And So We Approach Christmas....

It was a very odd November.  After Remembrance Sunday we had a couple of caving trips.

The into December.  First up was a Scout training weekend - usual route from Silverwood Common to Rotherham via Hesley Wood.  30 or so Explorers at different levels.  Great support from Pete, Ash, Dan, Matt & Paul.

Then it was a 10K at Bolsover, new route (not sure whether it is better or not) - just happy to get round.

Observation at school went well (despite there being a power cut half way through!).

Then to the Lakes with Pete & Helen (and a lot of bad weather!).

A Busy Few Weeks

November is always a very busy month what with school & Scout stuff and this year was no different.

Up until a couple of years ago some members of Rotherham Explorer Scouts spent Remembrance Sunday parading through the streets of Rotherham with all the other youth organisations (air cadets etc).  Then we decided to break out on our own and head out into the hills, or more specifically, Kinder Scout in the Peak District.  In 2012 and then this year we held a service on the top of Kinder at the site of a plane crash from WW2.  This year the weather was far kinder and, whilst it was a bit breezy on top, the sun shone throughout the day.

Bonfire Night

Today was youngest son's 17th birthday.

When he was born I remember thinking how grim it must be to have your birthday, every year, overshadowed by a known event (ie Bonfire Night).  Pete, however, has always been really stoic about pointing out that everyone sets off fireworks on his birthday and how great that is.

Tonight Pete had total control over the fireworks whilst I tried, unsuccesfully, to photograph them (made a mental note to learn how to use the camera better for next years).

OMM - The Aftermath

Its now a few days after the OMM, all my gear except for my fell shoes (which are still outside) has been washed and put away.  Even my legs are returning to normal.

The photographs are now up on the 'net of all the competitors - quite like this one of John and I at the end.  After this was taken we had a walk out to the Event Centre of just under 2kms - also walking down was another competitor who had such bad groin run that I he was walking as if he was riding a horse.

Mountain Marathons

Having rambled on a month or so ago about half marathons I thought that now should be the time to say something about mountain marathons.

Back in 1975  remember seeing Mick Burke on Blue Peter talking about the forthcoming trip to the South West Face of Everest (the full story of the expedition is very well told in Chris Bonington's Everest, The Hard Way).  Sadly Mick was lost on the way to the summit (for what would have been the first ever solo ascent) - also on the trip was Dougal Haston whose picture I saw on a poster advertising Karrimor products.

I picked up the Karrimor Technical Guide and, amongst all of the rucsacs, was an article on the KIMM (Karrimor International Mountain Marathon).  This, obviously, must have made an impression on me as almost 20 years later when a friend of mine, Richard Bolam, suggested we attempt it I accepted the challenge - although I still say that it was mainly for the car sticker!

The idea is that you turn up at the start, they give you a map and you navigate to the overnight camp via various checkpoints.  Then day two you repeat it!

We applied in 1994 & 1995 but were rejected before finally being accepted in 1996.  Since then it has been - the KIMM changed to the OMM in recent years;

1996 Dumfries & Galloway with Rich Bolam
1997 Cheviots with Rich Bolam - the one year it didn't rain on either day
1998 Howgills with Rich Bolam - horrendous weather
1999 Cowal Penninsula with Rich Bolam - retired at the end of day one
2000 South Lakes with Rich Bolam
2001 Clyde Muirsheil Park with Rick King
2002 Cheviots with Rick King
2003 Langholme Park in Scotland with Andy King - timed out at the end of day two
2004 Brecon Beacons with Rich Bolam
2005 Ullswater with Rich Bolam
2006 Galloway Forest Park with Rich Bolam
2007 Lowther Hills with Rick King - retired at the end of day one
2008 Borrowdale with Rich Bolam - the year of the rain! Look up OMM 2008 on YouTube
2009 Elan Valley with Rich Bolam - after which Rich announced his retirement!
2010 Dartmoor with Tom Bacon
2011 Perthshire with Tom Bacon - retired day one due to illness
2012 Howgills with John Bell-Winfrow
2013 Brecon Beacons with John Bell-Winfrow

So that's 18 starts with 14 finishes.  A lot of car stickers!  Tom & I also competed in the Saunders Mountain Marathon in 2012 & 2013.

This year's event in South Wales was wet - I think that sums it up.  On day two they ran the wet weather alternative but the high wind and rain still made it challenging.

