Adventure She December 2018

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Adventure December 2018 Adventure She She December 2018

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THEMONGOL DERBY Car ol n e M u r r ay

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Adventure She December 2018

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NYCMARATHON PAGE69

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FLORIDA'S ALLIGATORS ANDOTHERWILDLIFE 3

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Adventure She December 2018

Welcome

Wendy Searle writes about the different skills (so changes in behaviour) needed in the extreme environment of Greenland.

Lucja Leonard underwent a life changing transformation on going from obese to ultra runner, Rosie Dutton embraces all the changes that come her way as she grasps opportunities to build a career as a wildlife film maker.

A big huge welcome to all of you. This issue is being published on what's the shortest day of the year, here in the northern hemisphere. But for many of you, it'll be the longest day, whilst those of you living closer to the Equator, of course have a more even distribution of daylight throughout the year.

Age 17, our youngest contributor this time is Lucy Tatam, who when sea kayaking for the first time, had to overcome tiredness, blisters and pain, if she wanted to achieve her goal. Snowborder and samba dancer Zoe Pye only learned those skills in her 30's. Here she shares her tips on coping with the learning curve. Penny Walker also shares several tips on learning a new activity, namely snowshoeing. At the other end of the spectrum, Hannah Attenburrow shares tips which anyone who's serious about their mountain biking, should definitely absorb.

Whilst the shortest day, the celebration of religious festivals such as Christmas and the dates of national holidays may differ across the world, one thing is 'constant' and that of course is that is life is full of changes. Be it the change that comes with learning to walk, or growing up, or becoming infirm; or changes in our workplace; or family changes; change is all around us. So why do so many of us fear change in our life.

New year resolutions are a form of change.

Many people dread them, but here at Adventure She we love them. Why? Because rather thank thinking we're going to give up x, y or z, nowadays we instead try to focus on what we'll gaining as a result in the change to our habits.

For those of you with a new year resolution of running a marathon, you may particularly enjoy Ann Yergin Byrne's article on her first marathon, whilst prospective ultra runners should enjoy our cover woman Jacqui Burke's account of ultra running in the jungle of Peru. We were particularly interested to see how after changing tactics part way through the 5 day race, she enjoyed it a lot more.

Yes change can be difficult. But we very much hope, that all the examples of change in this issue, will help you deal with some changes that might be happening in your life.

Touring cyclists will notice a similar theme in Caroline Powell's experience of New 4

Front cover photo courtesy of Alex Thomson

Adventure She December 2018

Zealand, where she too had to change her normal mindset, and accept the offer of a lift.

As for us, 2019 will be a year of hopefully wonderful change, as we plan to improve our website, so it's even easier for you to read Adventure She whether on computers, tablets and mobile phones.

We are also looking at how we can bring you even more content, as once again we've unfortuately ran out of space in this issue, so need to hold over a few articles.

If you can't wait for the March issue, let us know and in January we'll send you preview copies of the articles on hiking to Machu Picchu, canoeing the Zambesi and the Nyepi festival.

Like Wendy Searle, Adriana Eyzaguirre also faced changing Greenland weather, when she organised a kayaking expedition to the west coast of Greenland.

All of these have been fun events. The reality is though, that life is often a challenge. Unfortunately one of our contributors was in a very challenging situation. Her choice was to stay and possibly keep suffering, or to go. She very bravely shares her story with us.

We really hope you enjoy the last of our 2018 issues.

To give everyone a break from change, Part 2 of the article on pilgrimages appears here. Plus, after racking our brains with all those amazing adventures, we finish on a much lighter note, wildlife watching in Florida, which is an adventure most if not all of us could undertake.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all of you.

Jane Founder and Editor

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Adventure She is published by TNA Consulting Services Ltd, the address of the registered of which can be obtained from Companies House. The entire contents is protected by copyright 2018 and all rights are reserved. Reproduction without prior permission is forbidden. Every care is taken in compiling the contents of the magazine, but the publishers assume no responsibility in the effect arising therefrom, Readers are advised to seek professional advice before acting on any information which is contained in the magazine. Neither TNA Consulting Services Ltd nor Adventure She magazine accept any liability for views expressed, pictures used or claims made. Copyright Š 2018 TNA Consulting Services Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

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Adventure She December 2018

Crossi ng Greenl and

by Wendy Searl e 6

Adventure She December 2018

he weather had deteriorated, cold wind blasting into our faces and trying to find its way into our polar layers. ?Dig in, prepare for the storm, this is serious?, we?d been told. And so we stopped. We dug our tents down into the snow, we built snow walls. Despite the warning, it was hard to feel apprehensive; the polar night was stunningly beautiful ? pink sun burned the sky and flooded the snow with colour.

