Finally seeing Kate again

It had been a while since I had seen Kate. The last time we had gone for a walk was in May! So it was time to catch up again. And the only good day for it was the day before the Caernarfon Half Marathon. 

I had first gone to Anglesey to cheer on Louise in the Ring O Fire, and then I headed inland. When I got to her place I soon heard Bryn barking. He had spotted me! He was delighted to see me. Kate was pleased too. 

Her suggestion had been to walk from Conwy Falls cafe to Fairy Glen and back. It sounded good! Pretty, but sedate enough for a runner who wants to rest before a race, and a geriatric dog. But I first needed some sandwiches. 

After the sandwiches we were off. The path between the cafe and the Glen is lovely, and Bryn was fine. And when we got there it was fairly quiet. And beautiful! Kate did a brief evaluation of Bryan’s paws, as he gets limpy quite easily these days, but he was fine. We continued our way. 

Dog physio assessment 

We then got to the most spectacular part of the walk. There were a few people there already. But the place is sizeable; you don't have to get into each other's way. We just pottered around a bit. Bryn went into the river. It was quite nice! 

Bryn does model duties

Pic of the Glen by Kate

Bryn flaunting his rock and his big feet

We then made our way back. Bryn was fine. And then I wanted to go home to prepare for my race the next morning. So it was a modest rendezvous, but I really enjoyed it! 

Supporting Louise in the Ring O Fire

My plan had been to pop back onto Anglesey after meeting my Welsh tutor, and cheer on my friends Louise and Tony who were doing the gruelling Ring O Fire ultramarathon. All runners wear GPS trackers so you can find out where they are. But then I got the additional dinner-with-Lionel plan. I thought I could manage to squeeze Supporting in before the dinner, but Lionel was back on the surface earlier than I had expected. Maybe I could do it afterwards?

It was about 8 o'clock when Lionel and I had had our dinner, so I figured there was time to go back to the island. I had a quick look where Louise and Tony were. They were quite far apart. Oh dear. I had a guess at where Louise would be once I got close, and set off. She was ahead of Tony, and it makes sense to go see the front runner first. I headed for the general direction of Llangoed. I don’t know the tiny country roads there very well, but I hoped I would manage. 

When I stopped somewhere to check again she had moved more than I had anticipated. I couldn’t catch her there. So where to go? And soon I realised it would have to be on the tiny road from Penmon back west. 

It was all a bit improvised. I was in my work outfit and didn’t have a head torch with me. I was supposed to do this in daylight! Fortunately I have a torch keychain. My phone would be useless as it has short battery life, and I needed it for navigation. 

I parked up by the toll booth and got out. I brought my phone on its charging pad, plugged into my power bank. That, at least, I had with me! And I made my way in the dark towards Penmon. I couldn’t catch her just about see enough. 

After a while I saw a head torch approach. I shouted ‘Louise?’ No response. It was not Louise, I wished the runner well. And then there was another head torch. And headlights. A car was overtaking a runner - surely Louise - and the driver was shouting encouragements. It was indeed Louise! And I think the person in the car was Emma but I’m not sure. I hugged Louise. And she asked if I could walk with her. I wish you good! And even wrong. I might have been in a civilian outfit but I can jog for a bit like that. 

She told me how it had been going. Quite alright, so far! She was feeling good, the weather was lovely, navigation had generally not been a problem and she had support. She said she had had a pot noodle and a change of clothes not too long ago. She was so fresh for someone who had just run 100 km in 12 hours! 

We ran for a bit but I knew I had to turn back at some point. Get back to the car, check if I could still catch Tony, and at some point go home. At something that looked like a suitable point I gave her another hug and turned back. Without her I just walked. I was hot! And I want to spare the battery of my mini torch. When walking I could just about see enough.

I got back to the car and had a look at where Tony was. He was just entering an area you can't get close to by car. And it was getting late. I felt a bit sad but I decided to go home.

Screenshot of the tracking page, just after I got home. The blue dot is a relay runner. Louise is race nr 111.

I went straight to bed. And in the morning I had a look at where Louise's and Tony’s dots were. Tony’s dot had gone black in Beaumaris; he must have decided to pull out. But he had come halfway! Still an amazing feat. Louise was comfortably in the lead. Even ahead of the relay team. Wow! That was amazing. 

I was going to see Kate later that day, but she didn't mind if I first trundled up to Anglesey do another little round of cheering Louise up. And again it was a wild goose chase of tiny little Anglesey country roads, and her dot on the map jumping around. I ended up parking near Rhoscolyn, running down to the shore, and then just running east until I found her. She was glad to see me again. And she was clearly tired. Obviously! By this time she was about 190 kilometres in. Who wouldn't be tired.

