Part 1 of my Stag Do, after heading to Wales on Friday and partaking in a couple of beers Friday night it was time for the first ride of the weekend. We set off relatively early and arrived at Coed Y Brenin around lunchtime, it was very quiet, very few cars in the car park, the past weeks bad weather had obviously put people off. After a quick photo shoot at the visitors center and some time in the bike shop it was time to set off and hopefully conquer The Dragons Back.
First impressions on the course were good, nice flowing singletrack with rock riding and riding through streams, welcome to Wales. We followed the valley bottom enjoying sections Badger, Pinderosa and Dream Time. We all regrouped before the bridge over the River Afon Gain, Marc had been in the wars already everyone else seemed to be having a good time although the rain had made a re-appearance.
We set off over the bridge and I rode with Marc for a while, just from nowhere he hit the deck with a good bang bashing his head on the floor, thank God for helmets. After several seconds Colin arrived and we pulled him up, the fool had ridden through the middle of a patch of ice 40 feet long and 12 feet wide. That's the second time Marc had come off his bike in 2 miles.
We set off again along a fire road laughing about Marcs accident though he had definitely lost all his confidence. We then hit our first major climb of the day, Beefy and Big Dug, all on fire roads but it was a killer and was going to sort the men from the boys. It was a 185 meter climb in 3 miles which had Hobbo and Marc pushing there bikes, Marc had definitely had enough by this point. Me and Colin were trying our best to peddle but the burn became too much, hero's of the day Tony and Nick just kept on the power as long as they could. I think less beer the night before is the way forward, Hobbo tells me he wants to become a down hiller these inclines take there toll.
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We then enjoyed a brief descent which led to another 130 meter climb, Hermon, in just over a mile which brought us to our highest point on the entire trail 300 meters above sea level. From here on in it could only be downhill and we enjoyed Gomez, Morticia, Pugsley, Lurch and Uncle Fester, fast flowing on different terrain, nice and technical too fast to remember what was in these sections but big grins all round said it all. At the bottom we waited for Marc and Nick, time passed and before we knew it we were fearing the worst, had Marc fallen off again, badly this time. Colin and Hobbo set off up the hill on foot, after a while Tony spotted people far off in the distance, it was Marc and Nick on there bikes with Colin and Hobbo walking back, Nick had suffered a puncture, drama over.
That day the descents did not seem worth the climbs but now looking back on it and being able to read a map easy they were definitely worth it. This route is not called the Dragons Back for nothing.
After the downhill it was time to go back up the hill, we regrouped and set off, Tony blasting off into the distance when disaster struck, as Hobbo said after the event all the gear no gears. Nicks rear mech had self destructed shearing the bolts off and going over the top of his wheel. A quick thinking Colin thought he could salvage something and turn his bike into a single speed so we could finish the course but wet and tired the obvious option now seemed to be to call it a day and head back to the start. 11 miles of the Dragons back we completed, so close to finishing but with several technical issues affecting the Orange 5 it was not to be. Our time was also slow but taking into account the different levels of skill and fitness and the technical issues we did well. One day we will return like St George and slay the Dragon.
Words: Simon Richmond
Pictures: Simon Richmond
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