Brakefast ride

[Sir Fallsalot]

I decided last night come rain or shine i was out on the bike its been quite a while since I've had any Fred time. I'm up at 9 and after a cheese single and 2 glasses of water (only thing in the fridge i could grab and go)  i'm ready to go and looking forward to a day on my own, first stop is the petrol station and i bumps into my mate, so i agreed to ride up to Sennybridge garage cafe for breakfast with him as he was only out for a few hours.
Breakfast consisted of err breakfast got to be 4 months since the last fry up none of those beans or tomatoes for me though 

Fuelled with bacon and eggs i have a great run up around Llyn Brianne reservoir and stops for the usual look at the spill way 

And on around the res to Soar y mynydd chapel where the first trail of the day will start.

 

I tried a little video i think it gives a better feel to the place, excuse the noise and the shakiness it was my best one handed riding 

So the little chapel is down in the trees and i'm taking the track on that goes up the hill

 A little vid at the river bridge

I've past this chapel hundreds of times and decided to stop for a look this time 
Soar y mynydd is a Calvinist Methodist chapel. Its often-repeated claim to fame is that it is the remotest chapel in all Wales. Its name is Welsh for ‘Zoar of the mountain’.

 

The guest book

Looking back down from the gate on the track

Its all up hill from here last time it was quite badly washed out but it has been graded since but still a steep rocky climb

I starts getting a bit carried away using the banks in the bends and really enjoying myself when all of a sudden the sausages kick in i give it too much gas and i'm abruptly told i'm not 21 anymore 

I takes the photo while walking it off not something i normally do but i'm too winded to pick it up, luckily i landed on the soft grass and apart from my left hand and thumb throbbing i'm uninjured 

When i gathers my strength i gets the bike up to assess the damage, a quick look shows  no damage she's a tough old bird a cable tie fixes the screen and the nearest gate post soon has the front wheel pointing in the right direction again.

So on with the ride

just on from this stream up around the bend is a remote hostel i always fancied staying just to experience the remoteness 

https://www.google.com/travel/hotels/Llanddewi-Brefi/entity/CgsIldLgnJ2u_c6_ARAB?g2lb=2502548%2C4258168%2C4270442%2C4306835%2C4317915%2C4322823%2C4328159%2C4358983%2C4371334%2C4401769%2C4403882%2C4419364%2C4424916%2C4425458%2C4425793%2C4428792%2C4270859%2C4284970%2C4291517%2C4412693&hl=en&gl=uk&un=1&ap=aAE&q=bunkhouse llanddewi breffi&rp=EO3p6tK6iN6EYBCV0uCcna79zr8BEIO9v7-IiKKEJjgCQABIAqIBGUxsYW5kZGV3aS1CcmVmaSwgVHJlZ2Fyb27AAQPIAQA&ictx=1&utm_campaign=sharing&utm_medium=link&utm_source=htls&hrf=CgUIrwEQACIDR0JQKhYKBwjkDxAIGBsSBwjkDxAIGBwYASgAWAGSAQIgAQ

 

I soon realise the clutch hand is not functioning correctly and stops to rest it, been riding the last 30 minutes with clutch less gear changes. I had to take this photo some on here will get it 

I stopped in Tregaron to get some drugs as the ride around Claerwen res would need some clutch work and i was starting to feel sorry for myself
The ride from Tregaron through Pontrhydfendigaid and onto the start of Claerwen res is fantastic the bike is running so smooth i stop for some more photos and realise why its running so sweet, there's a hell of a wind behind me pushing the bike along

a short vid showing the area with wind

 

So onto the res the stream is a little higher due to the last weeks weather but it's not problem

The res is the lowest I've seen it for a long time considering the rain we've had

A group on quads stops me to ask if I've past any police as they had just been warned by the police at the dam end where i'm heading not to ride the track its full length as there's a bit in the middle with no vehicle access as this sign i didn't see states 

Anyway i gets to the dam and a couple of lads say as i pull up your lucky the police have just gone so i do get some luck lol.

the res looking back to where i come from

Drugs are kicking in now so i feel like i can carry on with my original route and not head home, i rides down to check the river crossing at the bottom of the dam depth seems OK so in i goes remembering to stay on the right away from the big fuck off rock in the middle

Quite a wet and rocky trail this one and finds out my forma adventure boots have started to let the water in not bad for four and a half years of abuse 

So at the end of this trail fuelled by drugs and half a slice of fried bread i carve my way up the Elan valley like Guy Martin on the TT, Idon't think I've seen the dams spilling before so stopped for a quick photo 

At the top end of the valley i find someone who wasn't as lucky as me bike left nobody about

Looking back towards where the injured bike is

Still fried bread fuelled the next trail is a blast down to Rhayader and i'm felling great again 

And after Rhayader a short trail before heading to Builth wells

The last trail before hitting the upper chapel road 

The hash browns and mushrooms have kicked in now and i'm Guy martin again all the way back to Brecon what a great road for the bikes only stopped for one photo for some reason the sheep have gone a funny colour up here perhaps its a way of making them visible in the night 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Earache]

A great bunch of pics - thanks for posting them!

