Aspire donation

£3000 was handed over to Aspire (helping people with spinal injuries) last Sunday at the Spinal Unit, Tamar Ward, Odstock, Salisbury. Andy, on behalf of The Two Fat Cyclists, presented a cheque to the staff who will pass it on to the charity. Pictured with Andy are Staff Nurse Jeff, Nurse Faisal and Paul Rees from Carmarthen who is recovering from a spinal injury at the ward.

The money was raised over the Xmas period at The Polar Bear Swim and at Pendine AFC v Morfa Bay football game at Llanmiloe on Boxing Day. Thanks to everyone who donated and especially to the brave swimmers of Pendine and Pendine Football Club and Llanmiloe Social Club.

Picture Links

VIKING CHALLENGE - http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/teddypenllew/Viking#

DAFFODIL CLASSIC - http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/teddypenllew/Daffy2010#

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/teddypenllew/DaffodilCycle28Feb2010#

Thanks everyone for all your support £1250 RAISED FOR DIABETES UK CYMRU - please feel free to download any pics.

Merv time at the Viking Challenge

2nd Annual Viking Challenge @ Morfa Bay Adventure

What a weekend! Today saw the staff at Morfa Bay Adventure in Pendine holding the 2nd annual Viking Challenge in aid of Diabetes UK Cymru for The Two Fat Cyclists.

However, the weekend started on Saturday for many who arrived early at the centre to watch the rugby internationals, have a few drinks and party the night away with music from John Wright, The Two Fat Cyclists and Spam Dagger aka Uncle Lydon and Ginger Gareth from Narberth.

Many of the teams taking part spent the night at the centre along with friends, and family support and a number of the South Wales Transporter Club (VW).

The evening ended fairly respectably at around 12.30 for most although some continued to sing for a short while longer.

Sunday morning dawned and after an early breakfast for all the 7 viking teams took to the challenge.

Events included Axe Throwing, Archery, Welly Wanging, Wall Climb, Sumo Relay, The Quest for the Golden Egg and after lunch the infamous Morfa Bay Naval muddy assault course.

Several highlights in terms of performance included Hassan Redmore from the Liquiorice All Sorts team at Sumo challenge, Derrick Wyke (Wyke's Warriors) and Ginger Gareth (Volks Vandals) Axe throwing (5 and 4 consecitive 10's respectively),

Laugharne Youth Club (Wall Climbing), Kimberly's Girls team (Muddiest Assault Course traverse ever) and Hagar's Wenches who won the event's 1st inagural Best Endeavour award for the best worse ever performance, coming a respectable 7th out of 7 and screaming louder than anybody at every event undertaken. They are still believed to be out on the assault course at time of writing some 4 hours later.
The Worms Head Warriors Won the overall event and in the words of Team Captain Dave Collins `we weren't over competetive but its all about wining really`

Unfortunatley Wayne Hurley from Wyke Warriors aggravated an old shoulder injury and while trying to fall from the climbing wall gracefully. Wayne refused to let go with his bad arm and popped a shoulder out which staff at Glan Gwili kindly popped back in for him later. Also young Lauren from Laugharne Youth fell from an obstacle on the assault course and injured a knee which required a call to medics who treated a very brave girl and managed to put the knee back but took Lauren off to hospital for a thorough check up.

The day ended with a presentation at the Crows Nest conference facility at Morfa Bay with Joe Cuff from Diabetes UK Cymru recieving a cheque for £3000 from Andy and Phil (The Two Fat Cyclists) from recent fund raising events.

A massive thanks to Staff at Morfa Bay for hosting the event and also of course to all our friends old and new who either took part, raised money and came along to support our event.

DVD's of the day will be available from Rhys@morfabay.com and more photos will be posted shortly.

Many, many thanks all - Phil

See you all in 2011 if not before

Pre - Viking Challenge

All week the boys at Morfa Bay Adventure have been setting up the activities for The Viking Challenge 2010. Mervyn Dogchaser from the Viking village of Ely prepares his ship with two coats of BonQ special dark brown ship paint. He wanted battleship grey but there was only dark brown available!

Disappointingly we have been decimated from 16 provisional teams down to 8 definites.

The Centre is up for it and hopefully we can raise some money for Diabetes UK Cymru.

Activities are vast and I don't think the invading Vikings know what is going to hit them!

