Prepped and Ready to Go – Bring on the summer!
The last few weeks have largely been about getting things in order for the summer ahead. That has meant a mix of early starts, time outside in the sun and wind, and a steady run of practical jobs: washing kit down, moving gear around, clearing shelves, and trying to get everything back into a sensible place before the summer properly kicks off.
On the water, the repaired surf skis have continued to perform well. Both have now been out on the sea, including an evening paddle across to Aberdyfi and back in choppy seas. So far they’re holding up and remaining watertight, which is a good early indicator that the repairs have done their job. Longer-term durability is still unknown, but the initial signs are positive.
The wind also returned, allowing a few windsurfing sessions. Unfortunately, my mast became jammed after one session last week. Despite a few of us trying for about an hour to get it apart, including using two booms for leverage, the two ends just won’t budge. It’s a nice 100% carbon ‘Platinum’ line mast as well that cost £800. Other than being jammed, there’s nothing wrong with it, so it’ll be a shame if that’s the end of it. I couldn’t be without a 400cm mast though as it’s what my 5.0 and 4.5m sails rig on, and days on those sails are always the best days. So, I’ve ordered a new one as a replacement, and will continue to try to separate the other one.
At home, things have also been shifting into “summer readiness” mode. We’re preparing for Morgan’s return, which has naturally triggered a wider tidy-up. That has meant clearing his room, sorting cupboards and generally bringing a bit more order back into the house. As part of that process, a few unused items were listed for sale and moved on quickly. The proceeds have already been spent several times over on a mast, wetsuit, bike-packing kit and other necessities! We’re looking forward to Morgan’s tales of his travels in Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Vietnam – No doubt it’ll take some prising to get any real info from him, but I’m sure he’ll have a few stories to tell.
The garden has had attention as well, with a few overdue jobs completed and the space slowly brought back under control. The lawn has been cut by robots and robot issues have been fixed by me. Borders have been tidied, shrubs pruned and things repotted. Nothing dramatic, but enough to feel like things are edging back into shape rather than slipping further behind. It always looks nice at this time of year.
Enter the Heat Wave
Summer seemed to arrive in spectacular fashion last week with record breaking temperatures everywhere. We didn’t quite break the all time Ynyslas temperature record of 33.7ºC, but we did get to 33.1ºC and the ‘Feels Like’ temperaure hit 37.4ºC, which was a new record. Thursday’s night ride mountain bike session provided the usual midweek activity, with a super easy, chilled ride in the blistering heat wave conditions – followed by an unexpected but very welcome dip in the river afterwards to cool off. If only summer days were always hot and sunny.
The weather was perfect for the annual IBERS Celebration Event, which included a stroll around Gogerddan woods to cool off in the shade. I was introduced to a French intern, Clélia, who is here for a few months. She was desperate to get out surfing, so I met her on Saturday and showed her around. I then let her use one of our boards, and we got in the water at Ynyslas. The surf wasn’t up to much, with small, messy waves and not much power, but she was glad to get wet and I’m sure she’ll be up for more sessions if conditions allow. She’s also keen to see more of Wales, so we are planning a few mountain walks. Hopefully starting with Cadair Idris this weekend.
Looking ahead, the next few months are already shaping up with plenty of micro and not so micro adventures. There’s:
- a weekend planned for our anniversary involving fine dining,
- a trip to a show in Bristol,
- kayaking in Sweden,
- a beach holiday in Croatia
- and bike-packing the Traws Eryri.
It’s a mix of local escapes and travel further afield, and it’s helped set a bit of direction for the summer rather than just letting it drift.
It’s the usual reset, repair, organise, and prepare. The watersports kit is back in working order, the bike routine is ticking along, the house and garden are gradually being brought into shape, and there’s a defined set of things on the horizon to aim for. Nothing ever goes quite to plan, but with kit ready to go and plans afoot there should be plenty of fun to be had.
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