To Builth Wells

June 14, 2024

Our general approach to the UK this time through - short travel days, many layovers - is really working out well. We tend to not reach our destination exhausted from three or four too many steep climbs that we wouldn’t have given that much thought to five years ago, and we have a much better chance of fitting our ride in without getting totally soaked, like a poor pair of Londoners staying at our hotel did yesterday. They’re an attractive youthful couple, and arrived drenched after an 80 mile ride that was fine until the last ten miles which were horrid.

Our two night stay here in Hay is a good example. Much of yesterday was wet so we were glad to not have to check out of one hotel, travel in uncertain or sloppy conditions to the next town and then hide out somewhere until our next room comes available.

Which isn’t to say that we were all that smitten with Hay itself. Notwithstanding its impressive collection of twenty booksellers, neither of us were drawn to the place all that much for some reason. It all felt a little too twee for our tastes and we’re ready to move on.

Today is another one like yesterday’s, with the threat or promise of rain throughout. Yesterday it looked like it might be showery more or less continuously, but things look better this morning with a several hour dry window opening around noon. With only a relatively easy 20 miles ahead and a hotel that doesn’t care to see us before four, it works well for us to stay here at the Swan until the morning rains cease. We check out of our room at 10:30 as required and then move down to the lobby to hang out until just after noon.

The ride itself wasn’t the most dramatic - twenty miles of thankfully flatter but otherwise similar riding conditions to what we’ve been passing through lately - a procession of narrow hedgerow lined farm roads and modest villages that didn’t tempt me to slow down the train for the camera very often. It seemed better to leave most of the work to the GoPro today and just keep moving forward.

Crossing the Wye near Glasbury. The entire ride today is close by the Wye. We seldom see it but it’s never far away.

The terrain today is pretty tame in comparison to then Black Mountains. You have to get back from the Wye a ways before you start getting much contour. Tame, but appreciated by the legs.

Another look. Actually, the best face is on the right but it’s all in the shadows at the moment.

Video sound track: Giant Steps, by John Coltrane

We’re in a bit of a rush as we approach Builth Wells. It’s nearing four and Rachael’s wanting to get there in time to pop into a store or bakery before it closes for Saturday afternoon because she needs a snack. So it’s unfortunate that the worst lift of the day - 14% - comes a mile from town. The climb comes hard enough that I feel certain that my tire is low if not flattening. Rachael scoffs at that and keeps climbing, until near the top she hops off and pushes the rest of the way also.

And she’s right. The tire is fine. It’s just me.

And it’s unfortunate too that there’s a mirror image of this little climb that follows right after it. 20 easy miles, and then back to back pushers just as we come to town. Not fair.

We make it to town in time for Rachael’s snack stop fortunately and then bike the short distance to our hotel which we arrive at right at four. The innkeeper is in, makes room for our bikes in the utility room, and then shows us to our room atop a narrow, steep flight of stairs. No complaint though, because it’s only one flight for a change. The bad news though is that their restaurant is fully booked for tonight so we’ll have to look elsewhere. It’s too bad - they have two menus, a Welsh one and a Thai (the man’s wife is Thai) and both sound good. We were thinking we’d eat from one each night, but we at least book a table for tomorrow.

We’re lucky though, because if we’d eaten at our hotel we’d have missed what was by far the highlight of the day. We made a 6:00 reservation at a small place at the other end of town, the Cozy Corner Bistro, and thoroughly enjoy our meal. The place has character - it’s a shoebox restaurant in a Grade II listed building, and the menu is interesting with an Asian slant. we start with chicken goyzas and then I have Mongolian beef and Rachael the miso cod. It’s all excellent, and we enjoy chatting with the server, a Sri Lankan woman who moved here with her husband from two years ago. And we enjoy the decor - a mix of interesting antiques and posters of American film classics - and a background song list of American and British rock classics: Elton John, the Boss, that sort of sound.

Reviewing the candidates in the Cozy Corner Bistro.

So all of that is great and adds up to one of our favorite dining experiences of the tour. But that’s not the best part though. The best part is that we have a box seat for watching the evening’s activities unfold. We’re here at just the right time to witness the highlight of the weekend here in Builth Wells, if not of the whole season.

First, we just enjoy watching the flower irrigator making his rounds, and the couple from the pub across the street taking a vape break next to a table that’s been set up on the sidewalk for some reason.

And then the show starts, beginning with folks bringing out large pitchers of beer and using them to fill a large array of pint glasses on that table. And then a couple of guys emerge from the door in attire suitable for exercise and hustle down the street. And then a crowd starts to form.

Our server gives us the background. It’s a three-legged pub race, with teams of two hobbling their way through town making stops for a pint at every pub in town.

How exciting! It feels like we’re waiting for the breakaway group to come through on a TdF stage. I order a cup of coffee to fill the time while we wait - we can hardly leave now - but eventually the crowd starts blocking our view so we go out on the sidewalk to join them.

The drinks are poured. It can’t be long now.

The excitement builds. This must be one of the biggest events in town. For some reason it brings to mind the very unsophisticated little parade we saw in Loreto down on the Baja Peninsula years ago. That’s our server on the right, btw.

And then the hobbled runners arrive. The first pair are far out in front, then a second pair comes in nearly a minute behind, and then soon the others come in fairly close together, causing some congestion at the makeshift bar. There’s great diversity: male and female, fit and unfit, gulpers and sippers, sports outfits and dressing gowns. A great show.

This first pair are really good. Fast on their feet, and fast at the bar - in and out in barely thirty seconds.

And they’re off again, showing perfect form. Nobody’s going to catch those two.

Next up, looking like solid contenders for 2nd.

Not going to place on the podium, but they get style points. The polka dot jersey, maybe.

It’s a coed event, and these two are the first women to the bar.

She’s just barfed half of her pint. This shot makes me think of one of those tortured scenes from They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?

We’re really getting some congestion now. Note those two female contestants just arriving on the left.

They look really blurry, so it’s fine that the photo’s out of focus.

And here’s that couple I mentioned, still trying to get through their pints. Five other teams have come and gone. They both really look pretty miserable and unstable once they’re done here. Hopefully this is about the end.

Finally the last stragglers stagger down the street and the crowd dissipates. I go in and quickly finish my americano and then we leave too. As we walk, another woman sidles up to add some important context. She explains that the teams are all sponsored by the various pubs on the circuit, and at the end everyone will go to the pub of the winning team for a celebratory last round.

So lucky to be here at the right time! It’s just like being in Seville for Semana Santa!

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Today's ride: 22 miles (35 km)
Total: 2,130 miles (3,428 km)

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Comment on this entry	Comment	4

Rich Frasier+1 for equating Semana Santa with a celebration of the British national pastime.
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2 months ago

Scott AndersonTo Rich FrasierIt seemed exactly right, the crowning glory of both cultures.
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2 months ago

Bob KoreisThose unanticipated cultural events are just the best memory makers. Got some great vicarious laughs out of today's entry.
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2 months ago

Scott AndersonTo Bob KoreisThey really are. This is one of the days I think will stand out for us.
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2 months ago