Anyone checked the Barmouth local newspaper ?
No need, I'm back..
been back a few days but work kept getting in the way of reporting on the trip..
Here goes.. I'll keep it brief.
Sunday, 8am, raining, 5 degrees ish.
Set off from Leeds to Alsager to meet up at my Brother's pub. Boring ride on the M62/M6 Horrible over the top on the M62.
By 10:30 all three of us were ready for the off, and headed out for Wales and the camp site
https://www.campsites.co.uk/search/campsites-in-wales/gwynedd/dolgellau/torrent-walk-campsite We had a great ride, in fact, I was leading and having so much fun I didn't check my fuel level. We were doing some very narrow, muddy, wet lanes when I noticed I only had 22 miles left in the tank. A quick play with the Nav6 and I found a fuel station 20 miles away but there was no way of telling if it was open..
anywho.. we made it, 1.5 miles on the dash, and all was well.
Considering the conditions, and the fact I was fully loaded, it was quite a spirited ride.
I had a bit of a play with a guy in Bentley (not that sort of play, dirty minded lot
) Took him on a long sweeping left hander, to be honest, when I went for the pass I thought I'd bitten off more than I could handle, but the XR did a great job of making me look good, despite my mind saying WTF, it's wet cold and I'm at a silly lean angle.
I slowed and pulled over to let the others catch up, he passed, gave the thumbs up and a toot toot on the Bentleys horn.. I reckon we both enjoyed having a play..
I should say, that Steve, my Brother, is a very quick rider but the third in our group is new to biking, about a year in, I think. He's a sensible chap and not prone to playing catch up, especially in the wet.
We arrived at the site just after 2pm, so the ride was about 3 and a half hours, long enough in those conditions. We did get some rain but it was dry and cold when we pitched up.
We'd scaled down the wild camping plan and gone for a site with warm shower room and toilets.. Used one of their fire pits and bought some logs. The other 2, Steve and Calvin, are into their football so out came the mobile, logged on to the sites wifi and sat around the fire to watch the England match. I'd made a big tub of stew the day before, heated this up, got the crusty bread rolls out and bobs yer uncle, hot food, fire, footy.. none to bad.
I can tell you, it was fecking cold, any part of us that wasn't facing the fire pit was cold but the banter was good and the footy was a welcome distraction.
Time for bed. Now!, I wouldn't say I'm a wuss but why be cold when you don't have to be
Thick beach towel on the floor of the tent, followed by air bed, followed by one XXL sleeping bag with a L sleeping bag slipped inside the big one.. aside from feeling like we were on a working farm (lots of farting and snoring) I slept well, oh, did I mention my thermals, bed socks, fleece and woolly hat.. oops,
No dramas in the morning, up, showered then got the Bacon and Sausage sizzling away for breakfast, with a hot coffee.. (BTW, I make my drinks up before I go, small sealable plastic bags with 1 spoon coffee, 2 sugar, 2 coffee-mate powdered milk. Tip in a cup, pour on boiling water, all done. Yes you can buy stuff like this but my way is pennies per cup, not the best part of a quid.
)
Got all packed up and headed home, I was back in Leeds for mid afternoon, cleaned all my gear, dried the tent and then got in a hot bath for a good soak..
I do take a lot of gear, I'd be more than happy to lay it out and take photos of what's in each bag and show how it's packed. After all, we're site camping or wild camping, it's not Bear Grilles survival training.. I'm ex army, engineers, and later 4 years TA medic so I've had some experience of what to pack to be comfortable. An officer once said to me, pack everything you need the night before the night before you leave, then, the night before you leave, unpack, put to one side everything you don't need and re pack what's left, he said I'd be 30% lighter..
it's actually very good advice...
What's not to like? Biking, mates, food, banter, back to nature.. ride, camp, eat, sleep repeat..
Conclusion.. can't wait to do lots more next year.. a few more one nighters, working up to long weekends then maybe do a week camping in the Alps in July time..
I'm the one looking like a gnome in the orange top.. that's so you don't mistake me for one of the fat feckers..
