Tangled up in blue ride 3

Through towns and villages
Forest of Dean
Symonds Yat signposted

At Monmouth
I turn left without stopping
Leaving behind its bridge
its history and its castle

There are many castles here
It seems indelicate to venture why

But no service stations
I knew I should have filled up

The bike is running well
It enjoys a good fast run – they all do

I make Abergavenny
where I try to guess which is Sugarloaf

Twenty miles to Brecon
Twenty more to Llandovery

Sweet adrenalin mixed with winding relaxation
and the soft, steady percussion of a Harley twin

The café is a biker haunt
Enough said

The sun is lower when I leave

Ride into it for Swansea, or
as I’ve just worked out
Abertawe

The Beacons are painted in gold
but I only see them in the mirror

Ammanford
I know some history here

Then the motorway
M4
In no time at all

Or so it seems

Past Port Talbot
flares and steam billowing

Industry
as it used to be

Like finding a white rhino
(Or is it black?)

I lower my head to hear the chatter of the valves
The roar of induction
A basic push-rod engine

Suits me fine

The concrete divider
calls back to the exhaust

Then we arc across the Severn
Wye and Usk flowing from the left

Usk town
Home of Morgan le Fey
Uther Pendragon
as I understand

One day
but not this one
I’ll call and visit them

Now we’re on the English side
Avonmouth
Press on south

Home – for now

Check the engine oil

One day soon, this will be a half-forgotten past

Time for bed