We're going on a bear hunt

We're going on a bear hunt We're going to catch a big one What a beautiful day We're not scared Oh oh Look! Theres one! Rock HQ's version of the current favourite bedtime story.

A quiet day at the office

 Sometimes paid work is more like mucking about and enjoying myself which is why a couple of weeks ago I was found in the local park playing rounders instead of writing court reports, or worse, attending meetings!

 As Red Kite Fostering is growing we are putting on "events", ostensibly for kids and carers, but the staff get to play as well, hence all of us clambering over the emergency service vehicles that, along with their well trained, highly informative and above all endlessly patient operators, paid a visit to Red Kite HQ as part of our Emergency Service Day.

 Little t was lucky enough to join in and got to "drive" a police car, ambulance and fire engine.

They all got a chance to dress up and it took a lot of persuading to get lil t to hand the fire fighters helmet back. Naturally with that many kids in close proximity to vehicles fitted with an array of blue lights and sirens everyone, without exception, had to press the nee naah buttons on each vehicle at least once. For a while our car park looked and sounded like a major incident had taken place. The neighbours took it all in their stride and tolerated our enthusiastic siren testing so no harm done. May thanks to those that gave up their time to make it such a fun day for all the kids, big and small!

It's my bike now Dave!

I am back in the saddle again after a few days off due a wee bit of soreness after riding 145 miles in just over 9 and a half  hours. I did get a bit of ride in on Sunday on this fabulous museum piece which I am very happy to say has been rescued from the technohermit and now joins my stable of bikes and as the mathmatical equation for bike ownership is calculated as the ideal number of bikes owned as n+1 I am on target as there are now 5 at HQ. R100 and R200 have not been ridden since the arrival of the Boardman speed machine ridden most days, the Muddyfox mountain bike only gets used when the hedge trimmers are about thanks to its massively thick puncture resistant tyres. I had to have this one after seeing it as it was the same as my first ever new bike and we did hundreds of miles together in the late 70's. Its in almost mint condition and has been in a garage unused for at least 40 years. I managed to swap a skip find but working mountain bike for it (below) on account the mountain bike would be more useful than this white walled tyred retro bike to a mountain dwelling hermit. He's happy as long as I give him the carrier back. 

I cant say I liked riding this Triumph Traffic Master, a sore arse didn't help, but it is very dated and feels weird compared to the lightweight racers I am using but it did make me laugh (even with a painful backside) but this will only be ridden when the previous four are all broken on the same day. Meanwhile it decorates the conservatory and in no way represents a trip hazard. 

You decide

 Not sure how she did it, or why, but this is one of our Ryelands in disguise this morning.

We have ghosts in the machine again so for some reason the blogs are not loading properly or at all.
Those interested can read the stats and facts of the man test taken last Thursday on the training blog the link is in the margin.

A grand day out!

 With Miranda loaded with bikes, spare bike parts, food, spare food, drinks, spare wheel and Spotty the Bernese Mountain Dog we set off for the start of our epic challenge. Steve drove us through the night while Matt and I thought we might get a few extra snoozes but its hard to sleep when you are excited and even harder with a Bernese Mountain Dog drooling in your lap. Once we found the right start point (Steve got a bit muddled and tried to kick us out in the wrong place) and Matt and I found the right path in the dark (this did involve wandering about a few gardens in Llanberis until we found a sign saying do not trespass on the railway) it was a straightforward trek up Snowdon following the railway line to the summit.

 We got there at 2.30 am and a quick photo, snack, drink and we descended via the Pyg Track knowing that we could always Google the views later.

 Just past 4am we found Miranda and a snoozing Steve, swapped mountain gear for lycra and got on our steeds for the first 50 miles to Cader Idris. Lessons learned here, sunglasses in dark are not good and no matter how macho you want to appear leaving your gloves in the car was a mistake, as was a sleeveless top. It was bitter cold until the sun came up.

 6am saw us far enough from Snowdon (big lump in the middle) to get a decent pic and we pushed on wondering where all the downhill sections had gone. In the car on the way there seemed to be an awful lot of downhill, in reality while pedaling there seemed to be an awful lot more of uphill. Tech details will appear on training blog but GPS confirmed that we went up many more hills than down.

