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Fun fun fun on the Autobahn

ross — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 16:32:00 +0000

Not quite the Autobahn of the title, but I drove on a motorway for the first time yesterday. I’ve been neglecting the driving recently, preferring to hold onto the excuse of it being too dark/wet/cold to go out. Really, it’s a lot more to do with the fact that it’s a scary proposition to jump into a car on my own and negotiate all the other drivers out there.

I know that a lot of people enjoy driving, even find it relaxing but for me I feel both cut off from other people on the road and completely exposed at the same time. That said, I made it to Falkland and the Pillars of Hercules without incident, the only “interesting” part being getting onto the A92, a feat I’m told by many drivers still gives them the willies after many years of driving.

The Pillars has a lot of great veg and I stocked up on organic goodness. You certainly couldn’t call the place cheap, but I’ve got enough ingredients to see my easily through the week and beyond and since the quality it outstanding I really can’t complain. I made an aubergine curry with some of the haul and pronounce it an almost 100% success. I’d have preferred it to be a bit hotter so with any luck the chilli will have spread through it overnight.

Home via the motorway and again it was without incident. I didn’t bother trying to overtake anyone, just stayed behind the car in front of me and let them dictate the speed. Plenty of time to learn how to take part in Wacky Races at a later date.

Soundtrack for the trip; The Gaslight Anthem’s ‘59 Sound on the way out and Katy Perry on the way back. TGA’s album has cemented itself in my heart and head, it’s the Springsteen album that he should have released rather than the turkey that is his latest.

Everywhere you go…

ross — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 14:28:59 +0000

Well it looks like that competitors in the OMM had some fun last night. It was strange reading about the situation on the BBC website where it was portrayed as being mass hysteria with 1700 people “unaccounted for”. What’s become clear afterwards is that reporting was of a pretty low standard and that nowhere near that many people were being looked for. Nor is the race a charity event and that the loudest negative voice seems to be the manager of a tourist attraction. To give the bloke his due, he opened the doors and sheltered people.

As Shane Ohly pointed out in a radio piece, all the competitors are equipped for severe conditions and know what they’re doing. Even if someone was attempting their first mountain marathon there are so many competitors, and racers are nothing if not helpful to others, that I doubt they would have been left to fend for themselves.

Looking at the videos it’s smiles all round. I texted a few people I thought were running to make sure they were okay and got a cheery reply from Gary T. saying that he and Nick had had a good run.

Learning to drive was always going to be a route into more competitions and outdoor events for me. Now that I’ve passed my test I fully intend to train over the winter and enter events. Mountain Marathons are something I definitely want to experience and this has done nothing but make me more excited about trying one. Just think of all the lovely new gear I’ll have to buy!

I say; Bring It OMM! Erm, On!

Just briefly

ross — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 21:01:39 +0000

Second driving lesson this evening. I seem to have trouble with bite points.

Roof repairs didn’t stop water coming in during bad weather.

Apparently I’ve been leaking on downstairs as well. Poo. Hope that doesn’t cost me.

Finished Tales of Symphonia! Only took a little over a year and 50 hours of gameplay.

Converted my T10 to use UMS instead of MTP. Now it works like any other drive and I can use it properly.

Saw Cloverfield. It was a lot of fun.