PTW

The route: Bynea, Llanelli, Burry Port, Pembrey, Kidwelly, Ferryside, Porthrhyd, Llanarthne, Ffairfach, Bethlehem, Llangadog, Llandovery, Rhandirmwyn, Llandre, Pumsaint, Llansawel, Abergorlech, Brechfa, Nantgaredig, Dryslwyn, Llanarthne, Carmarthen, Kidwelly, Pembrey, Burry Port, Llanelli, Bynea.

A relaxed 8.00am start for my first ever audax event on a superb dry and sunny spring day although the wind was very strong all day. About 30 riders left the familiar surroundings of the Bynea clubroom and it was a surprisingly fast start with small groups chasing each other. I was amazed at the variety of bikes with small-wheeled Bromptons, mountain bikes, tourers, hybrids, custom steelies and full carbon dream machines with the riders being equally diverse! Needless to say, I latched onto a small group towards the back of the field and settled in to the ride.

Tea and Welsh cakes were polished off before I set off on my own for the long slog to Rhandirmwyn before looping around towards Pumsaint and down to Llansawel and Brechfa. The hills became short and sharp with 39x26 being required on many of them but the scenery was awesome on this section and I certainly had plenty of time to enjoy it as I was experiencing a real bad patch. Several riders caught me but I was totally unable to stick with them and felt absolutely drained and just plodded on until a Byways rider caught me and became my companion for the remaining 70km.

A picnic style tea and cake stop courtesy of the organiser at Dryslwyn Castle was a fantastic pick-me-up and I felt quite strong after Carmarthen and the ride home along the A484 to Kidwelly, Pembrey and Burry Port. The route switched back to the Millennium Coastal Path and suddenly my Byways companion hit a bad patch so we ambled back to the Bynea clubroom to finish and have some more tea and cake .

As a postscript, whilst putting my bike into the car I noticed an absurdly loose spoke and was shocked to see my brand new Dave Hinde rear wheel was like a pretzel and hitting the blocks! I guess the Saturday boy built this pair and it took Gerald Crook a fair bit of tinkering to get them right.