So after spending last Saturday on the new LC, this Saturday I rode a similar route, but with Denise and on the trail bikes.
The road across the moors from Minera to Worlds End is one of our favourite routes, in any weather. Today we were blessed with a dry but hazy day, not the best for photos!
Erm, something's wrong here.......
There was a cycle race running the opposite way, and some of them were really struggling on the short, sharp hills. We had to wait for a good five minutes for a gap in the traffic at the junction at Plas Yn Eglwyseg (I think?) as the downhill was being used to good effect by the cyclists. We didn't want to spoil their day, or ours! After a quick coffee and a bacon sandwich at the Ponderosa, we headed off again on the back roads, past the quarry and then skirted Llantysilio Mountain and down to the Dee. Staying on the North side of the river on single track roads we rode on to Carrog Bridge for another photo stop. Not the best picture of the bridge I'm afraid, but for a quiet road there was plenty of traffic. I took this shot, then jumped onto the KTM to move it out of the way. Unfortunately, there is a hole on the other side of the bike, and I missed the floor and ended up lying on the bridge parapet looking at the water below! Could have been very embarassing!
Our intention was to ride the Wayfarer, one of the famous green lanes of the area. I've crossed it many times, but today was to be Denise's first attempt.
I had chosen to ride the route West to East, so that we could have lunch at the pub in Llanarmon DC. At one of the first of many gates, I jumped back onto the bike, to have the handlebars drop! I've not had this KTM long, but one of the first things I did was change the bars and put risers on. Mustn't have tightened the bolts properly though....
Not the World's best spannerist.
Come on, get a shimmy on, we want to get there before they stop serving...
Nice view!
At the highest point of the track there is a Memorial plaque to "Wayfarer", who was a cyclist apparently. There is also a visitors book, to which Denise was keen to add her name.
The route is very popular with walkers, cyclists and 4x4's, as well as trail riders. I have been across it on my GS, in the company of Timolgra and Mouse some years ago, but it isn't one to undertake lightly. There were a group of Vauxhall Fronteras waiting to set off, and I suggested to Denise that we should go first. She was a little concerned, not wanting to have to keep an eye out behind her, but she hadn't realised just how slow they would be. This concern caused her to shoot down the roughest 100 yards of the track at quite high speed, and not quite in control! Thankfully she stayed upright, and relaxed when I pointed out to her just how far behind the cars now were.
I'm rather pleased with this bike, not bad for just over a grand!
We rolled up at the West Inn just as a group of trail riders were vacating a table outside, so we chatted to them for a couple of minutes before settling down to a quick bite to eat.
Duly refreshed, we took in another quick lane before working our way back to Llangollen for fuel. Our allocated time was running out, so we opted to head back the way we came, with a brief pause for photos at the ford.
Denise suggesting that I should walk across the stepping stones.
Not sure which was the slippiest!
Then of course the problems of trying to take an action shot with a compact.
Mark
The road across the moors from Minera to Worlds End is one of our favourite routes, in any weather. Today we were blessed with a dry but hazy day, not the best for photos!
Erm, something's wrong here.......
There was a cycle race running the opposite way, and some of them were really struggling on the short, sharp hills. We had to wait for a good five minutes for a gap in the traffic at the junction at Plas Yn Eglwyseg (I think?) as the downhill was being used to good effect by the cyclists. We didn't want to spoil their day, or ours! After a quick coffee and a bacon sandwich at the Ponderosa, we headed off again on the back roads, past the quarry and then skirted Llantysilio Mountain and down to the Dee. Staying on the North side of the river on single track roads we rode on to Carrog Bridge for another photo stop. Not the best picture of the bridge I'm afraid, but for a quiet road there was plenty of traffic. I took this shot, then jumped onto the KTM to move it out of the way. Unfortunately, there is a hole on the other side of the bike, and I missed the floor and ended up lying on the bridge parapet looking at the water below! Could have been very embarassing!
Our intention was to ride the Wayfarer, one of the famous green lanes of the area. I've crossed it many times, but today was to be Denise's first attempt.
I had chosen to ride the route West to East, so that we could have lunch at the pub in Llanarmon DC. At one of the first of many gates, I jumped back onto the bike, to have the handlebars drop! I've not had this KTM long, but one of the first things I did was change the bars and put risers on. Mustn't have tightened the bolts properly though....
Not the World's best spannerist.
Come on, get a shimmy on, we want to get there before they stop serving...
Nice view!
At the highest point of the track there is a Memorial plaque to "Wayfarer", who was a cyclist apparently. There is also a visitors book, to which Denise was keen to add her name.
The route is very popular with walkers, cyclists and 4x4's, as well as trail riders. I have been across it on my GS, in the company of Timolgra and Mouse some years ago, but it isn't one to undertake lightly. There were a group of Vauxhall Fronteras waiting to set off, and I suggested to Denise that we should go first. She was a little concerned, not wanting to have to keep an eye out behind her, but she hadn't realised just how slow they would be. This concern caused her to shoot down the roughest 100 yards of the track at quite high speed, and not quite in control! Thankfully she stayed upright, and relaxed when I pointed out to her just how far behind the cars now were.
I'm rather pleased with this bike, not bad for just over a grand!
We rolled up at the West Inn just as a group of trail riders were vacating a table outside, so we chatted to them for a couple of minutes before settling down to a quick bite to eat.
Duly refreshed, we took in another quick lane before working our way back to Llangollen for fuel. Our allocated time was running out, so we opted to head back the way we came, with a brief pause for photos at the ford.
Denise suggesting that I should walk across the stepping stones.
Not sure which was the slippiest!
Then of course the problems of trying to take an action shot with a compact.
Mark
