The bunkhouse Chester

This hostel is ok. Friendly welcome, warm , clean with a small yard chill out area outside and a lounge tv area etc.
It's also the first place on this trip with WiFi in the room.
The bunks are a bit wobbly though!
At 2am the  drunk elephant motorbike people arrived into the dorm..light on ..talking loudly...absolutely no consideration for anyone but themselves, so o took out my ear plugs, and told them to keep it down and turn off the light etc. That did the trick and they shut up and tried to squeeze their less than trim physiques into their bunks...so..it's 7 am now..I'm.going to get up as quiet as poss and maybe they will realise what courtesy means...doubt it though...

...dunno..maybe it's a polish motorbiker thing...peasantry?

Moving on....lol!

Erm...wales ??

...cough...erm...apparently the mynd wasn't in wales boyo see..more your English hill see...lol! ..ooops ha ha!

Kev says hi to...

Ian gray, Jacky roper,Grant Kirby,Steve Bond ....all tidy here see boyos lol!

Pictures from today

It was so wet that I only managed to grab a few shots as the phone was getting soaked.

Keeping dry

All Stretton to Chester

62 miles total ascent 782 metres

Today started with a porridge and banana breakfast with coffee cake..hmmm...anyway. the rain has been falling heavier but I decided to get on with.booking up the hostels for the next three days before setting off. Two minutes after the off o went left on route and kev went right...off route...I'm guessing to the cycle shop in church Stretton.

Last night the two ladies in the hostel with us were nice enough . Lesbian couple . They were the drivers of the car that was almost forced off the road by an arrogant merc driver yesterday making them have to reverse into... U guessed it...me. some drivers really are numpties.

We got going about 10.30 am and headed to Chester. The sky looked bad with a big B.

Thankfully the wind was favourable and I was flying along hoping to get some miles in before the heavens opened again. Just as I tooknoff my.jacket to cool down the rain arrived....hard...cold and horrid.

Today's ride was about heads down and get there and sod the scenery. The gusting wind and rain just went from bad to worse and I was getting cold as I shorts on. We were just talking about how at least the wind was behind us when ...the wind changed direction.

We took a breather from the 62 mile dash in Ellesmere..but there was nowhere to keep warm so I decided to keep riding through the rain for the last 25 miles ish just to get there and to keep warm.

Finally Chester arrived. Just another town really. It has a Roman amphitheatre with a class of bored kids and a bald man dressed as Spartacus...Zzzz.

The GPS route took us directly through heavy traffic, potholes, moron drivers to the hostel. The hostel had closed sometime back and relocated to the other side of town. Yay, I got to ride across Chester in the rain twice.
But eventually the sky cleared a bit and after a warm shower in the bunkroom hostel I felt almost human again.
I spent an hour or so chatting with katelin from Perth who is backpacking around the uk, then I walked into town to feta pizza dressed in tights!

I can tell I'm getting further north as tonight the accents of the locals have changed...eh upp!

I didn't take many.pictures today because it was so wet I had to keep my.phone inside my rucksack. Besides all I saw really was a rain covered GPS screen and my wheels spinning through puddles!

So here I am on.the sofa slobing  out and just happy to be warm ans dry for the first time today. There is something really good about that feeling when you have been riding in conditions like today..it's all the better for having earnt it.

The crown for a breather

This is where we learnt our fate about the long mynd just as the heavens opened.

The long Mynd

This was a bleak place today and its mid June! I darnt imagine what its like up there in January.
If you are doing le jog I'd recommend this detour as it's definatley a memorable ride. Take warm clothes and strong legs.

Yha all Stretton

The hostel here is up a path next to the yew tree pub. The path is not road bike tyre friendly. There is a bike hut, a nice kitchen, showers and clean bunks in the bunkhouse.
There is wi fi but it's so weak a signal as to be useless. I do think in this modern age hostels should get with the plan and get proper WiFi connections.
There is a dryer and wash machine etc.
If you fancy the climb up and over the long mynd this hostel is better than bridges. Then it's a simple matter of riding up the A road into Shrewsbury, and getting back on route. Defiantly a more scenic option.

Howton to All Stretton

72 miles total ascent 1645 metres.

The day started with a top breakfast. Full English and full continental, in fact a full global to be fair!

On the road the gods of cycling were kind. We picked up a southerly tailwind and cruised along welsh lanes taking in nice little villages, fields covered on yellow rape seed , sheep, cows and the ever present smell of sheep poo!

I felt stronger after a good night's sleep, and the choice of shorts over longs was correct. The miles seemed to fly past and the bike just rolled perfectly. The odd small climb was easy felt with as the route followed the river valley for the most part.
After about 50 miles we stopped for a coke and a breather at the crown in wentnor. Just as we sat down outside the heavens finally opened big time. We knew the hostel at bridges was booked up and there was room at the yha in all Stretton. The barmaid took great pleasure in describing the murderous hill we now had to climb in the cold rain, this was the Long Mynd.
So wet kit on we rode off into oblivion. Then the heavens unloaded their full fury. The three mile sprint to bridges hostel was pretty fast...I thought they may take in a couple of drowning cyclists and let us have floor space, but noooo...seems the yha is more interested in filling rooms with motorists than providing shelter for vulnerable travellers. We were offered a cup of tea and given directions over the long mynd. This hill prooved to be a long steep drag up in the cold rain and mist. The lanes were sloppy with sheep do and running rainwater.
Higher up the clouds set in and the driving rain was making me feel like making a mad dash to get off the hill before hypothermia set in. But I decided to take my time and take photos, after all I would only be here once.

The views were lovley, but there was a sheep laying dead by the roadside. It had been hit by some inconsiderate car driver. I felt sorry for the sheep's mate who was just left confused and lost by the death. Why do cars have to destroy nature?? Selfish bar stewards.

Finally the top loomed out of the mist and then the downhill. This is as close to a vertical descent as I ever want to get to on a bike! Full brakes, arse back behind the saddle and all my wits about me got me down. kev, who got to the top way quicker than me, decided it was too steep for a safe descent and walked down. Better safe than sorry .

Down in the valley see boyo, the next task was finding the yha . This proved to be less than simple shall we say. As is often the case with hostels this one is well off the beaten path at the end of a rough bike unfriendly pathway.
Inside however all is good, clean, warm and a good home for the night.
A meal of pasta and beef Bolognese, coffee cake, chocolate, apple's and grapes is currently bring enjoyed.
I've changed the route for the morning to avoid having to re climb Everest.
Actually, I'm happy with the days events. The enforced change of plan took me over some wonderful scenery and this ride will I am sure be one of my best cycling memories .
All in all, another great days riding and adventure.

Scenes from this mornings ride

This mornings ride was generally sunny with tailwinds!
Lovely villages, rivers, wild flowers and a few sheep and cows!