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The phone rings on Tuesday evening. “Are you coming out on the Dole Run?”
“Yes.”
“That’s good. Do you like hills?”
“They’re ok.”
“Meet at Brooks Cycles, Welshpool at….”
“10am?”
“Yes that’s right. See you tomorrow.”
“Until tomorrow then.”

Just after 9am I set out for Welshpool, nervously wondering what I had let myself in for. I had been reassured that the Dole Run was a more civilised pace and more social. Arriving at the shop in good time I went in and there was one person waiting – Yogi. We introduced ourselves and I met the shop owner as well. Brooks Cycles is a sponsor of the club. In the end six of us turned up, two of whom I knew and we set off just after 10am. We did a tour around the block to arrive within 20 yards from where we started and then turned into Church Bank. Knowingly one of the group said we were going to go up Red Bank. We did – first arrow of the day – and steep it was too. Eventually we joined the A490. I sort of like these A roads, there aren’t any cars on them, but there was a lot of climbing on this one. Left at Groes-Lwyd on to the B4392. The pace was far more realistic allowing conversation as we went along. Apparently the run is so called as you had to be on the Dole (unemployment benefit) to be able to do the run and is not some Welsh term that I need to learn. That said I can’t pronounce the place names – Bwlch-y-cibau anyone?
At Cefn du uchaf a right down a steep descent with a downhill arrow – bit of a novelty the downhill stretch; could get used to those. But followed in quick succession by two uphill sections, both with one arrow to Maesglyn. After topping out a very steep descent (2 arrows) followed by two further steep descents of 1 arrow each. Onto the A495 and then off towards Pontrobert. My ride companions groaned and then explained – all roads out of Pontrobert are climbs. In fact my ride companions took great delight in informing me of the nature of the road ahead. I wonder, is it better to know what is coming up or to meet it in complete ignorance? It was climb of two sections of 1 arrow but studying the map from the comfort of home I should be grateful that we did not take the left turn with three sections of 2 arrows. By now the amount of climbing was wearing the patience of all but our ride leader. We have been through a lot of mud, cow dung and slippery steep sections. The gallows humour was in full flow. Had our ride leader had a bash on the head as this was an exceptional amount of climbing for a Dole Run – Steve was to check with the ride leader’s wife on return to see if he was ok. Was Snowden really the highest peak in Wales? Surely we had climbed higher? But thankfully we has some respite – two downhill sections with 1 arrow. On to the B4395, a cut through, 1 arrow downhill, to the B4393, and then a climb to Lluest-ddu. We turn into the drive – about midday. Turned out it was the home of our ride leader’s brother and his wife. A great baker; we were fed Bara Brith, cake and more cake washed down by some very welcome tea. “Your plate is empty – have some more cake.” “Thank you.”

Our ride leader is a man of gadgets, not just the radar equipped Garmin rear light. “You know we have done a lot of climbing.”
“We know – you seem to have tried to beat the record.”
“Well we have climbed 3000ft in …. 20 miles.” “!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
“And some quite steep ramps – over 20%.” “!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
“Have you seen Lake Vyrnwy? It’s just around the corner?”
“No, but it can wait until another day.” Oh yes we were in The Mountains just on the edge of Snowdonia National Park.

Talk turned to the return journey with rain forecast for the afternoon and Yogi wanting to be back by 2pm. We decided to go back down by the fastest route – only a few climbs they cheerfully told me. Back to the B road but a puncture held us up. As it was being repaired Steve approached me and asked about That Sunday Ride. I told him it was too fast for me and not much fun. Steve is a committee member and he admitted that they had problems (not issues – how refreshing!) with the Sunday ride. Two riders had recently joined from Llan-something-or-other club and they are very strong. The local top riders were basically competing with them on the Sunday ride to set the pecking order. It was causing a problem and people would not join the club if they weren’t enjoying the rides. I heartily agreed and my comments were duly noted. From the B road onto the A490 and then major indecision at Bwlch-y-cibau. Straight on followed by a right and left, which everyone thought to be the quickest and easiest – wow two wonderful words used in the same sentence or turn right. The ride leader said right to many groans – all bunny hops and then a sharp left down what looked like a track, though is a yellow road on the map. The A490 takes you back to Welshpool – not straight, plenty of wide bends – but there is a sting in the tail. After a big right hand bend is the hill which the club use for their hill climb. No arrows, steady gradient, just long with the QOM set by Emma (sorry don’t know Emma who) at under 4 minutes and no idea what they said about KOM. Suffice to say I made it and kept my dignity. Do you focus on your pain as you climb or do you distract yourself? I do the latter and thought about a warm bath, food, tea and comfort. Finally Welshpool. “Have you time for a stop at the Royal Oak?”
We had tea in the rain and were told we had done a further 2000ft of climb. I can feel it in the legs. No Sunday ride has been posted yet – if it is it will go from Newtown. Newtown rides tend to be hilly, Welshpool rides tend to be flatter – all due to the local geography. “Pardon!?!?”

