"I can see by my watch, without taking my hand from the left grip of the cycle that it is eight-thirty in the morning. The wind, even at sixty miles an hour, is warm and humid. When it’s this hot and muggy at eight-thirty, I’m wondering what it’s going to be like in the afternoon."

It wasn’t this early, or as hot and muggy, when we left for North Wales, nearer one in fact but still a fine day, and following a nice ride sticking mainly to the A5 we landed in the mid Welsh town of Welshpool and checked into The Royal Oak Hotel. A few beers and a Chinese meal followed; wherever bill goes he seems to eat Chinese, France last year for instance.

An early start on the Saturday to be at the checkpoint by 8:15 didn’t quite work out, A Triumph may be accused of leaking Oil but at least it starts!

The object of the Welsh Rally is to visit as many checkpoints throughout both North and South Wales and the awards are made dependant on the number visited, Bill and I had planned to go for a platinum award, the top, which meant we had to visit 22 checkpoints throughout the day.

We planned to stay in the north and set off following the A5 thru Chirk to Llangollen, across the Horseshoe Pass and along the A55 through the towns of the north coast such as Prestatyn and Rhyl, after a stressful ride through Llandudno to Great Orme we landed on Anglesey.

At Moelfre, a picturesque seaside town with a quaint port we decided that as we had used up so much time we would adapt our route to go for a lesser award. So heading off through the delights of Snowdonia we rode through LLanberis, Beddgelert and Porthmadog. Bill had to ride bits of this a couple of times he was so taken with the roads and scenery, which I have to say were outstanding all throughout the day.

The long slog to Aberystwyth via LLanbedr and Dolgellau was livened up when Bill decided to tangle with a group of sports bikes through the bends, I think only having to wait for me slowed him up.

We finally finished at Aberystwyth at around a quarter to eight having done 317miles since breakfast, and what with the ride up and back home, we had covered 721miles in three days.

We had achieved a Gold Award, a great result for Bill on his first Rally, not the last I hope, The next is the National Rally in July, any takers?

"Trials never end, of course. Unhappiness and misfortune are bound to occur as long as people live, but there is a feeling now, that was not here before, and is not just on the surface of things, but penetrates all the way through: We’ve won it. It’s going to get better now. You can sort of tell these things."