Glencoe 17th December 2011

A crisp cold day and the mains power is back on at Glencoe after a week of blackout conditions caused by Hurricane Bawbag. The plateau poma was still off, but the walk is a good warm up. The snow underfoot was wind packed powder which was all the way down to the carpark. Mugs alley was well filled in and spent most of our Time. I was playing around on a shorter board than I'm used to which was fun. Very light too. It was a sample I designed at work but it won't see production. It's early in the season and nice to be up before Christmas but that means it gets dark earlier, so it was quite surreal especially with dark goggles on.
Conditions were great. -3 plus windchill meant the snow stayed in shape. Main Basin filling nicely. Etive Glades is still rocky, as is Rannoch Glades. Graeme and I didn't bother with Spring Run or The Wall. Plenty of chances in the season ahead I hope. Blue skies and fresh snow with little or no wind. You couldn't ask for a better start.

The snow is lying

Deep and crisp and even. Cycle in to work will be fun. Hope it's lying thick on the hills!


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The Dawn of Boredom

Braehead Xscape 29th August 2011

Just spent 2 hours at sno!zone. Butters not really impoving. But good fun was had.


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Western Isles 2011 View the Tour De Farce right here!

The scene of Norms pedal incedent

Here is the spot about 1 mile after we left Norm's where his pedal fell off his new bike. He'd stripped the thread!
He went home and I went on to meet Niels and continued on to Loch Lomond.

You can download a kml file for google earth here:
Import URL: http://share.abvio.com/39ac/24a7/4d23/8712/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20110501-1515.kml
Ride Time: 2:44:18
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 24.76 miles
Average: 9.04 miles/h
Fastest Speed: 25.65 miles/h

My new T-shirt

Modelling my new 'Blind Leading the Blind' T-shirt.

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Parrot Boy

Parrot Boy by Ruanaich
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Blind Leading the Blind

labrador puppy by Ruanaich
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Hebrides 2009 Diary

If you are at all interested in reading about my 2009 trip to the Western Isles you can download it here: http://db.tt/WMJ9qtT

Glencoe, Saturday 19th March 2011

We had to leave the house in Aviemore by 10am so thought I'd travel back to Glasgow via Glencoe, taking the Newtonmore - Spean Bridge road. It was a pleasant road and only an hour before I was passing Nevis Range ski area. Tempted though I was I passed through Fort Bill, picking up a McD's on the way. By 12.30 I was driving up the access road at the mighty Coe. It was a bit blowy but sun made the occasional appearance and the wind was whipping up the snow and freshening tracks each time I made a run down Main Basin. Under my board the snow was firm windpacked powder. Mugs Alley was wide as there was complete coverage. I didn't manage Spring Run but heard it was great. Calling it a day, I did the carpark run. Again pretty much full snow cover all the way down although getting a bit soft near the bottom.
The perfect end to a week off is an afternoon at Coe with the best snow cover in years. Let's hope it lasts and we have a great second half to the season.

Cairngorm, Thursday 17th March 2011

Another afternoon up the Gorm. Weather cleared as started cloudy. Started with an energy sapping run down the west wall the some fun in the compacted powder of the ptarmigan basin, even on some groomers high above ptarmigan T-bar.
The weather then started to turn, hazy at first then heavier with some brief snow flurries. The m1 and white lady runs were amazing when you could see ahead. Visibility started to return to the poor conditions of two days earlier. Kept going as best we could but at 4 o'clock I decided to call it quits when toe side turns ended fake and me feeling a bit sea sick. You just couldn't tell if you were facing down the fall line or not!
Day 3 at Gorm was another good one all in all.

Cairngorm, Wednesday 16th March 2011

Couldn't get much more different to yesterday's weather. Beautiful bluebird conditions. Wasn't too busy and made my way up for the afternoon via drag lifts. Couldn't be bothered waiting for the funicular. Faicaill poma took me to the now consolidated powder fields of yesterday. Still soft, still wonderful. As the day went on the snow became wetter. This meant some pow runs now sucked on the board, slowing things down a bit. Great fun though and more hard work for my left leg.
Temperatures were rising as I decided to take my remaining runs down the side of the day lodge poma. My last run of the day was down through buttery soft snow right to the roadside and my awaiting car. A fantastic day.