Spindrift was gathering in live swirls that raced along the ground.

T

We joked around, taking selfies and admiring our snow walls. Then we dived into our tents and awaited the storm ? almost impatiently, as we knew we still had a long way to ski and every day we spent not travelling was time we didn?t have.

The storm raged. People write that a lot ? ?the storm raged?? but I wonder just how much anger nature had thrown at them compared to the storm which came our way. Piteraq storms are unique to Greenland. The

wind whips across the massive ice sheet, gathering strength as it goes. It built gradually, until it was like being inside a jet engine. The noise was so great we could barely hear each other. Going outside was out of the question. I?d have been blown away or become instantly lost. In an earlier, lesser storm, my team mate Pete

"People often a sk what you think a bout a ll day long." had discovered a tiny, colourful bird sheltering in the lee of our tents. He?d taken it gently in his hands, hoping to rescue the shivering creature. The instant he did so, the wind whipped the bird from him, and it was gone.

It's amazing what you get used to. Even during the storm, I managed to sleep a little, the constant snapping of the tent canvas entering my dreams.

Our crossing of 7

Greenland was an ambitious if not unique expedition.

Teams from around the world attempt the crossing in May and October each year. We were a self-guided team of two women and four men, and up until that storm our biggest issue had been navigating the administration and permits from the Greenland government.

People often ask what you think about all day long, when your days consist of nothing more than skiing.

Skiing for 10 hours a day, every day. No chance for a breather, or to change your mind once you?ve set out. The -Quote Author conditions were bad, some of the worst that regular guides had ever seen; deep, soft snow that is a monumental effort to make forward progress in, headwinds, temperatures down to -35, complete whiteout - when all you can see is your skis and nothing else.

I went through so many emotions on the ice. I found it hard ? as hard as I?d expected.

There were days when the pulks felt so heavy that I slowed to a frustrating pace. I

Adventure She December 2018

felt elated some days, when the spin drift was so beautiful I was mesmerised. When the glacier at the start of the expedition finally disappeared from view and we were alone in a 360-degree horizon of white, I felt so privileged to be there. I missed my children of course ? so much that I had a few mornings in tears and I remember thinking ?I?m never leaving them again?. I?m not sure hunger is an emotion, but I definitely felt that! Some of the others in the

team were twice my size in every direction, and each of their one strides was three of my quick run-on-ski jog-steps. Some days all I thought was ?ski, ski, ski?in time with every step I took, trying to keep up. Some days I counted steps ? counting to 100 and then starting again, just to get through the day. I listened to audio books, music.

Polar travel is uniquely all-consuming. If you?re at the front, you?re breaking trail,

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navigating, keeping the team together. If you?re at the back of the line you?re thinking ?am I too hot???am I too cold?? ?what am I going to do at the next break ? pee? Fix my gloves??It was more than a little inconvenient being a girl. I?d tried she-wees (and other brands!) but didn?t get on with them. Salopettes are not the easiest thing to take down in minus 35 ? you need to take off your sledging harness, your jacket, your gloves, expose your rear and then do

everything in reverse. Some days it was so cold that I just couldn?t bring myself to take my layers off. With breaks kept to as short a time as possible (5 minutes or so) I could usually fix some part of my kit which needed attention, or pee, but not both. All of these things took up my thoughts.

When it comes to the end of the day, there?s still more to fill your thoughts. The tent needs to go up in a particular way,

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water needs to be heating to rehydrate rations, repairs needs to be done, communication calls back to base made. I had five minutes on the whole trip when I remember just sitting on my pulk and doing nothing.

The days were the same but all so different. One person would wake first, brushing the hoar frost from inside the tent while the others hunkered down in their sleeping bags to avoid being showered with ice. Then the cooker would be lit and the kettle packed with snow.

