Ian was the Oval

O Borthmadog i mi

Footballers these days are often accused of being greedy, money orientated and arrogant, parents are accused of being pushy, but a footballer and his parents from Manchester seem to bucking the trend.

 Dilan Lomas from Manchester plays for Porthmadog FC, and his parents Ian and Anne follow him to almost every game.... Ian Lomas was kind enough to give up some of his precious travelling time to give me this interview after the TNS match.

“I imagine I acquired my football allegiance as most of us football fans did through my family and as my childhood was spent in Manchester it was never in question that I would follow Manchester City. I have been a season ticket holder for more years than I care to remember and to those of you who know the history of the current Premier League Champions it means I have also done the miles, worn the T-Shirt and been through thin and thin!

“Football has always been both my favourite participation and spectator sport and after my totally forgettable playing career ended I spent ten mostly happy years coaching junior football in the South   Manchester area where best mates Josh Stadnicki and my son Dilan were key members of the squad I was responsible for so I have had the pleasure of watching their progression over many years.

THE A55

“More recently this has involved making regular trips from Manchester down the M56, A55 and beyond to watch Porthmadog FC.  Whilst many may think that this journey would become a chore I assure you that is not the case, in fact far from it.  I can honestly say that we look forward to each and every trip, although the drive to Monmouth in the cup last season only for the fixture to be called off after a storm of biblical proportions ten minutes before kick-off left the pitch waterlogged was hard to take, especially as City were at home in the FA Cup that afternoon!

“Although visiting new grounds has been part of the enjoyment it is always feels good when the destination is Y Traeth.  The ground and officials of the club always offer a warm welcome to all and especially those following the opposition which is great to see.  I know my wife Anne and I always feel welcome and I am sure I can say the same for both Josh and Dilan.  

UNIVERSITY

Whilst the lads were at Bangor University the travelling was obviously less of an issue but having graduated and moved back to Manchester the travelling cost both financial and the time involved have increased massively but they were only ever going to sign for one Club and the fact they feel so welcome had a large part to play in that decision.  

PROMOTION?

Another major factor in their decision to re-sign was their hope to be part of the squad that gains promotion this season and judging by the early season form why not?  Whilst the season has only just got underway the standard of football played by Porthmadog has been decent.  I am by no means an expert on Welsh football but if the cup game against TNS can be used as a barometer of how Porthmadog would cope with the step up promotion would bring then I repeat, why not?  

So regardless of the miles, cost, time involved etc Anne and I will be enthusiastically looking forward to attending as many fixtures as possible in what we hope will be a successful season for the club.”

Two spins - Two countries

Two spins - Two countries

Being unemployed is soul destroying, endless hours of sitting in front of a computer, but for a keen cyclist when the weather is nice there’s nothing better than being on the bike

Thus due to the extremely nice weather we've been having recently, I've as they say been getting the miles in...

This week due to the monotony of cycling on local roads and after pouring once again through the pages of a map I decided to venture to different places and countries. I had been down to the Brecon Beacons the previous and enjoyed a hard hilly 70 miler with my friends from the South, but after a hilly walk on Sunday with the wife above Aberdyfi I discovered a new road Cwm Maethlon -  Happy valley

Tuesdays ride started with the leisurely Oakley drive hill climb - no Strava Pr’s today due to the uncertainty of the upcoming challenge.

The imposing Cader Idris looked stunning as I approached Dolgellau without a cloud in the sky, and if you want a challenge avoid the A470 up from Dolgellau to Cross Foxes, turn into town and take the climb that leads you pass Fronolau hotel, it’s relentless - it starts at 8% and peaks at 17 %, it’s a tough one. 

After descending to Machynlleth and carrying on to the village of 

Tal y Llyn

Pennal I turned right for happy valley and boy was I unhappy a grim drag of min 8% through wooded land that topped at 11% after a hairpin. I then had a chat with a farmer who had family in Porthmadog and he guessed I was from port with my accent, mmmm never knew that we had an accent in port....

He told me it’s all downhill now to Tywyn,,  and boy was I happy in the valley as I was rewarded with long fast descents -  the valley itself -  well was just a valley...

After leaving Tywyn I stopped to chat to a postman in Bryncrug for directions to Mary Jones’s house in Llanfihangel y Pennant, where do you ask, it’s a small hamlet on the road past Bird Rock  which can lead you to the village of Abergynolwyn.

