Training Log Archive: PG

A leisurely stroll over some famous turf, except on Sundays it is open for everything except the usual. Weather was benign, mixed sun and clouds, wind from the SW, better than average conditions. Would have been a good day to play.



Pretty tired by the time we were done. Though not as beat as in the morning, stopped at the ruins Dunnottar Castle just south of Aberdeen. Absolutely gorgeous spot, but my back was acting up. On the climb back up the hill to the parking lot I felt like I was seeing the future, and it was not pretty. Certainly not keeping up to Gail. A couple of vitamin I made the afternoon outing a lot more tolerable.

C • Holy Pilgrimage 4

Spent the last two days trying to do the lemons/lemonade thing, attitude-wise, a real struggle to try to generate any positive vibes.

But at least today perked up in the afternoon -- good-bye to the last day of O' (non-O'), headed over towards Aberdeen, not in a sterling mood after a day so far of driving a bunch, a few hours in a parking lot, and driving a bunch more, but then we had a lovely stop in Grantown on Spey for a large coffee and a delicious sweet, and that certainly made life better. :-)

Then a mellow drive through the hills (it really seems a stretch to call them mountains), the eastern part of the Cairngorms, quite beautiful even in the on-and-off showers. Really pleasant, no traffic.

Found our guest house, everything first class, then off to what I think is called a gastro-pub for a dinner that went down easily (never used to be able to say that about British food), a glass of wine for Gail and a glass of ale for me aiding the process. Things could be much much worse.

And then just called Lina to wish her a happy birthday. She really is a saint.

C • Lina 1

Map from Day 3 (click on map for larger image) --



And map from Day 4, and my route for the small part I did --

Well, that's it for orienteering for a while (or this year, or forever?), or any running. Right leg, lower part of calf. Stopped me dead, walked in slowly.

Though I spiked the two controls I went to.... :-)

(And maybe this was just a way to avoid getting trounced by Peggy?)

C • Rub some Scotch on it 16

Day 3 at Darnaway, ran there in 1976. A little different this time, course was only 1/5 the length, map was 1/7:500 instead of 1:20,000, different legs, different experience. That was the first time orienteering outside of North America, and a memorable day.

Today was straightforward. This stuff ought to be easy, and it was, just a matter of getting there. Missed the first one by perhaps 10 meters to the left and the rest were right on. But felt tired and sore right from the start. Ended up second in the class.

Then watched the relay, then off to Aviemore for dinner with old Swedish friends Göran and Ingrid Öhlund. Also there was Rolf Pettersson, he won the silver back in 1976. Fine time.

C • Ohlunds 1

S6D - Day 3 Darnaway - C24 - Splits

Watched the middle at Darnaway. You get the atmosphere but the big screen was on the fritz for part of the time. Plus, if you are interested in ones other than the top bunch (like the North Americans), there is hardly any info (no cell service for data, and the promised WiFi had very limited capacity so couldn't get on). Ah well, you get the atmosphere.

And later our tourist thing was a visit to the Speyside Cooperage, where they make the barrels that hold the whisky. A very fun visit.

Back was sore but tolerabble while jogging a little so what the hell, might as well go out.

Orienteering well (time lost maybe 30 seconds), moving not so well. Rough going in places. Back aching the whole time but tolerable And I don't think I made it any worse.

Second out of about 20 when I finished, but 4 mintues back of the same guy. Should end up 5th +/-3..

And edged Peggy by two minutes. Only way she's not going to get me sometime in the next few days is for me to have 4 x DNS. :-)

Fun getting out of the parking field. Glad we were leaving early, going to get really muddy.

Now at Culloden Battlefield. Very fine exhibits. Actually right now at the tearoom there. :-)

Feeling totally wasted, probably dehydrated. But it's been a good day. And company (Kissy, Mikell, and Gail) is first-class.

==================

Today's map/route (click on map for a larger version). Map was OK. Not so good on where the bracken (high ferns) was, but otherwise fine. Terrain was very wet, but never went in more than knee-deep today. :-)

S6D - Day 2 Strathfarrar - C24 - Splits

Scottish 6-day, day 1. Out of shape and a sore back but most of the time I can still find the controls.

