God, is that the time?

[f4f3]

I'm scooting up the East Coast again, on the GNER train to Glasgow. Not quite the spectacular views of last time, as it's overcast today, but still a pleasant enough way to spend the morning. The only downside is that the day started at Stupid O'clock (5.30 a.m.) and that I've promised to go fix my dad's wifi after work. It promises to be a long day…

I feel as if I've got about 3 weeks to fit into this update, so, as Inigo says in The Princess Bride, let me summarise.

My one day flying trip to London was notable for Elephants, Crashed Spaceships, and cocktails. Oh, and good company. I got to do my favourite walk in St James Park in lovely weather, and go to business meetings in Covent Garden.

After flying back to Glasgow, I picked up Bill (hello Bill) at the airport, took him on a whistle-stop tour of Glasgow's nicer districts, and then shanghaied him to the cottage. (oh, I'm just passing the East Coast's only Westward facing port, at Alnmouth - a lovely place to visit if anyone is looking for good strolling country). The deadly Fresh Air Virus struck Bill (anyone visiting the cottage is liable to fall asleep at 9 p.m. ) but I still dragged him around some scenery (Carradale) and some culture (Kilmartin Glen - and no, I didn't know that the piper would be there).

The next week was mostly work stuff, with a flying visit to the sea-side (I always forget how nice Ayr is, and the road around the coast to Greenock) and a heroic defeat in my golf tie (I wiz robbed).

This weekend was a fairly lazy Saturday and a fairly adventurous Sunday. If anyone likes mountain biking, go Google “The Hub, Glentress” and you'll know what I was up to. Glentress is one of several excellent centres in the Borders, just outside Peebles and offering trails for all abilities. I'm not sure how closely the grading system corresponds to that for ski runs, but Glentress has green, blue, red, black and, I think, black diamond trails. I had my own bike with me for the first time (a Specialised Rockhopper, for any bike nerds out there) which is a fairly light hardtail (no rear suspension). It was great on the climbs, and held together well during the descents. I managed to do all the sections of the Blue trail (25km) without getting off or getting flung off, and confirmed why the bottom section is full of “Whoop-de-doos” by whooping my way through them. I was also impressed that I managed the mile and a half ascent from the Hub (hmm, macaroni cheese, wow, caramel shortbread, ah latte!) back to my car without stopping or passing out. Next time, Glentress.

I hung about in Newcastle yesterday for two reasons, a job interview in the morning and a doctor's visit in the afternoon. The job is hardly my dream gig - business development again, but it has some strong positives: working from home and the money doesn't suck.

The doctor's appointment was to get some tests done, and the results won't be in until next week. The results I did get were mixed - weight up 3 kilos, but BP down to 135/86. Still a bit high on dystolic, but a big improvement.

So now I'm hurtling back up to Glasgow (next stop Berwick) and an interesting week on a proposal that's heading towards the deadline doom. Right, I'm off to get a bacon toastie from the buffet…

Comments

[itchyfidget.livejournal.com]

Glentress sounds pretty good. I'm not a mountain-biker, but Mr Itchy and I have talked about going somewhere like that. We haven't been out cycling yet this season, though - kind of putting it off because the first couple of times are always so sore (we don't tend to use the bike machines in the gym).

The Edinburgh-London line is a thing of beauty :)

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

Glentress is a lot of fun, no matter your experience. I suppose the ski-resort analogy is quite apt: you can hire kit there at a reasonable price, and the runs are graded so that pretty much anyone can do some of them. The Blue run is in three sections, so you don't even have to climb too much to do parts of it, and I'd recommend it to anyone with a helmet and a suitable bike (something with front suspension at least). I'm still shocked, though, when I see the gradients on the black runs.

Something to look out for is up-lift days, when your bike gets taken up the hill for you. The one thing we lack over here as opposed to skiers is chair lifts. There is a gondola at the Fort William run, but the trail there is absolutely terrifying, and not recommended for anyone except experienced riders on full sussers with body armour (seriously). Even then, not something to be undertaken lightly.

[itchyfidget.livejournal.com]

Blimey.

At Hardknott pass last week I was well impressed that someone could ride up and down that stuff without coming off the bike - a lot of the curves would mean going so slowly that it would be a serious possibility. Multiply that risk tenfold for the nutters on motorbikes!

Glentress sounds good - nice for beginners. We've hybrid bikes (no proper suspension), but they were cheap, and the bloke at Decathlon suggested we don't do anything too mental on them, so I think we'd be looking at renting.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

There are some good trails at Glentress for hybrid bikes - nice scenery and no nasty downhills. Renting is fairly cheap, though - I think I was about 20 for a Kona hardtail and helmet. The only disadvantage is the extra climb from the car-park to the trailhead, but at least you do that at the start of the day, and not the end!

[eidechsenengel.livejournal.com]

as Inigo says in The Princess Bride, let me summarise.
... 'You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means'... ;o) (love that movie)

Has anyone told you how handsome you are today? ;o)

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

Strangely enough, no.

[eidechsenengel.livejournal.com]

Awww... gorgeous and humble... hehehe...

Hope your day is as great as you are! Hugs!!