So here we are again, the Cardiff to Tenby cycle event, May 10th, Spring, must have been a lovely day?
Well not really – it rained again this year, and it was a little breezy, and it was just as hilly. Down the Cardiff stadium at 7:00 ready for checkin, Cardiff are building a new tier of seats for their stadium, a bit of a shame they have just been relegated – at least they finished in the highest position in the Premiership they ever have. So arrived and got the most important thing out of the way – the wee-wee – had to follow a trail of people making their way over to McDonalds to use the facilities. Once sort it was back to unpack, and get me shoes and gloves on. Then I hunted around for John and his team of nephews. Found him, and some of his crew had not turned up, so we waited for them, once arrived it appeared that they may not have been 100% prepared, one poor guy was on a *fixed* single sped bike. So not only did he only have one gear, he also could not ever freewheel – mental. Anyway, after all this faffing we eventually set off about 08:00.
Speed was slow on the first bit, there were quite a few in our pack, and the pace was around 10 mph, although its a long way, at that sort of speeed you are looking at over 10 hours just cycling – and that’s not fun man. So we got to Culver and the first hill and I watched as fixie went off, so I thought I would follow for a bit, caught him around St Nicholas but I just kept going assuming I would just meet them in Margam. At this point there were loads on the road, so it was easy to find a pack to stick with. This first part of the course is reasonably flat, there was no rain, and the wind was not too noticeable. Two hours and 30 miles later I was in Margam and ready for breakfast.
Margam looked very different to the last time – last time we set off first, and although quite a few had overtaken us, the breakfast queue was short and there were not too many people – not this time. I queued in the cold, and finally got by bap and tea and hung around like Billy No-Mates waiting for JB and the gang. I waited as long as I could, around 30 mins, but then was too cold so had to push on. Just as I was leaving I bumped into John, they had had a bit of a nightmare, they had “lost” one of the lads, another had a puncture and they had made stop start progress. So, not wanted to wait another half hour I had to decide to do the CarTen alone…
As cycling is pretty much a lonely sport anyway, other than those tossers who ride 2 and 3 abreast, so it didn’t make much of a difference. The main difference was standing on your jack jones having lunch, in the rain. The route to lunch was pretty good, from Margam across Swansea front wasn’t as bad as last year, and the ride up towards Gowerton was fine I even managed to overtake a few people. The run down to Llanelli was okay too, but the bridge across to near Bynea was a death trap. The winds were so strong over this bit that I was nearly pushed off, I had to lean to my left a significant amount just to keep going straight. I was a little scared. Then I was a little hacked off with the wind and rain down to the Llanelli front – it was crap last year and this year not so much, but it was still soooo windy, I spend my time overtaking people and swerving from one side of the pavement to another trying to tack slightly, it did seem to work a little as I overtook another load of muppets. Before I know it I was in Burry POrt, and after longer than I expected I found the pub. Filled my bottles with some french shit “Le Mon” which had a very stale citrus tatse, and some water, and got me a hot dog and chips for four quid. I stood alone outside in the drizzle and stuffed bmy dog and a few chips. Quick wee and I was away again, trying to find someone to tag along with.
The third part of the journey is the worse. Although one high point was seeing my uncle on route. Apparently he had been driving passed and just noticed me, then parked up and I just cycled passed him, so he overtook again, and this time I realised, so when he stopped for the second time I had just enough time to shout hello before I was away!! The run to Carmarthen isn’t too bad, but surprisingly up and down, as in you get surprised just how big some of the hills are, but once at Carmarthen you turn directly into the wind and cry. The run from Carmarthen is horrible, its windy and wet, and hilly and meanders all over the place and goes up hills, and has annoying motorists on small lanes, and its hilly and you know you are going out of your way to go back again and its hilly and its stupid. Once you are back on the main A48 you get off at St Clares and then head out somewhere up a hill, then you finally get onto the red roses climb. We didnt do this last year, but this year we had the pleasure. This is about 85 miles in, and its a three mile climb. Not steep but relentless, my under-carriage was hurting at this point. Finally made it to the top, where loads of people had paused, I didn’t straight to Tavernspite for me and the last stop. I was almost out of water, but when I got to tavernspite there did not seem to be a water station, so I kept on rolling. Although I did get a mouthful of Randoms which I nearly choked on as I puffed my way onwards.
Only 12 miles from here, but still hills to come, I followed a pack most of the way here, and stopped to prep the troops just before the decent into Tenby.
Into Tenby to a different end point, which was worse and finally to a stop. Got my polo shirt (Medium again – idiot) and a beer – then home for lots of nosh and a couple of 1664’s.
Sp 106 miles, according to Strava about 7:50 hrs on the bike ( http://www.strava.com/activities/140526370 ) – got in about 4:45 – Tidy.
