Welsh Ride Thing…..

Out of interest what sort of weight/size of dry bag are people strapping to handlebars? does it effect handling badly?

http://www.podsacs.com/products_airstreamlitecompsac.html

Strapped on with some normal straps and buckles, but in a slightly cunning way so it doesn't flap about so as not to affect the handling. The set up pictured, with my big sleeping bag, weighs 750g or so.

20ltr, it's a bit bigger than I need but you just squeeze all the air out and then bunge it up nice and tight. Doesn't seem to make much of a difference to handling.

Cool. I've packed a 20l (Alpkit!) dry bag with sleeping bag, 3/4 thermarest and change of clothes and it weighs 2.8kg. Sized it up next to the bars and looks do-able if a bit weird. Not had a chance to ride with it yet. Will endeavour to test next week.

Good work IanB, when I posted a pic of essential equipment, I fogot all about water wings. 😀 I've got a 13l Alpikit drybag on my bars with just a sleeping bag and it seems fine, rest of the kit is dotted about in the frame, on a rack and on me.

Please note if anyone is planning to do a bit of recceing this weekend, the Plains Car Rally is on in Hafren on Saturday so be careful. They are also using Dyfi but that's not relevant to the WRT.

Hmm I have gone from looking forward to it to being a bit worried about it. Everyone seems to be very competent and experienced

I have never bivied

The distance is probably too much for me

The height gain is definitely too much for me

I have no idea how or where to pack all my kit on my bike

Edit just seen alphachippys posts but he seems way to upbeat about it

I have had no time to plot a route (going to start tonight)

Any one else in the same boat?

Over-active you'll be fine … just take your time with the route. There's always the option for a bit of road work to ease the load.

Wrap your sleeping bag in your bivvy bag and strap/bungee it to your bars. Everything else should really fit into a 20l pack if need be. You should be able to locate some food on route so you shouldn't have to carry too much from the off.

Trust me you're not alone 😉 If you run into any problems feel free to email me or just ask on here.

Cheers
Stuart

Dont worry your not the only one with little experience, we've only bivied once.

It's only for fun, and its not really about doing all of the check points, its about having an adventure in mid Wales

To help all of the GR are on here:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=
116954912947707620385.00048588e1f783e2bcce6

So you can have an idea before you start mapping (WP1 is missing as i dont have the map)

Getting to the point where i have a rough map, but i'll be changing it along the way.

Chew you're so right … all about having fun, riding your bike and seeing some fantastic places and possibly getting slightly wet feet. There's also the added bonus that all monies raised go to a good cause, it's win all round.

If anyone's bothered about being on their own you could always follow (stalk) flatfish 😀

Thanks to both

Chew that google map is useful thanks

On top of my worries I am a computer duffer

You dont need a computer at all. Just some patience, and a big mug of tea.

Mark the way points on your maps, and get a pencil and mark on the obvious route between some of the points, and slowly a route will take shape. After that just have a look at the ups and downs and work out which way you want to go between points, and before you know it you'll have a route.

Dont worry about kit, all you need is a open mind, sense of adventure and a beard…..

Over-active: take comfort from knowing that Stuart has set some really great checkpoints and the aim isn't to catch you out, but to allow you follow the natural flow of things and take in some good trails. As Chew says, you don't need a computer. Mark your checkpoints onto a map and link them one a time, avoid looking at the big picture. You'll soon see a route emerging. There are a number of bothies on the route too, so if you suddenly decide you don't fancy the bivvy bag or you want to make a brew out of the sun/wind/rain, you should be able to do it under a slate roof.

In a way, a month to plan things makes it a bit harder. I'm reminded of when I've done Polaris (two day orienteering event with an entry fee and rules…) where you get the map the night before and the active checkpoints for the day AFTER you start. You get about 10 mins tops to plan your route for the day, and then have to ride to the clock. This will be much more chilled, I'm sure.

For packing your bike, try and keep the heavy things as low down on your bike as possible. Strapping stuff under the handlebars is good, or under the saddle if it's not too heavy. Put exposed or critical stuff like spare clothes into a Exped dry bag or something similar.

Beards are optional…

Sound advice there Ian … I'm expecting the countryside to be covered in little green bags this weekend as people get out for a trial run. I myself shall be out in the Rhinogs (or maybe the Arans, can't decide) tomorrow evening … not for a practice but just because 😉

Stuart

My nalgene hip flask arrived from backpacking light this morning, I'm ready!

Definitely easier to plan the route with a mug of tea, pencil and map. You need a bigger floor than in my front room to see it all though, I'm off to the garden!

Don't worry about it over-active. I am doing it with my OH, who doesn't ride that much. We are just planning lots of short-cuts. It doesn't matter if we get all the points or not we just thought it would be nice to do an event together. She is usually my support crew! Did a practise bivvy the other week with her. Now I am left to sort kit etc!

