1545 hours - Text Message from Lynne
Summited Snowdon. On route back down. Cycling later if poss while weather ok ish.

2018 hours - Text Message from Lynne
Just finished cycle as we thought we would carry on. Done 25 miles. Will email more tomorrow.

BLOG
Today started at 7am with us beginning our journey from home.  Once loaded we set off and seemed to catch all the weather on the way up.  The further North we travelled the more rain we encountered!  It poured and poured as we got closer to Wales…and then a break.  Literally as we got within about 10 miles of Snowdon it began to clear up.  So much so that Geordie made the first mistake of the day by entering into a wager with Mike regarding the projected clarity of view from the top of the mountain.  Geordie opting for a clear 360 degree view from the top, as opposed to Mike's “you’d be better off buying a picture from the shop and taking that to the top to save disappointment”!

We arrived at the car park at 1.30pm and decided to make it a team trip to the top with support crew joining the “workers” on the trip up Snowdon.  So we all set off after the mandatory photo opportunities with “Taffy”, the kind car park attendant, and once the search and rescue helicopter had concluded its rescue from Crib Goch (more on that later) Then we were off…after a swift 30 minute hike we were at the cross roads of choice…do we dare detour up Crib Goch and risk troubling the good helicopter crew once again?  No…we stayed on the pig track with Glenn pushing on at near marathon pace!  Did someone say it was a race?

After a few costume changes (it gets hot up there!) we were hot on his trail.  Until, that is, Geordie met up with an old friend “Dougie” and his dear wife.  Well it seemed that way anyway with the topic of conversation.  It is now that we found out that the two who were rescued from Crib Goch were removed from the mountain because they were “petrified”.  Have you ever spent more than an hour in close company with Geordie…We all deserved an air lift!  After we left Dougie and his lady behind we could not help but look back and sympathise with her plight.  Dougie, bless him, had dressed her in Jeans, trainers and a donkey  jacket then probably coaxed her up onto the mountain with the lure of a half price sale at the café at the top.  Should we tell her now it was closed for refurbishments?  That would mean one of us dropping back down 200 metres?  Ok…Dougie's wife will have to learn the hard way…we pushed on with the mission.

3.30pm and we hit the top…after Mike gloated for a while regarding the previously mentioned wager we climbed the final few steps to the trig point so we could perhaps stand on each others shoulders to find the clear view that Geordie had hoped for.   Seriously…10 metres visibility would have been nice let alone the hope of seeing the ground!  Oh well…back to the postcard idea…but I assure you we all got to the top!

Now for the descent and what a pleasure it was.  1 ½ hours and we were down.  This included the odd refreshment stop…that is until Seb ate all the Jaffa cakes anyway! 

We got off the hill at 5.30pm and then got Lynne and Geordie ready for their first trip on the bikes.  Ok this was not in the schedule but by now Glenn and Mike were sick of their company and decided to get them to start the cycling early…more time in the shower for the support crew!  A cunning plan!
Whilst preparing the “Hoys” for the off Glenn got talking to a chap in the car park who turned out to be from Tilford Road, Hindhead, which is actually 6 miles from the Woodlarks Camp site.  Glenn worked his charm on the fine gentlemen by seeking an introduction with his “younger daughter” only to find out it was in fact the man's wife.  He talked a little longer and when they found out what we were up to they very kindly offered £10 sponsorship which was gratefully received.

Then all that was left to do was set them off on the bikes.  6pm and they were off.  A planned 1 hour trip was ahead to eat a little into Day 2’s mammoth 79 mile ride.

The support crew diligently showered and rested before setting out on the stressful adventure of locating Lynne and Geordie somewhere along the B5160?  22 miles later we caught up with them, eating chocolate at the side of the road!

3 miles later the Day 1 journey ended in Conwy’s (No I have not left a letter out…we are in Wales you know!) fish and chip emporium where we relieved them of there last 3 remaining Haddocks just in time to see them shut up shop at 8.30 pm.  They really know how to live up here!

Now we are sat in the youth hostel listening to Lynne and Geordie tearing up their plans of the last 3 months and extending their cycling routes for days 2 and 3.   At this rate we’ll be home by Tuesday!

Till tomorrow…I will leave you with the highlights of the day…

Top cycling speed = 39.8 miles per hour
Hills walked = 1
Miles cycled = 26
Chain mishaps = 1 (Lynne)
Punctures = None

Quote of the day:
Today goes to Geordie following a late conversation between him and Lynne.  Lynne complaining that she kept getting flies in her mouth whilst talking to Geordie on route down hills.  Geordies response…”well wear your glasses then”!