58 Degrees North

Star lit night

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 21:22:50 +0000

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.

juicerunningloose: Check out this cool video of someone running...

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 22:01:43 +0000

juicerunningloose:

Check out this cool video of someone running on an underwater treadmill. Everything about this should be so boring but for some reason it is so interestingly mesmerizing I cant stop watching. It’s in normal speed but underwater everything is in slow motion, you can even see the energy from the impact force of each step travel through the runner’s legs.

First Aid

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:16:09 +0000

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 this afternoon but it isn’t looking like a nice experience.

Dinner and Independence

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 12:42:50 +0000

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 if you aren’t going to make an informed decision you should abstain and leave those who are to vote? If you vote for things to stay the same just because that is the way they are and you don’t want to or can’t be bothered, for what ever reason, to make yourself informed are you doing democracy a disservice?

It was no good when I saw this I had to laugh and watch it...

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:51:49 +0000

It was no good when I saw this I had to laugh and watch it again; before showing it to the kids, the youngest is now wanting to do stop motion.

End of the week

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:42:00 +0000

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 have to pass this course and use all those skills it is a bit of a mind melter. Hopefully by the end of this course and the two practical ones to follow the tough maths will become relevant.

Still to the more important matter of blast on the mountain bike …

Navigation

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:24:20 +0000

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)

Running

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:36:25 +0000

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.

Another stunning sunrise over Coll beach in the Outer Hebrides

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:38:49 +0000

Another stunning sunrise over Coll beach in the Outer Hebrides

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:38:37 +0000

Another stunning sunrise over Coll beach in the Outer Hebrides

Strange Day

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:26:10 +0000

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.

Another stunning sunrise in Outer Hebrides

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:56:34 +0000

Another stunning sunrise in Outer Hebrides

Sunrise over the West Coast of Scotland from the Outer Hebrides

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:48:37 +0000

Sunrise over the West Coast of Scotland from the Outer Hebrides

Article on Sea Kayaking in the Outer Hebrides

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:14:38 +0000

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.

Traigh Mhor, Isle of Lewis, out for a walk

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:58:09 +0000

Traigh Mhor, Isle of Lewis, out for a walk

New belt fitted to the Buell, now to make the beast live

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:05:00 +0000

New belt fitted to the Buell, now to make the beast live

Sunrise over Coll beach in the Outer Hebrides

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:12:53 +0000

Sunrise over Coll beach in the Outer Hebrides

Riding a berm

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:37:54 +0000

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 because they make the bike stand up and it is time to pick a piece of scenery because you are going to be in it.

Just back in after a ride I have spent some time looking on youtube for vido of people doing it well this will hopefully give me a mental model to work off next time I am out riding.

This is an interesting view on body image, it raises some...

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:56:21 +0000

This is an interesting view on body image, it raises some interesing questions …

I never stop being amazed by some of these

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:13:20 +0000

I never stop being amazed by some of these