Once breakfast was eaten, it was time to get dressed. I stayed in merino knickers and merino base layers (yes, one set) for the whole trip. Washing, apart from feet, did not happen. It wasn?t required, and we reduced everything to what was required. Over my thermals I wore wind-proof salopettes and jacket, buff, hat, wristlets, gloves, goggles and boots.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consetetur sadipscing elitr.

Once we were dressed we?d starting moving kit into our pulks and striking the tent. Everyone had a role and after a few days we had a slick routine ? we didn?t even have to talk to get the business of each day done. When the pulks were packed we?d clip into our skis and sledging harnesses and set out. Leaving the arbitrary safety of the camp, which after all had been home for the evening, and setting out into the wilderness was difficult some days; I?d become oddly attached to a random point on the ice.

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What was it like being in a mixed group?

Expeditions are a great leveller. We had proportionate, rather than equal, weight.

Our gender didn?t seem to matter as much as our mind-set. We all looked after each other, or annoyed each other, regardless of our gender. Things people think are going to be the big things ? like peeing in front of the guys (and in the tent; no way was I going outside to pee in the night. The answer to the questions you?re thinking of now are 1. A pee bottle with a ?lady?funnel and 2. Asking the guys to look away) these things didn?t matter after, oh, maybe a day. You get to know people in a unique way. There are no secrets. You sleep next to each other, you see each other at your most difficult moments. For the duration of the expedition, they are your pack, your team, your family.

The best thing about polar travel is also the worst. That complete isolation, the immersion in the elements, the lack of control about the most important thing (the weather) and being a tiny dot on a massive, inhospitable landscape of nothingness; no animals or plants or birds, just white.

Endless, endless white. 570km of it. Except it wasn?t nothing. It was rich in temperament, like it was alive, this wild place, this place that was at once hell and at the same time as close to heaven as it seems possible to be.

Our fixer, part polar legend, part hippy, advised us to ?open our hearts to Greenland? and it became a joke, rather than a mantra, especially when the weather was howling Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consetetur sadipscing elitr.

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horizon, birds began to circle overhead.

Helicopters could occasionally be heard thudding in the distance. We?d made it. Our pick-up point was a patch of snow. No finish line or land mark, just a GPS waypoint to say we?d finished.

and we wanted to finish for the day, but still had more to do. ?Oh Pete, you just need to let Greenland into your heart,?I?d yell over to him over the wind on the breaks. Sometimes he laughed.

But after 27 days, Greenland opened her heart to us. After the head winds and the difficult surface, and the storms and the white-outs, we were granted the most beautiful day. Blue skies, firm snow, no wind.

Then mountains began to grow on the

We ceremonially climbed onto bare rock and looked out over the sea mist lifting from the blue-green fjord. And Greenland had stolen a part of my heart forever.

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About Wendy Sear le Wendy describes herself as "Woman, Mother. Adventurer ". In 2020 she doesn't just plan to ski solo, unsupported and unassisted to the South Pole, she's also aiing to do so by a new route and to break the women?s record for the fastest coastline to Pole journey. Wendy is currently fundraising for that adventure. If you think Wendy is someone you'd like to support, why not get in touch with her. She is also available for corporate and school talks.

Website:

https://southpole2020.com/

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/betweensnowandsky/

Twitter:

@betweensnowsky

Instagram:

@betweensnowandsky 13

Adventure She December 2018

We wer e so fa scinated by Wendy's stor y we couldn't help our selves, we ha d to a sk her a few questions.

What's the permit application process like?

We had an fixer who's an expert in Greenland expeditions. It was unusual as the company involved doesn't usually advise unguided, independent groups.

How did you travel to Greenland:?

You can't fly direct to Greenland. We flew from London to Copenhagen before our connecting flight took us to Kangerlussuaq, a small settlement on the West of Greenland. From there we were driven in Arctic trucks to Point 660, the glacier on the edge of the ice sheet. It's complicated (and can be expensive) to get around in Greenland. There are only 60km of paved road in the whole country. You get around by boat (when the fjords aren't frozen), dog sled or plane/ helicopter. They have an expression which roughly translates as 'Maybe'

when discussing any travel plans, which can often be disrupted by weather. There are no flights on Sundays.

