Great riding today, excellent route Jason.
Not sure who started where but by the time I joined in Llandaff the group was 9 strong.
Jason, Allan, Haydn, Steve C, Nigel,Dave W, 'Dodgy', Matt (new rider) and myself. Some of the group seemed keen to get to the hills as soon as possible as we set a fair pace along the flats and docks road to Newport. Allan then smashed it down the past the steelworks to Magor, there wasn't much let up in the pace as we went though
Chepstow to Tintern and the first climb of the day, a steady affair that took us over to the Star Inn and decent to Usk. Allan peeled off here the rest of us had a good cafe stop at the Sprokwoggle cafe, nice courtyard, great coffee and cakes, Cornish pasty proved too much for Steve!
Refreshed we headed to Llanover and the gnarly route up the Tumble, with the resurfacing and the fact it was dry, proved to be less challenging than it has in the past. Though it was still quite a challenge! After t he usual thrash through Blaenavon and Abersychan then grind up to Haforyrynys, Jason revealed his cunning plan to cut out the roller-coasters along the dual carriageway A472. And very cunning it turned out to be, the 'Oakdale' climb a real snorter when you've got 80 to 90 miles in your legs. Turned out to be too much for 1 or 2, who resorted to wearing out their cleats, no names mentioned!!
Blast down to Caerphilly for a second coffee stop and parted company at Taffs Well.
Great to do something similar if we have a good weather Sunday in August.
