Glorious weather this Sunday for the free ride version of the Autumn Epic. About 15 turned up for the 9am start and they got away in two or three groups for a tour of Radnorshire. Quite cold for the first 20km through the shaded valleys but then it warmed up as we climberd and got into the sun. First food stop was in Rhayader at the Swan tea rooms with an amazing selection of cakes. A few went off on the 150km route to do the big climb up to the top of the Elan Valley, and then descend down past all the half-empty reservoirs, the rest took the short cut to the 130km route.
A long main road section - busy this year - eventually led to more rolling countryside and the twin challenges that are notorious on the Autumn Epic. The second hill - Glascwm - is particularly tough as you can see most but not all of the steep ramps all the way to the top. Check out the Flickr album mostly from this section:
On tired legs the gruppetto toiled over to Gladestry where an unexpected cafe stop for apple and ginger pie (with custard) got us back on track and ready to do the final climb before the sweeping descent back into Knighton. Everyone very please with how they had managed a tough course - even the "short" route has 2,000m of climbing.
News of the return of a full sportive version for 2016 will come out soon...