On top of the world

A good pedal this morning. Opting to turn left instead of right at Crickhowell I tackled Mynydd Llangattwg.

It's always a little daunting when you can see that where you want to be is considerably higher than where you are. Just sit and pedal, I kept telling myself.
After what seemed like an age, and after passing a shooting party I rounded the corner of the junction with very little air left in my lungs. A sheep regarded me for the fool I am.

Still more climbing to go.
After rounding a corner I could see there was no more hill to climb and shortly found myself at the summit. Where actually the views weren't that great.

I gobbled a banana down and pressed on, not entirely sure where I was going to come out.
The town before me wasn't the one I had expected to see, and was Brynmawr.

Still, I knew the way from Brynmawr back home and most of it was downhill. I checked with another cyclist, a guy riding a single speed road bike with thighs each twice the size of my own, and he confirmed the turning I should take. Some bugger was cooking bacon as I passed through Brynmawr with my stomach beginning to rumble, but I would be damned if I could find the source of the lovely aroma.
From then on it was a pretty easy run to Blaenavon and home. I did contemplate stopping for some cake and a brew in Blaenavon but decided with only 8 miles to home I might as well keep going. I was slowly building my lunch menu in my head as I pressed on.
So, to the victor go the spoils, or something similarly tenuous.
Venison, bacon and cheese burger in fried slices, with carbonara on the side, and a bit of extra bacon.

Keep fit, it's brilliant.

Baby you're so Buglelicious

A good day of sorting out push bikes today. I've never really gelled with the full suspension Stumpjumper so that was pulled apart to sell (shout if you're interested, £200 for frame and shock) and the wheels, with the addition of a singlespeed convertor found their way onto the Reynolds 853 framed Inbred.
I also wanted to try some new bars, the marvellously named Humpert Space Bugle's.
Of course with some rubberised cork grips they matched the old brown vinyl saddle perfectly, so I removed that and the post and fitted a slightly more comfortable carbon fibre post and Ti-railed palomino saddle. Huzzah!

Gearing is 32/17 so 1:1.88 as there are a few stonking hills around here and I rather be pedalling than walking. We'll see how it goes.

Cobra Superslots for sale

From behind the shed, I found these when pruning/deforesting.
Cobra Superslots 14x6 ET12 with a PCD of 114.3mm (or pretty damn close!)

Got them for a mate for his pop top bedford rascal but they poked out a little much so he didn't want them. I've given one a quick go with some scotchbrite and it comes up ok, so I'd be hopeful for the rest. They are black on the back side and that is in good nick.
Offers

Happiness

Is a freshly knitted herdwick woollen cycling cap.

Many thanks Sarah, you are a star.

Cropping chilis

It's started to cool off now and after losing a chunk of chilis last year to a frost I'm taking no chances this year. Some plants have yielded more than others.

From top right and going clockwise- Cayenne Slim, late start and plants remained leggy with few fruits. Won't bother next year. Black Scorpion Tongue, good plant growth, and still the same again left on it. Will see how they ripen as they should be hot. Bolivian Bumpy, best plant of the year with good growth and plenty of fruit, unsure as yet as to heat levels. (at top) Fish Pepper, same as Cayenne Slim in growth, unless the fruits are anything special I won't bother again. In the centre are Sweet Banana Peppers, a surprise this year as these shown were a late crop after the plant had already yielded around a third of a pound. Delicious pickled.
So these are all now washed and will be ripened inside before I probably pickle, chutney and jam them, advantageous curries and chilis notwithstanding.

Getting 'cross in Herefordshire

Second cyclocross race of the year for me today, and what a change in course to the previous leisure centre field slog of Brecon. The course picked through the woods of Mansell Lacy, with a couple of streams thrown in as well as three hurdles. A great mix of concrete access roads, rooty singletrack and muddy grass. I was in a better frame of mind this time and it felt good. Hard, but good.
A few pictures then.

First off cutting through the trees, I managed to avoid all of them, so my target fixation is getting better. I didn't want a repeat of the April tree visitation that left me with a broken finger. The first stream. This one had to be dismounted for and leapt across. As the race went on feet went further into the mud on the landing bank, then a scramble up the slope and remount.

From there the course wound back through more trees before another dismount due to a concrete plinth. Then a faster open section before another stream crossing, though this one was rideable.

Coming out of the other side through the gloop meant effort, and that meant angry face

Honestly, I'm a very placid person.
Soon the final lap bell was heard tolling and the wick was turned up a little. Of course that meant on the final stream crossing I got stuck, my chain came off and I had to run whilst trying to get it back on. Typical. Calm head, son.
It was muddy, it was enjoyable and roll on next weekend at Pembrey.

Brilliant, and I have to say a great big thank you to my race mum Michelle who took photos, cheered, and provided food. Thanks.

Riding with Rapha Condor Sharp

I never win competitions. I can't remember the last time I won anything like a draw that I had entered. Imagine my surprise then to get a phone call telling me I had won a place on a day riding with pro cyclists from the Rapha Condor Sharp team, courtesy of Skoda.
This morning dawned bright and a little misty, and with bike loaded into the girlfriends car we headed down to the dealership to meet the team, and the other 8 lucky contestants.
Introductions were made over coffee and cake and after changing we were presented with Skoda jerseys. All going well so far.
We had a short line up photo outside the dealership and then headed out for a pedal.

 Being accommodating, the team let my girlfriend go shotgun in the team support car, driven by Chris on the far right above. The route took us out of Newport and towards Caerphilly, with the intention of heading up the mountain. We went halfway up the back side of it, before turning off and down to go through Caerphilly and follow the Tour of Britain route up the steep aspect out of the town.
The middle section was a bugger.

After pausing to regroup at the top we wended back down and across some lovely lanes towards the Velodrome. In front of me here are Chris Jennings and Luke Mellor

At the velodrome we did a final group shot with everyone in their spangly jerseys, look at the shiny whiteness :-)

Then off for some grub and chinwag.
A top day out and great to meet some interesting people. The route took me to a lot of new roads, so I had better go back and explore more.