One week to go!

It’s been one of those fortnights...plenty going on but what to write about? Amazingly I have had the opportunity to get in the water 11 times in 14 days, with solid swell and friendly winds, and then with a bit of swimming and kayaking, including a run down a local favourite- the River Dart. 

The Skern at high tide, and why surf was off: A tad messy!

It feels great after a winter off (6-a-side not withstanding) to be back in the water. Strange perhaps, that although I grew up as far from the sea as you can get on this Island nation, I miss the sea when I’m away from North Devon. I noticed almost immediately that while at work I would tell the time by the tide. Not down to the minute but within an hour, often without a second thought. You can see the sea from almost anywhere on site, and I often find myself glancing at the state of the Skern, and how far in or out the tide is.

I could waffle on for pages about the watersports, but this is a blog about cycling, not surfing or kayaking.This week I have started cycling a little bit. Breaking in the bum if you will! Despite starting at sea level, there are plenty of hills to trawl up and down and I was pleasantly surprised when after an hour’s cycling I could jump off the bike and walk without resembling a cowboy. Mind, after four hours in the saddle I reckon I’ll fit right in down South!

The view over Skern Lodge-
across Northam Burrows towards Westward Ho!

I have been cycling up and round the back of Westward Ho! (The only town in England with an exclamation mark after it's name, and named after a fictional town in the Charles Kingsley novel 'Westward Ho!')

Then the easy part- back down Kipling Tor and off into Appledore then back round to Skern Lodge.

A few of the folks got on the G+T’s last night and made the most of a weekend off work. Being on night duty that was out of the question for me, which was probably for the best. I gave alcohol a rest this month, to save as many pennies as I could before the trip and the combination of G+T, rugby, beers and the League Cup final was proving hard to resist, but work rather than willpower did the hard part for me. 

Easy like Sunday morning-
Kyle recovers after the G+T on a day off for most of the team

It has been excellent fun for three short weeks back with the team here, and strange to be off again so soon. The start of the new season is always great to be involved with- catching up with folks and finding out who's been up to what over the winter, and the excitement at being able to get back in the surf is infectious!
Allow me to introduce some of the characters I have lived with over the last year...

Aaron and Jolyon (inverted!)



(L-R, Top-Bottom)
Aaron, Rob, Lotti, Tom, Jimbo 



Jolyon & Salty Bizzle