A major source of interest at the event is Paul Stobbs' Panasonic Traincyle. One or two people have already managed to get a trial ride - I hope to do so before the end of the week.The Portmeirion Weekend in November is becoming an established event in the calendar for folder enthusiasts. This year we are hoping - technology permitting - to send an illustrated report to our web site each evening of the event.
The superb weather of yesterday - when we spent most of the time on trains getting to Portmeirion - has given way to what can best be described as dull and dreary weather, with quite a stong wind. On the plus side, it is reaaly very mild for the time of year, and, apart from some fine drizzle early in the afternoon, it has remained dry. The weather, the need to recover from the previous day's travelling, and for some people, who had not been here before, to look around, has meant that most people have not strayed far from Portmeirion and Porthmadog today.
A major source of interest at the event is Paul Stobbs' Panasonic Traincyle. One or two people have already managed to get a trial ride - I hope to do so before the end of the week.
Michelle Whitworth, Derek Carpenter and myself fancied a longer ride, and set off for Criccieth and Llanystumdwy. The first stage was hard work, as we were cycling into the wind, and in view of the lack of towns on our return route, we stopped in Criccieth for some early refreshments.
At Llanysumdwy we visited the memorial to Lloyd George, where this picture of Derek and Michelle, with their Bike Fridays, and my Brompton SP, was taken.
Our return loop took us through some delightful lanes, much of it directed to finding a well which was widely signposted off the more main road. Tracking the well down proved quite tricky, and but for a very helpful local we would have gone away under the mistaken impression that the well was a rather unimpressive small hole in the ground - when we found the real thing it was much more interesting.
Our ride through the lanes left us convinced at one stage that we were lost, but we eventually emerged on the A487 exactly where we had intended, and the subsequent descent into Tremadog was most enjoyable.
Weather and enthusiasm permitting, a ride to Caernarfon is planned for tomorrow, which will give Michelle her third castle of the week - Harlech on Monday, Criccieth today.
Late News
We subsequently discovered that Paul Stobbs had taken the Traincyle to Pwhelli on a failt similar ride to that which Michelle, Derek and I had done, as described above. However, as a result of an excursion onto a more minor track Paul got slow punctures (caused bt thorns) on both front and rear tyres. The bike is fitted with plastic tubes, which do not accept normal patches, and he only has one spare tube (a conventional rubber 14 inch one - not an ideal fit for 12 inch wheels). The rear tube was replaced with the spare in the evening, and we applied a glueless patch to the front. The morrow will show whether the glueless path holds.
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Last updated: 30 November 1999
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