We'll covid lockdown is just getting tedious. So as I'm now allowed, I've set off on a mega trip.
The solo round-Scotland sea kayak trip. Raising funds for Doddie Weird Motor Neurone Disease foundation. Of
This is an 8-10 week challenge and is live right now. Checkout progress on Facebook "solo sea kayak journey".
Will post a summary here later.
S.
March 2021
So the weather has slowly been improving and certainly outdoor
sports are getting less grim as the snow has receded to the high peaks. Again C-19 rules have kept us all local but
at least there is light in the tunnel.
March saw me get out for a short or medium walk probably every second day to keep the limbs moving plus a regular kettlebell class on a Monday+Friday to keep the core muscles in trim.
Heading to "Friend Electric"
Boating and biking continue to improve with ten MTB rides and six boat sessions. Biking was all centred on the Aboyne trails (Master Blaster, Chutney Nudger, Oh Deer, Scooby Do, etc) but good exercise if only in shortish bursts. Ground is pretty wet still and there was quite a lot of tree litter to stop & clear each time. 
Messing about in the GT, river high again
 |
| Sea boat 10k on the loch |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 2021
For a while the sheer amount of snow was a real barrier to off-road cycling; once it turned to an icy base layer it was murder getting traction up hills etc.
Also as the snow melted the river level rose and managed a couple of "sprint" training sessions in my old slalom racing boat. And when things really kicked off I took my sea kayak for an 8km rush down the river. Grade 2/3 rapids just flashed by as my GPS showed 22 kph at some points, 16 kph average.
No real plan to the days though yet as Covid lockdown continues. Its not worth planning longer sea adventures until we get to maybe April when I can hopefully get across to the west coast. I do see that for the second year running my trip to the italian alps for steep creeking (Valsesia river festival) is just not going to happen is it.
Other activities were mainly walking in the snow, bright day light does help the mood, and maybe some maintenance type stuff as I have my old bike to clean up & sell.
Cheers for now, S.
___________________________________________________________________________
Well Christmas is over, and for hogmanay we were back to a lockdown. It then started snowing and has done so on & off all month. Means I was back to my trusty MTB and some solo riding all round the low hills of upper Deeside.
Certainly when it was fresh and crunchy, it's a very pleasant way to ride and get some exercise. I've been exploring a more XC sort of loop that will form a 20 kms exercise track going forwards - and as the gradients are reasonable I intend to ride it in both directions.
However the snow is now freezing hard and things are getting tougher. Certainly the access track climb is now sheet ice and in SPD shoes that's not much fun trying to stagger up it.
Biking is off now as we head into February as I once learnt a painful lesson on some ice a few years back. Need a good thaw that will help the river and allow some longer MTB trails once more.
Got a zoom whisky tasting with my neighbours though one evening this week so not all too grim ! Slainte.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
