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Dragon Ride - meet in bar at Bryngarw House 8:30-9:30pm Saturday eve
The ballot closes this Friday (30 Nov) so if you fancy a crack at this, the 'UKs most prestigious sportive', now's the time to enter.
Medio Fondo takes in the Cimla, Rhigos and Bwlch climbs, as does the Gran Fondo, which also tackles the challenging ascents of the Black Mountain and the Devils Elbow in the Brecon Beacons.
Sounds like pretty much the best that South Wales has to offer in terms of climbing ... and it'd be great training for the Etape du Tour or Marmotte.
C'mon, you know you want to really
Medio Fondo takes in the Cimla, Rhigos and Bwlch climbs, as does the Gran Fondo, which also tackles the challenging ascents of the Black Mountain and the Devils Elbow in the Brecon Beacons.
Sounds like pretty much the best that South Wales has to offer in terms of climbing ... and it'd be great training for the Etape du Tour or Marmotte.
C'mon, you know you want to really
Comments
if you get a big group together they'll be able to organise a single start time for everyone from cca
Good to have you on board, Andrew. How about tackling the Gran in the Chiltern Hundred too?
DavidJ
Should be in the bar at Bryngarw House 8:30 - 9:30, so if anyone wants to talk tactics, sheep or just the usual bike banter it'd be great to see you there. It's just off the M4, north side of Bridgend. (Email me to exchange mobile nos jw@inspyration.co.uk)
http://www.bryngarwhouse.co.uk/how-to-find-us.aspx Also, if you're toying with the idea of staying down Sunday night as well, Bryngarw has a special offer - £25 B&B
Another year, maybe?
We are staying with my folks in Newport S.Wales beforehand so will see you at the start.
Any other CCA doing the medio ???
TBH I have been worrying a bit about this ride as I really hadn't put the right amount of preparation in but so glad I entered and went for the Gran Fondo. I'm sitting sipping (well quaffing) a well deserved beer in the excellent hotel that Shaun & Jane recommended and feeling pretty pleased with myself despite the aching muscles (& sunburnt calves - doh forgot to put suncream there)
There's no question that the climbs are hard, it's been the toughest event I've done since I started cycling. That said, with the exception of Devils Elbow and a few little kicks they had a completely different character to the Chilterns last week. Much longer drags but just needed to pick the right pace and get a rhythm and they eventually got eaten up.
The pay off for the hard hills was the fantastic descents - amazing fun as the road surfaces were pretty good in the main and visibility was excellent - I learnt a lot about getting down hills fast today too.
Other good things about this ride - the scenery was awesome, locals were welcoming, organisation was good if a little bit over the top.
I think there were only three of us on the Gran Fondo in the end - I saw Jane briefly at the halfway foodstop then shortly afterwards Shaun & Jane passed me, Shaun giving me a welcome little push as he went past. I saw Geoff118 & I guess TomH as I was getting ready for the start but looking forward to how the others got on.
Not sure if I'd do the Dragon again but I will certainly be looking for other similar rides next year (long ascents - fast descents - epic scenery) - any suggestions anyone?
Check out the Gospel 200 perhaps which I rode in May - Shaun has ridden it too.
The big draw: the climb up the Black mtn pass from the south and beware, it's a pig nearing the summit. The descent, 8+ miles of glorious, well sighted, newly laid black-stuff into Hay on Wye.
200km with about 3000m of climbing (I think). It's a triple AAA rated route. For me, it was the route back which really had me in raptures, just lovely scenery.
A beer well deserved, just don't doze off before you finish it!