February 2012
10 posts
2 tags
Star lit night
Staying at Borve Guest House in Benbecula, just arrived back and stepped out of the car to be stopped in my tracks by the breathtaking panorama of a star lit sky. I stood until I was so cold I couldn’t feel my feet.
First Aid
After a dreek run down through Lewis and Harris I find myself on the ferry over the Sound of Harris. The drizzle, rain and mist made the drive a viewless experience. It wasn’t a complete loss with a bacon and sausage roll from the Butty Bus at the pier in Leverburgh.
Heading the Benbecula to run a two day HSE first aid refresher course. I was hoping for a run along the machair after work...
2 tags
Dinner and Independence
Had a great dinner at Jamie Oliver’s restaurant in George Square Glasgow last night. We had far and ranging conversations; one was about Scottish independence.
One if my friends said he would be voting against it and when I asked why he said he didn’t have the time to research it to make an informed decision: I will admit to getting a little hot under the collar about this.
Surely...
3 tags
End of the week
After a week teaching powerboat navigation it is time to escape so heading out into the Castle Grounds in Stornoway for a blast on the mountain bike before catching the late flight to Glasgow.
Navigation in boats is quite tough to teach because for many people the mathematical skills needed they last used when they were a school and probably hated every moment of it now suddenly they are told you...
3 tags
Navigation
Teaching navigation to a powerboat driver; fish farmers are generally good drivers but the paper based navigation is a class room environment and that is hard in most cases. Today estimated positions (EP) and using tidal curves, tommorow we are on to course to steer (CTS)
2 tags
Running
While the rest of the UK is gripped by the fingery grip of Jack Frost we are having balmy 10 degree days so a short run this morning was pure pleasure, it was that fresh still weather with the sound of birds which is very rare to hear here in the Outer Hebrides. Shower, pancakes and then mountain biking with the kids this afternoon.
January 2012
14 posts
Strange Day
This morning at the gymnastics club we were inspired by Steve Frew Commonwealth Gold Medal winner in the mens rings. Then this afternoon I went to a friends bothers funeral, it was bitterly cold in the graveyard with a cold wind and a grey sky.
Article on Sea Kayaking in the Outer Hebrides →
I am very happy to say the article I wrote for SideTracked Magazine has been published. It is about the pleasure of paddling a sea kayak in the Outer Hebrides.
2 tags
1 tag
Riding a berm
I have for the last few weeks been trying to ride berms better and faster. I come at it as an old style rider and for me the banked corners are completely counter intuitive, they feel all wrong.
I think if there is one thing I am learning it is to trust the front wheel, even when the surface is slippery and it feels like the front wheel it going to go away from you you have to resist the brakes...
1 tag
1 tag
4 tags
Buell Drive Belt
The drive belt for my XBR9 arrived today thanks to Warrs Harley in London (thanks Josh for the quick turn round). The problem I now have is when I took the belt tensioner off I discovered the bearing is shot. So a trip in to see Gordon Diesel in Stornoway is the next part of the the solution, I am sure they will be able to press the old one out and replace it, then I can get it back together and...
3 tags
Risk and how we assess it →
This is an interesting view on how we assess risk and manage it. It is very reminicent of Csikszentmihalyi and his boredom and anxiety model and the search for his ‘flow’ state ‘Flow is a state of peak enjoyment, energetic focus, and creative concentration experienced by people engaged in adult play’
5 tags
3 tags
Writing for an OnLine Journal
Today I sent off the copy for an article I have written for the online journal Sidetracked. I enjoyed writing it and I love the look of the Journal so I am looking forwards to seeing the result.