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Catching up with Jenny

Jenny “First Cousin Once Removed” Holmes is visiting the UK and Europe at the moment and we had a great chance to catch up with her for a day last Sunday when she came to stay with Phil & family in Arkholme.

Jenny was plucked from this fine land at the tender age of six and whisked off to New Zealand by my cousin Mark and the rest of his family. Seeing someone who lives on the other side of the globe is always an odd thing, but seeing a 22 year old woman who was 12 last time I saw her is very strange… Life’s moved on in undescribable ways since the last time I saw her. I have two children and am… well… forty. Jenny is about to graduate and is no longer a little girl.

But what’s remarkably great is that there is such simple warm familiarity in “family” – something that never dies out however long that gaps are between visits.

Lovely to see you Jenny and let’s all maybe try not to make it such a long gap next time.

Photos here

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February half term in Peebles – again

If ever there was a good sign that a holiday works, it is that you do it again. There’s a good mix of the things that seem to add up to a good little holiday for the Haygaths at the Peebles Hydro hotel. Too pricey for a full week, but just within the realms of decadence for three nights in Feb half term (especially with three nights for the price of two!).

It was a similar recipe to last year’s holiday there – but different in many ways as Elsie has doubled in age in that short year. Continue reading “February half term in Peebles – again”

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Bread of Heaven

It’s a simple formula that’s bound to win every time. Putting gentlemen together in a mountain area for a couple of days is just about all it takes. Other holidays or excursions have various frills around the edges, but the basic raw ingredients of a good bunch of fellows and a load of stunning upland are what it takes to make the bread of Heaven.

And so it was, last Saturday morning at c. 10am, I met up with Phil, Gareth, Adrian, John, Peter, Simon, Rob, Richard, Stephen, Sam and Jim for a walk in the Aran mounains, a strangely under-visited non-honey pot corner of Snowdonia. What followed for the rest of Saturday and Sunday was fairly predictable in places (the tone of the banter), hugely Broken Specterunpredictable in others (Gareth’s near-fatal near-head near-injury). Sitting down to eat well deserved and well-shaken lunches on top of hills was on the agenda; breathtaking cloud inversions and Broken Specters were possibly less easy to foresee.

… but that is the nature.  If we got together every year for a walking weekend (and we have done for ten years running now) and everything went too much to a formula, it’d be fine.  The unpredictables; those surprise views, the sudden outpouring of hymns in Welsh Male Voice choir stylee, the bizarre, twisted concepts that can arise from meandering conversations – those bits are the spreads to the bread.

A wonderful weekend; fine fellows all, and just a great opportunity to spend special time with great people.  Until next year…

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Luge champs

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National Trophy Round 6 – Rutland Water

Out – not with a bang, not with a whimper

On the beachSo the 17th January 2010 was the last day I was officially in my 30s. As far as British Cycling was concerned, I was technically still a senior, so founf myself on the start line racing with ‘those youngsters’ under 40 for the last time in a National series. From about three minutes into the race, it was clear that I’m going to suit being old, as my race deteriorated into a bit of a shambles… Continue reading “National Trophy Round 6 – Rutland Water”

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Forty

40XXXX … today. I’ve reached middle age, and am having a lovely time. Quiet day planned with close family and no doubt a few drinks (helped now because tomorrow’s national cyclocross championships have been postponed).

I hear a lot of people saying that they don’t feel any older when they get into their 40s, but I have lost all my hair overnight, become wrinkled, and put on two stones. Never mind. I can still rock out.

Photos below of the day…

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The last bike ride of my thirties

So this is the end of my thirties. Today. That’s it after today – tomorrow, I’m middle-aged. Hurrah! (well – did you think I’d be bothered??)

In more of an attempt to wangle a good day out than anything else, Matthew invited me to a day’s leave Mountain biking, well in advance of today (largely because of a technical glut of annual leave he had to take) so when the snow came back earlier this week, we both knew we were in for fun.

We met up in Holcombe at 9:15 this morning and what followed was one of those very memorable outdoor trips. I’ve been out in the snow a bit lately on the road bike, cross bike and even on the Mountain Bike, but have obviously avoided full on open fell riding – simply because there just hasn’t been the time (all the other rides could be done under the guise of ‘training’ or getting the children to school / nursury). Today’s ride was in the name of adventure and fun. It certainly lived up to that.

The fact that we covered a total of 18 miles in 3 hrs of riding sums it up really. What amounts to a good healthy walking pace on most summer days was a pretty full on MTB adventure round Holcombe and Entwhistle in what varied between hard-packed icy snow (at best) and foot deep snow-wading and bike carrying in the cold midwinter sunshine.

The ride was fun, and was topped off by a lovely few pints at the Shoulder of Mutton and a sarnie with chips, before a quick shower and then a chance to pick Lily up from school (on the trailer bike) and an hour or so of sledging, later on.

I hope my forties are this good. Stay tuned.

Mobile crappy photos below

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Snowy school-run commute on the Trailer Bike




Trailer Bike

Originally uploaded by Dave Haygarth

Some extreme snow conditions hit us today – but given that Lily’s school has a policy of always being open, we went for it on the trailer bike and my 29er with some slightly deflated tyres. Brilliant commute… no skidding, and cars strewn all over the roads, to help us onto the moral and literal high ground on this morning’s school run.

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Happy New Year 2010 from the South

We headed down south for a lovely couple of days to see friends Rachel & Jon at their place in Eastbourne for this New Year. The children and dogs loved it as much as we did. Couple of great relaxed jogging outings on the downs and meandering outings to the seaside – even the traffic was agreeable. Fancy dress party for a few friends (the theme was “a colour” some dodgy pics below). All boxes ticked. Happy New Year all.

Photos and Videos below…
Continue reading “Happy New Year 2010 from the South”

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Dips & Jane & Libby & Flo popped in

Good old friends are always the best – and it was so ace to see Dips & Jane and their girls today on their way back home to Oxford after a Christmas stay in Dentdale. We had about five hours together all in all, but it was just enough time to cram in another few great times and forge some more goods for the memory bank.

Amazingly the dying Christmas snow had its Swan Song and provided us with yet another chance to sledge (… this after I’d already taken Lily for her first bum-boarding lesson in the morning). A few bruised bums on the cold ice, and a very cold muddy foot for Libby after an all too predictable welly incident, but all somehow made it just better and more memorable.

Back to work tomorrow for me, but this flying visit helped it become a very memorable and valuable Christmas break.

Some photos here or slideshow below, and a short video below that…

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Winter Wonderland

So here we are – Christmas eve, and here’s a few photos from snowy Helmshore. Amazingly enough, this is my first ‘proper’ White Christmas – at the ripe old age of 29. Oops. okay… 39.

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Nativity 2009 – double the Christmassiness

We got a double whammy this year for the first time – Lily’s nativity plays have been a source of parental pride for the last few years but this year was also Elsie’s first public performance – in her nursery nativity this year.

The snow has certainly made things miles more festive this year,everything obviously looks and feels more Christmassy – so double the nativity plays means double the Christmassiness.

Lily’s school play was called ‘Santa and the TV set – and Lily had a bit of a starring role, playing Santa’s nagging wife, taking inspiration from goodness-only-knows where:

Elsie’s nursery had a more traditional Christmas nativity, and rather than go for an obvious role like Mary or the Angel Gabriel, Elsie wisely took the all important support role of a Christmas pudding.  Despite the wisdom of her 19 months, stage nerves eventually got to Elsie, who crumbled to tears soon after seeing parents and sister in the audience.  Halcyon days. Pics here

Elsie's nativity