Day One
As it was a frostry start I delayed setting off until 10 when the temperatue had risen to 5°C. But with my winter gear on and the sun beating down I soon found myself getting too warm as I progressed west along the A5. So at my first scheduled stop at Telford motorway services the other patrons were treated to the sight of my bare legs as I undressed in the carpark to remove my thermal leggings. With may scarf also removed and the heated socks tuned off I was now about optimal comfort wise.
Once past my Shrewsbury fuel stop I turned off the A5 near Nockin and I found myself on empty B roads.
For about 30 miles I didn’t have a single car to spoil the view of the road in front before I headed up to the moors on the road heading to Bala.
Due to my late start I had to forego lunching in Bala so took the oportunity at this stop to eat the prepacked sandwiches bought at the services.
I set off again and instead of going all the way to Bala turned off south on the single track road that goes to Lake Vyrnwy. This goes along a wooded valley, then along another going up into the hills.
And down the other side.
After going along the length of the lake/reservoir I was following satnav as it took me along a mix of roads avoiding some road closures to get to a waypoint I’d marked.
By now, my back was getting very sore from the riding but I still had another 90 minutes to do.
Onwards and southwars through Llanidloes and Rhayader and to the place near my cottage where I planned to fill up with fuel ready for tomorrow. Unfortunately, the services was out of fuel, which was a little worrying as my fuel warning light was already on.
After checking in to my acommodation for the next three days, I unloaded bike to make rook for supplies and headed of to Builth Wells to fill them with food and beer.
I knew there were two petrol stations there but my heart sank when I saw one had the pumps coned off and the other one had those yellow ‘empty’ hangers on the green petrol pumps. I pulled into that one in the hope that some of the pumps had petrol and breathed a deep sigh of releif when I fount two pumps still had petrol. Bike was by now saying I had 14 miles of fuel left.
Finally, all stocked up, I could ride the 10 miles back to my accomonodation, thow off my bulky bike gear, stick a pizza in the oven and open a beer.
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