Paulio I can see my house from here 😀

Yep, just under the sofa!

We are just planning lots of short-cuts.

I cant find any!

If anyone is interested, some options for gathering provisions en route are. Devils Bridge, campsite shop at Woodlands which is 300m from the bridge on the Ponterwyd road, they do take away fish n chips on a Saturday as well. Also small general store just up the road from the station heading towards Aberystwyth. Ponterwyd, small general store with erratic opening hours, better bet is BP petrol station on the main road heading towards Aberystwyth. Pont Rhyd Y Groes, store on the Llanafan road, go up the hill past the Miners Arms and fork right and its 100m. Pontrhydfendigaid,small general shop opposite road to Strata Florida not sure of opening times. This is not a definitive list but ones I know about which shouldn't involve too much deviation from our routes.

all kitted out for a trial run this weekend, about 100 miles with wild camp.

well that went a bit tits up today, set off for 100 mile ride, within 1 mile a bloody big rhodesian ridgeback has taken a chomp jump below my knee.
no idea when my last tetnus was so of to have a jab in the morning.
told the wife i've got rabies now but shes not that sympathetic, cow.

Bloody hell! and I thought I was having problems

Well I have planned a route about 100 miles with about 14000 feet of climbing but missing out 3 checkpoints on the basis of 1 out on a limb, 2 too far south and 3 cant see a trail to it

No idea of road/trail % but seems like a lot of road

If the one you are unable to see a trail to is the one near the Teifi pools, it is approached from the due South off the tarmac road, a track is visible from the road. Lovely location 🙂

"The track is visable from the road" … just 😉

flatfish sorry to hear about that … has the dog got any teeth left? My outing into the mountains had to be put back too. Trip to Aber' A+E with a customer, got back around 5 to find Stephen Lord (bloke who wrote Adventure Cycle Handbook) here with Peter his mate who's 5 years into a round the world ride. Best laid plans, etc.

Over-active … just a thought, you're not planning using 1:50000 maps are you? They don't really have enough detail on them IMO.

Stuart

sounds like its possible to pick up food on the way, so i'll only have to carry snacks, but what about water?

Is the water fine to take from running streams, without filtering?

Re drinkable water, the Elan Valley Reservoirs are the water supply for Birmingham, I'm taking water purification tablets as I don't want to start talking in a Birmingham accent like most of the local residents 😕

Take a pack of Chlorine Dioxide tabs just to be sure I reckon, lots of sheep = campylobactor and cryptosporidium

As for food, you are potentially quite a long way from food sources and a delay of some kind could easily put you outside opening times, especially on a Sunday, so I'm going to carry a decent sized dehydrated meal in case all that is available is crisps and mars bars.

Natures takeaway

If you take your water from high ground, from a fast running stream then you should be fine … watch me be i'll now next time I'm out 😀

Still not had chance to plot a route! Should get a chance next weekend all being well.

And my frame bag has been delayed and will not be ready until next weekend now.

Last year after plotting on my OS maps I swapped them to a decent road atlas to view the big picture. With all the maps, and not really knowing the area, could not work out what made up a decent route. Helped me sort out a route. IIRC the Teifi pools from last year there was a little 'fishing' sign taking you up there from the main track to the South…. Was chucking it down with rain at the time so glad of any assistance.

i think your thinking of anglers retreat, as our route last year went nowhere near teifi pools, unless you were hopelessly lost. 😯

And my frame bag has been delayed and will not be ready until next weekend now.

if it's coming from eric i would expect least another fortnight due to customs and the lazy gits at parcelforce. 😥

We never get lost, we just lose contant with the map 😉

Tis true though … Teifi pools was a loooong way off last years route.

Just been looking at my route, I'm relying on using the bridleway up Afon Arban, which I fully expect to be off and pushing, but can anyone shed any light on just how bad it is? It's the only section that's worrying me, and visits to Geograph are making that worse!

Where?

Afon Arban – I've been through it twice, but not for many years. Bridleway is largely non-existent and you have to carry bike over tussocks for miles which is really tiring.
Last time I did it it was as a "shortcut" from Claerwen dam to Strata Florida. A few hours later I was still trudging through and wondering if I'd get out of the valley before darkness.

If anyone has more recent info please update. I'd consider it if going downhill (anticlockwise) but not up.

I was planning on using that bw, but after studying geograph.org.uk and google earth I decided against it.

I'm generally of the opinion that if there are few pics of a square then that is because hardly anyone goes there, there might be a reason for this….

Carreg Wen Fawr

© Copyright Dan Taylor and
licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence[/url].

I see it now, I went looking for it a couple of years ago, the start from the forest road is visible but quickly turns very boggy, then when you leave the forest it disappears all together. Not recommended.

From my research none of the bridleways crossing from Claerwen over to Afon Tywi are particularly pleasant.

Possibly time for a route re-think…