Ummmm ......... Beetroot Sandwiches

This was the perfect day for a bike ride. While most were bemoaning the loss of brilliant sunshine, the cloud cover and light breeze were very welcome to me out in the hills on my bike. Time to up the mileage a bit! Last week the Trecastle Road had looked very inviting and I planned a new route which took in this road and the Black Mountain climb (Pen Rhiw Wen) a total distance of just under 40 miles. Phil agreed to drive out and meet me at the Usk Reservoir (about half way) with some lunch. However, I'd learnt a few weeks before that its probably best to be self sufficient when you're out on the bike and so packed a few beetroot sandwiches into my saddle bag just in case.
So at just after 10am on this beautiful day I set off on my new route. I headed out on the Brecon Road eventually turning off the main road and into heaven! This Trecastle Road is very beautiful and peaceful it runs between the hills, next to a babbling brook and today it was so atmospheric as low cloud swirled across the hills. There were a few sharpe climbs but nothing too testing and then a wonderful long downhill stretch - yahooo. Through the tiny village of Pontar Hydfer and then a good climb up and out onto the moorland and across to the Usk Reservoir and lunch. But no sign of Phil at our agreed meeting place. I sent him a text to say I was carrying on and he should come and find me further down the road. Wow this road was glorious to cycle along I was now at the back of the Carmarthen Fans and the familar ridge and peaks were just visible above the clouds.

Eventually I came to the Red kite Pub and thinking this was a good place to have lunch with Phil I stopped and checked my phone-guilt here was I having a wonderful time and the message from Phil said that he was in Tesco getting some food plus I'd left him cleaning the bathroom!!!! I press on and before I know it I've joined the A4069 between Llangadog and Brynamman. This is the road that takes you over the Black Mountain and I knew this gentle climb I was now encountering would soon be getting very steep. I decided to have a beetroot sandwich. There was still no sign of Phil. I continued on knowing this road was only leading to the big climb I passed a man out walking he smiled and wished me luck, I passed another man cutting the grass outside his cottage he also smiled and shouted well done - I began to get nervous but there was no going back. I could now see the road winding up the side of the Black Mountain and cars that had whizzed pass me minutes before were now chugging up the hill. Well lets see how far I get I thought and I clicked down to my easiest gear. Slowly slowly I climbed up the hill being overtaken by racing motorbikes and cars until yes I made it to the top! I relished the ride down the other side of the hill - double yahoo and just as I was getting to Cwmllynfell about 2 miles from home met up with Phil.

This was a brilliant route and I'll be doing it again eventually combining the two routes to get up to the daily mileage I'll have to do by September.

Here's my route and statistics.