Oh we do like to be beside the seaside....

Short spin around the border lanes

Crapi Christmas Drinks

I know it might not look like it but we have been getting out every weekend.....except last weekend....oh, and this weekend too (looks away embarrassed). It was quite telling that we managed to get the best turn out of the year when we met up for traditional Christmas drinks and quiz last weekend. If my memory serves me correctly, those imbibing included Rocket (avoided the furnace hot fireside seat this time), Chrissy (full of cold), Lord Ronnie Baltimore, Robbo, Baby (who put him in the corner?), Beast, Ant (bravely sporting shorts in December) , Patron, Craig, Jude, Mike (no your eyes are not deceiving you), Dave, Coppi, Tudor, Brownie and Vino. I hope I haven't missed anyone, but after several scoops of Hydes original I wouldn't count on it. I'll post a photo of the festivities shortly. Happy Christmas to all, and let's hope 2015 is a great year for everyone who loves getting out on two wheels.

Clwyds, Halkyns and The Shelf

Kudos to Carl 'Vino' Jones for today's route planning. Following Disciples were Hughesy, Gaz, Ronnie, Robbie, Craig, Rocket and Bri.

Buckets and spades and a killer climb

18th October 2014 Start/Finish point: Dolgellau Holidaymakers: Rocket, Hughesy, Ronnie, Robbo, Brian, Craig, Tudor, Patron, Jack the Lad and Brownie.

Man of Steel (or should that be Iron?)

As most of you know, Chad had a nasty accident at work and as a result, he's been on the road to recovery for several months now. Until recently his biggest comeback ride had been a 45 miler which included one climb of the horseshoe. Yesterday he knocked that into a cocked hat when he kept me company on a 69 mile round trip with nearly 4500ft of climbing which included Ffrwd, Llanfynydd killer climb, The Shelf, The Nant y Garth pass and the back of the shoe. And the annoying thing is...he looked perfectly comfortable all day! I took a photo at the top of The Shelf just to prove he'd actually done it and will post it up here.

Lovely ride in the sunshine to Beeston

Blaenau lung buster

A good turnout today including patron, lantern, candle, Craig, Tudor, brownie, Chrissy, Ronnie, robbo, Gareth, vino and Colin Mcbride, on his first outing with the crapis. Needless to say bodies were strewn all over place on the return leg across ysbyty ifan and the migneint, and a breakaway effort by vino and Colin succeeded all the way back to the car park at Bala. Ronnie and I were grateful to Richie lee from Rhyl cc for sharing the work around llyn celyn as by this time the headwind was pretty fierce.

Spring is in the air....

Apologies for inexcusable delays in writing up the Blog but a few of us have discovered Strava over the last few weeks and the novelty hasn't yet worn off. Weather looks fair for the next few days, so we're off to Lake Vyrnwy this weekend. See you on the road.

Broken gears, broken bodies - Saturday 08/02/14

The Rocket threw down the gauntlet midweek by proclaiming that any rider who cried off this week because of bad weather should hang up their overshoes and take up knitting instead! Well that's not exactly what he said, but you get the idea..... Ronnie, Rocket, Robbo, Patron, Lantern, Craig, Vino, Chrissy, Brownie and Tudor therefore took up the challenge for what should have been an easy 47 mile loop to Prees. The weather had other ideas though, and a shocking side wind splintered us into 3 groups between Overton and Whitchurch, and it stayed that way until the welcome cafe stop at Prees. The final pairing was made up of Patron and Lantern but it was a solitary Lantern who rolled into the Raven with news of Le patron's return to base as a result of a snapped rear mech cable. A tailwind offered a brief respite on the initial return leg to Whitchurch but this soon changed again to a cross wind which again broke us up into 2 groups along Oldcastle road. The section from Worthenbury to Bangor was predictably hard as we turned further into the wind but I can honestly say that the final 5 miles from Overton to Ellesmere into the bared teeth of a hail and rain infested gale was the hardest thing I've done since Mont Ventoux. A hard but enjoyable day for those who made it and here's a useful link for those who didn't ;-) www.letsknit.co.uk

Just another winter's tale.....