How did your team get selected?

We started off with a team who'd done Hannah McKeand's polar training course with Polar Expedition Training. Friends of friends joined in, dropped out, signed up, until we had our six. We did some training together and I'd worked with three out of the remaining five on expeditions before.

What previous experience did the various members of the team have?

There was a real range of experience; three had skied to the South Pole before, some had much more limited time in Polar environments.

As it was an unguided trip, it was different again from some of the team's guided trips.

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Were there any crevasses and if so, how did you handled them; The spring crossing of Greenland means crevasses were covered with snow enough to make it safe to ski across them. I could see they were there - obvious dips in the surface - but after a while it didn't phase me.

What was your route and how much food did you carry?

We started at Point 660 and finished just above the village of Isortoq on the East Coast, covering 570km over 27 days. We carried 27 days of food, and without the no travel days, it would have taken us 23. The number of teams completing the crossing is reducing every year with the difficulties encountered by the warming of the ice sheet causing soft, deep snow.

Adventure She December 2018

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Adventure She December 2018

RUNNINGDUTCHIE ByLucjaLeonard

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Adventure She December 2018

Is there anyone out there who hasn't worried about their weight, or how they look, or even what people think of them? As 2018 comes to an add we though the perfect time to share Lucja Leonard's with you. Why? Not just because of what she has achieved, but because of the honesty of her writing.

For life isn't always easy, in fact, at times it can be far from easy and Lucja doesn't mince her words in admitting to the tough times which came her way as she fought her demons.

CONFIDENCE,SELFBELIEF,STRENGTH In order to have these things I needed to be

a size 10, toned, have a six pack, look amazing in a bikini and be able to wear a body con dress without any bulges right?!?!

WRONG!

I?ve spent most of my life thinking, no believing, that I?m not good enough. Not good enough in all the superficial aspects of life. At 25 years of age I was 98kg and a size 18 going on 20. I was too fat & too ugly, my body wasn?t toned, my boobs didn?t sit high & perky plus my bum sagged. My thighs were big and instead of a ?thigh gap?, I had stretch marks on my thighs and hips and thighs (and I hadn?t even had kids). On top of all that my stomach jiggled and I had pimples. I hated seeing photos of myself.

Before we get to the article though, we thought a disclaimer was needed.

Why? Because a few weeks ago our editor was attacked on social media for using the word 'fat'. Just as on that occasion, the word 'fat' in this article is used as an adjective and is not intended to have a derogatory connotation.

Fast forward 15 years and I?m about to turn 40, this month in fact, I?m now that size 10 & weigh 67kg and I?m super confident. I believe in myself. And I?m so much stronger than I ever thought. My boobs still don?t sit high & perky, those stretch marks are still there and I still don?t have that elusive six pack or a ?thigh gap?. My bum does sit a bit higher, and my thighs are still big, but strong. So what has actually changed then? Me. I became an ultra runner.

The author of this article was unhappy with her situation and decided to make a change. We applaud people who make a change to circumstances that make them unhappy (you'll see we also have an article on gaslighting in this issue).

Whilst we hope this magazine will help empower you to live your best life, don't hesitate to seek out professional advice if that is appropriate for you.

Growing up was hard, it is hard. We start out in life full of confidence, running around 17

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naked as toddlers with not a care about what anyone thinks because we are just having fun and being ourselves. And then something changes, I can?t even remember what happened or who said what, as I?m sure you can?t, but at some point that confidence is shattered, or maybe it?s just chipped but it continues to be chipped. Maybe it?s a playground comment from someone who says you?re too tall or your ears stick out or your belly jiggles when you run or you start to develop breasts and they look different to your friends and the boys start commenting, you grow hair under your arms and someone notices and laughs at you and suddenly everything that was, and is, a completely normal part of being human becomes something to hide and be ashamed of.

I was always on the heavier side growing up.

