Zermatt

So, with our 1st wedding anniversary on 21st December, my wife Natalie and I, planned to hit the slopes and spend that special day in the most romantic ski resort in Europe, Zermatt.

After a very early start on Wednesday 18th Dec, we flew out from LHR T5, arriving in Geneva around 9am, local time. A transfer by train along Lake Geneva and then a change at Visp onto a mountain train that took us gradually into the mountains. Slowly the peaks raised above us and we found ourselves looking at the Matterhorn; Probably the most aesthetically beautiful looking mountain in the world. 

We arrive in Zermatt and take an electric taxi to our apartment; All the vehicles are electric in Zermatt, no motorised vehicles are allowed, which is something you really notice, it's quieter with fresh air, making this beautiful mountain town so peaceful and calm (most of the time!). 

We arrive at the apartment greeted with nearly a 150 steps!! But remember with elevation you get view and the view over Zermatt was simply breathtaking, as you'll see in the pictures below.

We headed into town, sorted skis and lift passes, got a food shop in and then headed back to the apartment. We lit the fire and just relaxed and took in the beautiful surroundings. 

An early alarm and first lift into the mountains, we were a couple of the first people on the slopes - awesome! Skiing when it's quiet, is just the best, having the slopes to yourself, nothing quite beats it apart from off piste, but the conditions and lack of snowfall meant that was not an option. 

Sticking to the slopes and having 5 days of empty pistes meant we got in a lot of skiing, always on the first lift up and being the last to leave, it was great fun, it felt like our own piece of paradise. Spending this many hours interrupted on skis, meant we got to practice technique and just enjoy the occasion. 

We skied most of Zermatt whilst there, maybe only missing out a few runs. On our anniversary we headed over to Cervinia (Italy), had lunch in one of the piste restaurants, taking in the spectacular views. In the evening we celebrated our anniversary in a beautiful Resturant in Zermatt called Snowboat. 

Being around the Matterhorn, seeing it from nearly every angle and capturing it on camera has only inspired me further to climb this mountain and it's a definite goal for 2014. 

Plans for ski trip No 2 are also in the pipeline, it's such s great sport and one I can enjoy with my beautiful wife. What a bonus. 

Below is a collection of shots taken from this trip, I really enjoyed using the skills I learnt from my photography course, I would not of got these shots without the knowledge. Enjoy!

Zermatt at twilight

Natalie on the train taking in the views

What a mountain

The Matterhorn from Chez Vrony

A magical town

It just glows beauty

Magical night shot

My wife and I

Moonshine 

Me and the Matterhorn

Natalie carving it up...
 

View from Chez Vrony over a hot chocolate

Speedy....

The Catalogue shot!

Eating powder!!

Natalie on the edge

Me enjoying empty slopes

Does it get much better?

STOP!!!

A nice portrait shot
 

Just in heaven

Falling asleep with this view through the window.....

A morning glow on the Matterhorn

Faster and faster and living on the edge 

Natalie tearing it up

Continued support...

Both Adidas Eyewear and Smartwool continue there support with my future plans. 

"I'm very grateful for the clothing and eyewear support, it just makes my journeys into the adventure world just that little more comfortable". 

All good intentions...

It was planned I was going to meet Gideon, to head out on the trails at Swinley Forest a little earlier than the others, to get some footage on the GoPro, to make a little video. Then hook up with the other guys and continue the ride.

The alarm went off, got my stuff together and headed off out... Something did not feel right. So I checked my phone and the exchange of texts from the night before. We confirmed 7 30 meet!! It was 8am and I'd only just left!! 1 hour behind, oops!

I arrived at Gideon's and after a quick coffee, loaded his bike on the rack and headed out.  

No more than 10mins of riding and I'm losing pressure in my back tyre... I run 'tubeless' tyres so added some air and carried on. After a minute or so I'm flat again... As I did not have any fluid that self seals my tyres, my only option was to put an inner tube on the wheel.

We pull over and Gideon and I get the tube on as fast as possible... At this point no footage has been taken as we were only just getting to the good sections of the forest. 

