I arrived at Ryhader the previous evening and had a great meal in the local pub with a group of bikers who were down for the weekend from all-over the UK. During the evening plans were discussed and agreements made… because there was going to be three groups of riders going out for a ride the following day: advanced, intermediate and steady-as-she-goes. I opted for the intermediate group and looked forward to a day which promised to be a long and exciting day. It was also going to be a challenge for me as I’ve never rode with a group of other bikes before, plus there’s also a level of anxiety because you never really know how good or poor you are at riding until you ride with another group of bikes.
The plan was to ride to Fishguard, have lunch, then ride back to Rhayader – but not in a direct route. The plan was to go via Lampeter, as well as lots of back-roads, B-roads and windy-bits. We eventually arrived at Fishguard for lunch and parked up at the end of the quay near a café which serves the most wonderful selection of home-made food and cake. If you ever visit Fishguard, go to the ‘Café on the Quay’ for something to eat – and you wont be disappointed.
All I can say is that by the end of the day, we’d covered nearly 200 miles in three long rides in stunning weather, had a great lunch and most of all – had a brilliant ride. I’ve had some great bike-rides during my life, but this was definitely the best day of riding on two wheels that I can ever remember or have ever experienced. Also, I felt really happy with my riding, and especially confident in my overall abilities on two wheels. Phew…
When everyone got back to the site I immediately made a brew and then sat back to remember the day. I was both tired and excited because I had experienced the best day of my life on two wheels and I can’t thank the guys enough for their planning, especially the lead rider for making this happen and leading the way. It was amazing. Stunning. And most of all – an experience of a lifetime.