Machynlleth-Borth-Llanryhstud//Penrhos

Two days after the warning,  I find the pile of logs one was told not to climb on:

A few days ago, as I was coming down a steep, stony hill, a cyclist, riding up the hill, dismounted and was pushing his velo, tires full of cow dung and he full of sweat, up the hill with as much vigour as he could muster, which was a lot.  Unable to restrain myself, I blurted out, "Why would anyone want to ride a bicycle up here?"  Reply, "I have problems."

Does the picture need a better comment?  Well, I can hardly wait!

After it finally stopped raining, the humidity came out just as it was time to walk through this nature reserve.  I always get excited when I see nature reserve signs, only I think I don't stick around long enough to catch the surprises.  All I see is a lot of this:

It rained a lot yesterday and there were lots of boggy patches and tricky directional changes.  Mileage was up at about 18 partly because I "had to" go to the grocery store, which I thought would be 1/3 mile from the B and B, but it was almost in the next town.

Today was another 18 mile day or maybe more, I forget, in the P O U R I N G rain, some of it like icicles, and mucho mucho viento.  After about five hours of this punishment, it actually stopped raining for a few minutes, but then it began again.  It was relentless.  I think the scenery was supposed to have been quite spectacular, but I cannot affirm that.

Finally, in the last hour of the walk, just when I am enjoying the thought of actually arriving at B&B and having a peanut butter and jam sandwich after a hot shower, I turn to go on the muddy as all get out narrow path framed by thick gorse, but who got there first?  A heard of cows.  There they were, so many of them, huddled together against the bloody rain, cows up ahead as far as the eye could see, which, granted was not very far, but still, there was not an inch of space to pass.  As I got very close, one bossy tried to push her way ahead, but her bovine companions would not budge, so rather than risk getting kicked in the face by a big muddy hoof, I turned back, chagrined, to search for another way to pick u the path. Fortunately, after a few tries, I found one, and, after almost nine hours of what has become a daily endurance contest, arrived at the Penrhos Golf and Country Club (yes!).  THERE IS A TOASTER in the room, so the long desired sandwich was all the more satisfying and delicious for its being made on crisp, hot toast.  It is the little things that make life sweet!