It has been said.

 So a big day starts in your's  truly's world with a big breakfast, and we can see that I am still on the wagon as far as not eating meat goes.

 When I finally got going it was three hours later than planned so I did initailly think a slightly smaller ride was on the cards and so by lunchtime I was half way along the Rhayder Aberystwth mountain road following the Elan Valley, in the far far distance you should see with good eyesight the massive bulk of Cadir Idris.

 The site of special scientific interest draws tourists from far and wide but for the most part I was alone, save for the attention of suicidal sheep who timed their road crossing as I passed.

 To say I enjoyed this section of the ride would be an outright lie, much easier in the car!

 Eventually under threatening skies I made the Arch

 and further on could see the sea which provided a much needed morale boost as it was downhill to the beach.

 Once their the sensible option would have been to take the massive hill route back and end the day at 118 miles but being the non sensible type I steered a course for Machynlleth and made it in time to find the cafes all shut so had to make do with a shrink wrapped sarnie from the local Co-op where my student ID card givning me 10% discount was scrutinised closely as they obviously don't get many fat lycra clad over 50 year old students in this town.

 Outside my steed made small talk with a pack horse.

 Refreshed and refueled with 76 miles done and 74 to go we find yours truly much further on after the last substantial hill before home watching  the sun set.

 It had been a good ride, lessons learned, the longest ever done without a support vehicle or other riders but useful for the man test that is now 23 days away.

In total I did 150.2 miles in 10 hours 55 minutes including stops, an average speed of 13.7 mph with a maximum speed of 44.4 reaching the giddy heights of 1598 feet above sea level, a total of 10006 feet of climbing and a massive 13,808 calories burned off according the the gizmo. I was told I was mad doing this. I has been said!

Sloppy Monster

 This is Thunderpaws our biggest ever Berner

 at a mighty 75kg when he arrived he has slimmed down a tad but is still massive

 and messy.

 Big dogs have big appetites

 so here he is emptying the pond

 before giving yours truly the sloppiest ever

dog kiss. Love you too.

The joy of goats

Autumn having a bad start to her day.

Making friends

 This is Mindy, our Mediterranean donkey who is where she shouldn't be, in the garden.

 Whilst this is Orla who is where she is supposed to be, exploring the garden but unfortunately their forst meeting didn't go to well as seconds later Mindy chased poor traumatised Romanian dog all around the garden.

 Luckily she wasn't hurt and soon found her way back into the sanctuary of the cottage where she discovered sofas, a sea change from living in a wood fending for herself last March.

The Tie fighter obsessed apprentice is branching out 3d. This is a yellow one in a secret base.

As good as new!

 The nice man has fixed Gerry, again, so now the window has been reassembled and the twin showers removed. Some Land Rover Discovery's have two sun roofs that are so inefficient at keeping the water out they are known as having twin showers.

 Talking of showers, heres a rum bunch on the sofa watching (read ignoring) yours truly beasting himself on the cross trainer.

Heres Noel and Sven growing on the lounge floor.

Its genetic

 The apprentice has started building Airfix models.

 You just place a box in front of him.

 And he does the rest.

 This is his latest effort.

 All by himself.

 He seems happy, I didn't tell him it was supposed to be a Spitfire.

His nerdy father on the other hand....

The great outdoors

 Orla is making sense of her new world, if that is something a traumatised K9 is capable of.

 My motivation to train is reaching new lows even though the main event if frighteningly close to actually taking place. Tonight I managed to persuade myself to the top of Stanner rocks on the MTB on the proviso that it wasn't a road ride, that I was only going to the end of the lane, that if I did go further I really was not going to go up Stanner Hill, no I would go up Old Radnor, but as I had got up Old Radnor I would go straight on to the base of Stanner rather than home but there was no way I was going up it and eventually I managed to convince myself I wasn't going to do it as I sat on the top looking at the fast way down. Having successfully lied myself into a good training session I rested up the later part of the evening and fretted about the route, the food needed, the bikes to be serviced, the support team and all of the things needed for this challenge.

 Meantimes Orla took it easy.

Making the most of it

 Training for the big event continues but not as much as A)I would like, or B)Is needed so every opportunity is grabbed, providing it means I don't have to ride my bike as road miles are now crushingly boring despite being essential when faced with a 480 mile ride in 72 hours.

 So this morning instead of spending 2 hours churning the pedals I "ran" across the ridge to the office early doors to fetch the trusty MTB abandoned at the office Saturday,

 This meant I got to see some great views in the spring sunshine and avoid the road bike. Once the MTB was safe back at the ranch yours truly left to go to paid work and travel to the land that time forgot.

 A curious village to the south where the local shop and garage would be something Noah would recognise.

 Clearly open and functional and presumably selling Raleigh bikes as a side line

 this museum garage lacked a few mod cons like an ability to pay at the pump.

Back at HQ the Romanian rescue dog, Orla is looking just as sad but has made at least one friend.