Big boned and curvaceous I liked to call myself, it?s all in the bones right? I tried it all growing up. Does anyone remember those workout videos? Jane Fonda, Cher, Jennifer Garth (from Beverley Hills 90210)? Yes?! Even ?Aerobics Oz Style?, a tv program with these gorgeous Australian fitness instructors teaching classes on daytime tv. I had them all and I?d workout like crazy and then satisfy myself, having earned and now deserved, a massive chocolate bar or take away. I even decided I?d try to starve myself as this might be the answer, but I liked food too much so that didn?t work. I bought diet pills to try and suppress my appetite, but that just made me eat even more! My weight and my body shape was always on my mind.

I remember graduating from high school and being super jealous of my best friend because she was super tiny and was able to fit into this amazing size 6 super tight dress.

Whereas I had a dress made so I didn?t need to know the size. I cringed at the photos when they were printed as I just felt like a giant beside her.

I protected myself through this period by not playing and participating in sport. I didn?t want the boys, or the other girls for that matter, to see me in my swimsuit or seeing me turn as bright as a beetroot during a game of touch football, so I stopped. I started hanging about, eating junk food and drinking soft drinks and as I grew older smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol. My parents tried to help in their own special way, but their negative comments about my weight, excessive eating and minimal activity only fuelled me to binge eat more as a protective cloak. Eating naughty food made me feel good, so when something feels good you want to keep doing it.

I met and fell in love with my soul mate, Dion, the man of my dreams, when I was 19.

Life was good, it was great! New relationships are exciting and you want to do everything possible to make your partner happy, and as they say ?A man's stomach is the way to his heart?and boy did I win his heart! We used to treat each other all the time with food and alcohol, we were going

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out drinking and partying and then treating our hangovers with big greasy breakfasts and the cycle continued. I was a chef at the time so shift work was also a huge influence as I?d get home at 1 or 2 in the morning from work, wake him up and we?d eat delicious treats I?d brought home with me, I can still taste these amazing melt in the middle chocolate puddings that we both obsessed over.

Then we moved to New Zealand. Dion was working for a wine company so the pantry was stocked very generously with wine and entertaining or dining out was a way of life for us. We were drinking a bottle of wine every night and then on the weekends that would mean a few bottles a day. Three course meals were more of the norm rather than a treat and fully cooked breakfasts were pretty much daily too. Our only exercise at this point, was talking our dog for a walk each evening. Even then we?d stop and buy an ice cream on the way. No wonder our waistlines were expanding.

I didn?t actually think I was fat because I was happy, I was in love and someone loved me, but I was far from comfortable in my own skin. It was only when I was out shopping for clothes one day and I was finding it difficult to fit into the mainstream store sizes and ventured into a shop with clothes for the larger lady, that it suddenly hit home. I was fat.

I started doing some exercise. There was a

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started going religiously 5 times a week, I was so focused! I still remember my set routine; 20 minutes on the cross trainer, 20 minutes on the bike and then 20 minutes on the treadmill which was more of a walk than even a jog at that point.

The diet started to change to, we cut out alcohol most nights, cut out cooked breakfasts and stuck to one course dinners (most nights anyway) and started to pay attention to what we were actually eating and making more conscious decisions based on calories, fat and sugar values in food.

gym at the hotel I worked at so I started going in a bit earlier to do a workout. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing in there and my eating and drinking habits hadn?t changed, so whilst I didn?t get any bigger, I certainly wasn?t losing any weight. I was getting a little bit fitter though, I could tell from a loop I used to jog/walk around our house, it was probably a whole kilometre, but at some point I could do this quicker than when I first started. But still no weight was moving.

Nothing really changed until we moved to the UK in 2004, now as fiancĂŠs with a wedding to look forward to, that we both wanted to get into shape. We joined a gym nearby and we

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It didn?t come easy or even naturally. I still had to have something sweet after a meal or I just couldn?t go to bed and I?d still sneak a chocolate bar at work as a treat more than once a week that?s for sure. There were still nights out and beers at the pub. My motivation and dedication to the gym didn?t waiver but my diet wavered all the time so that meant a slow process of losing weight.

Adventure She December 2018

started I relaxed and started to enjoy it. I surprised myself by not only finishing the race but also by coming in at a respectable mid pack position. A fire within me was lit!

The first 20 kilo?s went quite quickly, and by the time we got married in 2005 I weighed 78kg but was horrified that my wedding dress had to be a size 14 when I was now wearing a size 12 in street clothes. Wedding dress sizing is not great for self confidence!

