Lots of people out this morning so no doubt I'm missing a few people, sorry;
Jason T,
Dave W,
Greg,
Nige,
Reece,
Mark B,
Dylan,
Carl,
Lloyd Gilby,
John Edwards,
Steven,
Steve C,
Harpo
We set off on the planned route and I knew I would be suffering as soon as we started to climb towards Laleston, this week I've picked up a lovely cold and it seems others may have it to come shortly.... so enjoy the snotty nose, popping ears, burning chest etc.
Due to the size of the group we seemed to have some issues with surging when it was getting strung out, after last weeks success it was great to see a paceline for riders to rotate through after Margam, unfortunately this was messy with people surging at the front which threw everything off. In the future this would be something that we can try to work in to group rides where the roads allow, it can be so much better rotating in that type of wind rather than stringing out.
The pace was high from Neath to McDonalds which is usually great when you don't have a cold, Dave and myself dropped off the back and came in with Lloyd ~ Don't be put off by that Lloyd, the pace was high and the wind not nice today so that was a little harder than usual (there's also the Chasers group which ride a little slower than us who followed us in to McDonald's).
On arriving at McDonald's we could see a rider crashed out on the roundabout, there were a few stationary cars so unsure if one of those were involved, hopefully it's not too serious but we could see him being stretchered off and in to the ambulance.
Seeing the group split after leaving McDonald's we (Jason T, Dave W, Greg, Nige, Reece, Mark B, Dylan & Carl) headed off on the planned route and I think Steve C and Harpo headed home to wash their hair and watch repeats of Eldorado, or some other lame excuse
Dave navigated us via a different road which popped out in Penderyn, a little lumpy but a good alternative when the roads have been dry, we then headed via Cwm Cadlan and to the top end of Merthyr where we had a quick water stop.
It wasnt a bad climb at all heading through Merthyr, up Bogey Road and then over the top of Bedlinog. Some of the days efforts and surges were starting to take their toll at this point but we decided to continue on to the next climb, this took up from Nelson and over the climb to drop down in to Cilfynydd (not a great lane option to be honest and my chest and legs started to feel better at this point).
We decided to knock the Graig climb on the head and come back via Treforest, the flatter option, I came out to the roundabout at Beddau and let the group head home.
Hopefully everyone made it back Ok and we missed all the rain.
