snowdon ride report halfwayupmtb
Snowdon 2013
This is gonna hurt
"Why am i being woken at this ungodly hour ?
Where am i?"
As the fug of last nights beer started to clear i remembered, Saturday morning snowdon ride. Thats right.
Let me just explain.
The beer was drunk in celebration of successfully smashing the trails at coed llandegla on friday, day one of the inaugural halfwayupmtb north wales trip.
But that was just the warm up for todays antics.
Bikes were loaded, backpacks were packed, music blasted as we rolled out from our temporary home in bettws y coed, the sun was blazing already. The mountains beckoned.
Being a North Wales virgin, i was truly breath taken by the scale of these mountains, I've ridden a lot of the big stuff in south wales but these are bigger, much bigger.
The closer we got, the more daunting they become, jagged rock, loose escarpments, huge drops, these are not mountain bike centres, these mountains are not meant to ridden, there is no nicely groomed trail here. This is mountain biking in a different league.
We parked in llanberis and headed up parallel with the train track, the climb was relentless straight out of the town. the group soon started to string out with the usual suspects stretching their legs out early. James "The racing snake" Andrews led the climb to the first train station where we regrouped, last nights beer and this mornings fry ups were all in danger of making a reappearance .
As we set off again the mountain got steeper, bikes were carried on backs and every step began to hurt. I lost count of how many walkers enquired "is that heavy?"
The trail was just rock steps,some loose some bedded in the mountain, each one the size of a small suitcase, i kept thinking 'we've got to get down this mountain, i hope the Rangers path is less dangerous than this'
The higher we climbed the better the vistas became until after nearly 2 hours of climbing and grimacing we cleared the last snow drift and could finally see the summit. It was the first real opportunity to stop and take it all in. And my god, what a view to take in. I stood with Elliot for a good minute, speechless just breathing it all in.
But we went there yet. The final push saw us climbing the last 100 meters or so toe to toe with what seemed like hundreds of bewildered walkers who were double taking the fact that mountain bikes were being lumped up Wales' highest mountain let alone being ridden back down.
As i got to the summit i left my bike to walk the final few steps where i was greeted by my fellow mountain goats, Simon "Patch" Adams bathing in the glory that the first two bikes up were 'on-ones'.
As we stood proudly at the summit fist bumps, hand shakes and knowing winks were exchanged.
"we've done it butt" Said Uncle Bryn twyp lloyd, but in the back of my mind i knew we were only halfway there, and the toughest part was yet to come.
A long way down
Food was eaten behind the cafe and final preparations for the descent were made, this was an opportunity to quietly ask Mike Cardwell if the Rangers path was a little easier than the climb. The answer was not the one i wanted.
As we set off for the Rangers Gwillym 'kom" llewellyn had the first puncture of the day, but Boofa rules applied, 'he's a grown man, he can fend for himself' was the call.
The trail started steeply, a huge grass mountain side littered with wheel smashing rocks, a trail was vaugly recognisable. As we gathered speed the trail got rockier and rockier, walkers were looking in utter disbelief at what was happening. some moved some didn't, but it didn't matter, the trail took every ounce of concentration, a prick with a stick wasn't a problem it was just another obstacle to overcome, i think they were just jealous.
Line choices were essential as one wheel wrong was a trip to a&e for sure, and this is not a simple walk down to a visitors centre. People were picking lines that looked like a good idea only to find a rock drop that would end in disaster. When Gav "Gavlar" Pope and Darren "wheelie anywhere" Mayer came flying past me on one section i stopped to watch and take in how technical this descent was. i looked back to see a relentless train of riders came down the mountain, it was an awesome sight.
Just when you thought the trail couldn't get steeper or rockier it did! it was heart stopping and wheel stopping stuff and it was relentless, as the switchbacks carried on coming, so did the arm pump, break squeal and grins.
The trail finally gave up to reveal a stunningly fast section of what seemed like kitty litter after the last 10 minutes of brutality. Was this a taste of things to come?