[Pedro]

I love that. Even the fried breakfast, but I'd miss the grilled tomatoes.

Also, none of those fancy camera mounts for you, proper riding with one hand and shooting with the other, manly stuff!

I do like those lanes, made even cooler by riding them on a red 4 stroke Honda. Congrats, you got my vote today! 

[XTreme]

Amazing report Fred!

And I think you've embraced Dark Motorcycling! Because there wasn't any disaster sites.......so you created your own.

Grim skies, wrecked bikes, injuries requiring medication to get through the day.......and even radioactive sheep! 

It doesn't get any better than this! 

[Tym]

BMW recovery vehicle on the way no doubt! lol Cool report Falls! 

[Earache]

19 hours ago, Pedro said:

 

Also, none of those fancy camera mounts for you, proper riding with one hand and shooting with the other, manly stuff!

 

A man amongst men.

[boboneleg]

Brilliant Fred, Some great photos of some great trails there

These exact rock steps claimed my 950 once when we were riding it in the opposite direction, the bike had the scars until I sold it.

 

Looks like some fresh grading has been going on here, did you notice that they're trying to turn it into a cycleway,  We'll probably be banned from it before long

 

 

[Sir Fallsalot]

26 minutes ago, boboneleg said:

Brilliant Fred, Some great photos of some great trails there

These exact rock steps claimed my 950 once when we were riding it in the opposite direction, the bike had the scars until I sold it.

 

 

Looks like some fresh grading has been going on here, did you notice that they're trying to turn it into a cycleway,  We'll probably be banned from it before long

 

 

 

The photo flattens those rocks out i should have got off and taken it from the front with the bike on top. There's been a cycle route there before i started riding it hopefully it will be kept as a multi use lane and not be down graded doesn't seem to be used by motorbikes much just push bike tracks on it i blame covid 

[Sir Fallsalot]

Oh the hand is ok ish today thanks for asking . thumb showing a little colour and some swelling, I was like woody Harrelson in the film Kingpin in work today

i think the lesson is not to hold on when your going down 

 

[XTreme]

Looks like "Wankers Doom" to me! 

[Sir Fallsalot]

2 minutes ago, XTreme said:

Looks like "Wankers Doom" to me! 

Nope i learned to use both hands many years ago just in case of disasters like this  

[XTreme]

4 minutes ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

Nope i learned to use both hands many years ago just in case of disasters like this  

[Sir Fallsalot]

22 minutes ago, Lone Amigo said:

@Sir Fallsalot

Great report and video!
Proper bike and proper one-hand riding.

This is The Way.

 

 

 Thanks

Why did that give me goose bumps 

[Grasshopper]

WOW, I'm in love with that landscape.   So nice and the riding looks like a lot of fun!  Great photos, and fun ride report.   I really like your bike too......look at me just handing out the happy vibes today....

[Specs]

Epic Fred! If that happens to you, then I pass. That sign on the Claerwen road must be reasonably new. I can't remember seeing one although I see from the OS maps that there is a sight of way gap on the road there. Maybe they got fed up with the off road schools nearby using it all the time.

[Specs]

Illegal bikers using rural Wales as 'playground' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53921656

 

 

[Catteeclan]

Great stuff Fred but no beans? half a breakfast.

[Sir Fallsalot]

On 31/08/2020 at 14:21, Specs said:

Epic Fred! If that happens to you, then I pass. That sign on the Claerwen road must be reasonably new. I can't remember seeing one although I see from the OS maps that there is a sight of way gap on the road there. Maybe they got fed up with the off road schools nearby using it all the time.

I was getting carried away with an almost worn out tyre i'm usually more sensible that just pulled me back in line 

Apparently you can get permission to ride that bit from Elan Valley Trust by emailing them .

[Specs]

14 hours ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

Apparently you can get permission to ride that bit from Elan Valley Trust by emailing them .

Always handy to know. A good birding area. Saw a male Hen Harrier up there once.