What an eventful day.

When I posted this ride last week, The Honey Cafe on the googlie mapping thing said it opened at 9am on Sundays.

Last evening (Sat) I checked and it then said the cafe was closed until Thursday?

The bike didn’t want to start, I had not used it for a month, and I had forgotten to fill up after last ride, so was close to empty with only E10 in the tank. Later in the day, I stalled it and it wouldn’t restart for some time, so I switched it off and left it for a few minutes, then it started after a fashion and didn’t fail again for the rest of the day.

There was only myself as a confirmed attendee, so I just rocked up 09:45 to wait for no-one to arrive, even though I knew, probably, that the cafe would be closed.

A lady drove up 5 mins later, parked right next to the chalk board confirming closed till Thursday, sat using her phone.

Then Richard arrived on his red Pan – yes there are two of us….. and I explained the closure, he then advised he had not ticked the “attending” FB button until the last moment as he had ridden ‘To The Wall’ yesterday, almost 400 miles.

A couple of minutes later, 3 bikers rode up, stopped had a quick natter then left. Then another two bikes, parked in the car park, alighted and went to check the door, then left.

Me and Richard had a chat about the route planned, incase his 400 yesterday might make another 200 a little over the top for him, but he was happy, so off we trotted…. until we got to Llyswen – the main road to Builth fully closed due to a serious incident – we couldn’t get through the village to turn off to Boughrood….. so I about turned, back via 3 Cocks/Glasbury to the back road, the top turning down to Llyswen also closed – we continued toward Erwood station – Lady Milfords Bridge was closed (probably best as you wouldn’t want a couple of cars queuing on it would you!)

On up to Builth and then on toward Rhayader. I gestured to Richard with a “sipping a cuppa” hand movement, he looked to me like he gestured ‘just carry on’ so I did.

Richard had hit a pothole, and one of his mirror housings fell off – they have a check strap so was dangling, he pulled in to sort it, I stopped up the road a bit, he hadn’t arrived for a few minutes so with an empty road, I attempted a U turn, stalled it and got stuck across the middle of the road it’s amazing home many cars just turn up while you are trying to get it into neutral 🫣 rolled off to the side and this is when it wouldn’t restart for a few minutes – meanwhile Richard had fixed his mirror and rode past going rhe other way, waving as he went 😅

When she started, I turned around properly and then had to stop to explain my predicament 🙄

On up the 470 to the left onto the 44…. a bit of fine misty rain turned more like thick fog as we rode west. About 2/3rds of the way to Aber, road closed and a diversion over past Devil’s Bridge, scenic said the council worker, but with thick mist and cars braking heavily even on the middle of bends – I couldn’t see far enough ahead really to make an over take ….

Anyway, a dodgy overtake did materialise and I survived 😅 and we arrived in total dryness at Aberaeron about 13:00

Richard asked why I didnt stop for a cuppa…… perhaps I should have done a thumbs up? – hand signal lessons next month….. 🤣

Pie & chips and a coffee went down well and after a good natter we decided that as just two of us, it would be silly to take Richard to the GlanUsk only for him to have to retrace steps to go home, so Richard led us to the Owl’s Nest for a last cuppa.

We nattered for an hour and a half, when we realised that at 5pm, we should make a move so Ian could pack up and go home 😅

We said our good byes with Richard off toward Llangadog/A40 as the Black was just a cloud, and I off toward Sennybridge and Merthyr to home.

I got home after filling the tank with E5 – as I’m not sure when I will ride her again, due to personal commitments, and parked her up by 18:25 having completed 225 miles door to door today.

Many thanks Richard for turning up, we had a great day, a little less foggy stuff would be good next time 👍🏾🏍