Tube on and ready to ride we head off on probably my favourite section in the forest. Railing the burns and getting air at any opportunity, we are in business. Or maybe not. I take a burn fast and my tyre is flat again. We pull over to the side of the trail to find I have a pinch flat. I have pinched the inner tube taking a corner. Great!

So now we have to fix a pinch in the tyre. Out comes the puncture repair kit. Quick repair and the wheel is back on the bike. I'm pumping the tyre and not getting any pressure. We take the wheel back off, we check the tube and we find a second pinch. That gets repaired and now we are back in business, again!

We ride to meet the others and then had an enjoyable hour or so ripping it up. No GoPro footage: all good intentions, but it was just one of those days. 

The trip to North Carolina has given me loads of confidence and I'm finding myself attacking the corners and hardly using my breaks. Which means I'm going fast, feeling the need for speed!

Had a lot of fun on the trails today after a very frustrating start. Looking forward to getting out again and hitting it harder and faster and getting the footage to make a kick-ass movie.

This two pictures sum up the ride...

ITV interview - Emma Welch, Everest Challenge

Please check out the ITV interview covering Emma Welch's Everest Challenge. 

http://www.itv.com/news/west/update/2013-11-25/radstock-girl-scales-the-height-of-everest/

Inspired...

Two and a bit months ago, I received an email from a young girl called Emma Welch, explaining a challenge she was going to embark on. 8848m on an indoor climbing wall... Yep, the height of Mt Everest on a vertical wall. I continued to read to find out she was only 12 years old and suffers from scoliosis of the spine. A mammoth challenge twice a week having to accumulate over 50 laps at each session.

The email also asked if I would attend the final day, where Emma would reach her target height and would I climb with her. What an honour and what an inspiration.

After my reply to Emma accepting the invitation, we stayed in contact and I followed her progress.

My wife Natalie and I, headed to Somerset yesterday and found a lovely little quant B&B in Radstock called 'The Post House'. We were directed to a local pub for some proper home made cooking and tucked into some local Ales. A nice stroll back to the B&B and we were settled in for an early night.

We arrived at the climbing wall this morning, welcomed by Emma's father Tony and immediately saw the support Emma had from friends, family and members of the community, all coming together to support this local heroine.

I was introduced to Emma and her mother, Lesley, who was belaying. We had a little chat and I could tell she was keen to tick off the laps so I let her carry on without much disruption. She then rested and we spoke further and after a little rest I had the privilege of belaying this little superstar, who just shot up and down, relaxed and got in the zone. After each lap we would have a little chat and then she would fly back up to the top of the route. Impressive stuff!

We then got to a point where Emma only had 9 laps to go and way ahead of schedule so another rest was planned. I had packed all my summit kit, boots, down suit, mitts, beanie and goggles and said to Emma about wearing it for her final 9 laps... she loved the idea and climbed in all the kit; she was melting!

It came to the final lap and Emma had packed a Union Jack flag to pin to the belay clip at the top of the route, a nice touch in completing what is an official World Record and an amazing achievement by a inspiring young lady.

We exchanged a high five at the top of the route and I congratulated her on this amazing feat. People cheered and applauded rom below. What a great achievement by a young lady taking herself out of her comfort zone and achieving something remarkable, inspiring many and raising funds for Brain Tumour Research.

So, Emma had completed her challenge and now the media wanted to hear what it felt like. ITV, BBC local radio and magazines were present and I must say she gave interviews and worked the camera like a pro. I had to rely on the latest editing suits to chop and cut and paste together my pieces to camera... Take, um, 5!

What a fun day meeting the local community and sharing this amazing day with Emma and her family.

We headed to the Centriniun for dinner with Emma and her parents and talked Everest, showed her hundreds of photos and answered all her questions she had about the mountain, the history, the environment, the technical side of climbing and the logistics, it was a very proud moment for me to share my summit with such an enthusiastic fan.

