Three and a half Pacers out on a seasonally-mild Sunday morning. Numbers failing to be swelled, despite us now being the official threat levied against unruly Chamblers.
Dave finally returned to the fold after an extended lie down, and immediately stamped his authority on the ride by leading us in the precisely the opposite direction to the published route. Someone who I can attest can guide you through rural lanes in darkness unable to read the map on their head unit in broad daylight.
Eventually back on track we headed out through Margam, Port Talbot and Baglan to Briton Ferry where Paul turned round (might have been earlier than this!) and set off looking for KoMs, and Mothers’ Day lunches. The by now familiar bike path along the M4 took us to Skewen and then skirting the northern Swansea suburbs to Morriston. Out to the village of Felindre and a new climb (to me, and Strava would suggest everyone in OVW) up onto the common. Interesting lower slopes, 23% and seemingly in a river, but fortunately flattening out to 10-12% of the rest of the ascent.
A lumpy run into Llanelli, with another new climb up Rehoboth Road hill which Strava says is only 22.2% at its stingiest. Fast descent down to the coast, with Dave gliding away and me trying to remember if I’d tightened thru axles, stem bolts, etc.
Arrived in the centre of Llanelli to realise we’d (I’d) overshot the café by about a mile and a half. We dragged Nigel past the Costa back out to Humble Coffi. Worth a stop if you’re out that way, but not easy to find.
Flat all the way home, with a fairly kind cross-tail wind. Everyone doing their best to keep the pace up. Especially Nigel who finally appeared from the back of the peleton towards the end of harbour way and rode off the front at a good 100w quicker than we’d done for the last 20 miles.
Just over 100 miles for everyone, and now fit and raring to go for RR3 next week.
