19/07/2022 – PCR Day 10

After a short wait and a group photo, we boarded the ferry.

We locked all our bikes up and made our way upstairs and headed straight to the overpriced restaurant for breakfast.

There was a table that we could all squeeze onto and exchange stories before we found some sofas for a nap and tried to grab some shut eye.

Far sooner than I wanted, the tannoy woke me up saying that we had arrived in Holyhead for the last stretch of 88km until the end of this adventure.

About 2km after we departed, I picked up a puncture, thankfully on my front tyre not my rear tyre.

I was hugely frustrated as I was so close to the end and it was caused by lots of smashed glass left in the bike lane.

Disheartened, I set to putting an inner tube in and heading off after everyone else, whilst I was not treating it as a race, I still had the competitive side of me that wanted to finish ahead or at least with everyone else.

I got lazy with the gear changes and was going fast and loose with them, I was nearly at the finish line, I was sure that it would be fine.

After rounding a corner on a country lane I see my Dad and Uncle waiting for me. My Dad was planning on picking my up from the finish post party and driving my home overnight but decided to surprise me on the route.

We had a quick chat and I carried on with a renewed vigour in my step.

They visited me again in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch but I carried on straight through to the Menai Bridge from Anglesey onto mainland Wales but right at that point, my Di2 finally gave up.

As luck (or not), I was left in the hardest gear that it would allow, this would mean I could get a decent pace on the flats but would struggle up the climbs and there were still a few short and sharp ones to go.

My Dad and Uncle visited me on the route a few more times as I made my way round the course through Conwy as I made my way through Llandudno for a scenic tour round the Great Orme.

I still hadn’t overtaken anyone but as I reached round the back end of the Great Orme, I bumped in to Taylor and Tamzin!

We rode the last few km’s in together and as they were both competing in the womens race, they decided to cross the line together so there was no real racing.

As I descended down the hill into Llandudno I thought back about what had gone on in the last 10 days.

Unbelievable highs and some serious lows.

If you’d asked me if there was anything I would have changed, I probably would have said no.

From missing the first train, if I hadn’t I wouldn’t have met Steve and Joules.

If I hadn’t have gotten tired on Day 2 and decided to pull into the churchyard, I wouldn’t have met Loz.

If I hadn’t have had the issues with my rear wheel that cost me a very long time, I would have been further ahead and not ridden with and gotten to know Jason, Mimi and Lowri.

I guess the only thing I would have changed would have been to take more pictures or document it via video, well, lesson learned for next time.

We navigated some backstreets of Llandudno and approached the finish line and the excitement started to brew.

As we made our way down the finish line road Tamzin and Taylor decided that they’d hold hands as they crossed the line so I dropped back 10-20 meters or so and allowed them to celebrate coming joint 3rd in the womens race and give them their moment to celebrate.

I crossed the line with very little fanfare as everyone was focused on them which I quite liked. It was nice to roll by almost unnoticed as one thing that I had learned from my bike tour is that often finishing arbitrary distances or countries is generally underwhelming and to focus on enjoying the journey.

Some of friends that I’d made during the ride came straight over to congratulate me as I pulled up and came to a stop, my bike was taken off me to rest up against the wall and a beer was thrust into my hand.

After a shower in the organisers house and catching up with people, Jason managed to fall asleep again.

We then headed out to the venue for the party which was good fun. Couple of beers and some pizza really hit the spot.

After some emotional speeches the winners were congratulated and then the most special part of the night (for me) happened.

Patricia Hall was there at the party and took to the stage, she is the mother of Mike Hall, one of the inspirations for me going on my world trip.

Sadly he passed away in 2017 on the Indian Pacific Wheel Ride, the very same race that my trip was ended on due to COVID and she had been on a video call with us riders at the start of that race that I took part in.

Once the speeches were over I went up to her and explained how much her son meant to me and the resulting impact that he had inadvertently and she was taken aback.

Another adventure was over, something to remember for the rest of my life.

The eternal question, what’s next.

Right now, I’m not sure, but one thing I am sure of is that it won’t be the last adventure.

Life’s not short, you just need to do more.

#WeWhoTravelHaveStoriesToTell