Brownie, Craig, Coppi, Mike, Robbo, Ronnie, Chrissy, Lantern, Patron. Destination Corwen. Every year it happens. Sometime around late September, you'll hear the crapi's say they're "looking forward to winter so we can take it nice and steady for a bit". Everyone mutters and nods in agreement, as legs tired from Summer hilly outings yearn for steady social winter rides and cosy warm cafe stops. After all, winter miles equals summer smiles right? What happens in practice is quite different. Le patron issues the autumnal decree proclaiming the arrival of winter steeds, and for about a week or so from late October everyone's content to amble along. Something then happens to upset this finely balanced equilibrium. Invariably it's because we're just little kids in blokes bodies without the discipline and self-restraint needed to ride together sensibly. Today was one of those days! Bloody good fun!

Magic!

Our last trip to the Alps was fantastical, Ronnie's riding was occasionally tactical, Up hills and through forests, I took Ian up the Auris, He said it was f*cking quite magical

30th of November 2013 - Happy Birthday Chris!

Reporting for duty - Tudor, Brownie, Robbo, Chrissy, Ronnie, Patron, Beast. I know you wouldn't guess his age from his chiseled features and cheeky glint in his eye but Campag riding lover of pink tea cups founding Crapi granddad and all round good guy Chris....is 50 years old today! My God we're all getting old, sigh! To mark the occasion we got him a gleaming new white Mavic helmet, which should nicely compliment the inevitably increasing volume of white bristles on his chin....and up his nose....and in his ears..... The ride to Maesbury cafe was therefore a leisurely affair and it was good to meet up with Alan D, David B and the rest of the Oswestry Easy Riders, to reminisce on past rides and to plan those still to come. I've posted a photo of the fantastic birthday cake that Chris' family got for him and there's a pint of Hyde's bitter to the first person to correctly identify all 5 riders. Answers on a postcard please.

Prees - The Long Way 23/11/13

Would you believe me if I said it was 60 plus miles from Wrexham to Prees and back? Sounds unlikely doesn't it, but expect the unexpected when Big Al's (AKA Le Patron's) creative route planning juices start flowing. Although cold by recent standards we had a pretty good turn out including Brownie, Lantern, Patron, Robbo, Beast, Craig, Ronnie, Coppi and Chrissy, the latter of whom will celebrate 50 years on two legs and approximately 48 years on two wheels next weekend! To be totally honest I haven't got a clue which way we went after Hordley as I was too busy chatting to Brownie to take any notice, but I definitely recall a stretch of the Ellesmere - Shrewsbury road, a long stretch from Myddle to Wem, and a seemingly interminable stretch with me on the front from Wem to Prees. By the time we reached the warm fug of the Raven truck stop, me and the Beast were suffering from early onset mild hypothermia and most of the lads plumped for the full breakfast, eschewing the usual 'athletic' menu choice of beans on toast. The return leg was thankfully more direct, and the predicted attacks did not materialise on the road from Worthenbury to Bangor. We split into two groups at Bangor, as the main bunch made their way back to 'the village' past The Plassey, while a breakaway trio meandered past the Dee and up to Overton past Bangor racecourse. Beast and Craig peeled off for St Martins leaving me to soft tap the last 4 miles or so back to Ellesmere. About a mile after the trotting mare I encountered a damsel in distress, or more accurately, a woman on a bike that had clearly seen better days (the bike, not the woman)'parked up' on the grass verge on one of the drags. The carrier bags dangling from her handlebars had not helped with wind resistance and she'd admitted defeat on the incline. After a quick chat to check she was OK, it transpired she was cycling to the craft fair in Ellesmere. I mused there would possibly be several more carrier bags joining them on the return leg, but on the plus side, it would be downhill on the way back. After a few moments it became apparent that her formerly 3 gear steed had somehow mutated into a fixie, and she was clearly struggling on the drags. After slurping my energy drink and pocketing my last nutrigrain she somehow found her second wind and sat on my wheel all the way into town before heading off to do her shopping. All in all this was a great day out in fine Autumn weather, and I really hope she found what she was looking for at the craft fair!

