Saturday 27th June 2009 (
Armed Forces Day) saw an early start for some with 11 of the
Tenby Aces along with a small support crew meeting up at the cenotaph in Tenby for a 3am start for our epic 200 miles in a day ride to Cardiff and back in aid of the
Help for Heroes charity.
Andy (Mao Tse) had cried off a day earlier complaining of Mexican flu like symptoms such as tired, headache, runny nose, wheezy chest and having too large a ginger beard (high drag coefficient). Poor dab.
The 11 plus support left Tenby around 3.15am with an aim of geting back before 8pm.
From Tenby we headed to Carmarthen then to Llanelli via Idole, with a short drink and food stop at Kidwelly. Jon Mills punctured on the first leg but didn't lose too much time and was soon reunited with us.
From Kidwelly it was on to Margam, Port Talbot via Llanelli, Gowerton, Gower via Clyne valley cycle track and Swansea.
Swansea saw a quick comedy toilet stop at Sainsbury's where 11 cleeted cyclists clip- clopped through the store and disrobed before entering the conveniences. Until yesterday I'd never sat on a loo with my cycling helmet on before.
From there it was onto our second food stop in Margam at the Tolgate cafe and around 70 miles covered. We'd made good time and the cafe wasn't yet open but the food support crew (Mandy and Janina) complete with pink afro wigs and Nigel and John looked after us well.
From Margam it was all the way to
Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. This was probably the toughest leg of the outward journey as the sun was getting up and the traffic increasing all the time as well as some long ish up hill pulls along the A48.
A quick 30mins or so rest at Sophia Gardens and we were back on our bikes heading out of the capital and back up the hill at Culverhouse Cross.
It was getting warm now and my feet were starting to ache.
We managed to get lots of drink refills while moving and were soon back in Bridgend. we flew all the way back then to Margam for another food stop and a chance to get the shoes off for 5 mins.
The next leg was to prove the killer for me. We'd covered about 130 or so miles and the return leg between Port Talbot and Kidwelly while not hilly saw my feet getting increasingly painful. My toes were screaming in my shoes and the Kidwelly stop arrived just in time for me.
With my feet talc'd and wet wiped we set off for the climbs between Kidwelly and Carmarthen. I slowed up considerably here as the heat had taken its toll on me but my feet although still in some pain, were not as bad as they had been.
By Carmarthen I was feeling good again and powered on to the Forge garage between Carmarthen and St Clears where there was to be another stop. I and one or two others got off and I took my shoes off when suddenly the main group raced past. I was last to leave the stop and was left behind and found myself slowly slogging up the hill to Red Roses. I arrived at
The Sporting Chance in a hell of a mess. My feet were in agony again and I could hardly get my shoes off. The pub had kindly put on sandwiches for us and as we were ahead of time we grabbed some drinks and made arrangements for the final parade into Tenby with the Coastguard, Army and Fire crew.
7.15 at New Hedges was the plan and I had a new lease of life after the extended break at Red Roses. I didn't even feel the climb at Pentlepoir and we were all in great spirits when we met up with everyone at New Hedges for the final mile into town.
Photo's done we headed off at a sedate pace with 200 miles already on the counter and knowing the job had been done.
People cheered and clapped us all the way into town and the closer we got the more and more support there seemed to be.
We were met at the Cenotaph by the Mayor and probably 200 people.
A quick change and wet wipe `shower` in the VW in the multi storey carpark and it was on to
Tenby Bowls Club for a well earned pint of Strongbow before the journey home to Carmarthen and Mandy waiting for me with a chicken tikka marsala - ding dong.
Happy Pedaling and sore tootsies
200 mile Phil
www.thetwofatcyclists.co.uk
The three amigos met up together for the first time since returning from the Coast 2 Coast Challenge. The three of us had shared a camper van for three weeks and got to know each other so well. Here we were again but this time playing with a digger!
I have ideas for making our Mountain Bike Trail a bit more adventurous - some bigger table tops and drop offs. Merv kicks off the digging as Phil's dog, Tonka, has done a runner towards the BBQ. On his return Phil acknowledges that Merv has done a lovely job of combing the grass. I fall about laughing but then it's my go next. I just manoevere the 
digger to where ever Phil needs it do the job proper.