Why do I do it year on year?  Two reasons;

Firstly, if I have twenty completions I qualify for the 20 club and get a sweatshirt.

Secondly, because I can!

Ashness Hut

Back in 1979/1980 I had a weekend with Chantry Venture Scouts in the Lake District.  The weekend mainly consisted of trying to learn to master the Canadian canoe prior to our trip to Canada in August 1980.

Of the many abiding memories of that weekend the key one was that we stayed in a hut above Ashness Bridge near Derwent Water.

A couple of years ago I tracked down the Scouts who own the hut and took the Explorers there.   That first year we had snow, last year we moved it back to November for better weather and climbed Scafell Pike.  The year we wound it back to October and had a terrific, if windy, weekend.

On the summit of Great Gable.

Inside the hut on Saturday night

 People outside the hut whilst John & I tried to work out how the self timer worked!

 Peter bouldering near the Bowder Stone with John "spotting"

 Paul about to enter the old mine 

The team enjoying an end of weekend cup of tea (and cake) at Newlands Church

The Wheels Saga

A few days after cancelling the payment (through VISA) the wheels have appeared!  Odd that isn't it - after six weeks of them not bothering to get the wheels built they suddenly get them done when I stop the payment!

Yes, that's very odd.

So much for their 14 day delivery policy!

Bike Wheels - An Update

So, having been told by the wheel people that I can't cancel the credit card payment I have.....cancelled the credit card payment!

They had from 26th August to 7th October to build the wheels that should have taken a couple of hours.

From what I understand they have a period of time to appeal so, being a reasonable man, I giving them a week then its new wheel time.

In other news I have moved to a new classroom for a bit.

Bike Wheels

At the end of August I ordered some new wheels for Tom's Uni bike (technically its a track bike) after someone reversed over his old wheels!

The website said that delivery would be around 14 days.  So, here we are 30 days later wondering where the wheels are.  After various emails (which they have not replied to) I gave them a call only to get a tirade of abuse.

And I'm the customer?

They are promised for the end of the week - but they can't guarantee that.  Apparently it only takes about an hour to build a wheel!

So we wait.

Trent Lock

For a long time Rotherham Explorer Scouts have visited the water activity centre at Trent Lock near Long Eaton.  Over the years the numbers who have attended has varied, the weather has varied and the water level has varied.

But what has always been consistant is that we have a great time and get wet.  This is even when we find ourselves having to negotiate with the instructors as to what we can do.

Sadly this year the weir was out of bounds but still had a great time.

Raft Building

Canadian Canoe Balancing

Great Yorkshire Run

A 10K race is an odd animal.  If you talk to someone who has run lots of marathons then they look on 10K runners as people who can't run proper distances.  If you talk to the average "man in the street" about running 6.25 miles then they will look at you in horror.

Its an odd distance.

The night before I was due to run the GYR someone told me that if their sister beat me then they would mock me mercilessly!  Consider that I am 50 and his sister was in her 20s, then the seriousness with which I was approaching it.  My reply? "Tell your sister to talk to me when she has run over a hundred 10Ks".

I have run, probably 150+ 10Ks.  For years that was all I ran.  I did them as training runs every month for many a year before I discovered half marathons.  Still they have a place in my heart.

I love 10Ks - they are (for me) straight forward, have a good distance and are easy to pace (good day = 5 minutes per km, bad day - 6 minutes per km).

Today it was a lovely 56 minutes and a bit of shapnel.

Thanks to Michael Greenhough for the pace in the first bit and to Jane who I followed to the end!

Sunflower

For many years we have had a bird feeder in the garden and the users of it have established a pecking order (no pun intended).  Basically this involves the tits clinging on and pecking away whilst the pigeons stand around at the bottom collecting all the seeds that have fallen.  The result of this is that we have a lot of fat pigeons who just stumble around waiting for their next feed!

This summer we have had a pleasant accident resulting from this process as a sunflower seed has managed to plant itself in one of the cracks in the patio.  The result is a magnificent flower - an accident, yes.  But a pleasant one.

Great North Run

I've done the GNR for many years and every year I am asked the question "How many half marathons have you run?"  Its a perfectly reasonable question but I cannot answer it with any degree of accuracy.

