Down, but not out

Well it's flown by once again.
I have a problem with my leg ??
It keeps swelling up and they are not sure why yet.
I've been to three hospitals in the last three weeks.
Ultrasound scans, A consultant having a pokey, then 50 miles up the road for a Biopsy .
It seems I have a couple of lumps at the top of my leg .
First it's a blood clot, then it's an enlarged lymph node that can be sorted with antibiotics.
Then my own doctor decides she is not happy and wants to know more, so it's up the road for the biopsy.
I'd feel fine if it wasn't for the hole in my leg, it still swells up but not like it used to.
Now waiting for results.
No Cycling, No Walking, lots of sitting with my leg up, and lots of plans are being made for the next adventure.

July ??

July already time flies .

Must download the pictures off the camera and update this Blog.

Weather has been hot too hot for me.

But I'm still Cycling, Fishing and Packrafting.

Went to a Barn Dance last night, not really my thing but it was in my neighbour's Barn and as I got the job of putting up the lights and balloons I had to show my face .

I cycled to Cinn Trolla Broch the other day it's just up the road and even though I have passed it many times, I've never stopped to look at it as there is nowhere to park .
It was a lot bigger and more interesting than I thought it would be as there are several buildings around it.
Once again the Camera on the phone worked well, but the Sun was low and in completely the wrong place to get the pictures I wanted.

Summers Gone

Well the few warm days seem to have passed by so it's chilly and damp once again.
But it was nice to have a couple of nice days to go Bromptoneering.
The Friend I got the Bike off has given me the official title of "Bromptoneer of the North".
Too hot to work has quickly turn to too cold to go out !!
The River has dropped and it's now as dry as a Cork, soon it will start to stink if we don't have rain.

Slow Blog

Well I must really try to add to this blog more often.
I went to John o Groats last week with a Friend who came up from Birmingham a good day out.
The lower Picture was taken at Staxigoe just South of JoG.
Also having fun on the Brompton Bicycle it's amazingly stable for a Bicycle with such small wheels.
The New Mobile is good at taking pictures as you can see from above.

What Packrafters ??

Packrafting in the UK??

To the best of my knowledge there are only a couple of Packrafts in the UK, but the people that have them don't use them much ??


So I may be the only active Packrafter in the UK??

Hopefully more will join and some will use them, but none seem to be on the horizon at the moment.

I bought a copy of Roman Dials Packrafting Book recently and there is not as much information as I thought there would be and I was rather disappointed as it seemed to revolve round his Packrafting courses, Alpacka rafts his sponsers and all his personal adventures .
He also makes up his own Whitewater ratings rather than use the ones People already know?? plus making up his own words for paddling situations and calling himself the Godfather of packrafting then admiting in the book that Packrafts were used in new Zealand before they got to Alaska.??
No diagrams of Paddlestrokes etc, just pictures of the author and his Friends ??
A very disappointing book considering what the reviews say about it

Packrafting

Well at last all sorted.
I was sent the wrong Paddle but a friend called in and we did a swop.
I had a Combo Paddle, a 2 piece Kayak Paddle that came with 2 extra pieces with T handles attached, to make up 2 single paddles not the sort of thing you need in a packraft.
So we did a swop and I now have a Boreal Swift 4 piece adjustable Kayak Paddle it's not as light as I would like at 3lbs (including the bag) but it does the job and packs down to a good size .
I reckon my 2 piece Carlisle Paddle is lighter but it doesn't pack down as small.
I was also given a bag at the same time, that I can put everything in, Packraft, Paddle, Pfd, and Spare Clothes, so it's now a case of Grab It, throw it over my shoulder and Go.

I'm also trying to put together what is maybe best described as a Bugout Bag, not for any Disasters or End of the World senarios, but just something that keeps my Getaway gear together.
I'm trying to make it Hobolight without spending any money on new stuff!!

Hibernation

So it's out of hibernation.

The Canoe is sold after a lot of messing about (But that's another story)
I've bought a Packraft instead (Sevylor), I've got another bicycle (Brompton) and I'm learning to play the harmonica.
So it's back to the blogging.
The winter has been ok but not good for cycling or packrafting not much snow it's just been cold and sore bones don't help.
The above picture is not me.