Wedding Cycling Tour Days 2 & 3

We had a rest day before the Big Day, stopping two nights in picturesque Barmouth.






We pootled about town in the morning looking for things to make a bouquet with and only managed to get some ribbon, then in the afternoon embarked on a few hours of hiking from the Panorama walk onto the hill tops & back into the town behind the lovely old fishing cottages that are propped against the hillside in San Francsican fashion. All the little stairway alleyways were an idyll for me - allowing me to snoop on people's gardens and wonder at the cuteness of the place.

We returned to the b&b to find a card & a bottle of champagne outside our door that Jupp & John had kindly left us, so we hauled up for the evening with face masks, hair masks and generally chilled out.






The morning of The Big Day arrived. Alas the previous day's amazing sunshine was nowhere to be seen & the sky threatened rain for our ride along the Mawddach Trail.

A light breakfast for the mere ten flat miles saw us arrive in Dolgellau in good time (without getting rained on) & we even had a leisurely pot of tea at Ty Seren where we would be stopping for the evening.

Then the rush around. A fast shower & a frenzied attack with curling tongues and hairspray followed by a battle with the birdcage veil. Sarah & I then rushed off to find a florist toot-sweet. The lady there was lovely, but spoke better Thai than English & despite me wearing a wedding dress, she didn't seem to understand what the flowers were for. I thought an explanation would confuse things further, so I took my vase display back & asked Sharon & Nick for some scissors. There ensued a flower massacre in the shower as I cut the stems to a sensible size and tied my bouquet. Ta-daaa, ready! With time to spare.

Stephen's pretty bobbins with directions, so I was surprised when he had made it to the registry office before me!

Official business in the back and some laughs with Rhian & Rhian, the two registrars. They misheard my address thinking I had moved to the village of Lame Bottom, which when you're on a cycling tour gets some pretty good mileage! They were lovely & very welcoming. The tiny office is tucked away in the back of the council building and seats up to 20. Ideal for a quieter wedding ceremony & perfect for ours.
Everything had gone to plan and the music began to some giggles (readings below for those into that kinda thing).

We headed off to The Ship Inn for a wedding lunch then up to Gwesty Gwernan where Stephen's family were staying. We propped up the bar for a couple of hours.
We returned to find our room at Ty Seren was decorated with a wedding balloon & confetti everywhere you could think of! A really lovely touch.

Moors and clouds, Hills and sky
Stretching out forever infront of us
A lifetime of adventures ahead.

Headwinds, inclines, flats- unavoidable
We’ve already had our fair share
Keeping the ride diverse.
 
The challenges of our journey
Shape and strengthen our union
As we grow to understand each other more.

The climbs are easier
And the care-free-wheeling, a joy
Now we share our path.

The momentum gathered will carry us.
Our wheels propelling happiness
Onward, forever affirmed.
 ________________

They say the tandem shows the sum of a couple
They also say, ‘She’s not pedalling!’ a lot!
Communication, compromise & humour required,
Then a flying machine is what you’ve got!
Complete trust in the pilot’s essential for enjoyment
For a ride ride full of laughter and smiles.
Team work is the last ingredient needed
To make a lifetime of happy miles.