The first day is over!!
We met up with Carl from Holyhead Mind and Richard the Sustrands Ranger at about 9.30 am at Holyhead Tourist Information and headed off on Route 8 on the first stage of our ride home to Aberdare. The weather was already boiling, even this early in the day which didn't make for the most comfortable start to the ride. Everything was going pretty smoothly until we came across a tractor digging a giant hole through our path. This led to a detour over a rocky and very muddy beach which tried to claim Dave's front tyre, past RAF Valley/Anglesey Airport and finally back onto Route 8. After miles of country lanes, hundreds of sheep and near death accidents with various tractors we reached a village. with a SHOP!!! Finally some food, using the loo and a chat with an 80 year old cyclist who was putting some of us to shame! By this point we were over looking Caernarfon, which was only 3 miles away! but that was far too easy. We were taking the 20 mile Sustrands detour. This led us to the famous Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch!! Myself, Leighton and Claire all took the chance for a photo opportunity under the worlds longest sign! Through Llanfair-p-g towards the Menai Bridge, even more stunning views, and across the bridge back onto the mainland. From here Paul and I rode together along the coast back to Caernarfon. We have never been so excited to see a supermarket!!! Its yet another reason to shop at Morrisons! From Morrisons it was half a mile along the A4068 and into the campsite for an amazing shower, pasta, a wander around the town and an early night.
A shorter ride tomorrow to Porthmadog but Snowdonia is looming ever nearer in the distance, dominating the skyline with a sharp reminder of what's yet to come.
