I left early because the days were getting shorter and I wanted to be home before dark. This was to be my last 100 mile ride of the year and I wanted to relax and enjoy the time.
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| Early morning mist along the Monmouth & Brecon Canal... |
This is my current favourite 100 mile ride. It offers so much without being too demanding or difficult. It's a great full-day, long-distance trip through the Usk and Wye Valleys. This ride is motivate Rob to join me for a proper Welsh adventure!
Fall Classic
Total Elevation: + 5296 / - 5296 ft
Moving Time: 08:44:49
| MINI MODULE
Old Crumlin Road & Pontypool
Coal mining once filled this narrow valley and I pass many old remnants wrapped in undergrowth along the road. It was a different time then. People say it was black and filthy. I wouldn't know. It's lovely now.
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Once in Pontypool, I cycle through the city park to enter the canal path on the far side at Pontymoile Boat Basin. I've travelled 13 miles in just over an hour and warmed up nicely. Now it's time to relax.
Everything levels out on the path. The sound of cars racing to work disappears. Anticipation wanes. I am here.
There's hardly anyone about... the lone jogger or perhaps someone walking a dog. I call out "mornin'" and my voice seems too loud.
My tyres crunch over the frost. The air is crisp and cold. I stop just to look.
Every turn offers a new vista. I cycle a few hundred feet and stop again.
Off to my right the clouds sit low in the valley making my views appear as if I am high on the ridge of a mountain.
Several ducks make their long slow splash into the canal, gently quacking at each other as they paddle away proudly.
In the distance I can hear cows mooing and sheep bleating... a tractor rumbling up the hill. A farm coming to life for another timeless day.
The morning mist began to lift... the sunny spots are noticeably warmer now.
Boats moored along the canal creaked quietly, water like glass along their hulls.
I can hear children laughing and screaming, their voices clatter across the yard and over the hedge. I can imagine them darting about, bright-eyed, full of life, their mother tired, but smiling through the sleep in her eyes, gently coaxing them to get ready for school.
This is why I cycle. This is the very thing of life.
There is nothing more than what is here, right now.
This is my world. Thursday, 15 October 2018.
Stories within stories of a life.
But I must ride on. I have far to go today. There is much to see.
I've travelled five miles along the canal. There's one last bridge to pass under, then I'm away and down the hillside, into the valley, and out the long flat road to Usk.
Leaving Goytre Wharf I spot Sugarloaf mountain peeking through the clouds in the far distance. Not today my friend, I'm heading east.
There's time for one more stop to snap a photo, then I'm down into the clouds.
And surprisingly, I need to turn on my headlight. The fog is quite heavy. I don't need to be killed by the milkman.
A few moments ago as I was cycling in another world 350 feet higher up along the canal, my view there was across the top of these clouds.
I've just a couple of miles to reach Usk. I'll make a proper rest stop there before heading across the valley to Monmouth.
SIDEBAR OF NOTE:
There is much to read about the history of the Monnow Bridge in Monmouth, but the most surprising bit of trivia I discovered was that it was used as the main western entrance into town until 2004! Yup, that's right. Cars and trucks and buses and any vehicle that would fit - drove over and through this 800 year old bridge to get into town. I just find that crazy! Now there's a much wider modern bridge approximately 1/2 mile down river that handles all vehicle traffic and the old bridge and tower are Grade 1 Listed and designated just for pedestrians (and cyclists!).
Another small historical tid-bit is that the tower was originally built to keep out the Welsh. This part of Monmouthshire is referred to as the "Borderlands" such that "ownership" has changed back and forth between England and Wales for hundreds of years. The top bit of the tower now houses a small museum which is only accessible on certain days.
Take a few minutes to read more about the last surviving fortified bridge in the United Kingdom. Resources: Wikipedia; Monnow Bridge, and Castles in Wales - a website by Jeffrey L. Thomas |
Jump cut to Redbrook and the River Wye.
I must have completely zoned out. I didn't think to stop for a single photo for nearly 15 miles? And now I'm through Monmouth, leaving Wales and entering England at the village of Redbrook. (Honestly, I kinda dig it when that happens...)
The main road is closed up ahead, so I need to cross over the Wye River to follow the walking path on the opposite side. Fortunately, the old railroad bridge has been converted into a very cool footbridge.
It's a little rough in places, and kinda muddy; but I'm not complaining. There's not a soul to be seen.
It's nice to see the river from this side.
My revised route passes through a riverside farm then returns onto a lane heading south toward Tintern Abby.
Homes along here are not too shabby.
The road widens to two-lanes as it rises along the River Wye. On the weekends, this section can become quite busy, especially with motorcycles. It's not uncommon to see groups of 15 to 20 of them racing through here.
Coming into Tintern the rail line crosses back over the river. It too has been converted into a footbridge. There's rumours that someday the entire rail line from Chepstow to Monmouth might be developed into a proper walking and cycle path.
SIDEBAR OF NOTE:
Growing up in America, I wasn't taught much on European history. And to be perfectly frank, I don't think many Americans have a grasp on the enormous amount of history scattered about this tiny island. The first church to have been built at Tintern was in the early 1100's. What we see today was built primarily during the 13th and 14th century and was an active monastary for 300 years until the Dissolution of the Monasteries by King Henry VIII during the 1500's. Can ya get your head around that? While America was struggling through the early years of independence, when Turner painted the image shown to the left; Tintern Abbey was then 700 years old and had been a romantic medieval ruin for almost 300 years.
Read more about the one of the greatest monastic ruins of Wales. Resources: Wikipedia; Tintern Abbey and Castles in Wales, a website by Jeffrey L. Thomas |
Meanwhile, we'll just use the main road. It's really quite lovely. And even climbing up from Titntern Abbey to Chepstow (a pull of 550 feet in three miles...) ain't too bad.
Once through the outskirts of Chepstow, the countryside takes over again.
I stopped shooting photos soon after leaving Chepstow. I needed to make a move on getting home. I couldn't even tell you where I was for that last shot...
This route is particularly long and it has so much to see that I'm going to refer you over to my Gallery for the last two sections;
Thanks so much for visiting.
Cheers! - cm
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| Ride Name: | Monmouth Fall Classic | ||
| Start Date: | Thu. Oct. 25, 2018 | ||
| Starts in: | Oakdale, Wales, GB | ||
| Departed: | 07:10AM | ||
| Distance: | 103.2 mi / 166.25 km | ||
| Elevation: | + 5296 / - 5296 ft | ||
| Max Grade: | 12% | ||
| Duration: | 12:41:12 | ||
| Move Time: | 08:44:49 | ||
| Stop Time: | 03:56:23 | ||
| Max. Speed: | 32.4 mph | ||
| Avg. Speed: | 11.8 mph | ||
| Weather: | mist, fog, sun, clouds | ||
| Temp: | 12°c / 54°f | ||
Just some young lamas having fun...
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