The temperature on my GPS was now 24 Celsius and I was being rewarded with hovering bird of prey and herons rising from marshland.  I was chuffed to visit the ruin of Mary’s house, if she could walk barefoot to Bala, then I could make the effort to visit where she lived.

I then descended to Abergynolwyn and made my way past Tal y Llyn Lake, it was stunning.

The rest of the ride was a slog with more climbing to do but all in all I did a 100 miles and I wondered how the legs would be tomorrow.

I woke up Wednesday and felt ok but you don’t know how the legs will be until you’re on the bike.

I love cycling and visiting places I  see on the map so my plan was to cycle to Knighton from Llanfair Caereinon in a loop, I wasn’t sure how long it would take and this is part of the fun -well if you call climbing hill after hill fun.

I parked at the leisure centre in Llanfair with my map in my back pocket and the temperature was promising to be in the low 20’s again....

 Shock horror, I’d seen the black chevron on the map on the B road from Llanfair to Newtown  but boy was it tough, another min 8% max 14%, but the ascents were met with descents, but due to being unsure of them these were taken with extreme care......

I had to go on the A483 from Newtown which was a lovely hair pinned climb of approx 5 mils avg 3% until I turned on the B road to Knighton, here we go again 7, 8 11, 14 % on and on until I came to a road not to dissimilar to our Migneint, then it was a virtual descent to Knucklas where I stopped to take some photos of the viaduct which the Heart of Wales train line run over.

Next stop knighton, a nice town full of Welsh flags, and this is right on the border, these next few miles were horrible, long ascents followed by steep descent that lead me to the border town of Clun, by now I was weaving in and out Wales and one observation was that the road surface is much better in god’s country!

Tref y Clawdd  -Knighton

After Clun I went through the charming town of Bishops Castle which had an 8% climb in the town - I really should have stopped here to take some photos, I will return.

It was much easier now on the B road to Montgomery not as hilly, again another nice little town ,  after leaving Montgomery I headed for Welshpool and the last 8 miles back to Llanfair  was in  headwind,  but Jens Voight motto of ‘shut up legs came in useful.

I’m now having a rest day tomorrow and back to job hunting, but the map will be out again in the evening planning another epic ride to somewhere I haven’t been, alas there isn't many in Wales   - any suggestions?

Holland or Indonesia

 From hero to zero?

Quote from Bale today “Really looking forward to my trip to Indonesia this weekend! Got some exciting things lined up and hope to meet lots of fans!

Ryan Giggs Man U, in many people’s eyes that’s what he will always be known as, approximately 20 years later is Gareth Bale going to be known as Gareth Bale Real Madrid.

Giggs along with John Charles was the greatest player Wales ever had, Bale seems certain to eclipse those two.

Giggs in the Welsh fans eyes that followed them home and away will be known as a traitor, the man who played 64 times for his country, albeit not many friendlies and who eventually retired to prolong his club career. Judas, traitor are some of the words attributed to him, for ex footballers, pundits, the press he was hero who made a good decision mmm.

Bale who I saw make his debut against Trinidad and Tobago was different, he turned down TeamGB unlike Giggs, Ramsey, Bellamy and Taylor he was an icon who stood up to the pressure from the British media, albeit he said he was injured, it’s come back to bite us.

Bale who turned up injured for Wales previously was gaining respect from the loyal fans that saw him as different to our long gone friend Giggsey.

Joke?

Cue the Champions League final in Lisbon where he scored the all important goal to put the Castilians ahead, and then draped himself in the Welsh Dragon where social media went crazy with the welsh public salivating themselves. I wasn't I support Bale in a Welsh shirt not in a Spurs or Madrid one, did the pathetic Welsh public who turned up for a Welsh match and asked which one’s Giggs go ballistic when he scored for Man U ?

The much maligned Chris Coleman possibly did a mistake when he didn't pick another hero Aaron Ramsey who again draped himself in the Welsh dragon, and who was excused from travelling to Holland, about an hour’s flight not 6, 7 or 10 hours to far flung country for a meaningless friendly, this is Holland’s vital last friendly before the real thing starts on June 8^th.

Ramsey has been sunning himself in Monaco and even tweeted and I quote “Please ignore any stories about me needing surgery. They are completely false. I'm enjoying my summer and already can't wait for pre-season.”  Enjoying my summer, you should be going to Holland son.. According to one Arsenal fan who I understand wasn't defending him he’s getting married, well get married end of June then, not when there is a chance of a lucrative friendly where you can test yourself against the best in the world.

