Denise's Birthday Bimble.

[earthmover]

Denise's Birthday is in March, but last weekend was the first that her work and a room at Llanerchindda Farm coincided.
Sorting out her kids with friends meant we didn't get there until 9.30 on the Friday night, but a meal had been kept for us, and we settled for just a couple of bottles of the local Cider and a nightcap.

Saturday.
First in the breakfast queue in the morning, and then straight out on the bikes for a gentle warm up, past Lyn Brianne dam.

Then a scenic shot from halfway round.

We then left the tarmac and turned onto Strada Florida. Denise had ridden the first part of this track on her pushbike, watching the Cambrian, and was keen to ride it all. The dry weather of the previous weeks made the water crossings as shallow as I've ever seen them.

You can't quite see it in the photo, but in the top left, tied to the fence, is memorial to someone who lost their life at this point. I did hear something about a 4x4 trying it when the stream was in flood, but am not sure if that was the outcome.

Having Q2 headsets on our helmets was a huge advantage, I could point out to Denise where the rocks and holes were under the water as I rode across in front of her, then tell her to hang on while I got the camera out. All without having to take the helmet off, or shout, very useful indeed.

We continued to the end of Strata Florida, the turned along some single track tarmac towards the Claerwen Resevoir. The track turns to gravel halfway there, and as I was consulting the map, Denise pointed out a huge bird on a rock directly ahead. As we moved on, the bird (which I now know was a Red Kite) took off. Suddenly I heard a yell in my headset, we must have been encroaching on its territory, as it was dive bombing Denise!

The fantastic weather and scenery made it a joy to just cruise along the track, being mindful of the edges in some places though. The water didn' look that inviting!

Denise checking for marauding birds-of-prey.

Claerwen Dam.

Rejoining tarmac, we stopped off at the Elan Dam visitors centre for a coffee, before some more green lanes on the way back to the farm. We were having so much fun I forgot to take any more pictures!

 

[Timolgra]

Having Q2 headsets on our helmets was a huge advantage, I could point out to Denise where the rocks and holes were under the water as I rode across in front of her, then tell her to hang on while I got the camera out. All without having to take the helmet off, or shout, very useful indeed.

You pointed out where NOT to ride before getting the camera out

 

[earthmover]

The route on Saturday had been decided using the combined suggestions of TerryNW, Cupid stunt and Robbie C, of both this site and ADVrider. My knowledge of the area was limited to Strata Florida, and routes that make up some of the Welsh rally and Enduro events. These I knew wouldn't all be open to trail riders, so thanks to the aforementioned for their input, and Robbie especially for sending the coordinates of the start and end of three lanes that we finished off with. The Piano keys, Garth, and the Crychan closed the day off nicely.
A slap up meal back at the farm, with a few more drinks, and we were ready for bed by 9.30. Must have been all the fresh air.

Sunday.
As Denise had to collect her kids by 5.00, we only realistically had 4 hours of riding. I asked which bits she would like to do again, and unsuprisingly Strata Florida was the choice. There were a couple of obstacles where she wanted to try different techniques, or just to ride them again.

This was a different approach, though I did have to warn her about leaving the track!

This time I let Denise go first, after assuring her that this was shallow all the way across.

Immediately after the photo, her front wheel dropped into a hole! She managed to save it, but ended up facing the bank.
"I thought you said it was bloody shallow!"

We got as far as the deep wash-out before I suggested that we should head back. We rejoined the tarmac with an hour to spare, so explored some of the surrounding roads with a view to coming back on the GS at some point. Plenty of other riders were doing just that, as we saw a few groups out and about. At 1.00 we stopped at the car park overlooking Lyn Brianne for a last photo before going back to the farm to load up and set off for home.

Mark & Denise

 

[earthmover]

You pointed out where NOT to ride before getting the camera out

Tim, you're a bad man!
Guess who would be drying the KTM out though if she did drop it in the water?
If our two "enthusiastic" spanner twiddlers that helped her out last time augie) had been with us, I might have risked it.
Mark

 

[Pumpy]

If our two "enthusiastic" spanner twiddlers that helped her out last time augie) had been with us, I might have risked it.

Oi, watch it - you might need one of those "enthusiastic spanner twiddlers" one day...


Nice report, Mark, you certainly know how to make a woman happy!

We could have almost met you on Saturday, as Emma and I were going up to Aberystwyth and briefly thought about taking the Claerwen route. Shame - but you probably wanted to be alone anyway...

 

[earthmover]

Nice report, Mark, you certainly know how to make a woman happy! We could have almost met you on Saturday, as Emma and I were going up to Aberystwyth and briefly thought about taking the Claerwen route. Shame - but you probably wanted to be alone anyway...

I do my best!

Alone! We kept meeting the 12 Devon TRF riders that were staying! Along with a bunch of Landies, a couple of illegal riders, and an awful lot of sheep!
Mark