The 2011 Welsh Ride Thing is GO!

WRT doesn’t have competition … it is a unique event for the hardcore, elite, fool hardy or just plain nerdy

love it 😉

O yay O yay I get page 13 my lucky number 😆

the sun is going to shine next weekend on us Nerds 8)

Well done Pete, got there in the end.

I have a couple you can borrow if you don’t want to buy any, or try before you buy type thing.

Thanks, that’d be very handy. Bring them along next Saturday and I’ll have a go fitting them before I go 🙂

Cheers Ian I admit I was stalking for the page change 😳

So 4 days until the off any final hints and tips?

weather update – improving slightly 😉

http://www.yr.no/place/United_Kingdom/Wales/Machynlleth~2643251/long.html

http://www.yr.no/place/United_Kingdom/Wales/Pennant~2640442/long.html

Que Sera Sera, it rains it rains! It’s not about the goal it’s about the journey, If it comes easy, if it doesn’t require extraordinary effort, you’re not pushing hard enough: It’s supposed to hurt like hell!

agreed and I am expecting pain and discomfort in abundance but one can dream of perfect summer days/evenings bikepacking around one of the best countrysides in the world.

Ride bike, drink beer, sleep in hedge, repeat, what’s so hard about that?

nowt Nick, but we’re hardened bikers and don’t tell anyone anything different 😉

what about obsessing over gear choices?

Ride bike, drink beer, sleep in hedge, repeat

You stole my plan!

It’s my plan too if it happens though is another thing!!

Head down and do it in two days is my plan…

48 hours or sunday night?

what about obsessing over gear choices?

Somehow, I seem to be getting things together in strangely unobsessive manner.

Sorted out my togs this evening on the presumption that it’ll be wet and chilly…

Wearing

Altura 3/4 length baggys
Endura MT500 lycra shorts
Smartwool Merino T-shirt
Uvex Helmet
Lidls trekking socks

Carrying (unless weather dictates wearing)

Montane Atomic waterproof jkt
Freestyle Goretex trosuers
Buff
Uniqlo micro down jacket (260g)
spare socks
Lidls thermal leggings (147g)
Primark polyester undies (for sleeping in. I don’t want too many butt boils forming from living in dirty chamois 😉 )
DHB bamboo/polyester zip front baselayer

I slightly melted the bottom of my favourite Adidas El Moro SPDs today whilst drilling the old cleat bolts out so am having a minor dilemma over footwear. Sidi Dominators that are treacherous to walk in or an older, slightly buggered pair of El Moros 😕

Back by Sunday night, ideally. It’s a hundred miles, so should be do-able in two days, though three would have been more leisurely. I could be mis-judging it though – wouldn’t be the first time…

That was my thinking, around 100 miles is two days riding! I’m setting up for a cruise back in on Monday if it goes to plan, probably show up Tuesday tho’ 😆

This is the planned load so far;

Lomo 12l Drybag Strapped to the handlebars using Revelate ‘Strap’ Harness
Terra Nova Laser Comp
POE Peak Elite AC sleeping pad
GoLite Ultralight Quilt #1
Ajungilak Inflatable Pillow
Rab Down Expedition Socks

Mountain Feedbags(x2)
Torq Gels (x15)
Mule Bars (x3)
Electrolyte Tabs

Seatbag
Revelate Dry Liner
OMM Kamleika Pants
Socks (x2 pairs)
Mont Bell Down Half Sleeve
Arc’teryx Merino Leggings (sleep)
Arc’teryx Breva Vest
Aloksak; MSR Pack Towel, Wet Wipes, 25ml Tooth paste, Folding Toothbrush, Deodorant, TP
Stuff Bag; Anti Gravity Gear Pot Cozy, MSR Ti Kettle, Optimus Crux Stove, Primus Windshield, 100g Gas Cartidge, Primus Fire Steel
Mont Bell 330ml Ti Mug
Super Noodles (x2)
Pepperami Snack Size (x2 bags)
Expedition Meals Main
Expedition Meals Pudding
Instant Hot Chocolate (x2)
Buff
SIS Recovery Drink Mix (x2)
For Goodness Shakes Recovery
Montane UL Pants
X Bionic Arm Warmers

Framebag
Lezyne Tool Caddy
Crank Bros MT19
Patches (Glue & Instant)
Tyre Boots
Gerber Clutch MultiTool
Disk Pads (x2 sets)
Tyre Levers
Crank Bros Cleats
Chain Lube (Juicy Lubes Wet)
Terra Nova Laser Comp Pole
Raidlight Folding Cup
Alpkit Padded Cell 1 & Pentax Optio WP
Sunscreen
Adventure Medical 1st Aid #7
Aloksak – Paramol, Diclofenac, Pro Plus
Chamois Butt’r (x3 sachets)
Mont Bell Titanium Trowel
Lhoon
MSR Ti Fork & Spoon
Petzl Zipka
Exposure Joystick, Piggyback Cell & Beacon Diffuser
Hope Battery (spare)
Lithium AA Batteries (x4)
Contact Lens Eye Drops & Spare Lens
Avon Skin So Soft (Insect Repellent)
Silva Exp. 4 Compass
Wherewolf Card
Coffee
Aloksak – Cash & Cards
Aloksak – Phone
Aloksak – iPod Shuffle & Headphones

Frame
Camelbak Podium 750ml
Camelbak Podium 625ml
Lezyne Pump
Awesome Strap w/ Supersonic Tubes (x2)
Hope Vison Two & Battery

Wingnut Splitback
3l Osprey Bladder
OMM Kamleika Smock
Arc’teryx Celerus Vest
Buff
Spare Gloves
Panasonic HD Video Camera
Aloksak – OS Maps 1:25 (x2), Memory Map Route Prints

Worn
X Bionic Helmet
X Bionic LS Energizer Base
Mammut Extreme LS
Assos Mille Shorts
X Bionic Leg Warmers
Icebreaker Socks
Mavic Switchback Shoes
Specialized BG Gloves
Julbo Race Zebra Glasses
Giro Athlon Helmet
TNF Puddle Jacket

that’s an awesome list

I must sort my kit and list it asap – job for tomorrow eve after running club me thinks 😉

I’ll look at all that properly in the morning, but I’m prepared to wager that the above weighs more than 4kg 😉

perhaps he’s going for the “weight” prize? 😉

Yeah blew the 4kg, went with more clothing, tools and included more food!