But I was a lot happier within myself and I was a lot fitter. We?d both taken up running by this point as part of our get fit regime and I still have fond memories of going for a half hour run with Dion on the morning of our wedding. We got married in Tuscany and that feeling of being with someone you love, running through the vineyards in the sun and feeling so happy you could burst will never leave me.

Somewhere along this journey I?d stopped running for the soul purpose of losing weight and was now running because I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the feeling of freedom and strength I got from the endorphins and I wanted more. I started to imagine that I might be able to run a half marathon. Who ever would

My weight fluctuated over the years and I kept getting new base weights. In my head I?d have this base weight set, so it was 78kg for the wedding, so after that with renewed vigour I got that to 75kg, then I?d move to 73kg. My weight would creep back to 78, so I?d have to push back to 75, then to 73 and so it went on. A slow process with ups and downs along the way. During this process my running improved. I got quicker and I could run longer. I signed up for my first race, the Warrington 10km in 2006.

I was so nervous on race day! I thought I was going to be physically sick. I desperately didn?t want to come last or embarrass myself by not finishing. At the start line I looked around at all these runners that I felt were obviously so much fitter and faster than me and was petrified but as soon as the race

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have thought it? I signed up for the Freckleton half marathon, downloaded a training plan and I ran it. I was in tears at the finish, it was so emotional, I never could have dreamed how amazing it would feel. I felt truly invincible!

A voice was now in the back of head. It kept hinting to me that maybe, just maybe, I could run a marathon. Could that even be possible?

The voice got the better of me and I signed up for Amsterdam marathon after watching London Marathon on the tv. I picked it because I?m Dutch born, it?s a flat route and being in October it would be cool. Again I downloaded another training plan online and I systematically ticked off each session and started to research about how I would fuel my long runs and ultimately the marathon.

Then in October 2010 I stood at the start line of my first ever marathon. And boy did it hurt! All the lies you get told about the crowd carrying you through the last 6 miles is bull shit! Utter rubbish! I just wanted to die in the last 6 miles, but I didn?t, and as I entered the stadium and I could see the finish line and with the crowd erupting all around me I sprinted my heart out and I had done it! A marathon! I would never be the same again.

I?d been running with one of the pacers during Amsterdam marathon and noticed his shirt had ?100km finisher ?on it. I?d questioned him about it but laughed it off when he told me that it?s an ultra marathon and he had run the 100km in one go. What! At that point I couldn?t even imagine finishing my first marathon, let alone

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going any further, but a seed had been planted.

Dion was my biggest fan and was so proud of me for running the marathon I think he thought I was invincible too and I?m not sure how seriously he meant it but that following year after now having run London marathon as well, he bought me a book for my birthday called ?Worlds Toughest Endurance Challenges?.

Jokingly after a few too many wines that night he suggested I open the book randomly and the first thing my finger pointed to we?d do it. So I did and I pointed to the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon. A 250km self sufficient stage race run over 6 stages/7 days though the Kalahari desert in North West South Africa in temperatures reaching 40-50 degrees.

Laughable really, I mean who would do that?

For fun?

Sobering up the next day I think Dion was hopeful that I?d forgotten our drunken agreement of the night previous but I hadn?t.

Registration forms were completed, deposits paid and in 10 months time we would be running 250km! He hadn?t even run further than a half marathon! The training began.

An ultra, whether it?s a single stage race or a multi day event, changes you for ever. The body I was never happy with was now enabling me to cross deserts and mountains in the toughest of conditions. Maybe I?d been a bit harsh on my poor body? I remember seeing a photo from Cappadocia, a 110km race in Turkey I?d run in 2015 and at first I was embarrassed by how my thigh looked but then I tried to take my personal

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Image courtesy of Hermien Burger Webb

perception away and I really looked at the woman in the photo, a woman with pure focus on her face running 110km with a strong and amazing body and I started to appreciate my body some more, with its imperfections, or at least my perceived ones and I proudly posted that photo on line. And this is what?s changed me. I?m an ultra runner and I am strong, beautiful and courageous.

