1110m uphill, 1110m downhill, 50,000m round trip

and one spoke less.

After a nice morning lie in, coffee (decaf) and the satisfaction of getting a few things sorted, even if it did involve paying a lot of money for a flat.

Lunch. Pasta with cream cheese and pesto. Nicer than it sounds.

I looked at the map and checked out the route I had in mind, having spotted it on a field trip a month or so back. When we'd been there it had been blowing a gale and raining sideways, but the road had still stood out as inviting, winding up through the moor towards an unknown destination.

The map did its part to untangle this mystery, and told me that it headed over the moor to Ffestiniog. A route was born, over the moor and back via the Crimea Pass from Blaenau Ffestiniog.

It was hot, so I decided against shoes and opted for flip-flops, and swimming shorts. Not the most professional of looks, but kept me cool. In temperature.

The roads were winding, quiet, and stunningly beautiful. A few other bikes out on the road, and the odd car, but quiet. Amazing to have such lovely space to yourself, on such a lovely day.

Once over the watershed, a fast downhill along the most amazing road that clung to the edge of a huge gorge. Beautiful.

A quick refuelling stop in Blaenau Ffestiniog, which looks a lot less grey in the sun, and the over the pass and the free wheel home. Stopped briefly to look at a castle but moved on once I saw you had to pay to get in.

Back home, practically ran to the river for a swim, dried in the sun, and caught up on Le Tour De France.