So wrapping this up, a big thank you to Emma and her family for inviting me to this event and sharing those last laps with you, it was a great privilege and an honour. I am inspired :)

Belaying Emma

Photo opportunity

Lesley, Me, Emma and Tony

Interview with the ITV

Getting Emma ready for the summit.

Emma abseiling.

Final lap and fully kitted up in summit apparel.

Perfect foot placement needed.

A high five and an amazing achievement.

Flying the Union Jack and descending the final lap.

Job Done, well done Emma.

Emma with a proud Mum and Dad

End of a fantastic day

East Coast MTB Trip

My brother and I headed over to North Carolina on the east coast of the United States to go mountain biking for a long weekend.

Hosted by Arvindh and Scott, two very keen bikers, it was destined to be an epic. 

We headed out from Heathrow T3 and lapped up the executive lounge, flying with big bro as its benefits. After a 7 hour flight we landed at Durham & Reliegh airport, picked up the Chevrolet Suburban and headed to Arvindh's house. 

After a quick chat and bike check, we headed to a cool Mexican joint downtown, to enjoy a few coronas and well needed nachos, I've never been a fan of aeroplane food.

An early night and an early morning had us en route to W.Kerr Scott Dam and Reservouir's trail system, home of 4 epic trails, Warrior Creek, Dark Mountain, Fort Hamby and Over Mountain Victory. 

We arrived at our camp site, set up and headed straight out on our bikes. Following a 3 hour ride on Warrior Creek, we headed back to camp. Arvindh had a fall towards the end of the trail and was suffering with his shoulder to the point where he could not lift his arm!! We lit a fire, got the cooler out and tucked into a Corona or two, followed by a BBQ on an open fire. It doesn't get much better. 

I had a few things to get used to on the US bike, firstly the brakes are on the opposite side!! Nightmare! Few trips over the handlebars and I still kept pulling the left brake! The set up of the gears and suspension also took a bit of time getting used to.

A good nights kip and we were up getting the fire started ready for breakfast. Arvindh could not move his arm so he was out of the days ride. Scott Andy and myself headed to Dark Mountain. After a night of rain and a lot of leaves on the trail it was going to be fun handling the bikes. We gunned it for 3 or so hours and enjoyed a fast, tight and flowing trail with loads of variety. A few falls but a fun day out. More beer, another BBQ and a few more beers finished the evening off. 

Unfortunately due to loads of overnight rain we were unable to get out Sunday morning. We packed up and headed to a micro brewery for a few beers and lunch, before a flight home to the UK... Oh and straight to work. 

Great weekend, great company and great riding. Looking forward to heading out next year, maybe for an extra few days... 

The Trails...

The beast, great car but drunk fuel like you cant imagine.

View from the camp site, the trails where the other side of the lake. 

Smokin!!! somebody stop me

Ready to ride out from the car park.

Enough wood for the evening Arv?? He thinks so!!!

Wood chopping begins!

Fire and thoughts

Andy and I, brothers on tour

It's been a while...

It's been a while since my last post, so apologies!

After getting back from the Himalaya in May, I set myself a goal to lead 7a by the end of the year. 

I was hitting the climbing wall once or twice a week and not really getting anywhere. I made a decision to dedicate more time and effort so I could build the technique and strength to reach this goal. 

My wife Natalie and I, moved to Walton on Thames and discovered a new climbing wall on the doorstep, The White Spider in Surbiton.

This facility has inspired me to train harder and its location allows me to make more visits because of the ease of access; as a result I'm moving much more efficiently, I'm stronger and climbing harder grades. I've also been given a few books to read on climbing, which has changed my thought patterns whilst climbing. 

I'm confidently leading 6b+ and making good attempts at 7a routes, so I'm knocking on the door to reaching my goal with 2 months to go... I'm sure it won't be long and I will crack it. 

I'm looking forward to finding a stint of good weather and getting out on natural rock ASAP and see if the hard work has paid off. I might have to hunt the good weather down though with a trip abroad, which would not be such a bad thing would it Natalie? ; ) 

So if you thought I was being lazy you were wrong... I've been training hard.