Pen Cerrig

Pen Cerrig was to be the first mountain of the year in our monthly hikes in Wales this year.

One of my patients had said that earlier in the week there had still been snow on the top, so this gave us good reason to choose this particular lump :)

It was frosty and the wind was biting, but it was bright as we set off toward the table mountain. Past table mountain it started to get much colder and once over the steep step to the moraine area the cloud came in and we started to crunch on the ice and snow. We pushed on past the trig because now it was very cold. Just after the trig there is a hollowed out cairn in which we crouched and ate some peanut brittle.

As we set off some of the cloud began to lift and the sun warmed a little. as we came out of the cloud and lost height it became like a summer's day: blue skies, brilliant sunshine and the wind dropped. We passed several groups of walkers coming up as we descended, none of them believed us when we said that there was snow at the top! :)

In Crug Hywel we went for coffee and toast!

happy new year

31st
Today was our ride with the guys from Kandani.
So in the morning I thought I'd look the bikes over as Juanita's brakes were rubbing a little bit on the back. I was startled to find the qr really loose! I tightened it and found the the wheel wouldn't turn at all. so, I moved some of the spacers and the it was still not moving. I removed the brake completely and the wheel still wouldn't move unless I backed the qr off to almost nothing. I don't have the tools to strip the hub down so off to Kandani to buy some new wheels for her. but, as usual Juanita finds a way for me to convince myself pay for them. And by the time we get to the shop they've become her next birthday present! :)
We meet the guys promptly at 3.30,unusual! And we're gone by 3.40. Only seven have turned up today, that's because as we find out later there's a big ride new years ride tomorrow at 9.30 am. and these are the guys who are going out on the town tonight :)
What followed was a fantastic two hours of of off-road caminos and singletrack, they didn't have a spanish word for singletrack but had a catalan one! Something like corredon.