Also forgot the Garmin GPS60. May also take more Gels, although Tesco has Jelly Babies on buy one get one free.

Should be able to just ride, maybe grab a snack on route.

Bike handles perfectly, will be a grind going over cadair though. 😉

Some inspiration here and her setup here[/url]

Jelly babies rock 8)

Sunscreen

Being a bit optimistic aren’t you?

Other than the kitchen sink, I can’t see anything you’ve missed off that list 😉

I’ll have a bash at sorting out my revised kit this evening. Only need to add in a few extra bits of clothes and swap the tarp/ bivi bag for the tent so won’t make a huge difference to the total weight of my gear.

Also got a neat idea for a map holder, if I can find time to implement it before the weekend…

Here you go then:

Sleeping / Shelter
Bivvy Bag (Hunka XL)
Sleeping Bag (Xero 250)
Mat (Neoair reg)
Pillow (Exped)
Dry bag to store sleeping bag in (Lomo 12l)
Handlebar Harness (Wildcat)

Cooking (In Wildcat framebag)
Stove (Coke can)
Pot (MyTiMug)
Mug (Lifeventure 450ml titanium)
Tiphoon
Folding Plastic Bowl
Meths
Windshield (Caldera cone)
Matches
Scourer
Cloth

Night & Rain Clothes
Waterproof Jacket (Rab Drillium)
Down Jacket (Patagonia Down Sweater)
Woolly Hat
Thermals (HH Lifa)
Socks
2x Plastic Bags

Clothes (On Bike)
Baselayer
Cycling Shorts
Mid Layer
Waterproof Cycling shorts (Endura eVent)
Gloves (riding)
Socks (riding)
Buff

Food (In Wildcat framebag)
2 x Dehydrated meals & pudding
2x Porridge
Mars Bars
Snacks etc.
Small whisky

Tools
1x tube
Multitool
Pump
Patches
Spare odd bolts / links
Spare pads x1
Tyre boot

Extras
Small First Aid Kit
Headtorch
Iphone & extra batt
Money / Card
Whistle
Compass
Aquapak for money/phone
Leatherman
Water bottle & filter
Sun cream
Insect Repellent
Wipes / tissue / loo roll
Spare batteries
Mini Bike lights
Maps

😀

Quite happy with that, not the most minimal but also not taking everything

What’s with all this ‘going to try and get back early stuff?’ It’s not a race remember and there’s quite a difference to spending 2 nights out rather than 1.

Anyone returning early will be expected to be carrying a note from their mum 😉

Getting back early = going home early to the visiting inlaws. 😯

Weather forecast is better for Monday as well, what about starting late? Turn up for raffle, drive to caravan, spend evening listening to rain beating down on roof, start Sunday.

Getting back early – hell no way!!

I’ve got a 3 day pass for biking and I am god damn gonna use the lot come rain or hell water!! Or ash clouds for that matter!!

If by any unbelievable stroke of luck or genius Steve and I are back done on Sunday I think we’ll do another half lap. But the chances of that are like a snail giving a slug his shell and saying “here buddy you can have my house!!” 😉

Well no smart comments on my kit so can’t be too bad. 🙂

whats a Wherewolf Card for?

Sorry for being slow Tiger, but i’d ditch the folding bowl and the suncream.

Suncream: Fair point

Folding Bowl: Two of us are sharing a 700ml MyTiMug to boil water so another ‘eating from’ vessel is needed as my food is homemade and not in a bag you can eat out of. It weighs 39g

fair enough.

I’d swap the scourer and cloth for large whisky

Pillow? Really? Dry bag stuff with what ever soft stuff you’re not wearing, placed under sleeping bag so face doesn’t stick to it.

Well no smart comments on my kit so can’t be too bad

How about:

Small whisky

You lightweight!

To be fair, it all looks good.

edit – beaten to the whisky joke by Nick… must type faster…

Small whisky

You lightweight!

Indeed, it’s a minibar miniature in a plastic bottle, weighs less than the empty hip flask! 🙂

Pointless exercise then. 🙄

We will drinking & eating in the Railway on the first night however. 🙂

Set up camp, cycle to pub.

Well … I’ve just spent the entire afternoon phoning round all the pubs in the area. I’ve asked that they don’t serve cyclists on Sat or Sun evening. Amazingly, once I’d explained the charity aspect the majority were happy to oblige.

….or tell them for every wet muddy cyclist that turns up they should enforce a pound in pint glass for the WAA for every order at the bar.

Well … I’ve just spent the entire afternoon phoning round all the pubs in the area. I’ve asked that they don’t serve cyclists on Sat or Sun evening. Amazingly, once I’d explained the charity aspect the majority were happy to oblige.

well that’s just typical – grumpy Stuart 😉

we’ll be boosting their trade I am sure after all 😮