On to Bale he was picked, ready to play; we were told recently by Coleman to look at the big picture, we did, but no, a few day after his flag draping moment on the Lisbon pitch he pulls out claiming injury, many weren't surprised.  I naively was, I thought he’s the man, he’s not a Giggs, low and behold it got worse, he’s injured, can’t endure an hour’s flight to support his Welsh team mates in Holland, he’s on his way to Indonesia for a promotional tour, how long’s the flight? 

The pundits, ex pros press are out in force, and the so called Welsh fans  when they want to be all claim, oh he’s had a long season, he’s tired, he usually turns up, it doesn't wash with me.

If only him and Ramsey would have played say a half each, the 1000 loyal fans who are going over would have been content, is he another Giggs hope not.   

Tour de Marchlyn

As a seasoned cyclist whose Palmares includes some of Europe’s iconic climbs, today I cycled up a climb which I’m starting to fall in love with.

I cycled this climb in the winter with two others; well the other two were there but way ahead of me.  The weather was crap and it was cold, I didn't enjoy it but vowed to be back when the sun was out.

The climb in question is called Marchlyn Mawr and I’d never heard of it until some members of Clwb Seiclo Madog entered an end of season TT (time trial), one of them was doing a great time but proceeded to get lost in the fog. Boy has he had some stick.

It is situated above the villages of Dinorwig and Deiniolen and Marchlyn Mawr reservoir is a high level lake in Snowdonia behind Elidir Fawr Mountain.

So today was the day, the sun was shining I felt good, bar some back pain.  I decided to do a scenic route which took in the Foryd near Caernarfon; I was hugging the Menai Strait all the way to Felinheli.

My first serious climb of the day was Nant y Garth which wasn’t easy by a long chalk, but the drag after to Deiniolen is a nightmare, there is something about the road surface here, you just can’t seem to achieve any speed, it’s like you’ve got glue on your tyres!

Anyway I could see the impeding climb after turned left by Deiniolen upon which I encountered a 10-12% climb for half a mile.  Then I approached the gate which leads you to the climb. You have to lift your bike over the gate, and then clip in with support as it’s immediately into the 8% steepness. Oh no I didn’t think it was this hard. I also couldn’t remember the length of the climb, a mile two miles unsure, we cyclists now also have our GPS systems and I set the screen to the slope screen so I could understand the hell I was putting myself through.

Hairpin one, oh no 10% it’s relentless, I then had a respite, the only part, it drops to 6, 5 3 % for a few hundred yards and then to my left I saw it again oh no 10 or 12%?

Bwlch y groes near Dinas Maddwy is beating me 3-1, also by the time I’ve reached that climb I’ve done 46 miles, ( I’d done 42 today before Marchlyn)  but BYG is a monster, you can see it for miles, Marchlyn is hidden, the Bwlch says come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough, and trust me it takes no prisoners, Marchlyn is inviting, go on try me, take me on I’m worth it..... Anyway another hairpin loose slate in the road, must remember on the descent.

Oh no a walker with two dogs, I was virtually walking pace 3.9 mph then 4.5 then back to 3.9, I shouted ‘mae’r basdad yn galed’ ( it’s hard) he said ‘old age’, ‘I’m only 50’ ‘I’m 66’ he said and he walking nearly as fast as I was cycling gggrrrrr. Keep them mutt’s way I thought to myself.

After two miles of incessant, almost relentless cycling at mostly no less than 10 % I was there at the summit and boy was it worth it.

The views are stunning, Anglesey and the coast to one side, Snowdon behind, Llanberis down below, my pal with the dog arrived and he took a photo for me.

Down I went with the breaks on most of the way as it’s a very very fast decent. I was beaming, I’ve done it again, BYG isn’t my climb, Marchlyn is and I’ll be back soon.

When I got home and uploaded my stats to strava I was disappointed, my time was slower than the winter one?  Many factors could come to play here so I’ve got over it, I recommend this climb to any budding new or old cyclist you’ll love it.

Stats – my PR for this was 22. 42 today was 24. 40 - fastest on this segment is 11.41!!!!! Strava puts it at 3.7 km 286 metres elevation -  avg 8% nuff said.