Adventure

The weather was as dire today as predicted so I was happy that we made the decision to come home from Wales a day early. My self-discipline might have been wanting in terms of the work I've needed to get done. I've had a secret day at the computer and I'm going to start a difficult week all the more relaxed for getting a lot done. Late in the evening now, I find myself reflecting on sportive routes and thinking that the Devil Ride got it just about right. One of the most appealing apects of this particular route was that it fitted almost perfectly on one single 1:50000 map (Sheet 147: Elan Valley and Builth Wells), turning at the very top and bottom of the map, and at the right edge too, only just going over the left edge for a few miles into Tregaron. It felt like a very natural line and that is important to me somehow. It was a genuine tour. I also think that in terms of enjoyment it is good to get the majority of the climbing in during the first half of the ride. I'd much rather be doing the big hills on fresh legs than on tired ones. Personally speaking, I do these events with the principal intention of enjoying myself. I want the experience to be fun, not an ordeal! Although a little bit of suffering is essential to that feeling of having given one's all, I don't necessarily want hills tacked on to a route for the sake of it. Gratuitous climbs in sportives could be looked upon in the same way as gratuitous violence in films. It's not strictly necessary. More is not always better.

Today the outline route for next year's Dave Lloyd Mega Challenge was released. I was excited to find that it's now going out all the way to Dolgellau and Dinas Mawddwy to tackle the Bwlch y Groes from the hard side. It's a thoroughly daunting prospect after 100 miles of riding, but also appropriate for what is billed as the toughest sportive of them all. I was not so delighted to discover, though, that the Bwlch pen Barrass climb was going to be at the end. It always felt a little contrived to be doing that loop at the beginning and my first thought was that this indeed was a little gratuitous. That was before I read more carefully and realised that this was no longer to be a loop, but the finish. Starting up The Shelf and cutting across to the Horseshoe Pass seems like a much more natural line to take at the beginning, and although it is going to be hell (with those final few climbs from the Devil Ride still fresh in mind, body and spirit), having a hilltop finish would be an amazing spectacle and experience. The thought of that last very steep climb will be haunting us throughout the ride. I can imagine lots of supporters out willing us all to keep pushing the pedals, to ride to the top and finish in style - when every signal the legs are giving out is simply to stop! I can feel the fear from almost a year away! I might now regret saying that I was half disappointed this year when I saw that sign after the Stingers saying five miles to go and all downhill. This is going to be one very serious sting in the tail. I wasn't intending to do the event again next year as I felt the route was just a little too contrived, but as of this moment I find it hard to imagine not putting myself on the line for the challenge. I suppose I have to admit that it's not always about having fun, but overcoming adversity and taking satisfaction from surviving a genuine adventure. It will certainly add an extra incentive to keep the training going through the winter. Should we be thanking Dave ... or cursing him?