 8am and we arrived at the stop for Cader Idris and after a few more calories set off along the path to the mountain. Serious underestimate of the difficulty of Cader Idris, its a nightmare of steep steps and boulders so yours truly changed the planned route to avoid unnecessary peak bagging and cut up the inside right to the summit. This meant we got to the top for a bit of flapjack (read ships biscuit as Matt had mistimed the cooking time, but hes a bloke not a chef) and a sit down before the rush back down.

 The reason for the rush down had nothing to do with timings and more to do with us having convinced ourselves we deserved bacon butties and tea at the cafe at the start of the trail.

 Which is why we look so fresh here and why Steve was so cross as A) he had all our kit ready and B) Spotty ate his sandwich.

 Back on the bikes we had a long stretch ahead so we broke it up into sections, the first 25 miles or so we did in around an hour and it was great fun but a bit daft considering what was ahead.

 But we stopped every no and then and spirits were high despite the effort taken to get there.

 On the whole traffic was well behaved, we did have one close encounter with a lorry in Rhayder at 4.30pm but at this time we were sat on the pavement eating sandwiches and drinking coffee so his driving on the pavement was not aimed at cyclists, more his attempt to get around the war memorial.

 5.30 nd we made Builth where friends and family had turned out to greet us at Burger King, looking back I should have had a burger or something more substantial than a cup of tea and a Werthers Original.

 Because 18 miles down the road I hit the wall, big time. My heart monitor gave me data backing up how I was feeling but basically my heart rate went from 112 as we were cycling to 170, then down to 72, and back again and no amount of calm thinking brought it under control so we slowed from 17mph to 9mph and I tried to stay focused. The waves of nausea and dizziness made balancing on the bike a tad trying but we found Steve and Miranda and salvation was found in a family sized bag of peanut M and Ms. And a slice of lemon cake, half a pound of Jelly Babies, a milk shake, another milkshake and a Snickers bar. We made Brecon by 8.30 and then the long haul up to the Storey Arms began. Thanks to the massive sugar rush the average speed up this massive 5 mile climb was 10mph and by 9.10pm we were in sight of the finish.

Pen-y-Fan is a doddle of a mountain, well that's if its not dark, pouring with rain and blowing a gale. We had been ever so lucky weather wise, sunshine, not too hat, a stiff headwind for some sections bit otherwise perfect. As we set off up Pen-y-Fan the weather broke, what was light drizzle and a slight breeze in the car park turned into torrents of rain, 40 mph winds and zero visibility, which will explain no photos and a time of 1 hour 40 mins to do 4.5 miles. Eventually we got back, 11pm, where Matt's family, Beth and Steve were waiting and we were very pleased to see them. Even more so when Matt's mum produced fish and chips from the car and so the challenge ended with a hot meal and a panda pop. Thanks to all who helped in this challenge, especially to Tracey for putting up with my training, and to Steve who did a good job of driving and making sure he was where we wanted him to be. Tech stats will be on the training blog, but its enough to say we did it, in 22 hours, no injuries and very happy,

Job done

The full story of how we managed to climb Mt Snowdon, cycle to Cader Idris, climb that then ride to Brecon to climb Pen-y-Fan in 22 hours will follow. Mean time thank you all who sponsored us and helped raise money for Hounds for Heroes.

Final prep zone

 Steed prepped and ready

 spare steed ditto (in case of epic fail of 1st steed)

 1st steed slightly more race bike than 2nd steed with a more upright leisure ride posture

 This is what its about the Welsh 3 Pedal to Peak, or downhill all the way, please give generously, hounds for heroes needs the dosh!

The apprentice smallholder seconds before he wiped out.

Horsepower

 By default, mainly due to size, Misty has become little t's pony

 and as soon as time allows (and pennies) our apprentice smallholder will get the chance to saddle up

 his steed and try to stay on board what is in effect an unguided missile with a bad temper.

 We will of course have the shitland on a lead rope and little t in a full suit of armour. However little t seems

to have taken to Renatta who has 149x more horsepower and who still waits for me to use her on the road rather than just as a mobile disco and bin lorry.

Dentist repaired me today, this was after he coaxed me down from the ceiling after finding the anesthetic had not worked. This he established with the business end of his drill. Apparently I am one of those unusual people with auxiliary nerves in my teeth so the three injections that turned my chin numb and rendered my tongue inoperable were a bit pointless if not funny.

Final preparations for the W3P2P challenge are underway, somewhere in all the planning some sleep needs to be factored in. Its on the to do list.