quiet

A quiet couple of weeks, with a bit less getting done than recently. Partly as I lost my granddad and then got ill, probably due to grief more than anything else. I have done some exercise as I know it makes me feel better but it’s been tough. This has amounted to several Yoga sessions, short walks in the forest and fells at home, a couple of sessions on the wall in the garage and a couple of commute rides. Spent the weekend resting and at Kendal wall in the new bouldering room.

Pitlochry

Brilliant weekend despite the less than perfect weather. P and I had treated our selves to a self catering cottage for the weekend despite taking the van with our bikes etc in. It was just south of Pitlochry, buried up in the hills there and was brilliant for us.

On Friday it was a bit damp so we headed out from the door on our mountain bikes for a ride around the estate land to the east of the cottage. Lovely riding, nothing technical but lots of tracks, double track and single track, not to muddy and boggy and found this amazing bothy.

On Saturday, again it was wet so we rode from Pitlochry town centre up and over the shoulder of Ben Vrackie in the clag, and down to drop under the A9 and back to the town. Some good riding again, and nothing like what I’ve got used to recently.

On Sunday the forecast promised at worst a fleeting shower and at best some sunshine, so we drove to Weem to check out the climbing there. Unfortunately as we arrived at the crag the heavens opened soaking the crag! It was not to be. We dallied a while but it was not going to dry up quickly so after a must do stop at the Watermill Bookshop we headed southwards finding drier conditions near Stirling so stopped and checked out the bouldering at a scrotty little quarry. The climbing was OK, at least to provide some exercise and was very fingery – definitely a locals place. 

Scotland here we come!

Started the week well with a couple of days commute on the bike, but nothing today. We’re off to the Pitlochry area for a long weekend to celebrate our first wedding anniversary so a. I need a rest after the last 10 days or so, b. have got packing and sorting to do. Excited!

decent weekend

Saturday we went bouldering indoors at Kendal as the weather was poor and today got out for a local mountain bike ride round the tracks n trails of Eskdale and the coast. 

busy busy...

Busy week: Monday, Tuesday and Friday commuted to work and back on the bike, on Tuesday this was on the Santa Cruz as P and I joined up with some mates for an after work ride. Got some climbing in on Wednesday evening at a local crag and a good Yoga session in on Thursday. Time to rest at the weekend?  Probably not….

damn those cleggs!

The last 2 days of the working week were busy but rode to work and back. On Thursday evening I got the bit between my teeth to finish painting the garage before the winter – it was still lovely and warm outside – perfect for the paint to dry. It being warm I donned shorts and flip flops and against all H&S advice proceeded to go up and down a step ladder painting the back wall of the garage. Now this isn’t going where you think… I didn’t come off the ladder, stub my toe, etc, but I did get a very nasty clegg bite on the top of my right foot, which by Friday evening had swollen up (maybe I shouldn’t have ridden to work on it?!). so the weekend was wasted as I couldn't run or ride on my foot, and there was no way it was going in a climbing boot either. Damn those cleggs…