For me the Welsh Ride Thing exceeded my expectations, for a lightweight office working southerner used to his home comforts this really was an adventure, the planning the execution, the necessary changes of plan, the remoteness (You rarely saw anybody), the lack of any mobile phone coverage and the not knowing where you are going to stay that night all added to the enjoyment of it all.
Trivia: _12 checkpoints gained 150 miles covered_16,380ft climbing with approx 23 hours in the saddle,_10,813 Kcals burnt and_1 stripy badger tan on my head as I forgot to apply sun lotion.
Major pieces of kit:
Genesis Io with 32:20 gearing
Wee Airic sleep mat
PipeDream 400 bag
Hunka Bivvybr />Mirror Dinghy spinnaker tarp.
Airloc extra dry bag under the bars.
Vaude 20 l dry bag on the rear rack
Gourdon 20l back pack
Airpress coffee maker.
Ground Effects submerino base layer
Ground Effects double happy shorts.
Assos chamois cream.
Trangia mini stove as Whisperlite was too heavy!
So the seed has well and truly been sown and since the WRT the ‘adventure biking’ continues in frequency. Not in the normal high profile climb of the fells in the Lakes or an ascent of a Snowdonia but in our more manageable local area. On almost a monthly basis now myself and a couple of guys from work will head off for a mid week ride into the wilderness of the woodlands of Berkshire, set up camp, get a fire lit and cook some food, down a bottle or two before retiring into our bivvies. An early rise follows the next morning and a blast on our bikes brings us back into the normal world of work and responsibility.
This years Welsh Ride Thing takes place in May, see the WRT blog for details.
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