Welsh Outback

Having done a U-turn on the French dream, I have mourned the reality that I will never have a widow-maker hill-climb in my own back garden, ever since. But late on Thursday afternoon I got this email from Co-Built Anthony...
Hey Ben
I have a great adventure planned for tomorrow. It involves an early start and a lateish finish, following the trail of an enduro, and 1960's tea rooms in the Black Mountains of mid Wales. I had planned on going with a mate from Swindon but it looks like he can't make it now. I have two bikes prepped ready to go; a CCM 604 and a Yamaha WR250, and I am looking for someone who is available at short notice. If this is your cup of tea and you can get away from work and family duties for the day at short notice let me know. Anthony

Hell yeah! (even though it's my wedding anniversary). So up at 5am, and just 50 minutes from Bristol I'm in Abergavenny, where I dumped my car and met up with Anthony in his van. A few minutes later we're standing on our footpegs, hacking along twisting B roads and bunny hopping up sheep tracks into the back of beyond, while most of civilization is still asleep.On the descent from Y Dâs, there are some 3 foot high rock steps on a sharp corner. Anthony broke his thumb here on a previous trip, and up above the berm there is a plaque to a rider Richard Thompson, who died there of a heart attack. It's 8 o'clock in the morning and I haven't even had my wake-up coffee yet.The CCM didn't approve and began a threatening rattle. we had a poke about with the Leatherman but couldn't remedy it so decided to proceed with abandon.
The Welsh Two Day Enduro starts from the lakeside in LLandrindrod Wells. It's like a seaside town but without the sea. There are 700 riders, from factory teams to farmers, it's a 150 mile loop through luscious landscape. Anthony knew a few of the riders having competed himself 8 times previously. The idea was to short-cut across the middle and watch the leaders come through their various special sections and make frequent stops for icecream.Antique "wing-ning-ning" Huskies, and SWMs twin-shocks compete alongside the latest and lightest modern bikesWe bumped into Nick Ashley, who has also competed several times but was a marshal this year on a Gas Gas. I just so happend to be wearing my trusty 18 year old Nick Ashley Trail Master jacket.On the way back the WR started cutting out. The only thing we could trace it to was a low water level in one of the two radiators which meant it was over heating. It wasn't until Anthony took the cap off (and the vacuum was lost) that water started pissing out of a small hole hidden away on the back side. As it had been a hot day we had plenty of water with us so we could keep it topped up - but it still kept cutting out. Our two injured donkeys limped on and made back to civilization.Anthony thanks for yesterday, it has gone straight into my 'Top 10 of Great Motorcycling Moments'. My bingo wings are still aching. BP