I?ve now been running ultras for 5 years and have completed some of the toughest races out there. In my mind I?m sometimes still the fat girl, full of insecurities and self doubt. I still turn to binge eating bad food when I?m stressed, but it is less and less and the running keeps me right. I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror or a reflection and I do a double take. I toe the start lines of races with the not only the best in the world, but with runners from all walks of life and have never found a more welcoming and inclusive group of people. I?ll always have a slightly warped self image but because of the ultra running I?m strong enough to keep this in balance.

You can follow Lucja Leonard on the following social media sites: Instagram:

@runningdutchie

Twitter:

@runningdutchie

Website:

www.runningdutchie.org

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Adventure She December 2018

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Adventure She December 2018

PURSUINGDREAMS ByRosieDutton

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Adventure She December 2018

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opportunity. 10 minutes into this very first day and I was hooked on travel, conservation, photography and videography for what I know will be life!

It?s a warm summers morning in Romania, I walk towards the forest opening. The sun is like a warm hug on my back as it just begins to peer up from the top of the Carpathian Mountains that surround me. The light dances through the trees and makes beautiful golden patterns on the floor around me, and then, a snort?

I?m Rosie, I?m 22 years old from Leeds, England. In 2017 I graduated from university with a first-class degree in Marine and Natural History Photography. In this I also specialised in wildlife film making. Wildlife, conservation and generally the natural world has always been my biggest interested growing up, and this degree allowed me to embrace my passion and give me a kick start to get in to this industry.

A gruff snuffle from within the trees, just beyond the fencing, a European brown bear appears from behind a tree. He looks right at me, right into my eyes and my heart stops. My excitement takes over and I reach for my camera. I take photographs as he lays by the tree and goes about his morning grooming routine. I had arrived at the Libearty Bear Sanctuary for my 1-month volunteering

Now, it?s officially been a year since I graduated from the course and currently I

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Adventure She December 2018

work for the largest wildlife conservation charity in Europe, the RSPB. But it is still my dream and ambition to break into the wildlife film making and photography industry. I knew it wasn?t going to be instant or even remotely easy to start my dream career, but it really is more difficult than those already high expectations. I?ve been lucky. I?ve pushed and pushed my work where I can ? social media is a big one ? everyone who is anyone is on twitter, Instagram and Facebook right? Well I tagged BBC, National Geographic, Discovery to name a few in things that I posted, just hoping something would be picked up. I sent the film that I made about the bears to a conservationist and filmmaker that I was hugely inspired by. I wasn?t expecting a reply, but when his team got in touch with me and asked if I would like to be a part of a new media platform they were creating then I jumped at the opportunity! But surely, this only happened because I reached out and wanted to show how much I was inspired by his work?

I happened to create a book as a part of my final year university project which focused on Bears in Romania. I was lucky that the book printer ?Bobbooks?that I printed my book with ran a ?Book of the Year ? competition, in which a panel of judges select their favourite book that was created in the year. Mine was selected which I was so happy about as the competition was tough!

1 month after graduating, the travel

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"...if I hadn?t have worked as hard as I did or plucked up that courage or pushed and pushed my images on social media, then no one would have offered these opportunities"

company I volunteered with the bears with asked me if I could make some promotion videos for them of their volunteer programs in South Africa, did I want to go away for a month and film different wildlife conservation projects around South Africa? Too right I did! It was one of the best experiences of my life! But I was only asked because the company had known me, right?

I have entered hundreds of photography competitions, spending the little money I already had on the bigger competitions. From these, I managed to get one of my images in the ?Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards?book ? well I was beyond excited, happy, delighted, overwhelmed!

It was a fantastic feeling! But I think my luckiest experience has been meeting an amazing adventure photographer who does work for National Geographic ? I plucked up the courage and asked if he wanted to go on a shoot at some

Rosie Dutton Photography

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Adventure She December 2018

point, expecting his answer to be no (after all why would he want a young girl, a nobody to go on a shoot with him) wait, he said yes! So, we went and took some landscape photos on the Moors and while I came away without a single decent image, it was one of the best shoots I had been on! And now, we are collaborating on a project which is so exciting? Luck. I was in the right place at the right time, right?

images on social media, then no one would have offered these opportunities.

