The sun is gone and it looks to be overcast all day, but we have no complaints about that because it’s expected to stay dry. We do have a complaint though because it’s so cold - it’s in the mid-forties when we get up and will struggle to make sixty at the high point of the day. It really doesn’t feel like the first day of summer is just around the corner.
Our complaint isn’t with the weather gods though, because a dry day that tops out near sixty is of course perfectly fine for a bike or hike. We’ll just bundle up. Our complaint is with our unheated apartment, which hardly feels any warmer than it does outside. As otherwise acceptable as our apartment at the Bear is, this lack of heat is a deal-breaker for us and we can’t recommend it.
My ride today begins by reversing that final four mile descent into town that ended yesterday’s. It’s steepish in spots but is well behaved enough that it’s a more pleasant climb than I’d been anticipating - particularly since I stop for photos about a half dozen times on the way up.
The ride begins by climbing through the short canyon carved by this nascent stream rushing to join the Wye.
After leaving the trees behind I’m stopped taking another photo when about a half dozen bikers overtake and pass me. They leave the road not far further up, following a mountain bike trail into the moors. I’m not sure, but this might be the route I mapped out for Rachael for her walk today.
I’ve been tracking Rachael on the Garmin - she’s coming the same direction for the start of her ride but is about a mile behind me - but right as I reach the crest I lose the connection and her marker freezes up again as it did yesterday. I won’t be able to locate her until I reach this point again on the way back but I’m not worried this time because I know what the issue is.
Bikes form pretty much the only traffic on the road this morning, if you don’t count the sheep.
You can still barely read this survivor though: ahead, it’s 25 miles to Aberystwyth on the coast; and behind, it’s 4.5 miles back to Rhayader. I wonder how old this road is?
Near the crest of the hill I come to the shot of the day - a red kite not far off the road, apparently feeding off the remains of some hapless sheep. He repeatedly tears something off and lifts his head to swallow it, and each time a cloud of wool tufts goes flying.
So this is what a red kite looks like if you get a good look at one!
Conditions are pretty chilly - almost too chilly even though I’m wearing three layers - as I drop down from this first divide, then gradually gain elevation and follow the Elan toward its source and finally cross over a second divide and start dropping along the newborn River Ystwyth just starting its short journey to the sea at Aberystwyth. It’s cloudy and cool out, but it’s also chilling that I’m biking into a mild headwind. Conditions will improve when I turn back and have the wind with me, as long as it doesn’t rain anyway.
It’s a wonderful ride though through this splendid scenery that captures the imagination. I’m nearly alone out here. There’s very little traffic and no signs of civilization other than a single ranch house miles from its nearest neighbor. I stop often for photographs of the scene, or to just look. I also stop any time I come to a bird on a wire or post staying put long enough for me to zoom in on it. I’m seldom close enough for a good shot, but I get a half dozen ones of birds that all look like they could be new - but when I get home they’ll nearly all check out the same: five shots of meadow pipits. I think by now I should know this bird.
I took several shots this way in yesterday’s sun but they’re better today when it’s not so bright.
The same spot I showed a shot from yesterday, but it has a different look in today’s light. I’ll follow the road straight on for the next several miles before finally crossing the divide on the horizon.
Over the top, I start dropping off the other side - gradually at first but then more steeply as I come to the Ystwyth and then follow it down the narrow canyon it’s carved for itself. Its very dramatic scenery that keeps drawing me in around the next bend and then the next, all the time with me cognizant of the fact that I’m dropping at 7-9% and will have to climb back out of this hole when I finally turn back. I’m also thinking somewhat ruefully that a couple of decades ago I might have just kept going all the way to the sea. 60 miles and 6,000’ of climbing is the sort of challenging day that might have tempted me.
Finally I come to what looks like a logical spot to turn back when I come to a small settlement where a side tributary comes in. I look around for a few minutes, take some shots to prove I made it this far, and then turn around and start climbing.
Remains of an old stone barn. When I first saw this I was thinking it was brick but it’s just red algae.
Back near the divide, reentering the park if that’s what this wilderness is. Really, cycling through central Wales feels like it could be one vast national park.
I see this one last bird on the way out that I’m sure is new; but it’s just a newbie. It’s an immature northern wheatear (the new bird I saw yesterday), only about half the size of an adult bird and without its colors yet.
When I come to the final divide between the Elan and Wye I get my connection back again at exactly the same spot and the Garmin tells me that Rachael has left the session so she must be safely back in town again. As I’ll find out later though, it turns out that today is the day I should have been worried about her.
Dropping back toward Rhayader again. This is the third time I’ve taken this descent, and it’s been great every time.
Suddenly, the hike takes a turn for the worse. I really should have turned back here but I was able to get around without getting my feet wet. I continued on until all of a sudden I was in the middle of a very marshy area and I got off route. It was extremely difficult to find a route back to a paved route. I finally, made it to the road but not before my shoes were squishy from all the water I stepped in. I tried to hop from one high spot to another but frequently the high spot was wet, also. Note to self, turn around when you come to water on the trail!
5 months ago