Home safe and sound after an eventful Pacers run.
Knew I should have stayed at home, when the first words I heard in the group, were Mark Rosser asking me if I was getting fat! Of course he was more polite than that mentioning something about 'winter padding' but I knew EXACTLY what he meant!!
12 riders and we decided to do the route clockwise to get benefit of wind over the Bwlch and Rhigos and kept to a decent winter pace to the Bwlch, where the usual division occurred, separating into 3 small groups. Reassembled in Treorchy and after a quick gel/banana fix, set off up the Rhigos. Rob hit the front early and soloed up while a group of 5 or 6 kept a steady pace. Myself, Haydn and Neal about 50 metres behind, I couldn't close the gap but Haydn and Neal both climbing well joined the main group. Rapid decent, regroup and a cafe stop in Aberdare, where disaster struck! The cafe wasn't open! Fortunately it was just about to do so and we helped set out table and chairs. Unfortunately my chain had jammed in the 'cafe sprint' and sheared the outer plate of my rear mech. Shortened chain to set up a single speed but problem with the chainring meant needed to call in international rescue, in the form of my wife. Thanks for hanging back to check things were OK
Hope you had a good ride home.
After Mark's comments had to rethink post ride recovery again and had already decided that the Mcflurry ice-cream and cornish pastie were short of protein and had too much sugar, so trying out double cornish pasty and a pint of milk. Perfect!