Sunday 26 June 2011
Pyrenean training continues......
Robbo and The Lantern took their own hangover enforced late-start outing today, whilst the rest of the Crapis headed for the challenge of the Crimea pass and the Trawfynydd - Bala gated road. Hopefully one of the gang will post a map or a write up later.
Meanwhile, our roving reporter managed to catch up with Robbo and the Lantern as they battled their way around the North Wales/Cheshire borders. The Lantern explained that he'd asked Robbo to "make it a toughie" as he was "desperate to kick Mike's arse" when they got to France. Robbo happily obliged, insisting on just 2 simple rules for the day 1) No cafe stop 2) No mercy.
"I love riding with Robbo" the Lantern told our reporter. "He really knows how to encourage me when I'm struggling" the Lantern gushed, saying things like "keep pedalling" and "Feckin hell we'll never get home at this rate mate". "Robbo hadn't told me where we going today" the Lantern explained, "but I was thrilled when the first climb of the day was a long 20% pull out of Llanfynydd". He later confided that he had considered "doing a Dave" if it had gone on much longer.
The route was still shrouded in mystery after Llanarmon Yn Ial, but the Lantern said "I could have cried with joy" when Robbo decided to take them up The Shelf. Just when things couldn't get any better, the Lantern "realised with growing excitement that we'd also be coming out at the bottom of the Nant Y Garth" which would "warm him up nicely" for the last climb up Horseshoe. The Lantern was non-committal when our reporter asked about his detailed French preparation, although he did let one little titbit slip. "I've been training with half a hundred weight of Kind Edwards stuffed down me bibshorts" he confided. This tactic almost backfired on the descent of the Shelf however, when a couple of the tasty taters tumbled out of his bibs, narrowly missing his spokes. "I thought I'd had me chips there for a minute" he cheekily quipped.
Our reporter managed to catch up with the Intrepid duo just before Llangollen on their final push back home. Robbo was chuffed with himself after overtaking and dropping a Robin Reliant coming of the horseshoe. After a promising start and 4 big climbs, the day had taken it's toll, and by this point, the Lantern was trembling like a shitting dog as he fumbled for his factor 50.
Credit where it's due though. The Lantern showed strength, determination and grit today and was only about a minute behind me coming out of the Nant Y Garth. Chapeau mate.
Saturday 11 June 2011
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