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Five of us got in to a couple of cars and drove up to Aust services. From there we crossed the old Severn bridge on the bikes and up through - Chepstow, Devauden and Trelleck where we stopped to ask directions (not that we were lost) from some local runners. We had to turn around and head back for a couple of miles to Llanishan and Pen-y-Clawdd. At Ragland Mr Burns decided that after experiencing some gravely hills we should make some progress on a flat straight road so we took to the A40 dual carridge way! Paul has now created this as a 7.5 mile Strava segment and we are now the top five out of twenty eight riders. After a quick fuel stop at Abergavenny we continued on via the A40 westwards then turned north on the A479 where we climbed gently for many miles. Once at the top we decended a lovely open steady decent to Talgarth. The decent ended at a roundabout which had a deceivingly wide entrance but tightened up on the exit. Unfortunately this caused Neil to brake unexpectedly and he came off. As he was the last rider through the roundabout the rest of us didn't realise he was missing for several minutes. He turned up looking very sore and hurt. Here is his summary of the injurys:-
A&E all night the other night no broken collar or ribs just possible Hemothorax because of the swelling on the left chess Oxygen stats low because of the swelling it's was pushing my ribs into my lung. Need to keep an eye on swelling sent me home with ice and to not lay down for to long. My elbows fine. Hip has a large Hematoma but they are not to concern with that, that should disappear in a few days. I haven't slept much, to bloody uncomfortable to lay down. Hopefully out in a couple of weeks on the bike.
I am sure we all wish him a speedy recovery.
He managed to limp to the halfway stop at Hye-on-Wye where we stopped for lunch. We didn't know the literery festival was on so mingled with the rich Londoners to buy our Phesant burgers. Neil managed to get some ice for his shoulder.
We decided to ride back rather try and risk getting a train etc. Neil really suffered with the rough road surfaces but did it all without complaining.
We followed the river Monmouth all the way back via Grosmont and Monmouth where we got a bit lost and ended up taking to the dual carridgeway again! We stopped for another coffee there and then on to Tintern and Chepstow.
The total ride difference was 115 miles! with a total ascent of 6377 feet which is the most amount of climbing I have done with the club!
