YULE MOON19/12/02
With
the bad weather, a touch of not feeling well, the Fire-fighter's strike and
general apathy, ride's were getting scarcer than rocking horse manure! However,
I did venture out to meet Nick in Caerleon, it was 6.30pm and the temperature
had dropped below zero. I took a roundabout route to Caerleon, I rode along
the Treherbert road, the moon shone down making it easy to see in the cold
still night air. I then took the short climb up to the Dogan Heights; I had
to be careful, as the lane was a sheet of ice. My bike was performing well,
the light aluminium frame was good for these steep climbs, but it gave an
unforgiving ride. I met nick at 7.00pm; he had given up his fixed wheel in
favour of some proper gears, so he could now ride properly instead of like
a relic from the 1940s! The road to Newbridge on Usk had been shut due to
a landslip, so we decided to explore, a few miles up the lane, the mud bank
had descended on the road, the council were trying to clear it, but it was
easily navigable for us on our bikes. The road to Usk seemed to be never ending
for me, a bitter easterly wind was blowing, making it very cold. We stopped
for a while by the Christmas tree in Usk square; it was very cold for me as
I struggled along the main road to Caerleon. We had pleasant views of the
lights in Llangybi and the Cwrt Bleddyn Hotel, but I could still not get going,
Nick was alright though not showing any signs of not cycling for a while.
I managed to push on to Caerleon, (for a couple of miles only) from here we
went our separate way home Nick the 3 miles to Newport City , while I had
a uphill ride of 6 miles to Croesyceiliog, to arrive at 10.30pm.
Click on
a photo for a larger image.
