The time had arrived that the tour was to start, it was Saturday, August bank holiday 2001, we left Crosyceiliog at 10.00 pm, our bikes were loaded, but this time we seemed to have, more or less, a good array of camping equipment. The weather was warm and sunny, it was a good forecast for the whole weekend in fact. We had the usual apprehensive thoughts as we set off, but the bikes were not over heavy and were running well. Brecon was made by lunch time via New Inn, Glascoed, Goytre, Croes Llanfair, Llanellen, Gilwern and Tal-y-Bont. In Brecon we stocked up with food, we were glad to get out of the town as it was very busy. The road we cycled on followed the A40, but it was very quiet with no cars, we were to find it hard going, because it was very undulating, making it hard to get a rhythm going. We reached Trecastle in the mid afternoon and we decided to cycle along the A40 for about 10 miles downhill into Llandovery. We made good time on the main road and soon stocked up with drink in Llandovery. The road to Rhandirmywn is a quiet one and we made good time as cycled the 8 miles or so to the Towy Bridge Inn, where we ate a much needed bar snack. It was now 7.30pm and we knew we had to find a pitch for the tents that night, we cycled on the country road toward Pumpsaint. Field after field we looked at, but they were not suitable, I was by now exhausted and felt like stopping anywhere. Eventually we found a pitch, it was by now dark so we quickly set up the tents, while being attacked by midges! Nick’s idea of hot chocolate was abandoned due to insect attack! We soon settled down on our thermorest beds, the night was warm so we soon managed to get some sleep...76 miles.
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