How many marathons?  That's a much easier one, I think, four Londons and one Edinburgh (much preferring the Scottish one)....I'm sure its only four Londons although I may be wrong!

But back to the Halfs as they are much more fun - I have done the GNR for about 16 years and for many years did the Sheffield, York, Leeds and Clowne every year plus any others I could find - Chesterfield being one that I did for a few years before it was merged with a terrific ten miler.  A few years ago, when running Clowne, someone ahead of me was wearing a "One Hundred Halfs" t shirt - sadly my lack of logging means that I am unsure how close I am, or for that matter if I have past it.  I'll probably wait a few years and then declare one my hundreth and start counting from there.

Anyhow, the GNR last weekend was a cracking time - it has now settled into a wonderful routine. Friday night travel up to stay with friends, have a drink, catch up and set the world to rights.  Saturday go into Newcastle for the Junior Run and the City Games, go to the Pitcher & Piano for a drink then back to Great Lumley for great food and a drink.  Sunday get dropped off at Heworth - catch train into Newcastle - run to South Shields then meet up with everyone in the pub at Marsden.  Runs like a well oiled machine.  Many thanks to the Mulroys for putting us up (and putting up with us) over the years - even lending us the house when they were away!

And before you ask I could not even speculate on how many 10kms I've run as for any years I tried to run one a month just so it made me train!

Thanks to Michael for the picture - you appear to be the only one who ever gets pictures of me.

eBay

Don't you just love eBay.  In preperation for the new camera arriving I thought it a good idea if I bought a battery pack.  A bit of research and I found a lovely one which also included a car charger and a remote control.  Paid the money and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Out of the blue I got an email informing me that it had been returned to them as they could not deliver it - replied to say that no, we hadn't moved.

And waited.

And waited.

Several ranty emails later and it arrived today  - posted from Bristol.  I could have walked there and picked it up in that time.

Oddly, a week after the above was ordered I ordered a waterproof cover from Australia.  That arrived in a couple of days.

Bird Table

Sadly our bird table is getting a little long in the tooth (ok, its going rotten) but the roof on it has a lovely look to it.

Post BBQ

I started at Oakwood Comprehensive School on 2nd September 1975 and it was great to have some others from the Class of 1980 at the BBQ last night.  What does seem strange is that 30+ years ago I remember going to parties at the Mulroys, as the years passed there were more youngsters and less adults.  Last night I think that the balance was starting to tip for the Bacon BBQs.

Special mention to some people who weren't with us yesterday; the McDermotts and the Devilles, both of whom were celebrating their Silver Wedding Anniversaries.

The double rainbow (thanks to Wilko for the Physics talk explain how it happens).

Mrs & Mr Fatgazbo!  After the rain!

Steve Davis - one of the original Class of 1980.

Day Two of Being Fifty

Don't worry folks I have no intention of doing a post a day for the rest of however long.  Just thought I'd post up a couple of pictures that I took with the new camera.  The have no real significance other than I thought I'd post them "out there".

First day's teaching went ok - full timetable today (including a twilight session) followed by a full day tomorrow so its hitting the ground running.

Couple of friends popped round this evening - good to catch up.

Flowers in the back garden

Pete looking puzzled

Still Life!

Day One of Being Fifty

The day has come - its seems odd to consider that yesterday I could tick the box for "under 50" and yet today I can be subjected to mailings from SAGA.  On the plus side someone has pointed out that I might be able to get cheaper car insurance.

Back at school today and, just to cheer me up, my ex-boss emailed all staff to let them know it was my birthday.  Fortunately didn't get a mention in assembly.

As ever I was up and off before anyone else in the house was really awake enough to wish me happy birthday so presents etc had to wait until I got home.

Nice bag from youngest son and camera lens from mum - Helen bought me a very nice camera (a Nikon D300s).  Its approximately five years since I first asked after one so its good to finally get there!

Oh yes, must also mention that my old classroom was demolished over the summer - now its just a good view.

I will soon be fifty!

A week tomorrow I will reach the landmark age of 50 so maybe now is the time to start a blog mapping my 51st year on the planet.

Over the last three or four years I have read many articles about the "Things you must do before you are <insert age here>".  Well, I have not made a list of things I should have done, nor have a made of list of things I intend doing.

What I will try and do is blog every week ago or so.

Failing that just follow my ramblings on Twitter @fatgazbo.

Here is me circa 1984.