A funny thing happened

on the way to the forum!

Well not funny really and it was a castle not a Roman entertainment complex.

The week started out fairly normal, a walk and shopping on Monday followed by a writing session. That however was a bit laboured and slow so i didn't get as far as i'd hoped. Which meant that when Aunty B suggested another ride in Wales on Wednesday, Tuesday became another writing day. The other job was setting up the new back wheel for my daily ride, i took the opportunity to fit new brake pads and sort out some other small issues to keep things running.

Things went a bit better at the keyboard, i finished writing the chapter although i feel it could be better even if the Patreon responses have been positive. A trip out for some groceries set me up for the Wednesday ride, the forecast was warm, sunny with little wind, i had a route planned and i was ready if a little trepidatious for my third consecutive ride in the Principality.

The difference to the two previous trips was an earlier start, Bev dropped me just north of Newport before ten, i'd have plenty of time for the planned ride. The first leg took me immediately along the Monmouthshire Canal towpath before hitting the first climbs of the day on the lanes across to Caerphilly, site of the castle and funniness. Funniness in the form of a statue to the towns most famous son, one Thomas Cooper, otherwise known as the fez wearing magician/comedian Tommy, beloved by Brits for over three decades of the C20th.

I do like a good castle, Caerphilly is a very large example and despite the early hour, i decided to have my lunch sat in the sun across the moat from the huge remains. Then it was back to the tarmac, a climb took me over the 300+m mountain to Nelson from where i picked up my first stretch of dedicated bike route along the Taff Trail to Abercynon. Then it was up the Cynon Trail to Mountain Ash before returning to the roads to reach my mid point of Aberdare.

The plan was simple, up over Maerdy Mountain, at 404m, the high point of the day's ride then it would be @ 50km of essentially downhill through the Rhondda and so to Cardiff where i'd reconvene with Aunty B. Simple yes but the start was savage! From the centre of Aberdare the road climbs straight and steep, hitting over 12% before leaving the town, within metres it reaches the eye watering grade of 28% before settling down to a more comfortable 5-7% through the hairpins to the open moorland across to the summit.

The drop on the south side is less and quicker and soon i was descending the surprisingly pleasant Rhondda Fach valley down to Porth where it joins the Rhondda Fawr. The Rhondda bike trail is a bit fractured so i was looking forward to rejoining the Taff Trail at Pontypridd however the route is mostly shared paths until Taffs Well by which time i was ready to leave the roads behind. I was now on the last leg to Cardiff, under 20km to go, the trail running from excellent to merely quite good as it follows the twists and turns of the Afon Taff seawards.

I treated myself to an ice cream as i reached the northern suburbs then it was a matter of dodging the holiday makers and local youth enjoying the afternoon sunshine. For logistics reasons we were meeting out of the centre so at the castle i returned to the roads, using quite back roads to bypass the city centre and heavy traffic of the eastern corridor. And there she was, i pulled up and stopped the clock, 102km, 1159m and still only 16.30! If only i'd had such an early start last week.

So that's why i didn't post yesterday and you are seeing this today, Thursday. As for the rest of the week, i'll be pounding the keyboard today and Saturday, riding tomorrow and Sunday. It's a bit cooler, a bit windier today, yesterdays mid teens replaced by a more seasonal 9/10c but at least dry.

That's all for today, i'll be back here Sunday,
Tschuss,
Madeline Anafrid