da pond

[garyboy]

Fancied a day out on da bike, but couldn’t think where to go .. West Wales, Tintern, Swindon area, North?? Even thought of Devon .. but thought it best to keep it short after the last late day out.
First task .. remove the pork pie from under the seat .. mmmmm … not too bad actually.. only a week old, but binned it anyway.  Got caught by the OAPs again and made to have an interesting conversation about the local pond life, which meant another late start, about 11 am, still with no idea where to go, but headed north.

Through a series of route-rejection scenarios, I found myself heading toward Leominster, and decided to follow the A49 north.  What a lovely country!  Don’t remember it being that picturescew. Stopped for 5 by the turning to Little lyth .. it looked like Tuscany .. where previously the views reminded me of France. This was turning out to be a great ride.

Decided to go for the Horseshoe pass and Ponderosa, as I don’t think I had been there before.  So it was the A5, as I remember plotting a possible route there `one day` .. well this was that day!  I wondered why the Romans had built so many roundabouts though? There were some nice part but the A5 was very busy and I was glad when the scenery changed and I was back in hilly Wales, stunning views heading towards Llangollen.  Really well signposted, was soon on the Horseshoe Pass.

Well! .. wot was all the fuss about? … pretty.. yes … but better over the Bwlch or Rhigos .. and so small a pass! … but THEN ….. (trumpets and drums) … the Pondarosa!!!! …

Fuckin GREAT !!! sun shining in a beautiful summer sky with white clouds floating on high, above the high setting .. lowdsa bikers around , and bikes .. idyllic … nice and quite .. great atmosphere. So I got offa da bike and headed for the CAFÉ … yee ha (not eaten all day) .. pie and chips with pees and gravy .. and a cuppa …..heaven … took it all out on a tray on a bench and scoffed the lot, while enjoying the view and atmosphere … a memorable moment!

The toilets are very small, a real struggle, took twenty minutes for a five minute jobbies, but eventually managed to leave about 3 pm.  Decided to `go for it` (again) and headed for Snowdon area.. love it there … but reality kicked in and headed back at Bettws y coed, about 4 pm, with wrists killing.  Not many bikers on the road, but those that were overtook me easily, as I was knackered and going really slow, but getting about 60 mpg outta da blade…  (I stopped out in the wilds at a filling station, knowing there would not be many ahead, with the tripmeter showing 160 miles, usually the limit on a good day, but there was a fiver left in the tank, as the fillup was only 15 quid)

Got home before eight, thinking I was getting old and gave da bike a good spray of gt85 thinking I would not be back for a while after that gruelling ride home … but this morning … o well .. that’s another day …….. innit.

[Rhosyn]

  Sounds like a you've had lovely run out there 

[red]

we went up to the Ponda on Monday - it was bloody freezing, plenty of bikes but not as many as on a usual bank holiday

had the full breakfast and as it was almost end of breakfast and start of lunches, the plates overflowing 

some good roads in the area, well worth seeking out, and you had a good ride and home safe and sound 

[snoopy]

  great report   

[The Stig]

Great report a real inside
Thank you for sharing

[ohmistagee]

Great write up Garyboy, I'm heading up that way myself next week as I have family up there. You've got me thinking of a different route now instead of dashing straight up there.
I think I will head for the Pondarosa and keep going over the top through Ruthin,Denbigh,Abergele and on to Llandudno where I will stay for a few days.
Thanks for the inspiration, can't wait now.

[garyboy]

Thankyou for the nice replies :)
Yeah .. it was a good day out.

OMrGee .. funny thing i was fancying going straight on from the Ponda ... them hills wuz really really calling me on ... one day eh!

While there I was looking out, on the off chance, for a lady in red with a tiny tim on her heart on her sleeve .. no chance.. tho I did see two GSs stop in Llangollen (yeah I have been reading the [fantastic] ice reports).  btw, I always wear winter clothers through the summer, and a balaclaver (leaky helmet) .. at the ponda, a little boy in an open top car was pointing at me as i took my helmet off (dad there's a terrorist?). 
I realise that every time at the same place will be different ... but that half hour will stay with me .. a perfect day, at that moment.

a strange thing... when i stopped at Little Tuscany (no.. its not called that) .. I saw two bussards circling the parched earth of the farmers' fields.. the land was thirsty for rain and the leaves were falling early, but there was beauty there in that moment of transition of seasons.  I thought .. those are big birds, coz they are high up.... a little while later, i was bimbling along merrily when a huge bird.. lightish tawny brown.. flew very low right in front of me .. it had a seven foot wing span and a body nearly three foot long .. it looked across at me and give a quick flutt of his wings and was gone .. i would have hit his body otherwise.

[blueracer]

Cracking write up really enjoyed that good day it seems