The landscape where I found Louise

This time I was marginally better prepared. At least I was wearing a sports bra and running shoes, but after I had set off I realised I had forgot my running vest, and my running shorts and top don't have pockets. I really relied on my phone to find her. Having my car key on me was also a good idea. So I decided to just keep my trousers on over my running shorts. These at least have pockets!

We trundled west in the general direction of Trearddur Bay. And we chatted a bit about how it was going. She also said she hadn't initially intended to do this race. Someone had had to pull out, and had offered her their ticket for free. She had thought she might as well take that offer. And look where she was now! She was struggling, but still going strong.

After a while we came to a parking lot where her support were: her husband, several of her children, and her sister. The sister had followed her around all through the night. That is quite some dedication! I had had a good night’s sleep.

This seemed to be a good location to hand her over. She had a little chat with her support, had a sip of coke, gave people another hug and then she was off. Shortly after the parking lot there was a somewhat vertical bit with a step down and then several smaller steps up. We could see her legs were stiff by now! But we had faith she would make it to the finish without problems.

I chatted a little bit more with Rebecca, Louise's sister. She sometimes comes to the track as well, so I know her a bit. But then I drove back to my car and headed for Penmachno. 

Still from a little video made by Louise's bloke

I tend not to have signal in Kate's house, or anywhere near it, but Kate magically does, and she confirmed that Louise had indeed won. Comfortably! And not just as first woman; first runner altogether. The first man came in about an hour later. Then when I got home and could look at an update myself I saw she had even broken the course record for women. She is such a legend!

A victorious Louise

She later her texted me to say thanks for the support. I was surprised she was awake, but she pointed out she didn't want to completely destroy her circadian rhythm. And she said she would be supporting the Caernarfon Half Marathon the day after. I would see her there! And I really looked forward to that!

Brief catch up with old caving friend Lionel

 I was in the office when I received a text from my old friend Lionel, saying that he was on his way to North Wales, with the Plymouth Caving Group. Was I around?

It was a Friday and I had already been wondering how I would organise all the things I wanted to do with my weekend. On Sunday, I would be running the Caernarfon half marathon. After that, I wanted to see Neil. On Saturday I wanted to see Kate, who I hadn't seen in a while. I also wanted to run the last lap with Jacko. That Saturday was his last day! And on top of that; the Ring O Fire race, a 210 km ultra doing the entire Anglesey coastal path, was in progress. Two of my friends were running: Louise, Lionel from the track, and Tony, who is in the Eryri Harriers. I had hurt Louise mention that if people come to support her it really helps, so I wanted to go in cheer them on at some point as well. Altogether I had a lot on! And I still wanted to take it so easy on Saturday that I would be rested for my race on Sunday.

Long story short: we decided to go for dinner on the Friday. They were staying at Ty Powdwr, the hut of the Karabiner mountaineering club, as is the default. And I drove down to pick him up. 

It was good to see him! The first thing he did was say that I hadn't changed a bit. But who was talking? He hadn't either!

Back in the days, and I am talking 2010-2013, we quickly developed into the duo that you would contact if you had a slightly irresponsible caving adventure in mind. We were up to all sorts! And had loads of fun. He was also instrumental in getting me to join the cave rescue team. And he's been back up in Wales several times since. Nowadays we are more likely to do an hill walk together. That's fine too! And there is no time for any of that stuff, we at least try to get a coffee together in. 

When we got to town it was still quite early, so we first went for a pint in the Heights. After that we went to Pete’s Eats; it has the same name as before, but everything else seems to have changed, and I wanted to know what it was like now. It is absolutely totally different! But the food was fine. 

We caught up about all the things that had changed in our lives, and those that had stayed the same, since the previous time we saw each other. He is quite busy with his house and all the grounds around it, and the animals. I told him about my kitchen project. And we talked about the recovery of our mutual friend Rick, who had had an unfortunate incident on his motorbike. And we talked about running, and mines we had and hadn't been to, and things like that. Enough to discuss!

When we were done I brought him back to the hut. I don't know when I'll see him again, but I am confident I will!

World scientists’ warning to humanity

The first notice went out when I was still at school. It was quite brief. What sort of notice was this? It was an attempt of a group of scientist to write a peer-reviewed journal article that was actually addressed at the world population, and in order to try to give it weight, they tried to get as many scientists as possible to add their signature to it. Did it work? Clearly not!

The second notice was 25 years later. I was already working in Bangor by that time. A lot can happen in 25 years! And what happened to the notice? One thing that changed was that they shifted the focus away from the size of the world population. They figured it was not the polite thing to do to blame people for existing, or for having children. And there was 25 years more of data. And pretty much none of that data was encouraging.

As I actually was a scientist by that time, and I must have heard of it (although I don't quite remember how), I signed it. Is it likely to be particularly effective? No! But if someone takes an initiative like that, the least you can do support it. Signing might be largely ineffectual, but doing nothing is worse. Several of my colleagues, such as Stuart and Martyn, had signed as well.

