“Hmm, I’ve got rubble caught in my chest hair” I muttered distractedly.
“That…” said Brian “…is the most manly thing anyone has ever said”
Unfortunately that meant it was also the most camp thing anyone has ever said. Can’t have it all.
Brian also made a return to the Kilpatricks, it’s been a while. We explored the earthworks perpetrated by the forestry folk. I view what they’ve done with horror and suspicion, it’s a total mess. Bastards.
Good wee trek though, took some extra trails to switchback through all the good stuff and the stove was employed to good effect while a shower passed over us.
The ride with Phil was at a different pace, the man is now an engine of destruction and made it to the top gate without taking his feet of the pedals. He even jogged back down with a big grin to help me up the last stretch… The Terrex race later in the month will be interesting, I’ll be watching for independent outsiders near the front.
The trail is a mix of much improved and much worse, the downhill at Overtoun is eroded all to hell and the flow is kinda gone. It was wet though, so maybe a dry day would tell a different tale. Good fun whatever and my recovery time was quick, full fitness is still in there, just under a heavy duvet of scheduling conflicts/Greggs.
The Olympics were annoying us, so Joycee made a bear out of a cushion and broth mix and I read a book about trains instead. It was just everywhere, in your face, in your food, in your ears and under your skin. Then I saw Italy edge out the USA for gold in the archery in a small makeshift arena and it all changed. A niche sport with great skill and utter joy from the winners, a fine moment to have caught.
I’ve been dipping in and out since then and the ones I’ve caught have been the good ones, but none have been better than the two pairs of British paddlers battling for the gold. The ever popular track and field? Gay. Paddlers and folk on bikes is where it’s at, but the skill, strength and determination of all of these people is a joy to behold. I’m sure any one of them would happily explode their cardio-vascular systems to get a gold. Except the shooters who would stop their hearts to get the gold. You really wouldn’t want to be running across a barbed wire strewn no-mans land with one of these guys tracking you through a crosshair.
It’s easy to dismiss the Olympics as a huge marketing exercise, but the look in the eyes of the winners and losers don’t say corporate to me, I’m seeing joy, despair, hope and disappointment.
There are also a whole bunch of cheating bastards out there, but you need that to keep it human I suppose.
It’s the 35th anniversary of the Sex Pistols’ Never Mind the Bollocks. An album that sounds as good today as it ever did, fresh, urgent and rock and roll at its purest. I remember ’77 well, the Pistols on the telly and the Queen at Glasgow Central Station. A time of contrasts in socialist Labour Britain. In flares.
The studio where we rehearse and record are putting out a Bollocks tribute album with a bunch of diverse interpretations of the songs on it and we’re on it doing No Feelings. It’s unrecognisable and I love it, the album’s going to be a scream when it’s finished with everything from folk to hip-hop on it. I’ll post something when it’s out, maybe a month or so.
Of course the laptop is back which is good. Even orange juice coursing through its circuits like gamma radiation surging through Bruce Banner’s veins couldn’t stop it for long.
It was a scary moment though, hadn’t backed anything up on the external drive for a week. Sent a Trail route though 90 minutes before it happened too. Christ.
Talking of which, there should be an unusual Nevis route from me on the shelves about now which I have long championed and I really hope folk try.
Been out with the girls a few times in the evening, making the most of our local stuff and things. Haven’t seen too many others while we’ve been out, is it only neds that enjoy the trees and the shore? Get away from your tellies you lazy bastards.
Or just look out your windae, it can be nice out there too.
But, all this irrelevant in the face of the most important question in the world today: Will Merida join the ranks of the Official Disney Princesses? She damned well better do.
Talking of movies, I have seen two in recent times and I’m picking Batman for the win, Spiderman is just a wee fanny. Can’t wait till Bane’s jacket comes out as merchandise.
Quite a mix of topics here!
Assume the Kona bike is yours? (got a Kona hardtail myself)
Agree about the “undesirables” being the most likley ones to see in such places too.
Get out there in the early morning while all the neds are sleeping. It’s the best time of day.
Though I did get stopped at 05:30 once by the police who were still chasing one from the night before :-)
Aye, I’m filling in some gaps so that I know what the hell I was doing when I look back in the future and see no posts.
The black Kona’s mine, it’s like my mountain armchair with all that plush suspension :o)
Phil’s bike’s a Kona too, a much lighter racey one, I’m saying that’s why he left me in the dust :o)
Luckily the usual neds around our immediate area are minor league, but it’s unfair that places that are off the beaten track often become no-go areas for good folks and families because of stupids claiming them and then being allowed to keep them. It erodes our quality of life, they should round these dicks up and throw them in a cage.
By the way, all the photies above are new except the skull circle thing which I stole from the internet last week.
With you on the Olympics.
I was all fired up about cost, commercialism etc until the sport started. To see people literally give their all is fantastic. And who couldn’t be moved by our “3 in 45 mins”?
Third on the table? Who’d have thought it, and looking down the table so many countries that it’s easy to underestimate are having their moment as the world’s best at something.
Wonderful stuff.
Mind you, one wry comment today I heard was “Don’t let the government sell your medals”.
There’s two ways the could try that as well.
Great feel-good post.
It’s nice to see the past wee while up there without any of the crap like customers not payingon time.