Old Horseshoe Pass, The Shelf, Bwlch Penbarras and Horseshoe pass.....again

Yes, yes I know this hasn't been updated this for ages but I promise we HAVE been out every week, Robbo, Craig and Jude even managed to sneak in trips to Mont Ventoux since the last write up!!! Anyway, today's Autumnal outing was made up of Rocket, Ronnie, Robbo, Vino, Craig and Chrissy. Le Patron decided to sit this one out as he's still recovering from a rare strain of village malaise, which left route planning duties in the capable but sadistic hands of Robbo and Chrissy. The map shows the full route and the gradients on parts of the old horseshoe and Bwlch Penbarras were rideable but just plain silly. A 15.5 average was the best we could manage on this sort of terrain, but it was bloody good fun all the same.

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10th of August 2013 - Milltir Cerrig and Aberhirnant loop

This week's route planning responsibility fell to Robbo, and anxious not to disappoint he delved deep into the crapiwheelers archive of 'character building' rides, and came up with this little beauty. Also reporting for duty were Hughesy, Tudor, Ronnie, Mike The Candle Davies, Lantern and newbie James. James had been out with us once before and it was obvious he had va va voom in abundance, which is of course to be expected when you're approximately half the age of the rest of the crapi peloton. This was however to be his longest ride to date. Always keen to encourage a fellow rider, resident sports psychologist and motivational speaker Ronnie faithfully promised James he's been sitting at home with a brew by 2 o'clock at the latest..... After the foothills of Treflach, the first proper challenge was the 4 mile climb of the Milltir Cerrig, which never seems easy whether you tackle it early or late in the day. Following an eye watering descent into Bala (Mike still denies he over-cooked the sharp left hander) beans on toast and Welsh cakes were the order of the day at the Bala cafe stop. At the cafe Mike announced he would be heading back via a more direct route, as he was to be the guest of honour / entertainment at a 'charity spin class' in Mold at 4pm. Ronnie decided to follow suit and James made similar overtures on the basis that his legs were cooked. 5 minutes later, the rest of the Crapis managed to talk James into coming back 'the hard way' through Aberhirnant, so two headed off towards Corwen and five huffed and puffed their way up the Hirnant, past lake Vyrnwy and home via Llanfyllin, Llansantffraid and Blodwell Bank. Total distance for the round trip from Ellesmere was just over 96 miles and a 15.9 mph average, whilst the Wrexham lads just nudged the ton. James eventually arrived home for his brew with the rest of his crapi companions around 5pm!

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Wolf in sheep's clothing - Welshpool 03/08/13

Le Patron decided we'd have a flattish one to Welshpool today, so we went out the usual way to Blodwell bank via Trefonen, through Llansantffraid before a 'left turn Clyde' up the short but steep drag towards Welshpool. We arrived at the Inglenook cafe in 3 separate groups which resulted in Patron and Lantern getting last dibs on the available tables. On the plus side, they did make a new friend who used to be in the film business and are auditioning next week. The pace back through Leighton and Buttington was brisk, but it went up another few notches on Criggion Lane thanks to big turns by Beast and Tudor, before a breakaway consisting of Tudor, Robbo, Ronnie and Candle went up the road. The rest is a blur, but my cramping legs this afternoon are evidence that the return via the Tour of Flanders was far from easy. Another good turnout today - Patron, Ronnie, Waudy, Robbo, Beast, Craig, Candle, Tudor and of course Lantern. The route maps also confirms it wasn't exactly flat, with nearly 2000 ft of ascent, ave 17.5mph. Craig was testing a Van Nicholas titanium bike with electric shifters today, I think a few of us could have done with electric motors!

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Heatstroke and heartbreak - 13/07/13 - Hottest day of the year so far!

