Well there has been a bit of water through recently but nothing special, so I have continued to let it pass by in favour of getting some running done in an effort to notch the fitness up to the next level. I am just waiting for a good opportunity for kayaking and am sure I will then get right back into it. Till then some evening runs in volcanic sunsets are a pretty good way of spending time;
Well the skiing is gone, and its starting to rain again. I think i take my helmet out of my rucksack and put it in more paddling kit bag. I'm struggling to remember what my paddling agendas were and what missions I had planned. I think realistically I may need to do some time on the Leven and the Kent before I get too ambitious though!
The rivers have got going a bit, but nothing special, so ive just been tramping the hills a bit a daydreaming about skiing. I've even got hooked on watching e-bay for some kit upgrades! Here are some shots of the last day out on the Bow fell and Sca fell ranges;
I've been trying to get as much as I can out of the skiing. I got two more days out. Both solo again as I've found it hard to find people to get out with. Solo can be good though. I focussing the mind and leaves all the decisons to be made alone.
I tried heading to unseen slopes at the north of Gable and Pillar. There wasn't much so I settled for few ups and downs trying to work on the technicalities of skiing, as I'm pretty poor at it (see video below!). A nice lttle featured gully was pretty good fun.
It was another classic winter day on the hills. The only frustration was that there was better snow on the Sca fell range;
I was hoping to get there midweek but the practicalities of the day job stopped that. A smaller window of time popped up. I dithered for while about wether it was going to be worth setting off snowchasing on the (lower) Coniston fells in 3 hour timescale with fast thawing, streaky snow . It was :-)
Its a been a few weeks of headscratching here. I needed new car and shopping is always a set of dilemmas! The reason I needed it quickly was that I needed wheels to get to Scotland. Finally, I got there;
For the first time since I can remeber I didn't take a boat on holiday. Skis have been the theme recently, this winter has just been fantastic! I got a bit overambitious and went to try and ski some the iconic hills of the North West of Scotland. Only a light dusting of snow sent me packing back south into Torridon on the first morning of a two day window. The An Teallach range was the first with decent snow that I had a map too. It became the target.
I was aiming for the conical peak on the right. It looked white enough! I started with no clear plan. A less than efficient route in was hard work, but gave some nice scenic moments;
Then on with the skins and up. It doesn't really come across in the pictures but the snow was very sketchy. Fresh snow lay on hard, icy neve and the top few inches was very keen to further down the hill! Little avalanches were evident all around and they must have been very fresh.
Topping out left one last issue to deal with - getting down.
I shot some grainy video but teh sking was pretty defensive and it doesn't really stack up against ski porn ;-). Hey ho.
It was a pretty hard day. 6 hours at it and loads of stress in the mix. All dilemmas - route, safety all solo and with a good dose of grunt work. The next day I fancied simple decision making, so opted for the accesible and open slopes of Ben Wyvis. Top powder coditions really made a good day of it and runs down the south, west and east slopes were all rewarding and picked my skiing up a notch (i am now just crap at it, instead of really crap at it). You can just make out the down tracks on the left of the picture. That was followed by a whizz back to the spot the picture was taken.
It was another 6 hour trip, but the difference that taking all the stress away makes is tangable. Just like kayaing in that respect. that ben Wyvis day now goes down as practice. The real stuff was the day before. The skiing was way less good technically, but that is not the game.
The next, and perhaps most serious dilemma has been what to do with the fitness I have acrued over the last few months, and (TBH) rainchasers. We have had word that the current limited EA situation is going to get worse. We are also struggling to maintain the cams we have. The sport seems to be pulling in ways I dont entirely understand at the moment.
More skiing and gruntish running around the lakes should help me work it out ...
Its not a bad option. Besides, it will start raining again soon and the kayaking may be the best thing to do again :-)!?
The skiing has been dominating my leisure time still. Well it would be rude not too with the conditions we have had! the snow is patchy now, but what there is is firm and predictable. My skiing has progressed to the pont where I can approach things with some rudimentory level confidence, so now its a question of lines.
