Amblers Ride 3rd June

[Ben]

I will be out this weekend. Weather's looking good.

So here's the same choices from a couple of weekends ago before I broke my knee.

Plenty of choices for some nice ambling in the sunny weather. My usual little caveat's apply. If there's any new riders who may not be confident with any of these routes they will be changed to accomodate. We will try and wait for anyone as usual. If you can think of a different ride you'd like to try let me know and we can try that too.

Short Sharp Hills - https://www.strava.com/routes/13055747

Similar to last week's ride - Ewenny, Colwinston, Llysworny, Llanblethian, St Hilary, Llancarfan, Penmark, Porthkerry Park (coffee here), Rhoose, Aberthaw, Gileston, St Athan, Llantwit, Wick Road to Death Valley then home.

Over Bwlch Via Afan - https://www.strava.com/routes/12588793

Laleston, Pyle, Margam, Afan Argoed (coffee here) Cwmavon, Cymmer, Top of Bwlch, Nant-y-Moel, Llangeinor then home

St Fagans Via Miskin - https://www.strava.com/routes/12270086

Pencoed, Brynna, Llanharan, Miskin, Pendoylan, Peterston-super-ely, St Fagans (Coffee here), Pendoylan, Tredodridge, Welsh St Donats, City and the Midweek route back

Porthcawl Via Fountains Lane - https://www.strava.com/routes/11443793

Coity, Pen-y-cae, Fountains Lane, Pyle, Kenfig, Porthcawl (Broomwagon for coffee), Mount Pleasant, Llangewydd, Laleston, Ewenny, Lampha, Colwinston, Troes and home

Caerphilly Mountain (I haven't ridden this before but it looks ok on Google Maps) - https://www.strava.com/routes/10871124

Pencoed, Llanharan, Llantrisant, Llantwit Fadre, Church Village, Ton-teg, Nantgarw, Caerphilly (coffee here), Tongwynlais, Pentyrch, Creigiau, Miskin, Pontyclun, Llanharan, Pencoed.

Enough of a choice I hope and descriptive enough for everyone. Anyone from Llantwit Major or St Athan I'll be at my usual place (see the picture below) at 8.05 to ride over to Brackla so you're welcome to join me.




While you're here. Please can you look at my link in my signature and maybe make a donation to Macmillan cancer support?

[Ben]

Well the votes have finished and it looks like it's a trip to Caerphilly.

As said before this will depend on who turns up though.

[Jo]

I'll be out. Caerphilly mountain looks good. Never been there before 

[Ben]

Hope some have you have seen Big Hero 6 for this one 

Six intrepid friends,
Led by Ben! Their leader, Ben!
Ben’s angels m-m-m
Ben’s angels m-m-m
Harnessing the power of the sun with the
Carbon bicycles they found in the shed
M-m-m The bicycles have gears.....

If you have seen Big Hero 6 you'll get that. If you haven't then you probably should as it's very funny


Anyway. 6 of us left Brackla to climb mountains. There was Me, Ade, Lee, Ross, Jo and Simon. Simon and myself were cutting it fine getting there when Roy2 had a puncture on the way out but we made it. We stayed pretty much to the route on the way out. Saw Jason T just after Llantwit Fadre (you could have joined us Jase). We did get split at the outskirts of Caerphilly when Ross and Lee decided they wanted the easy(er) option and took Jo with them to climb a different way. Ade, Simon and me waiting in Caerphilly for 5-10 minutes but decided we'd have more chance of seeing the lost explorer's at the cafe at the top. So on we plodded. I immediately regretted the 39-28 gearing on the back of my bike and remembered how evil Caerphilly mountain is from the town side. We all made it to the top with a small pause on the way up to catch breath and lower heart rates. Then at the top we enjoyed a drink and a break before Ross and Lee left to go home and Ade went via the Crem.
That left Simon, Jo and me so we went into Cardiff and through Pontcanna fields and over Blackweir past Sport Wales to take my usual commute home. So up past St Fagans, turning just before Peterston-super-ely to Clawdd-coch then Welsh St Donats and into Cowbridge where Jo went home and Simon and me went up the hill back to Llantwit Major and home.

Was a great ride despite the large mountain in the middle which was a challenge.

I'm away at the Dragon next week so could someone take the ride for me please?

[Jason T]

I was tempted to pull a U-Turn when I saw the group and all the yellow but stuck to my planned route as I wasn't sure where the group was going.