The good -- finished second in M70, thogh it is tempered by being 4 minutes bac (to the Swede who won my class at O'Ringen last year). Also benefitted from a very late start.

The bad/ugly -- wrenched my back a couple of times, once dropping into a waterhole up to my chest on the way to 12. Was a struggle to get out. Hurting the rest of the way. May skip day 2, even though right now (after dinner and no booze or pain pills involved, it feels not as bad as I expected, sore but not the sharp pains when I try to sit down or stand up. Having to try to be positive, otherwise it is just depressing....

Added today's map in 3 parts (route is hard to see, but it's there, click on map for a larger version) --

S6D - Day 1 Achagour - C24 - Splits

On the recommendation of Peggy/Nadim, stopped at Mr. Tan's for take-out after the sprint relay, took it back to our cottage in Dyke. Very excellent.

C • Mr. Tan's 2

Event: WOC 2015 & Scottish 6 days
 

A fine day spent meandering around Skye with a little of everythinging, both referring to the sights and to the weather. Continuing my excellent taper.

And then in the evening a first-class dinner -- the food was OK, nothing special, it was the company that turned out to be the star. We chatted up the couple sitting next to us in the pub, and one thing just led to another. Gail got a taste of his haggis (that seemed enough to last the rest of her life), we found out about here career as a professional singer, the conversation overall was excellent. And then I popped to big question to him -- do you like whisky?

So first we got his favorites, he seemed particularly happy curling up with a 15-year-old Glenfiddich. And then his drinking habits (very very slowly, enjoying the aroma as much as the taste). And then we determined that it was time for me to step up, so both of us up to the bar, where we found out that they were out of his favorite, and didn't carry his runner-up (Glengarioch), so after a bit of consultation I opted for Glen Moray, which happened to be the special of the month and a mere three quid. Have to start somewhere.

And it seemed rather tasty. :-)

Very light and fresh, in fact. A hint of a nutty aroma. Generally well balanced with subtle overtones of oak, walnut, and citrus sponge. All in all, seemed like a nice introduction to the world of single malts.

Who knew? And nice at such an old age to have new pleasures to look forward to.

Moving on, heading north, I remembered at some point that I had heard folks rave about something called "single malts," and I had no idea what they were talking about.

A little general research had identified them as a form of booze, therefore the popularity, also that each single malt was a unique taste. I clearly needed to know more. Obviously a distillery visit (or two, or three) was called for, but first some more education so I wouldn't appear so stupid.

It so happened, a little after noon, that we stopped for a wee bit to eat and drink at an inn well along on the road to Skye. The food and drink was more than adequate, but the significance of the stop was a discovery I made up at the bar of a little pamphlet describing all the single malts this place had to offer.

And what a collection. And here I'm referring not to the single malts themselves, but to the verbiage used to describe them. At which point, time for the photos.

Exhibit number one is part of one page (there were five or six pages overall). First impression was the flowery language. Who makes this stuff up? Second impression was noting the price of the first item (and I'm assuming this is for an ounce or two of the stuff). Must be really special.



Exhibit number two put number one to shame -- a sip or two of a 1969 Glenlochy for a hundred quid. Certainly better than the Highland Park from Isles that ends up tasting like wood shavings.



That last bit led me to further investigate the Islay region, and I found this --



Note the last sentence. "Its single malts are noted for their sea-weedy, iodine-like, phenolic character."

As Gail remarked, it would take a very special man to drink some of that.

I immediate thought she must be referring to Clem, both for the ability to drink the stuff and the style in penning the write-ups, but on reflection I am pretty sure Clem has higher standards for what he drinks, and his prose is certainly more obtuse. But he is still a very special man.

Though why is he not in Scotland?

C • Whisk(e)y 12

C • Why not in Scotland? 5

And then in the evening, a pre-birthday celebration for Gail, her last day at 66, at a very fine fish restaurant in Portlee. I was accused of dreaming up this "pre-birthday" notion to cover my butt in case I forget tomorrow that it is her birthday.

She may have a point there... :-)

Looks awful good for 66.

C • Joyful 3