AMBLERS CLUB RUN - 9 NOVH

[Mark Pope]

Here is tomorrow's route:

Brackla- Coychurch -Pencoed -Hirwaun Common - Heol-y-Cyw - Bryncethin - Brynmenyn - Bettws- LLangeinor -Blackmill
-Gilfach Goch -Tonyrefail -Talbot Green via dual carriageway - Pontyclun -Ystrad Owen -Aberthin -Cowbridge -Llandow -LLantwit Major- St Donats -Monknash -St Brides -Southerndown -Ogmore -Ewenny - Brackla 

It's around 52 miles with cake stop at Cafe Velo at 37 miles.  A flat first 10 miles or so, a couple of lumps in the middle and a flat(ish) last third. Forecast is damp with reasonably light winds so rain capes required. See you at 0900 tomorrow.

Mark P

[Tom]

Ringing the changes with a new route already eh Mark?Sounds good-I'll be there so long as it stops raining!

[ron b]

Just a quick reminder, it is Remembrance day tomorrow many town centres will be shut for an hour.

[Tom]

We normally stop for a minute or 2 at 11

[Mark Pope]

Good point Tom. We'll have to work that in tomorrow at 1100.

[Tom]

Excellent route as your debut Mark-we'll expect a similar standard in future.You were sensible enough to ignore my suggested variations and we  timed it perfectly to get the theWar Memorial in Pontyclun at 10.59!I'll leave it to you to give a blow by blow account!

[Mark Pope]

Just the 6 Amblers us out today:

Tom
Andrew S
Terry A
Jonathan
Tony
Mark P

We headed out via Coychurch to Pencoed and then across Hirwaun Common, which was a gentle warm-up prior to a mini-hill fest between 10 and 20 miles. We climbed up to Bettws from Brynmenyn before descending to Llangeinor and climbing up and over Llangeinor towards Blackmill. We then climbed up to Gilfach Goch, which raised a few heart rates into the red zone. The second half of the ride was much flatter and apart from some minor incidents of road rage on the dual carriageway near Talbot Green all went well.

I'd like to claim the credit for arriving at the Pontyclun War Memorial at 1059 to be met by a bugler, the RAF/Navy/Army and local population but it was actually just good fortune. After paying our respects we headed back via Cowbridge, Llantwit and Wick, Death Valley and home. It was a little shorter than planned as the Police closed the road into Tonyrefail. I clocked 48 miles (a bit more for Tony & Terry who added an extra loop at the end) and about 2400ft of ascent. The weather was very kind to us too, with not one spot of rain. One interesting point; I was 16 seconds faster climbing Llangeinor than during the Club Hill Climb race and yet today was just a steady even paced ride whereas the Club Hill Climb nearly killed me. Is this an object lesson for us hill climb novices in how to tackle a competitive hill climb??
 

[Tony M]

Well done Mark, Good run today. I need to fill my tyres with helium to help a bit on those cheeky little climbs. Timing was exceptional.