A few minutes late, drifting away from Brackla were me, Mark R, Nige, Angelo, and post-covid Paul (in dire need of a TUE for something). Ride #1 of the Pacers’ Classic Series introduced to prevent whoever has to come up with a ride from spending any creative energy, ripped off reused a ride from November 2018 and we immediately reaped the benefit by riding straight pass the turn for a bike path out of Brackla and enjoyed the crushing banality of suburban Bridgend for a few minutes.
After a couple of miles gentle warm-up towards Heol-y-Cyw we immediately cooled down as the first of the days eight hundred and seventeen downpours blew over. Quick stop for 80% of us to don rain jackets which stayed on for the rest of the day. Angelo explained his decision not to bring a jacket was due to his expectation of a dry day, having presumably made a careful study of the forecast. For Riyadh. The steep kick up Heol Laethog was an early wake-up call but uneventful. Made up for by the twisty descent into Blackmill involving copious gravel, large branches and an impressive number of seemingly flightless waterfowl appreciating the conditions.
Heading towards Gilfach Goch Angelo started to dance away on every slope as the rest of us enjoyed alternating heavy rain and blinding sunshine. Shortly after, Mark peeled off for some solo efforts, disappointed in the lack of urgency being shown in the group.
We continued on through Pontypridd and then skirting Cardiff, passing a particularly inviting looking bus stop just as the next deluge drifted over. The gentleman already in residence was talking animatedly on his phone in a language none of us recognised, but it seemed likely he was conveying just how impressed he was with our hardman approach to the climate and striking physiques.
St Fagans to Llantwit on narrow, rolling, twisty lanes made an effective pace line hard to organise but we eventually made it to the coffee stop at Café Velo. The Pacers are nothing if not self-aware and cognizant of the need to include all demographics in group conversation we steered clear of the usual pension talk and initiated a colloquy covering all aspects of tumble dryers.
Although Angelo was keen to benefit more from our collective laundry appliance experience he was forced to cede to his impending hyperthermia and get moving again. Something he did with considerable aplomb and he disappeared up the first incline, not to be seen again. The rest of us continued at varying pace along the coast, through Southerndown and Ogmore back to Bridgend.
