Life is not a Practice

My first bike ride this year. The "standard" 20km around the Grüntensee.
I think I need a bit of training before we cycle to Monaco :-)



20km and 257 meters of climbing. Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=ahcbdmtjmduqwucl

The aim of todays ski tour was the Sulzspitze - 960 meters of climbing. Nine of us set off from Grän and enjoyed the climb up through trees covered in new snow.



At the pass - Strindenscharte - I decided that the combination of rewiring Stefanos office yesterday and the 730 meters were enough. Three others agreed with me so we ate something, took off our skins and had an exciting ski back down to the cars.

730 meters of climbing. Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=onrfjydxjqiexgaa

A few hours skiing with Chris and Philipp in Tannheimertal.

Seven of us took advantage of the perfect snow and weather to drive in to Tirol and do a ski tour.

The walk up the mountain was a nice exercise and the descent was a dream. Unfortunately the waiters were extremely incompetent and disorganised. But on average - a brilliant day.



6km round trip with 600 meters of climbing. Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=xinijzkyemawfshh

I may have mentioned that we have a relay station on the Grauen Stein. It is solar powered but this year we added a backup generator that we can start from the office. It worked great when we didn't need it but now we needed it and it didn't work.



Yesterday Tom set out to reach the station but had to turn back half way. So today it was Simon and my turn. We were the first (and only) people on the mountain so we had to break trail all the way. It took us one and a half hours to cover one and a half kilometers.



At the station we scraped the ice off the solar panels, got the ice off the antennas and failed to repair the generator.

Then we skied back in to the valley for a beer.

Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=cerjpztjhxihgcjx

In the morning Moni and I walked up to the big seat in Mittelberg and ate a packed brunch that we had taken with us. The only snow to be seen was on Nesselwang ski slope. By midday the temperature was 10°C.



In the afternoon Caro, Stefano and I walked up to the Enzianstübe for a drink. The Kronenpiste was competely green. After the lift closed we walked down the man made snow covered main piste.

It has been many years since my last first aid course so today I attended a one day course in Kempten to brush up on the basics.



"Breathing, bleeding, breaks and burns" still seems to sum up what to deal with in which order.

Four hours of spinning in the fitness studio in Seeg. Great music with motivated trainers and a fun group of people.

Moni and I walked from Nesselwang up to the summit of the Edelsberg. We saw the sun once we were right at the top but had no view in any direction.



Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=hundkklskxivzqnj

Today is a bank holiday here and the sun was shining. It was even warm where the sun was shining. I went out on my road bike to enjoy what may be the last road bike ride this year. It was defitely the first road bike ride in seven weeks!



42km and 464 meters of climbing. Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=elzcutkyouijropk

Eleven of us cycled through Vilstal in to Austria, alomg Tanheimertal and then up to the Adlerhorst (Eagles Nest) above Haller.
It was a sunny autumn day so the restaurant was absolutely packed. After lunch we cycled back through Achtal stopping for a drink at the Fallmühle.
I could tell that I have done hardly any exercise the last month. My pulse reached 164 bpm and was often above 150.



Pictures at https://goo.gl/photos/6ddzpfM69G3NzYWv6

57km and 953 meters of climbing. Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=kpqzusklzoihfjqr

After two weeks of sailing, it was time to see if I could remember how to ride a bike. Caro and I went out for a short, flat, autumn ride and got back just before it rained.



22.8km and 210 meters of climbing. Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=ioelpksosowbdzzy

After a morning to look around the town of Cadiz, we set off back along the coast. The first day we just crossed the bay to Rota and a tasty dinner in a Cuban restaurant.



Then back to Mazagon and the next day on to El Rompido which we reached by navigating through the shallow and changeable channel where river and sea meet.

Back to Isla Christina and then, using blind navigation, on to Ayamonte.

Another great weeks sailing with a lot learned. And l finished off with my offshore skipper qualification and Marine VHF qualification.

The GPS tracks are at:
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=pttstpnuxvfbdfxa
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=vntwsywfnnhrcrpf
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=bdacxqauozzaxnmf
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=xqtjacpjfkvibbnc
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=ryujqprucyykpwda

I am back in Spain training again with Shane and Debbie at go-n-sail. There were meant to be three students but one failed to appear so there is just Michael and I. Michael is working towards his day skipper qualification and I towards my offshore skipper. As we are both here for two weeks, Shane suggested a trip to Cadiz.



After a day and a half of boat skills we sailed "round the corner" to Isla Cenella at the end of the second day. From there on to Mazagon and then to Chipiona before the final leg to Cadiz where we are currently tied up in Puerto Americana.

A storm passed over us in Mazagon and the noise coupled with a cold meant I got no sleep. The next day there was a swell and plenty of wind. We were the only boat we saw out all day and finally I know what it like to be seasick :-)

Entering Chipiona, the wind got up and we had to reef. Then the rain lashed us and reduced visibility. So we were barrelling along at 7 knots with a wreck off to our left squinting through the rain looking for a small buoy that marked the marina.

A fun trip with lots learned.

The last three days sailing tracks are at:
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=ruczaaqhlekobsro
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=xfpobqkrrqwmozig
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=pmqdrdzchssjdgqp
(it took me the first few days to work out how to save the tracks)