Well, I had a dabble at Great Slab on Bowfell, but didnt make the move off it and into the lower slope. My excuse was that it had an avalanche track in it so it didnt look pleasant and I couldnt leave the kit that long at the top. Reality though was that im just not good enough to make it work!
First tentative turn on Great Slab;
The orange line is where I got too, the purple line is where I could have gone, but there is so much too learn about this game. Its all pretty much a 'No fall zone' once you really get out to the guts of it and away from the 'bank', and not for me! The classy line would be to ski the drop at the bottom of the slab. More snow and more ability would be required for that one!
Well I had a break from the ski season. This was enforced for two reasons. Firstly, a big melt which sent the rivers up, and secondly my body is pretty beat up. Bad technique and an agenda to push some learning always ends up with that result. The fell running has meant the fitness is there to go ski touring fairly hard, but a groaning knee and a bruised rib testify to the harsher than normal conditions they have been put through, and the amount I still have to learn. . .
Skinning up is pretty efficient and the changeover to downhill mode with the ski's gives you chance to suck in some Oxygen,
and make the final powdery descent back to the car,
Skiing has been great. There has been some classy snow and some harder conditions, but it has all provided some good learning. I'm looking forward to more...
The melt brought kayaking. Guaranteed water usually means going up to the Duddon, particularly if I have not been there for a while. I ended up 'going to look' at Logan beck. It was in the 'goldilocks zone' - not too high and not too low. The group seemed to gravitate towards it and we arrived at the top. There is plenty of wood in it at the moment which prevents a smooth run, but 'smooth' isnt really Logan's thing! Here are a few snaps to give you a feel, and there is plenty more. Its all pretty stacked too ...
So despite the wood we had a very interesting trip. There were some good lines made but I made a mistake. I know what it was, so hopefully I will not now do it again. The lesson was "focus on the detail on the lead in". I also tried to engage with photography, partly because Steve's photos of the same location had shown that good pictures really might be achievable!
Activity, injury, keeping the running going has all been washed down with work stresses. The candle has been pretty burnt through. I'm tired now.
Well the rivers have finally dried up. Which, to be honest has been somewhat of a relief. I need a break from boating. I'm still fired up for missions if they are 'on' but Im not chasing. Instead im just chipping away at the fitness on the hills. Snow has now come and we are in winter mode. Its temporary. This is the Lakes, so while its there, its best to take it asap!
Last spring i was lucky enough to acquire some ski mountaineering kit from a mate of a mate, 'Colin the farmer'. I managed to use it today. First time on ski for 15/20 years, and it was all good fun. Technical interest and a good day out is a good combination.
Yorkshire had more snow cover so we headed east into the bleak moors;
Sam is pretty experienced in these particular matters, so I was happy to be a sheep, and not a shepherd;
We could ski from the road, both there and back. It wasn't classic skiing by any means. But it was skiing, it was free, and only a 40 min drive. Ascending Ingleborough;
There were some great moments. I am now hoping that the water locks up as snow and ice for a while. Its gotta come down at some point though ;-)!
Its been all doom and gloom for boating recently. Floods, damage and deaths. So it is a timely moment to recieve a set of images from Steve Rogers that have reminded me just what a beautiful, rich and varied sport we have. All the pictures are taken during two autumn days in the Duddon valley,
The process of decision at Birks Bridge - low/medium flow;
Focus and confidence achieved. Decison made;
Finding the path downstream;
Josh Litten solves the puzzle of Troutal gorge;
Clarity in within complexity. Nailing the boof at Wallowbarrow;
Swapping stories, making plans and merciless humour at the take out;
A quick localised shower overnight sends the Duddon's becks up. We retreat from high water on Logan and hit the bracken, moss and trees at Crosby;
An intense, steep, set of slides. It must be run in one hit. Keep it calm, tidy and dont fuck it up. Jonny on the top slide of MRZ.
He then hurtles off down the rest, no time for worries, just hold the key markers of the rapid in your head...and react. Stay in the moment.
Tom calmly steers down the final slide having made the line;
Once you've hit the hole, relax and let it catch you, and flush you. No need to force it now, the water is doing the work. Go with the flow.
