a weekend in wales... (long)

feef · Energiser Bunny Joined: 11 Feb 2002 Karma :

just back from a weekend in Wales with a mob of friends. We were staying in Baskerville Hall near Hay on Wye, and I led one of the rideouts on Saturday.

Saturday dawned a cracking sunnyish, dry day (just as I'd ordered). At breakfast plans for the day were solidified, and it seemed my suggestion of a route, had become "feef is leading our rideout", and so after a bit of faffing involving who needed fuel, we headed off, with me in front following my scribbled notes in my tankbag. First stop was at the burger van outside Brecon, where the facilities were facilitated, and Mayhem's bike decided it wanted to go back to bed,and refused to start again (arcing connector was the problem, it melted it all). The rest of us didn't know that until we'd cracked on thru Sennybridge, and were on our way up to Heol Senni.

one bike down, we continued on, on an ickle white road which from google maps I had seen had some hairpins.. and did it!. Once round the first hairpin I looked down, to see Jack and others in the distance.. vertical distance! many twisty bits, gravelly bits, and cattlegriddy bits ensued before stopping at Ystradefeltte for a quick leg stretch, decided we didn't fancy the pub there, and would crack on to the cake shop. Bubba (on his Heritage Soft-tail)was needing fuel by now, so we stopped at the first 'gas station' we came to, which was manned by a proper welshman (boyo) who dispensed fuel in his manky sweatshirt and slippers.

from there, we followed a tortuous route of 30 - 40 - 30 - 40 roads,
which we thoght would never end. Argh the frustration. At one point it went from 40 - 30 - 20 and we half expected it to next say "stop and go back from whence you came" Fortunately it didn't, and we finally found ourselves climbing the black mountains, on some fantastic twisty, sheep strewn roads with some deceptive corners hidden in dips. You can see the road over there -> but it heads over there <- first. Stopping at a view point to take in the view, we had icecreams from the icecream van (just as I'd ordered). Jack made friends with a pony, but I don't think it would have fitted on his pillion, so we headed off with only iron horses in tow.

We stopped in Llandovery, with the idea of getting a cuppa at the
West-End Cafe, but it was heaving with the weekend warrior mob, so we decided to head on to Brecon, to the ultimate cakeshop. The roads from Llandovery that were being resurfaced last year were finished (just as I'd ordered) so we had lovely smooth, curvy sweepy tarmac all the way up to Garth, where we headed over the hills towards Upper Chapel. Another brief leg-stretching stop at another viewpoint, but we all felt the cake shop calling, so we didn't hang about and belted down the back of the hills into brecon, to find the parking spaces we used last year had been left for us (just as I'd ordered) into the cake shop to find our seats downstairs to be free(just as I'd ordered), so we slumped into the big sofas, and cleaned the shop out of custard slices, victoria sponge, carrot cake and other various sweet and lovely things.

All in all, a top day, top weekend.

I've now got less than a centimeter left on the edge of the rear tyre on the FJR, and some nice scrubby looking bits that I only usually get on the track (and I was 2-up! ) in total, did about 400 miles, in riding there, and back, and on the saturday rideout.

It seems I've been nominated rideout organiser now, since everyone liked my route so much Neutral

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Mudskipper wrote: feef, that is such a beautiful post that it gave me a lady tingle Laughing

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Suzuki · Roger Joined: 03 May 2005 Karma :

Sounds like you had a wicked weekend! Thumbs Up

Nice one!

Mayhem as in Neil with a VFR?
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<Simple> no I'm shaven Jon Razz

<Simple> it is a big enough hole.. I'll leave it now
Ride: 1999 Suzuki GSXR600 (yellow/black) IRC: Stats - Relationship Map

feef · Energiser Bunny Joined: 11 Feb 2002 Karma :

Suzuki · Roger Joined: 03 May 2005 Karma :

How Bizarre. I have a friend called Neil, who not only rides a VFR but uses the moniker "Mayhem" online. Laughing

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<Simple> no I'm shaven Jon Razz

<Simple> it is a big enough hole.. I'll leave it now
Ride: 1999 Suzuki GSXR600 (yellow/black) IRC: Stats - Relationship Map

TOM M · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Mar 2005 Karma :

Cool

Any pics ????????
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Now owner of a 1200 Bandit

Suzuki · Roger Joined: 03 May 2005 Karma :

No, but I'll ask him for one if you're that interested? Laughing

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<Simple> no I'm shaven Jon Razz

<Simple> it is a big enough hole.. I'll leave it now
Ride: 1999 Suzuki GSXR600 (yellow/black) IRC: Stats - Relationship Map

feef · Energiser Bunny Joined: 11 Feb 2002 Karma :

WildGoose · White Van Man Joined: 21 Mar 2002 Karma :

nice

was in hay on wye weekend before last, my parents have just bought a holiday home about 10 miles east of there, i absolutely love it out there

did you manage to get up onto hay bluff at all?

its where the black mountains beging, views are incredible from up there, and its all accessable via roads. the road takes you all the way alongside the mountain side, all the way to abergavveny (sp) and gets a little hairy at points, worse in a car, but its definately worth a look Thumbs Up

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So in other words, he stopped you for being flagrantly in posession of a motorcycle in direct contravention of the Hippies, Darkies and People Whose Face I Don't Like The Look of (Police Powers) Act. 1976

BlackSheep · Trackday Trickster Joined: 22 Sep 2004 Karma :

WildGoose · White Van Man Joined: 21 Mar 2002 Karma :

aye, i had a fairly stereotypical view of them...

before i saw this place, its a cut above...
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So in other words, he stopped you for being flagrantly in posession of a motorcycle in direct contravention of the Hippies, Darkies and People Whose Face I Don't Like The Look of (Police Powers) Act. 1976