Its just after 8.00am and I'm looking out of the window at trees bending in the wind, rain is coming down quite nicely but - the BBC weather site tells me that we are going to have light showers until 1.00 then sunny spells.

We have to believe them because they, of all people, ought to know. So it is with unbounded optimism that I look forward to Big Trev's Away Day - The Gwernogle Challenge. And, by the way 'Gwernogle' is pronounced Gwernog lay, the 'e' at the end would have an acute accent if it were french. It means 'marshy place', with the weather we have had recently we should have no difficulty spotting the marsh!

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Right, I'm back from the ride, absolutely exhausted but feeling good because I know that today has made our great hero, Big Trev, a very happy man. I have watched the Tour de France highlights and had every intention of getting down to this and finishing it before I went to bed tonight but I really can not because tiredness has resulted in my brain refusing to cooperate. I have written my notes so I shall start at the crack of dawn.

Goodnight!!

Good morning!! Thank you for asking, I feel much better now, so here goes.

Exactly on the arranged time John Cardy came into view and we loaded our gear into the boot, the bike onto the roof and I, as seems becoming normal these days, get shoved unceremoniously into the passenger seat. Off we went but the traffic was nowhere near as busy as expected (school holidays) so we get to Whitemill at something like 9.40. It was still raining, no break in the clouds either. We were served coffee at the Whitemill Inn and most of us were tempted to stay put really, but Big Trev put his foot down and ushered us back out into the rain.

Just for the record here I must remind everyone of Trev's brief ride synopsis -

"The first half should be a dawdle, whereas the second half will be a little more challenging. The ride will be taken at a leisurely pace (as fast as I can go!) when we will be able to enjoy the scenery if the sun frightens the clouds away!!"

Outside, getting ready and we weren't quite sure why Bob Evans looked different until Colin suddenly pointed out that he had a new helmet. We all looked. Yes, very snazzy and so aerodynamic, have you got it on the right way, they asked. The poor young man, he is so quiet and unassuming, I just can't think why people should pick on him. He sheepishly confessed that he had had the other for over 25 years and agreed that, yes it did look rather like a modified WW1 soldier's helmet.

Mercifully for him we were soon off and within yards we were going uphill. We were going to be doing a lot of that.

We cross the river Cothi at Felingwmuchaf and fortunately there was a bridge because the river was in full flow. We followed the Cothi for a while and had the occasional glimpse of some fascinating rock formations down below. A walker stopped to admire us passing and seemed to believe that he was witnessing the Tour de Wales. We would later almost believe that we had, indeed, taken part in such an event. We climb a long hill and stop at the top to regroup. By this time the sun had appeared in the sky.

Poor Bob Evans gets another teasing, from Ken this time. Ken and his little group were some way behind the main field and were in danger of getting lost but claimed that they were guided to the main pack by following the bright glow of Bob's new helmet. How amazingly biblical! I do really feel sorry for that young man.

We were to be eating at the Black Lion in Abergorlech and Big Trev had estimated that we would be there by 12.00. He kept telling us that it was a short, easy ride before lunch and the toughest part would be after. As we were struggling to reach Abergorlech on time we were getting rather concerned about the afternoon. We arrived at 12.30.

The lunch was excellent, good value and varied, The beer on tap was Rhymney which proved deservedly popular. I fought hard to resist a second pint and, sadly dear reader I won the struggle. Our eyes wandered around the bar and deduced that the pub had been in the Good Pub Guide in 2004 and also 2006 but what was that thing hanging from the beams? John Cardy, who knows about these things, explained that it was a chastity belt and demonstrated how it worked. Fortunately for Colin we were, eventually, able to find the key to unlock him.

The locals told us that it was the only chastity belt in the village and as it was for the moment hanging in the bar it can be assumed that everyone was now having a rather good time.

Our hunger satisfied we were off again but had only gone about a mile when we realised that Chris and Ken were missing. We sent young Bob back to look for them. He eventually returned to say that Chris had had a puncture but that they would catch us up. We reached the Gwernogle turning and waited to regroup before setting off up yet another hill. I noticed that certain troublemakers were beginning to question Big Trev about the number of remaining hills. Trev was beginning to talk sheepishly about slight 'underlations' (sic) and using the word 'relatively' quite frequently.

We worried.

A steady climb towards Gwernogle and at the highest point we said goodbye to Chris and Ken, David and Phil. Until now I hadn't realised just how sensible those four are.

On reaching Gwernogle I needed to put some air into my front tyre but the pressure stayed up so I thought that all must be well. Anyway that would be the last thing on my mind for a while because we were about to be tested. We watched an old Morris Minor Traveller starting up the hill in front of us, its nose pointing perilously towards the heavens and steeled ourselves for what was ahead. The hill proved to be very long and very steep. Standing on the pedals my back wheel skidded, sitting down my front wheel lifted but I kept going. John Cardy had long since disappeared. The lane was just about a car's width which is a bit of a problem when you find a car coming towards you. I was ready to get off anyway and, once off, it seemed wise to stay off. Eventually the slope eased off and riding was again possible. I reached the junction at the top to be met by a broadly grinning JC - he had cycled all the way up. Now I know that John gets his leg pulled mercilessly but just so you know how good those legs are I can tell you this.

Gwernogle is at 395ft, the junction is at 990ft, the distance is a mile and a half. That is a climb of 595ft. Included in that climb are some strength-sapping bends that would break most people. Truly incredible. I can't imagine what you feed him on Marilyn but it must be highly illegal. So stop it!!

Good run down to Brechfa now but not before I get a flat front tyre (but it was only flat at the bottom, strangely enough). Big Trev confesses that the road out of Brechfa was a bit of a long drag. Now when I was a smoker many decades ago I used to enjoy a long drag but this was different. I spent a lot of time telling myself that every hill must have a top but every time I reached a corner I was getting less convinced. At the final 'top' we were given a choice, we could go straight on and have an easy return or turn right and the hill you can see only goes as far as there, says Big Trev. This being BT's special nostalgia ride we chose to take the reassuringly short hill.

Big Trev speaks with forked tongue!!

I reached about the three quarter mark before I had to get off and push. I have spent most of the day climbing vertical hills. But there's really not much more, Trev says. I had no idea how far we were from the finish, it would have been nice to know, perhaps!

Down a hill we go towards a bend where there is a farm, also a farmer lying down on his quad bike having an afternoon nap, we wave as we speed by. He opens a bleary eye and an arm is raised in acknowlegement. Bit of a climb now until we reach the main road.

And what a relief! There is a sign that says White Mill. It does not say how far but this is good enough for us. We now have a second wind. And do you know what? It's downhill all the way. We reach the bottom and we're all smiles, so is Trev when he catches up with us. Trev wanted to do this ride once more while he felt he still could - it was a nostalgia trip for him.

And do you know Trev - nostalgia is a thing of the past, this bit of nostalgia will probably stay there!

No, it was tough but it really was a superb run through beautiful countryside, a part of Wales that I had not experienced before. Great to have done it, proud to have finished it. Brilliant!

5.30 was a late finish for us and the total mileage was only 33 miles but then most of that was vertical.

Thanks Big Trev.

Happy pedalling

Lew Spokes

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Bridge over the river Cothi		Cothi in full flow
A pensive group		Explaining about chastity belts
That poor young man		The Black Lion
Where's me dinner?		Martin 'the Brain'
A very hilly area
A big turnout		What a relief!
Wheee!		Well done lads