We regrouped at the bottom with screams and whoops of sheer relief, everyone looking at each other and the mountain we had just conquered, it took a little while for us to take in what we had just done. The summit was miles away.Marcus "the Earl of Merthyr" France is a man every ride needs as he entertained us with his knowledge and facts of the surrounding geological features, it really makes you appreciate the energy and time it took to sculpt these mountains.
As we counted riders in, the grins were visible from miles away, the relief of seeing Dale"early to bed"Morgan and Mark "manuel"Jones who have only been riding a few months was fantastic, what an achievement.
But there was one left? Where was Alan "the gogfather" hughes? Had he come off? Did he have a puncture? or had he reverted back to his natural got state and found a new cave in the mountain to call home? all was revealed as he came in with a broken mech hanger, and with no spare to hand Andrew" Boofa" Bray was ready to birch him but fair play, his trail side bodge was one of the best seen on any roadtrip.
With bikes and people ready we headed off for possibly the best piece of single track I've ever ridden, the legendary Telegraph Valley or as we now call it, Puncture Valley. Its a 1.5 mile top gear flat out fun fest, scattered every 200 meters or so with 6 inch high trail width water bars. if you can't bunny hop your doomed, even if you can, your still in the lap of the trail gods. this was one seriously fast section of trail, gps tracking had us over 33 mph at some points on a trail a meter wide, concentration was needed as much as the Snowdon descent.
At the bottom we stopped and waited…….and waited ….. and waited nervous looks were exchanged as we tried to phone the people who had yet to return.
As they came home one by one, tails of punctures were told. but the winner of 'most rubber used' was Ian "3 in a row"Griff? thats right folks 3 in 500 meters, a new club record thats safe for a while i think.
International cock or ball
With everyone down safely we headed back into town for some well earned grub, as we looked over our shoulders at the mountains in the distance we knew that what we had ridden will make our local trails seem a little, well little to be honest. Rides like these don't happen that often, the weather,the climbs, the descents, the company. I think that when they do, the memories will live with you forever. I for one will never forget that weekend in April I took on and conquered the highest mountain in Wales.
Thank you Snowdon.
12 miles ridden/pushed
3327 ft climbed
EPIC
This is gonna hurt
"Why am i being woken at this ungodly hour ?
Where am i?"
As the fug of last nights beer started to clear i remembered, Saturday morning snowdon ride. Thats right.
Let me just explain.
The beer was drunk in celebration of successfully smashing the trails at coed llandegla on friday, day one of the inaugural halfwayupmtb north wales trip.
But that was just the warm up for todays antics.
Bikes were loaded, backpacks were packed, music blasted as we rolled out from our temporary home in bettws y coed, the sun was blazing already. The mountains beckoned.
Being a North Wales virgin, i was truly breath taken by the scale of these mountains, I've ridden a lot of the big stuff in south wales but these are bigger, much bigger.
The closer we got, the more daunting they become, jagged rock, loose escarpments, huge drops, these are not mountain bike centres, these mountains are not meant to ridden, there is no nicely groomed trail here. This is mountain biking in a different league.
We parked in llanberis and headed up parallel with the train track, the climb was relentless straight out of the town. the group soon started to string out with the usual suspects stretching their legs out early. James "The racing snake" Andrews led the climb to the first train station where we regrouped, last nights beer and this mornings fry ups were all in danger of making a reappearance .
As we set off again the mountain got steeper, bikes were carried on backs and every step began to hurt. I lost count of how many walkers enquired "is that heavy?"
The trail was just rock steps,some loose some bedded in the mountain, each one the size of a small suitcase, i kept thinking 'we've got to get down this mountain, i hope the Rangers path is less dangerous than this'
The higher we climbed the better the vistas became until after nearly 2 hours of climbing and grimacing we cleared the last snow drift and could finally see the summit. It was the first real opportunity to stop and take it all in. And my god, what a view to take in. I stood with Elliot for a good minute, speechless just breathing it all in.
But we went there yet. The final push saw us climbing the last 100 meters or so toe to toe with what seemed like hundreds of bewildered walkers who were double taking the fact that mountain bikes were being lumped up Wales' highest mountain let alone being ridden back down.