Logan had then calmed itself. Low, flattering, levels create experience that will be useful on days when it matters more;
The fluid environment creates camraderie. Tom's next to find the energy to exit the pool;
All washed down with a nice location;
There is plenty to keep us all hooked. A great set of photos has reminded me of that. Thanks again to Steve for the images.
Shap 4 is done. The usual last minute techincal dramas and paranoia that no-one would turn up evaporated into another good night.
It was great to be able to feature a UK based film. Dave Biggin's 'Another Dagger Day' showed some of the quality creeking that Scotland has to offer. This cut is a work in progress for the full feature he is working on, but already it shows that Scotlands creeking can be shown next to california and chile etc and really hold its own. It leaves no excuses for us aspirant creekers. Just a tank of fuel, and an Atalantic front and its all there. Cant wait to see the finished version!
The travels of Hucking Huge and Demshitz around the Americas demonstrated the level that modern creeking/river running is getting to. Sure there was carnage, but what impressed me was the regularity with which they were sticking the lines. All that gnar in one season requires runing that kind of shit regularly, and without drama. Impressive stuff. It shows the level of technical skills to which I (we?) should be aspiring to.
Kent Ford's 'Call of the River' played again and is sure to become a seminal piece of work. Everyone interested in the sport should see the full version. If your involved with clubs, coaching or training then I urge you to get hold of a copy and stick it on occasionally. It places the sport in a context, and really has a good go at getting into the aesthetic that unites all of its various disciplines. If viewing can ever be 'essential' within river sports, then this film is.
So my head starts to turn to next year. Bigger and better is always the aim! We have had a nod that we can use the hall for sleeping, which is a big plus. The hunt for quality films is on and we will have a some local footage featuring again next year - but I will get back to you all that next autumn :-)!
I thought about what to replace it with for a very short amount of time. The answer being another Jefe Grande. In some ways it is a no brainer, I like the idea of a couple of other boats, but the Jefe does everything pretty well. It has no vices and no special needs when running stuff. It wears out, but that seems to be predictable and forgiveable.
The other great thing about them is that, with a freindly retailer, you can get hold of a shell. Don't go waving warranties at them though unless its not done its fair share. After all this is plastic that I have been sledging down rocks in for nearly 2 years. Just buy a shell (at less than half the cost of a new boat), replace it and then wear out the next one. Its a winning formula for the consumer and we should be demanding it.
Here is a 'how to' guide. Its a pretty straigtforward process but the following may help if your going to do it;
The start;
First step is to strip off the bits and pieces like thigh braces, seat ratchets, seat anchor bars, undo footrest and remove retainers and strip the grab bars off. Remove the seat bolts at the side of the cockpit.
Irritatingly, to get the grab handles off you will need an 'security' allen key. These are cheaply availble at DIY spots the star shaped thing pictured in the middle;
Next step is to knock the front foam pillar to the side
That allows you to slide the seat and plastic rail under it forward far enough so that it is clear of the rear foam.
Now the rear foam can come out, and with this done, there is enough room get the rail out of from under the seat. Then you can twist the seat and lift it out.
The rest comes apart pretty easily. Note that the footrest says in its position within the foam.
Now put it all together by reversing the process :-);
However - before you put the seat back in, be sure to check that the plate that the seat bolts go into is in the position you want, clear and about equal on both sides. Both of them had moved during the removal porocess when I did it, and the was a worn part where the bolt would not have located in the plate.
Whilst checking that locating plates are still ok, stick it all together
When the seat rails and foam is back in, align the rear foam into its slots in the upper hull and push the rail back into position.
Now you can locate the front foam back in its slots. Locate the top first, then twist the bottom into the rail (not pictured)
Then add the peripherals back on - I just had to swap the bars over at this stage.
No it needs somewhere to get it wet - maybe here?
Another two years boating for not many hundreds of quid seems reasonable. Sorry to be vague on figures but I've heard several different ones mentioned! Suffice to say that its a whole cheaper than buying overfiddly new outfitting that you don't need!
