Up for a challenge...?

FRIDAY:

Today was the day of THE CHALLENGE... da da daaaaaa

Hampshire Matt set me a stunt challenge: Could I eat spaghetti whilst cycling?
Got a professional filming crew on board in the form of Journo-Tom.

And we undertook extensive preparations:
got a camera, two bikes, some spaghetti and Journo-Tom went to the loo...

...trip to loo...

Cast and crew were ready.

Props prepared

So, we were ready and good to go. After scouting for a suitable location in the form of a flat, traffic-free path which could acccomodate two bikes travelling in tandem we went for it....

Post challenge cycling was lovely, National Cycle Trail no 8 runs from Cardiff heading north, we followed it's slightly hilly path all the way to Pontypridd. It was an amazingly quiet way to leave the city. We saw some sights.

A water wheel.

Strangely, the route started to take on an Alice in Wonderland sort of surrealality...

The cycle path was picturesque

Were we having too much fun? Stopping to do up my shoe lace I pondered the matter....

Fancy cycling shoes with fancy laces.

It was soon time for a little snack.

Mmmmmmm

The spaghetti was nearly all gone...

...but not quite...

Journo-Tom decided to pose for the camera...

Eyebrows at the ready....

Then he took a much needed rest...

Zzzzzz

The cycling continued. As we got closer to Pontypridd we were making good time.

You won't get very far on that...

Entering Ponty we were forced to run the gaunlet of thousands of kids on some kind of activity day in the park but were rewarded with a pretty river scene.

Pretty (kids out of shot on left)

After a chat and a cuppa we parted company in Ponty. Journo-T back to Cardiff and me on to Blackmill. Not much to see on the first part of the route, but the 'Glyncoch Swingers' tile picture in Pontypridd did raise a few eyebrows - all of them mine.

Looking to make new friends and meet people in Pontypridd?

The path then went on through Tonyrefail and beyond. Hill up, hill down, hill up, hill down, hill up, hill down.

Got high enough to hang with the wind farm.

Met three farmers in the tops. The route wasn't very well sign posted, so I had to ask directions.

Each finished their explanation with a supportive comment:

• Farmer one: A fair climb there.
• Farmer two: Some good hills to come.
• Farmer three: It's a bitch of a hill mind.

They were all correct in their summations. Which left me feeling very happy when I got to the b&b and sunk into the huge corner bath in my room.

Big bed, big bath, big bliss

Cardiff to Blackmill - 25 miles and lots of hills..