Steve said that if he posts a ride it will definitely be a “B” group ride.
“If you do go would you like to join us at the Nag’s head and we can go down to Newtown together? Just make sure you do not go with the nutters – they treat the ride between Welshpool and Newtown as a time trial and then go home – make sure you find us.” I said I will see what the weather is like. Going with them would be fine – it is the flat route along the A road. All other routes out of Llandyssil have an uphill arrow on them.
And so the 10 miles home in the rain – thankfully just rain and not Welsh rain so much of the mud was washed off the bike rather than me being washed off the bike. The signpost to Llandyssil says 2 miles, very comforting except for the two ramps. The first I made in a straight line and down the other side. Llandyssil ¼ mile. Just get into the granny ring now and think about anything but the 50 metres up to the house. Zig zag and collapse.

After 4 weeks the house is coming along well and some progress is being made on my workshop so I thought I would see what the local cycle club Sunday Club Ride was like. I emailed the contact and was told, “It’s the CX season with a race on the same day, so only a B group ride this week. You would be most welcome to join us. Flash 9:30 Welshpool.” Flash turned out to be the leisure centre. Sounds ok so I plotted a route to the start. Most of the routes are hilly but the A road between Newtown and Welshpool isn’t and shouldn’t be too busy on a Sunday morning.

At the allotted hour I set off on the luxo-cruiser thinking that I did not want to set high expectations by going on the grin machine. I also wanted a granny ring for the hills. On reaching the A road I was met by a police motorcycle outrider – an oversize load was coming through; should only be a 2 minute wait. I waited and in the distance saw a group of riders who could only be club members making the trek from Newtown to Welshpool – the ride start alternates between the two and club members gather at one to ride to the other. They too were held up by the load but soon enough we were on our way. Just ahead I saw a club jersey waiting at the side of the road so pulled into to introduce myself and check that everyone was heading to the same place. The following group soon caught up and in fact were going at great speed. The challenge was to get on the wheel. And then it was hell for leather for Welshpool – with speed somewhere between 20 and 25 miles per hour! I was later told that some riders just go for that blast and then go home.

At Welshpool about 15 riders turned up, all male, mainly on Giant bikes (local bike shop is a Giant franchise), all carbon and too many deep section wheels for my liking. It’s the “B” group – it should be ok. Straight out of Welshpool we hit the first climb. Just over 300ft in about 3.6 miles. I did not disgrace myself but arrived in the second half of the group. From then on the ride was a bit of a blur. This was no “B” group, this was a bunch of testosterone fuelled blokes out to outdo each other. On the flat (what passes for flat in this neck of the woods) speeds were over 20 miles an hour. On the down hills I could not keep up with anyone. One kind guy, thank you Paul, dropped back to give me a wheel to hang onto as we raced along the B road towards Shrewsbury. 15 bikes slightly strung out with me giving everything I’ve got to stay in touch. Brief respite as we regroup at Chirbury. They slow for a right turn where a car is coming out only to find it is a lone house – rather startled lady driver wondering why 15 lyrca clad men want to turn into her drive. On through Worthen before finally a right turn towards Minsterley. I have no idea what these places were like; never before have I had to sustain such a pace for so long – it hurts! Paul reassured me that this was unusual – Club Rides were not normally like this – but he did say to expect that on some sections some riders might go for Strava segments and there were a couple of places where the club seemed to have a switch – you reach the place, the switch is switched and everyone goes like a bat out of hell!

From Minsterley it is a lovely climb to Gravels, gentle gradient 700ft of climb over 5.2 miles. It’s an A road but no traffic. I got stuck behind the two slowest climbers for a bit but then made my way past them and for ever upwards. I have no idea how far ahead the rest of the group were but I just made my way up at my steady pace and enjoyed it as best as I could – though mutterings about a “B” group could be heard under my breath. Thankfully we regrouped at the top. The descent towards Bishop’s Castle was rather into the wind and although going at over 30mph and pedalling as fast as I could I was left standing. A very short but very steep climb out of Bishop’s Castle put us on a road which goes along one side of the Vale of Montgomery with a stunning view of the other – I had noted this road driving along it a week earlier thinking it would be spectacular to cycle it. It would be but I think this is one of the roads where the switched gets switched. Thankfully three guys held back and paced me along but even then keeping up took everything I had and little left for taking in the view.

Finally the cake stop…. must have been about noon, but I have no idea as I was too exhausted to do anything other than order a tea and the most calorie laden thing I could see. The banter round the table was about how individuals had done their turn on the front, how long, how fast and what happened when the next one took over. The relief provided they could hold the wheel of the over-taker and what happened if they could not. This was everything that I had feared about this club; a British Cycling affiliated club whose only interest is speed and competitiveness – not my scene at all. 54 miles at an average of 16.9 mph – explains everything!

Luckily the cake stop was about 2 miles from home and much of it uphill. I bade farewell and literally crawled home. If the road turned upwards at any angle however shallow I was reduced to the lowest gear possible.

There is a Wednesday ride – apparently it is more leisurely – and this Club Run was “highly unusual.” Do I believe them? They had better be right if I want to ride again with this group. Otherwise I am going to have to set up my own group!