Autumn Walk, Cwmcarn

medals

One each! (different events,different age groups)

Autumn Equinox

The Equinox...Gwyl Mabon...has crept up upon us. I think we're just too busy at the moment, for our own good.

Medals (a bronze each) have been won in a competition last weekend.
Now we are doing last minute tweaking and testing of equipment to ensure it all goes smoothly in the Masters World rack championships in Manchester...the biggest yet,with nearly 450 entries on the book (there WILL be late additions!) from 33 countries!!

We are noticing the difference in daylight between South Wales and Scotland...it has seemed strange to have half an hour less daylight in the evening.  Now the Equinox has passed, the boot will be on the other foot!

We will both be glad to return to a rural area...no streetlights, no cars racing up and down,no heavy lorries outside the window...

Referendum

So for every 9 that said Aye, 11 said Nae.

The message to Westminster?

We'll stay, BUT....Nae Messin' wi' Scotland Nae Mair

work

Today's job has been finishing mending an old 1920s shed..part one was making a gulley at the foot along the brick base to take away rainwater runoff.
 Then stripping off the dubious looking weatherboard, revealing a bigger job than was hoped.  
Uprights had to be fitted in using shelf brackets !

We tried to source new timber, but 5 metre boards are special order only...and would have been nearly £50 for five,plus delivery.

"New" boarding came from a "retired" shed, and all the work had to be done with screws...you can imagine what wielding a hammer near a half rotten shed would have done!

Now it is weatherproof, doesn't lean when you put a hand against it and the end wall no longer moves in the breeze. 

Our next job in a month's time is to fix guttering to the shed.

I think our job will cost much less than the £2,000 quotes that the owner received from others but we can understand just why no-one else wanted the job!
Hopefully we'll get paid soon!!

Trip to Alkmaar

 ferry from Newcastle...well, Port of Tyne.....and a lovely sunset....

 then sleep(?!!) on the overnight ferry to Ijmuiden (akaAmsterdam, on the tickets!)

 half an hour's drive across Noord Holland, 10k past Alkmaar to Schoorl, where we stayed on a holiday bungalow site for a week.

 while we trained every day on the track, then raced on the last weekend.

 and saw plenty windmills and wind turbines

 and huge allotment garden sites around Alkmar

 and bikes for hire...

 sign for a pottery workshop, mainly for handicapped people in Schoorl...but others can use it too.

 by the main road and canal, houses with tile and reed thatch

 and bikes everywhere!!

 the velodrome at Alkmaar Sportpalais

 himself (on my bike as we had to bike share!) he did well in his races...not fast, but feeling better and it does him good mentally to be back on his bike

 after the racing, we still go in circles!  and we had supper together too...good Dutch food and hospitality.

 Then a day off...walking around Alkmaar. Our friends chose the boat trip..

 and we chose to walk...saw the building with the cheese museum which was the main cheese mart and import/export building by the quay.

 and a walk around the old town.  We know where we'll be returning to!

 of course we bought cheese...and good honey!

 back to the velodrome to collect our bikes from the stores

 and pack the car.........

 and on to the ferry again

 but not before frites and mayo!!

 and the smaller Dutch tall ship came into Ijmuiden as we waited to leave the harbour

 our last sight of the Nederlands...for now!

 and the sun set in a cloudy sky...

 time for supper, and bed....and a better night's sleep on deck 11 on the way back....deck 2 was rather noisy and hot on the way out!!

back to Scotland for a mountain of washing and gardening catch-up....