Of technology, eBay and mobile phones

For some time I've lusted after a topographical sat nav system called Satmap. I've always considered it far too expensive figuring it would weigh in at somewhere in the region of £450. Bear that in mind for a moment.

I've often marvelled at the technological advances in the last 20 years, that have lead to the point where you can trade easily over internet, with sites like eBay and through companies own webpages. And particularly that now that you can do it from a mobile phone! It's nothing short of miraclulous, even to me, an IT professional, especially when I think back to my first mobile phone in the early 90's, which doubled as a handy pocket sized lump hammer or offensive weapon!

Well it came into it's own the other evening when I sat in bed and (possibly tired) I bought, on a bit of a whim, a Satmap off eBay! I saved £100 off the RRP and I reckon I can peel another £25-£40 off the maps and accessories I'll eventually get for it. But I'm still concerned this rather expensive whim is a bit hard to justify.

The whim was not entirely without provocation. I currently use a cheap PDA with a bluetooth GPS reciever and a copy of Memory Map to do the same job. However, it's clunky and unreliable. It's prone to crashing and letting me down when I need it most. It's not waterproof or shockproof (which the Satmap is). Just recently I went through an annoying spell of occurrances of it letting me down and was only just short of drop kicking it into the depths of one of the welsh forests. So, there's my justification, however weak!! I'll post up how I get on with it.

Maybe this is a case of that old issue I have when I get bored - I buy things! I had a very minor fall about 2 weeks ago in Brechfa Forest and hurt my ribs (again!). It didn't stop me doing my Gap Road ride last week, but I have been somewhat uncomfortable at times. I obviously have some sort of weakness there, so with that in mind have resolved to back off with the trail centre riding. I'll do some more gentle stuff like perhaps a little commuting and then some gentle XC riding (the Satmap should come into it's own then).

The Brecon Beacons Gap Road

One to tick off the list for me. I did this ride some 16 years ago with my brother. Revisiting it means that I have completed all but one of my most significant rides I did in the early days and I can carry on where I left off mountain biking as a kid!

The Gap is an old Roman mountain road through the Beacons. We started from Pontsticill Reservoir and climbed up to the mountain pass, past dozens of squadies on exercise! Through the pass is an awesome rocky descent down natural rock steps then onward on a long gradual bone shaking clatter down to the farmland below. We took in a couple of bridleways and a canal towpath on the way round the roads to Talybont-on-Usk, where we had a cracking pub lunch in the Star Inn.

The final leg was a never ending climb from 125m up the old Brinmore Tramway and onto the hilltops, eventually topping off at about 520m. Down off the top was another rocky descent to the Reservoir and the car park where the midges there truely insane!! Grinning was the order of the day!! :-)

It's an interesting track for me from another point of view as I last came here in my Suzuki Samurai. I find it sad to see lanes like this so heavily restricted to vehicles. This particular road can easily sustain vehicular traffic and now all it's usage is compressed into about 10 weeks of the year. I loathe this outlawing of the 4x4 as it just punishes those who were law abiding. You won't stop the renegade element especially on dirt bikes.

Kona Mash-up

Just realised I never said how I got on in the Mash-up. Well, it was, for me, a very satisfying 54th out of 219 (The official results sheet has a numbering error in it and shows me as 52nd overall, but there were 2 girls faster than me making me 54th out of the total 219). I never expected such a result! I compared very favourably with some of my friends who I considered as very superior benchmarks. I'm thinking of getting a Gravity Dropper seatpost which would have allowed me to adjust seat height on the fly. I reckon that would have easily saved a few seconds on all my times and given me another half dozen or so places :-) Am I taking it too seriously!? :-D

The Pentre Ifan burial chamber

I visited this burial site as little detour at the backend of my Preseli Mountains route. It's a 3 and a half thousand year old neolithic dolmen. It's one of Wales' largest and best preserved. This is the roof balanced apparently, precariously on it's vertical supports. Originally it would have been covered with an exterior made from dry stone walling.

Pentre Ifan with Carningli Common in the background


A 16 ton stone slab supported by three upright stones. How!? 3500 years ago! How!?


Pentre Ifan framing Carningli common.

More Preseli Mountain Photos

This time I'm Uploading these from my PC rather than my phone. It's easier and I can format the posts better.

The view over Cwm Gwaun from Cerrig Lladron.


The descent into Bwlch Ungwr and Carnmenyn beyond it.


Carn Bica


The (badly stitched) panorama of Foel Cwmcerwyn and Foel Feddau from Carn Sian.

Preseli Mountains photos

The peak on the left is Foel Cwmcerwyn 526m. My route took of onto the shoulders of that peak at about 480m then down and up onto the 467m summit of Foel Feddau on the right.

Preseli Mountains photos

The route forward over the next two peaks. Not actually as daunting as it looks here!