Once again all we had been promised was rain for our Away Day to Llanwrtyd but, as ever, the forecast changed to a more optimistic 'overcast' closer to the day.

It was John Cardy's turn to drive and I was to meet him at the roundabout near Jersey Marine. I had mentally worked out that it was about 6 miles so leaving the house at about 8.00 would get me there at 8.30, I do hate being late.

I realised that I was behind time when I reached the marina and, in a very determined fashion, put my foot down - well both of them actually. I had reached the Visteon factory when my trousers started vibrating which I correctly interpreted as an impatient John Cardy.

No time to see what he wants because I am much too busy being late!

Reach Jersey Marine roundabout at 8.40 and check my mileometer - it reads 8 miles and that accounts for the 10 minute difference. John admits that he didn't arrive there until 8.31 so I mention that he was late as well, but he wouldn't have it.

Life is so very unfair!

I took a short breather while John dutifully mounts my bike on top of his car. He walks around and holds the door open for me and touches his imaginary cap "Would you like to get in sir" he says. Taken aback by all this I just stood there in amazement. John, impatient as ever, shoulders me in and slams the door shut.

He guns his powerful engine and very soon we are weaving through traffic at high speed. He ignores my advice on lane positioning on that awful Pontardawe roundabout below the motorway but despite that we end up on the right road - I am really impressed. But then this is the great John Cardy, superhuman cyclist and polymath, he uses telephone boxes as changing rooms!

We reach Llanwrtyd at 10.10, the last to arrive. Being the gentleman that he is John does not use my tardiness as his excuse.

No great problems until we get to the big hill that starts near Cribarth Quarry. I was hoping to be able to take a photo of everyone struggling up the hill but to do that you have to be in the lead - I was a hopeless last.

There were a number of challenging hills on this stretch which I was able to observe through perspiration masked eyes. Every superb downhill stretch was tainted by the realisation that it would have to climbed on the way back

Reached Llandrindod in time for lunch and congregated at the Automobile Palace which now houses, amongst other things, the National Cycle Museum. Some of us had a tour of the museum but I just wanted to sit down, Des kept me company and we discussed where we would all eat. The consensus was a cafe across the road but just then Mr Cardy emerged from the baguette bar clutching a baguette overflowing with loads of high calorific goodies. A perusal of the menu board showed that they also did filled jacket potatoes so we took our place in the long queue. Des discovered when he tried to order that the jacket potatoes were off, he was soon off too - across the road to the other cafe. I had settled for a baguette so I was o.k. When I got back to the seating area I discovered that John had moved tables, he was no longer at the small rickety table for four, he was now seated at the head of a table for eight and claimed that he had chucked off a load of hairy bikers so that we could all sit together.

Nobody messes with John Cardy so we believed him.

The ride back was tough - we knew what was in front of us but we made it.

The sun had peeped out on occasions throughout the day but the rain kept off so altogether a challenging ride to say the least but we all made it.

Apologies to John Cardy but as they say - the truth will out!