h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well, successfully did the Gospel Pass 150 km Audax last weekend. Nearly didn't though as I bought a chain wear gauge the week before, discovered that both my bikes has severely worn chains and so replaced them.
Upshot being -the road bike was taken out of action as the gearing indexing was all screwed up and I managed to fray the rear gear cable trying to sort it. FIxed now, but too late.
Second upshot my Trek had to 4000 miles on one chain (FAR too much) and so the rear cassette was all word down. This meant the new chain was skipping like a little girl on my favourite (most used) gears. Had to do the big ride using this bike but it was dodgy.

Still all's well that ends well - no other mechanicals on the day and managed all the climbs. 100 miles more on the clock and 2280 metres of vertical climbing. Gospel Pass is the highest mountain pass in Wales so I'm rapidly running out of climbing challenges having already conquered Rhigos and Bwlch.

Or am I?...

So I've read on chat forums about a real beast of a climb in Pontypridd - known as Pontypridd Golf Course road or to give it its real name - Penheol Ely Road. Supposedly featuring (in an 800 ft climb) 25% slopes and a cattle grid on a 17% slope.
The latter point has rather put me off as I don't want to die on it (or break my bones or my bike..).
Turns out the cattle grid thing is BS - it's on a relatively flat bit.

But... my all conquering climbing mode came to an end today. Penheol Ely road is a true if a climb. 25% slopes is no exaggeration. This is the first time I've really had the front wheel coming off the ground due to the steep slope - the first time the bike has nearly stopped because of the steep incline, the first time I've been properly worried about destroying the bike's drivetrain as I put so much stress on it.
It's not the first time I've failed a climb though - this was too much for now - too much hard work. I stopped near the top and had to walk the rest of the steep bit as it was too steep to start again.

Ha well - again again (I won't say next time this time - it took me dozens of attempts to conquer Caerphilly mt).

Good, still to have a challenge