As i got to the summit i left my bike to walk the final few steps where i was greeted by my fellow mountain goats, Simon "Patch" Adams bathing in the glory that the first two bikes up were 'on-ones'.
As we stood proudly at the summit fist bumps, hand shakes and knowing winks were exchanged.
"we've done it butt" Said Uncle Bryn twyp lloyd, but in the back of my mind i knew we were only halfway there, and the toughest part was yet to come.
A long way down
Food was eaten behind the cafe and final preparations for the descent were made, this was an opportunity to quietly ask Mike Cardwell if the Rangers path was a little easier than the climb. The answer was not the one i wanted.
As we set off for the Rangers Gwillym 'kom" llewellyn had the first puncture of the day, but Boofa rules applied, 'he's a grown man, he can fend for himself' was the call.
The trail started steeply, a huge grass mountain side littered with wheel smashing rocks, a trail was vaugly recognisable. As we gathered speed the trail got rockier and rockier, walkers were looking in utter disbelief at what was happening. some moved some didn't, but it didn't matter, the trail took every ounce of concentration, a prick with a stick wasn't a problem it was just another obstacle to overcome, i think they were just jealous.
Line choices were essential as one wheel wrong was a trip to a&e for sure, and this is not a simple walk down to a visitors centre. People were picking lines that looked like a good idea only to find a rock drop that would end in disaster. When Gav "Gavlar" Pope and Darren "wheelie anywhere" Mayer came flying past me on one section i stopped to watch and take in how technical this descent was. i looked back to see a relentless train of riders came down the mountain, it was an awesome sight.
Just when you thought the trail couldn't get steeper or rockier it did! it was heart stopping and wheel stopping stuff and it was relentless, as the switchbacks carried on coming, so did the arm pump, break squeal and grins.
The trail finally gave up to reveal a stunningly fast section of what seemed like kitty litter after the last 10 minutes of brutality. Was this a taste of things to come?
We regrouped at the bottom with screams and whoops of sheer relief, everyone looking at each other and the mountain we had just conquered, it took a little while for us to take in what we had just done. The summit was miles away.Marcus "the Earl of Merthyr" France is a man every ride needs as he entertained us with his knowledge and facts of the surrounding geological features, it really makes you appreciate the energy and time it took to sculpt these mountains.
As we counted riders in, the grins were visible from miles away, the relief of seeing Dale"early to bed"Morgan and Mark "manuel"Jones who have only been riding a few months was fantastic, what an achievement.
But there was one left? Where was Alan "the gogfather" hughes? Had he come off? Did he have a puncture? or had he reverted back to his natural got state and found a new cave in the mountain to call home? all was revealed as he came in with a broken mech hanger, and with no spare to hand Andrew" Boofa" Bray was ready to birch him but fair play, his trail side bodge was one of the best seen on any roadtrip.
With bikes and people ready we headed off for possibly the best piece of single track I've ever ridden, the legendary Telegraph Valley or as we now call it, Puncture Valley. Its a 1.5 mile top gear flat out fun fest, scattered every 200 meters or so with 6 inch high trail width water bars. if you can't bunny hop your doomed, even if you can, your still in the lap of the trail gods. this was one seriously fast section of trail, gps tracking had us over 33 mph at some points on a trail a meter wide, concentration was needed as much as the Snowdon descent.
At the bottom we stopped and waited…….and waited ….. and waited nervous looks were exchanged as we tried to phone the people who had yet to return.
As they came home one by one, tails of punctures were told. but the winner of 'most rubber used' was Ian "3 in a row"Griff? thats right folks 3 in 500 meters, a new club record thats safe for a while i think.
International cock or ball
With everyone down safely we headed back into town for some well earned grub, as we looked over our shoulders at the mountains in the distance we knew that what we had ridden will make our local trails seem a little, well little to be honest. Rides like these don't happen that often, the weather,the climbs, the descents, the company. I think that when they do, the memories will live with you forever. I for one will never forget that weekend in April I took on and conquered the highest mountain in Wales.
Thank you Snowdon.
12 miles ridden/pushed
3327 ft climbed
EPIC
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Nice one tinks
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