Riding down to Hay

What a great day
for riding down
to Hay.

It turned out
to be quite
a stretch
feeling afterwards
like a wretch.

Down the river road
towards Brecon,
had to be another
15 to 20 miles
I reckon.

Cycling up hill's
can be tough,
and this one
was going to be rough.

Eventually meeting
the small suspension
bridge at Boughrood,
improved my mood.

Down the main road
until I take the turning
for Hay on Wye,
a rare book shop haven
for people to buy.

Standing on the edge
of town and walking in
like John Wayne,
many would have thought
the distance insane.

Hay boasts a book festival
that is recognised
Worldwide.

But my cycle
was not yet complete,
my fluids draining away
because of the heat.

Heading back I took
a wrong turn,
but went to on to live
and learn.

5 miles and it seemed
I had recovered my full
head of steam,
but the tiredness at times
felt like a bad dream.

63 miles can be
hard to face,
but with cycling
you do it all
at your own pace.