Once again Icknield attended the Dragon ride in June, with the majority of riders taking on the 133-mile, 11,000 feet Gran Fondo, and others tackling the 98 mile, 7300 feet Medio Fondo.
With a mix of seasoned Dragon riders and riders taking on the Dragon for the first time, the Gran Fondo started at 7.30am, with the Medio riders starting about an hour later.
The Welsh weather could have been kinder, but all were happy with the overcast sky and mugginess, as everyone stayed dry.
The first of the climbing started with Sardis Hill, which was the first of 8 major climbs, including Black Mountain, Pen Y Fan, Rhigos and The Bwlch, with the longest climb being just shy of 3.5 miles.
Spirits were high throughout the ride, but when the riding got tough and we had to dig deep, the camaraderie between not just teammates, but with all riders out on the course, was uplifting and really helped spur riders on. This was helped by the regular feed stations where volunteers were full of enthusiasm and offering plenty of food and drink, including the Dragons legendary hot potatoes.
At the end of a long day in the saddle, the finishing arena was a welcome sight where all riders were handed an ice cold can of alcohol-free beer, hot food and welsh cakes. A great way to finish a great ride!