They've clearly not waited another 25 years for the third notice. I received the email already. They are getting ready now for the third notice to be published 10 years after the second one. There is 10 more years of data, and as usual, that does not provide much inspiration for hope.

 

Top of the front page of the draft third notice

So will this third notice get noticed? Quite possibly not. Even though there are now ways attracting attention to something that didn't exist yet 10 years ago. That is not a guarantee of anything, though. Poor old Jacko was really straining to get attention for his Guinness world record. And this is just a text. A lot less sexy than a whole bunch of ultramarathons! But what can one do? If these things come to my attention I will keep signing them. 

I do think that maybe by now the effects of the climate apocalypse are so tangible that people are starting to pay attention. But paying attention is one thing, and changing society to avoid the worst is a different one entirely. I might still have a few decades to live, and I will find out the hard way how this issue pans out over that time…

 

Fruit and veg harvest

This year’s harvest started with beetroot. I figured they might not grow an awful lot more, and I might as well eat them. I ate the first batch. That was one meal. I think I can get another meal out of the next. That is it! Quite a lot of work for not much food. But I think the beetroot were suffering in the drought. And I didn't want to go and water them every day.

Sad beetroot plant 

The next step was: apples. I don't know if it was something to do with my untalented tree husbandry, or the blisteringly hot and dry summer, but it's not been a good apple year. There are apples, and they are tasty, but just not very many. 

With this camera angle, it actually looks quite good

It is going to end with beans! I had never grown them before. They seem quite forgiving plants. And they must be! I have beautiful beans on my plants. I look forward to eating them. And I will certainly do this again! When I eat them I will also dig out some potatoes. I have loads of potato plants, but it seemed too early to harvest them. But I think the best thing with homegrown beans is homegrown potatoes.

Look at those beans!

I am wondering if I should do another round of planting crops. Would the autumn be long enough to yield something? I suppose I don't have an awful lot to lose! 

Yet another car update

I mentioned that my plan for getting myself an electric car was: go to a big car dealer in England soon after my trip to the Netherlands, and then just buy the EV they have that I like most. It sounded like such a simple plan!

I had already phoned them; they said you could reserve a car, and book a test drive, but only one. It is a long drive, and it seems stupid you can't just drive a few. If you can drive only one, then why would you even? You might as well just buy a car from a distance. Who would make a 5 hour round trip more than once to decide between a few possible cars? 

The good news is, of course, that Neil would come with me, so he could book a test drive as well. And then I could at least make a two car shortlist, and then just choose the best one.

With that plan I phoned them. I had already started a spreadsheet with interesting cars before I went to my trip; I had identified six. When I came back, two of these had been sold, and nothing had taken their place. And with only four left it shouldn't be too difficult to make a two-car shortlist. But when I phoned them, they said that the two cars I was most interested in were not available for test driving. They said they had to undergo some technical tests. I thought that was a bit annoying. Can't they mention that on the website? It is all very well to have all these cars on that site, but if you don't know which ones are actually available, that's of limited use. They said you can go in and switch the engine on, but I do think that there is value in actually driving around. Without that, you might (again) as well buy them from a distance. And then you still want to know which ones are actually available.

They took my details and the license plates of the cars I had hoped to test drive. They say they will let me know when they might be available. It could be weeks! By then, term has kicked off. Very inconvenient. I hope this will work out. Oh and at least, I got the money back I plaid for the Nissan Leaf…

The Bluest Eye

I still have an urge to read classic books. And after I had managed to get through the rather practical book about running and breathing, I started one again. The Bluest Eye. I figured I should really read a Morrison, and this one seemed a good one to start. 

Spoiler alerts!

The protagonist is a nine year-old poor Black girl. And she basically reveals the big plot twist on the first page: there is another girl in their social circle, who ends up being raped by her father and pregnant because of it. The protagonist has a real child's perspective on everything.

You don't really get the perspective of the other girl, but you do get the whole life stories of her parents. And given that they are American, poor and Black, these are not uplifting stories. 

Quite early on the book, the protagonist says that she doesn't understand why dolls are always depictions of pretty blonde white girls, and that she hates them. She understands the social pressure to love them.

It is the girl that ends up pregnant that is the one that explicitly asks for having blue eyes herself. Does this end well for her? I'll leave that to your imagination.

This is obviously not a cheerful book. It is full of racism, poverty, domestic violence and alcoholism. But who said that books should be uplifting? What I did like was the big background you get of many of the characters in it. It is one thing to introduce someone who does monstrous things. It is another thing to show the life that someone has had before they did it. And I think it is a good idea to read more or less realistic depictions of awful lives. People have those. And if you're lucky enough not to have one yourself, it is good for the soul to sometimes step into the shoes of people who do. Or did.

It's not a big book; I read it entirely during my trip to the Netherlands. I can really recommend it! For those that don’t mind a bit of a battering…