Cairngorm, Tuesday 15th March 2011

First day up at Gorm this season. Plenty of snow around great depth but visibility was yet again a problem. Some great powder off Faicall Ridge. Back leg burn was an issue as I don't seem to be in shape so much compared to last year. Did zig zags and gun-barrel mostly as well as a few big stacks due to deep deep powder.

Saturday 12th March 2011

A large storm system has brought blizzards once again to the Scottish mountains. Snow started falling even in Glasgow on the Friday night. On arrival at Glencoe snow was down to the car park.
Blizzards prevailed up the mountain with an icy blast accompanying it. Visibility was non existent and it was a day of sensory deprivation. The main basin was loaded with soft powder. Spring Run and Flypaper were closed due to avalanche conditions.
On my last visit snow levels had dropped significantly and the season didn't look like it had long left. Today however has seen the whole ski area revived.
The Bunny Run was fantastic. Very deep and great for slashing the pow. Visibility was so poor I commented on being close to a small cliff only to immediately to fall down it.
Many folk were taking runs down to the car park. But at the end of the day, tired legs and whiteout conditions we decided to take the chair.
I was told of a wide run out to the right of Mugs Alley that goes far out all the way down to the base. Must try it if I get the chance again.
The next day I wasn't up, but the website showed that the snow hadn't stopped falling. Piste bashers in the car park and about two feet of snow on the roofs. It looks like the season has been breathed once again back to life.

Saturday 5th March 2011

Took a trip up to ride and watch the first Glencoe Snowpark Jam. Visibility was very poor except when cloud parted briefly. The temperatures had been high and loads of snow had been lost. Up to 3 feet in places. Choppy conditions and sugary snow made the ride tricky. The kids in the jam session didn't seem to mind too much. A lot of skill was on view.
I didn't get too much riding done. Lower slopes were none existent so I stuck to the Main Basin with a little go on Etive Glades. Here's hoping for a top up of fresh snow.
Temperature was above zero and snow was wet.

Saturday 26th February 2011

A very changeable day. About three types of weather in one run. Mist, sun then snow.
Lots of snow bad been lost in the rain of the last week. However sunny spells were present. Remaining snow high up was hard and choppy in places. Some snow showers swept over but nothing too heavy. Things need to get colder and snowier. Mugs Ally just about holding up with very soft snow. Didn't try Spring Run today. It may have been good. But spent most time in Main Basin & Happy Valley. Although looking bright next week, maybe a Miracle will bring more snow.

Scotland v Wales

Sunday the rugby was forgettable, but the day was great. A long session in the pub to celebrate G's birthday. Then back to the pub after the game to forget. The welsh contingent were happy despite the poor show.

Glencoe 8 February 2011

A day off work to grab my second day of the season. A mix of bad timing and bad weather meant I've been desperate to get up to Coe. Tuesday 8th looked like the best day of the week on MWIS so grabbed the chance.
Although I was late to rise I still got the good part of a day up there. The last few days had been very windy with lots of precipitation. This fortunately meant that lots of soft snow was dumped onto of what had become slabs of solid ice.
Main basin started the day. I enjoyed some lovely lazy turns with a few gentle hits of the windlip.
I used my skitracks app for the first time so also went for a few timed runs down Etive Glades reaching 50kph.
The lovely wind packed powder meant Spring Run was a must and lo it was good.
Gentle winds and high cloud made for a great afternoon. It wasn't cold, maybe around or just above zero.
I'll try to publish my skitracks data. Not sure how it works yet.

Western_Isles_2010_ 1 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Here is the full collection of images from my Summer cycle trip to the Western Isles.

Western_Isles_2010_ 1 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Glencoe Sunday 9th January 2011

Sunday 9th January 2011 trip to Glencoe. Shot and edited entirely on my iPhone.

A touch blustery, but great soft conditions up top. Could do with a bit more. Chilly wind but around -1 without. Sunny spells on my first venture up this season.

More Hipstamatic

Not creepy at all