Gore were lending out swanky jackets on a try before you buy thing (not that many people had intention of buying them after - just wanting to keep their own kit dry for now) so I borrowed an excellent rain coat, which is designed to be breathable (and save for climbing huge mountains it pretty much was)
Over breakfast Rob was showing us how to flick beans and a group of us had gravitated to each other - a group where the tone was as about as low as it gets and the laughter was pretty much constant, there was always someone who was the brunt of the jokes. Today was my turn, as one of my pictures from yesterday was particularly unflattering, resulting in my being called "Les Dawson" (I've since googled this and I'm not happy!)
On with the days riding, (70k, 2100m climbing) just as we were getting ready to go, the rain stopped and the sun peeped it's head out briefly. I took off my jacket and as soon as we were into the first climb (just kilometers away) I was glad I did. The first climb of the day out the way, and a big descent, then the coat was back on for most of the day as the heavens opened. Just in time for a 15km climb, big grassy inclines with the wind battering us around. Onto some amazing but bleak open moorland and sheeptracks. This is how I think of mountain biking, I was having a fantastic day. When I hear people talking about "Epic" rides, this is what they're talking about. Proper hardy mountain goat style terrain, big rocky climbs and descents, landscapes littered with sheep, fields filled with gorse bushes just waiting for you to fall in them so they can attack you.
I could hear moaning behind me, and it was the chuckle brothers - I'd met them briefly on the ride yesterday when they were much more chipper. Today, Barry Chuckle was complaining about everything. It seemed ages til the lunch stop and we had just got up a big climb only to find that it hadn't finished yet, so they stopped for an unscheduled lunch stop, I joined them for a while and gave them haribo (Sorry Sally!) and hence receiving the name Haribo Lady for a while. It is true though, Kids and grown ups love them so, it put a smile back on their faces.
I carried on, and up and really enjoying myself, not feeling like I'd done 2 marathons in the 2 days previous. There was a monster of a road climb up to the lunch stop where I collapsed and abandoned my bike on the road side. The chuckle brothers were there - still complaining - Barry (Jason) was having a bad day out there, I was a bouncy ray of sunshine (apparently) and sat with them a few minutes whilst I ate a sarnie. I don't like to stop for too long as it's not great for my legs so I carried on once more.
Despite the fun I was having, today was hard, much harder than previous days, the climbing was more intense, the marshy moorland made it draining on my legs, the single track was filled with deep ruts making it a challenge and requiring concentration to be on at a maximum. Several people didnt make the cut off today and it's easy to see why. But on the same coin, it was the single best days' off roading I'd done to date.
I rolled into the finish after a section on the road which contained plenty of short sharp hills to finish off already weary legs. My bike was pretty caked today, tonights stop was at Llanidleos Rugby Ground, where I was reliably informed there was a bar!
So back on the afternoon routine, bike, tent - the guys did this for me today whilst I went for a shower which was real nice of em, but I think they were just sick of seeing me put it up in a shambolic way! There wasnt a shop nearby today so I didnt do a beer run, but Rob promised me a pint after dinner. "Thanks Dad" ;-)
There was a little ice cream stand too, so I got a round of ice creams in - the sun had reappeared once more and it looked like we'd have a pleasant night. Dinner was once more excellent - how they manage to do that every morning and night, then pack it all up move to the next campsite, sleeping in tents too is amazing. Really excellent job.
So after dinner, we wandered over to the rugby bar and had a couple of pints each whilst watching the rugby team practice. Today was the last day for some of the riders just doing the 3 day mini version but it also meant fresh meat on the campsite of the people doing the 4 day mini version.
You could tell the new people as their bikes were clean, they looked fresh and a little bit like when a child starts school and the other kids have already established their friendship groups.
I was gettting to the point of either carrying on drinking for the night, or tunring in and getting some sleep... the others helped make my mind up on this by starting the walk back - we got round the corner only to find 20 other riders in the bar.... temptation nearly got the better of me, but I went back to my tent. It was pretty cold tonight and the sky had once more cleared.
There was no special stage today so the standings are as they were before and I'm still in 4th which I'm really please about given the high level of competition in my category.
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