Still trying to cool down after yesterday's effort, so haven't done a write up yet. If Vino or Lantern feel the urge to do one in the meantime I won't complain! Suckers for punishment yesterday were Patron, Hughesy, Tudor, Robbo, Beast, Lantern, Brownie, Ronnie, Craig and Vino and I can't remember the last time there were such massive time gaps and so many broken bodies at the end of a ride.....

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Brenig ball-breaker - 06/07/13

Le Patron mustered the Crapi peloton for 9am morning prayers, before what he promised would be a ‘brute’. Faithful disciples included Robbo, Vino, Gaz, Hughesy, Ronnie, Rocket, Craig and new recruit Ian Higgins. The weather was set fair, and we all set off up the drag to Bwlchgwyn without a care in the world! The pace (and route) to Ruthin wasn’t bad, but the work rate steadily increased from Denbigh as we toiled up and down the interminable drags to Henllan and Llansannan. After a quick shop stop at Llansannan, le Patron decreed we should turn left to ascend the climb to Llyn Aled, and recounted his conversation 5 minutes earlier in the village shop..... “So you’re going up to Llyn Aled are you”, enquired the shop occupants, smirking as they secretly thought “a fat bastard like you won’t make it up there!”. And they were right, for no sooner did we start the climb when we discovered that the fine folk at Conwy County Council had rendered the climb completely un-rideable as a result of their cutting-edge road resurfacing techniques. We did attempt the climb but had to abandon at the top as the gravel was just too deep to ride through. Rather than walk all the way down again, Vino put his CX skills to good use and hopped over the fence with his bike to descend the farmer’s field. All soon followed suit as we made our way across two steep fields, dodging cowpats as we went (see photo). I imagine the scene the previous week had played out something like this..... Dewi is a newly qualified, eager to please civil engineer, and on his first field assignment he is paired up with Dai and his highly experienced Conwy Council road resurfacing crew, the envy of councils throughout the land. Their task for the next fortnight was to resurface Ffordd Gogor, a little used route to Llyn Aled, which probably needed resurfacing about as much as the Lantern needed an afro comb. “Right Dai, where’s the tarmac?”, enquired Dewi, keen to get started. “Over there” said Dai, casually gesturing with thumb, forefinger and fag end to a barrel marginally bigger than le Patron’s tea mug, warming up over a disposable barbecue. “F*ck me Dai, what are we supposed to do with that miniscule amount of tarmac?" exclaimed Dewi, who by now was beginning to have some doubts about his chosen vocation with Conwy CC and his mentor for the day. “Well lad, you run up to the top of that hill, and when you get there, you’re going to tip that weak cocktail of tar and rat’s piss down the hill see. Then me and the boys’ll come behind you and drop 50 megaton of slithery, bike-crippling death-trap gravel on top of it like”. “What happens then Dai, are we going to steam roller it to get it nice and compacted?” “Nah, we’ll just leave the gravel about a foot deep and the cars and bikes and tractors will work it in for us see, all being well it should be good enough to use as a road again in about 12 month’s time” “But Dai, isn’t it dangerous to just leave a shit load of loose gravel on the road like that, what if someone skids on the 20% slope?”. “F*ck em”, replied Dai with a faraway look in his eye, as he contemplated the thought of finishing another resurfacing job 13 days ahead of schedule.... The next road we came upon was an undiscovered 25% brute, and by the time we got to the Brenig visitor centre at the 50 mile mark we were ready for a rest. On the return leg, Patron, Rocket, Hughesy and Ron opted for the A5, whilst Robbo, Craig, Gaz and Vino took the rollercoaster road to Pentrellyncymer and Ruthin, before the final drags of the Nant y Garth pass and Llandegla. 82 miles and over 2100 metres of climbing, the difficulty of the day is reflected in the average speed of 14.5 mph.

Midsummer murder - 29/06/13

A slightly depleted but nonetheless fortified peloton consisting of Craig, Robbo, Ronnie, Iron Man Chad, Tudor the Russian, Hughesy, Young Gaz and Patron were looking forward to whatever route Le Patron had conjured for us this week. Individual distances and speeds varied depending on start/finish points, I made it 77.7 miles and 17.3 average.

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