Day 3
The Braich Coch is a little off the Lon Las so we had to start our day by retracing our steps for about a mile before crossing the valley and heading for Machynlleth by the back roads. The start was undulating as we followed a tributary of the Dyfi down. The path then took to the meadows beside the river until we crossed the Dyfi by the impressive new bridge. The trail manages to keep off the road into Mach until it reaches the railway. There's just no way of avoiding the tight little arch. We turned east through the centre of the town for about a mile until we reached the B-road that would take us to the high point of the entire trip above the Dylfi Gorge. The climb isn't steep, just unrelenting. By now I had found my climbing legs and could keep my granny gear turning for longer. Even so I fell further and further behind and the weather got colder, wetter and windier. The peleton waited for me about half way but the wait was extended and I had a welcome rest because I realised that my back wheel was binding on a brake block, the result of last night's heavy thump on a bump. Alex took about 10 minutes to get it of the rim. He completed the job that night, by the light of a head torch and did an extremely good job.
I carried on up the ascent but after awhile we agreed that it was better for me to do the last mile or so in the Lux so that everybody else didn't have to get wet and cold at the summit waiting for the Lux to arrive behind me.
Jess and Emma had bought some thermos flasks and blagged hot water from a cafe in Mach and an Outdoor Pursuits Centre somewhere along the way so hot tea and coffee were a very welcome addition to the bll of fare! (Must put that on the feedback form).
Most of us managed to stop on the descent to look at the scenery down the gorge and admire the waterfall that plummets down right next to the layby. We didn't actually go into Llandeilo but headed for Staylittle and on to the track through the Coedwig Hafren (Severn Forest) where we stopped in a very well appointed picnic site for lunch.The weather was better now, the sun was out and the wind had dropped.
After lunch the trail undulated pleasantly; the ascents were do-able and the descents fun. Eventually we had to climb up over the watershed of the Severn and into the Wye drainage system. The summit was strange; there was a very obvious summit and a slight descent but the river was still running back towards the Severn. The actual summit came after a fairly insignificant climb.
I managed to get into the lead on the long descent towards Rhayader but lost it when I was unsure of the way. There was a final twist as we climbed up out of the main valley into a tributary vally which we followed down into Rhadayer. Beware of the roads by the clock tower; they all have give ways except the one heading down towards you as you come in to turn right and the clock tower hides stuff coming down there after you have committed to the right turn. Ridiculously unsafe!
Overnight accommodation was in the Brecon Lodge. Oddly we had beds not bunks but this is the only place that doesn't supply sheet sleeping bags so we needed our sleeping bags. Those who had been involved in last year's ride were looking forward to dinner as the amount of food supplied by the Kiwi proprietrix was enormous. She certainly lived up to her reputation; it was not just the quantity but the variety was astonishing: roast beef, roast pork, a lamb cobbler, sweet and sour chicken (with rice), five or six cold salads, roast potatoes, other veg and more. I had three platefulls but still couldn't sample everything!
Paul Regimbal (the Pembrokeshire Puppy) and Steve Spears went out and bought wine for us all which was really generous of them. Unfortunately Paul was taken by the name of some Aussie plonk which was of outstanding direness! Avoid Missionary Hill Red like the plague!
Many of the party went out to sample the delights of Friday night in Rhayader but after all that cycling and all that food I just wanted my bed.