CLIMBING WALL–'TOUCH THE HORN'

Viking Instructor-Jonathan Faintheart

AXE THROWING

Viking Instructor-Rhys Moosegrabber

ARCHERY-BURST THE BALLOON

Viking Instructor

–Dave Wussypants

WELLY WANGING/TYRE CHALLENGE

Viking Instructor

–Paul Runnynose

SUMO RELAY

Viking Instructor–Gethin Treehugger

QUEST FOR THE GOLDEN EGG

Viking Instructor–Mervyn Dogchaser

THE FINALE-NAVY STYLE ASSAULT COURSE

Andy Strongcow will be referee for the day.

Daffodil Classic 2010

February 28th

Six months ago I was lying unconscious in a gutter at the side of the National Highway of Crete. My back was broken and a leg and ankle torn and fractured by the impact of a car hitting me from behind and forcing my leg out of my clip pedals. Comparatively speaking I am so lucky; there are so many that are either not with us today or who are still struggling to overcome their misfortunes. Today I can walk. Today I can cycle. Today I can smile and enjoy the camaraderie that a cyclo sportif can bring to a group of people that decide on a cold, rainy morning in late February to take on 43 miles of the Daffodil Classic and raise money for the chosen charities.

Thinking it to be an easy job I ask Gethin with his dislocated shoulder to take charge of signing in the cyclists. Registration is a nightmare as the 60 pre-registered are swamped by another 60 who have turned up on the morning. Geth is disorientated after a heavy night out celebrating his 30th and struggles with the pace of updating the database with his one finger typing.

12 midday and Pendine hill awaits the 122 registered cyclists. I let them get on with it, pump my tyres up to required 100ish. My intent is to be a so called back marker sweeping cyclists up looking after any punctures, keeping in touch with marshals and having a chat with whoever would take the time out. It's an excuse to take it easy and not to suffer too much on the hills. Reports were fed back to me that the realisation of a lack of any bigger cogs had meant that many pushed their bikes up the first 1 in 20 and that one or two had missed the big downhill left hander and had headed off-road towards the stream running alongside the road. Hawthorn and blackthorn cutting accounts for the first puncture not 5 miles from the start. Others find that within 6 miles of mountainous hills and a fast pace that they have bitten off too much, too soon in the season and call it an early day and take a route to get them back to the safety of Pendine. I soon catch up with the cycling god that is Mike from Kidwelly, determined to finish the course we spend an hour or so together chatting about the cycling fraternity and Jimi Hendrix' relationship with Little Richard. I leave Mike resting on his way to Trelech, eating a banana and perusing his route card.

The rather fiery red haired photographer has clicked through a thousand photos. Cyclists in the distance abound in his portfolio with many hedge and verge shots aswell as numerous photos of the side of the sag wagon as he lent out to get the one perfect image that he strives for. I arrive at the attractive food stop and Ian has moved on in search of the golden shot for his horticultural project. Fifteen minutes, three cups of tea and two chunks of chocolate cake are consumed greedily. Phil's sag wagon comes in with Mike. Brian has had his second puncture. Phil provides mechanical service and a tube as part of his extensive value that he brings to the Daffy Classic. The cross winds over the top section slow us up as we are buffeted by the northerly winds. Turning south 5 miles on and everyone realised what they had been fighting against for the the last 20 odd miles. Speeds got higher as the 10 mile drop towards St Clears flew by. Onward to Laugharne and with the wind changing direction the headwinds that greet a cyclist entering Pendine from the east. Phil in the sag wagon came home in under 4 and a half hours.

The pasta party followed 43 murderous miles. Curses of the extreme hill climbs have passed as cyclists come together in collective smugness that they understand as the achievement of overcoming the challenge that was set out before them. The third Daffodil Classic is aspiring to become 'the' early season event for cyclists of all ages and all abilities in South Wales. It can only grow bigger and the organisation will have to become more efficient. The length and toughness of the course will hopefully shock and at the same time attract more cyclists. The hard frost of the winters has kept the daffodils away but the cyclists keep on coming.

Donations of help have been gratefully accepted from: Princes Gate Spring Water, Castell Howell Cash & Carry, Gilbert's Cafe and Morfa Bay Adventure. Without these institutions, the sportif would still go on but it's nice that they contribute and a huge thank you for your kindness.

Many thanks to the various marshalls and to all at the food stop: Gethin, Rhys, Tom, Suzie, Mandy, Lowri, Ffion, Charlie and Henry.

Thank you everyone for making it a special day.

Photos available - click here and click here for some more