains before.
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Excellent ride and write up. Going over Heol Y Cyw I could just see you in the distance but no way could i catch back up to you. Legs burning from todays ride. Thanks all.
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I got back OK, felt alright after I necked that Gel and managed to cycle with my right foot for long enough that the left foot recovered a bit. I overtook that guy who went passed us by Llanharan when you eased up for me, I passed him in Talbot Green after you peeled off he was a marked man! Just to add cracking route which I haven't done for a couple of years, well worth heading to Brecon to take in some cracking views on quiet country roads.
Ta
P