Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Scottish Cup Final, 13th May


What a day! First of all a big thanks to GW for the hospitality and fitba.
11am start in Rutherglen (nearer 11.30am) but pretty early since most were nursing hangovers. Free drink in the church halls (with its own bar!) saw plenty a lager. On the way I placed £5 on Gretna to beat Hearts, needless to say it failed.
Gretna put up a great show. Going to penalties after extra time, it wasn't till the last gasp, when Hearts eventually got the better of the minnows.
Still a good evening was had by all as can be seen by Pob lookalike (Pictured). Even though we now had to pay for beer, we kept going till the last.

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Glencoe, Monday 1st May, 2006


Conditions a bit more variable today. So much so Coe actually received a couple of feet of snow the night before! This is also the first time I've ridden Coe in May (previously Nevis Rage was the only location boasting this fact). What had been a brown lower half of the hill had been transformed back into white. Unfortunately the lower half was still largely un-ridable. The top however, even with poor visibility had great fluffy conditions. There was a hint of crust under the fresh stuff. Great fun on the last day of the season.

This has been one of the best seasons I have ever experienced in Scotland. Glencoe in particular, being my preferred destination on all but one trip this season. The ski area did themselves proud keeping all lifts running throughout. I remember years in the past where you could spend quite a while hanging from a T-bar or chairlift.

All Scotland's areas are now officially closed for the season, even though Coe in particular could probably have usable snow right into June. Maybe a hiking trip could see us getting more real snow time yet.
I say 'real' because rather ironically Scotland's first indoor snowslope at Xscape near Glasgow has now opened during the best season for a long time. How this will be received, we'll wait and see.

Glencoe, Friday 29th April, 2006

An accident, closing the A82 forced us to take a diversion via Inverary adding half an hour on to journey time. However it was a cracking day and the scenery made it easier.
Once at Coe we had a great time on soft spring snow. Sun was streaming and temperatures were hot. However the upper snowpack is holding well. Lower down, Mugs Alley is broken and the lower Plateau Poma is not running.

A great day with some fun jumps just below the Haggis Trap and of the T-bar track. Spring Run was fun as ever in conditions like these.