Re: Sunday Ride 27th Jan 2013

[ValleyMan]

If only I had added ‘howling gale’ to the list I could have stayed in bed.

However, we were determined to be on time for once. Mission accomplished, we arrived at 8.59am helped in part by a favourable green light at the temporary lights outside Bloomfield. Sadly we were met by only four Dynamos to witness this momentus occasion; Sweaty, Gary, Huw and Slinky (who had not found anyone to play with yesterday).

Excuses rolled in. Ant came a cropper on ice yesterday ‘coming down like a sack of spuds’ (rather than looking like a sack of spuds I hasten to add). Three of our number were away having signed up as extras in the remake of the 2002 Bond movie ‘Die Another Day’; Andrew ‘Odd Job’ Rees, Andrew ‘Goldfinger’ Murphy and Roger ‘Blofeld’ Alan. Flapjack, we assume, once again had his finger in a dyke.

As we rolled out of Narberth we came across Mat and the seven of us headed for Pendine on a lovely sunny morning with the gentle push of a south westerly breeze at our backs. On reaching the top of Marros Hill, force of the howling gale became apparent as there was no respite and it felt like another mile had been added to the hill.

It was a still a struggle once we hit the road behind Amroth beach but at least we were within sight of coffee. However, the multitude of café owners, no doubt in response the prevailing conditions, clearly had other ideas and hadn’t bothered to open. The only prospect of coffee was now on the far side of Amroth and Wismans Bridge hills in Saundersfoot.

Sweaty and Gary could not be lured by the ingestion of cafine and headed home from the top of Amroth Hill.

A few more 100 feet of climbing later we found sanctuary in a fish and chip shop in Saundersfoot with a fine view over the harbour. A slight deviation to the route introduced Slinky to the joys of Sandy Hill Road before following the well-trodden route back to Narberth via Devonshire Drive, Redberth, Reynalton and Tanners Lane.

It was only 37 miles but included over 4,000ft of climbing which explained my rather weary legs by the time I got home. Nevertheless, it was a very enjoyable ride despite the condition and let’s face it, would you rather be lounging around on Polar Bear skins, drinking vodka at £10.00 a shot whilst watching the northern lights?