I am nowhere near my ?big break?into this industry but I?m taking small steps in the right direction and always keeping the fire that fuels my passion going. Everywhere I go I think about what I could be photographing or a story I could be telling with my films, who could I inspire and what change could my work fuel? There?s a quote from Dr Seuss that will always stick in my head: ?Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it?s not.?And to me this drives me to use my passion to show people our beautiful wildlife in the world and what we can do to help it!

I had always thought these wonderful opportunities had come around because of luck, being in the right place and the right time, but the more I think about it, if I hadn?t have worked as hard as I did or plucked up that courage or pushed and pushed my

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About theBear Proj ect According to the mission statement of the Libearty Bear Sanctuary, which is available at their website https://www.ampbears.ro/en "today the ?Libearty? Sanctuary is home to 82 European brown bears, all of them have been rescued from a cruel life of abuses in captivity. Recognised by many captive bear specialists as probably the best bear sanctuary in the world, it consists of 69 hectares of lush forests, streams and pools, graciously provided by the City of Z?rne?ti, located at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains near Bra?ov, Romania. Most of the bears were rescued from a miserable life in tiny cages providing ?entertainment? to restaurants, hotels, factories, petrol stations, circuses, and even monasteries. Several bears also came to the sanctuary after Romania?s EU accession led to the permanent phasing out of some of the worst zoos in the country. Libearty is the biggest animal welfare project in Romania and the largest bear sanctuary in Europe. The sanctuary is located near Zarnesti, at 200 km from Bucharest, on an oak tree forest hill. "

About RosieDutton Rosie Dutton is a photographer and film maker who believes in not just in pursuing her dreams, but in taking the necessary steps to make them happen. Here at Adventure She, we love that attitude. After all, we only live once, so let's make that one life matter.

You can follow Rosie on the following social media channels: Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/ rosieduttonphotography/

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/rosieduttonphotography/

Website:

http://www.rosieduttonphotography.com/

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Q&AWITHROSIEDUTTON M any of you will have noticed from her article that Rosie Dutton writes about luck and how lucky she's been.

But was it really luck, or hard work?

We quizzed Roisie about her time at university and how she made that time really matter.

What made you choose your degree?

Marine and Natural History Photography opens so many doors to the wildlife photography and film making industry. Over the three years, students are exposed to exploration of the beautiful Cornish coast line, wildlife conservation studies, wildlife biology and talks from big names in the film making industry. What I loved about university and this course is that no idea was too big, or too ambitious. We were encouraged to film/photograph something that has never been done before, to explore the unexplored and to try out new techniques. The support from lecturers and fellow students was like nothing I had experienced before, and the freedom was just unbelievable! 3rd year is where you?re really striving to impress. Your imagination is unleashed and often third year work can be award winning in several competitions if entered.

Can you share about your extra curricula photography and film making stuff please?

While doing the course I decided to use these 3 years as fully as I possibly could. I volunteered to film live ceteceandi sections, I made a film for the RSPB in Cornwall which celebrated the work that they do with a local bird species called a Chough. I did a short presentation about my 2nd year project which was all about photographing wildlife with a wide angle lens. I really enjoy this technique as it shows the animals surroundings as well as

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the animal very close.

students.

I also spoke to a large audience of mature wildlife photographers using a power point presentation and then answered questions at the end - it was a great success!

All my fellow students were fantastic and unique within what they were passionate about, I.e. macro photography, microscopy etc.

But I think I was so successful because I put in ordinary work hours and then some. I worked through the night, I worked on weekends, I made sure I made every day count.

Once we finished the 2nd year, I immediately started my planning and research for my 3rd year work.

Something that wasn?t directly photography related was that I curated the final year show which the 3rd year students put on in Bristol (the wildlife media hub within the UK). That gave me the opportunity to be a leader, something that looks great on a CV. What distinguished you from other less successful

I attended every single lecture and learned something new in every one, plus I went to all the guest lectures, even ones

Rosie Dutton in action

that didn?t directly apply to wildlife photography, because there is always something new and interesting to learn from other photography industries. I also asked for advice from my lecturers and from other lecturers. I would attend every mentor group and booked every available one-to-one.

But don?t get me wrong, I had a very active social life too. I partied like all students and had a rough next day. I spent summer days on the beach, and even found time to go on shoots that had nothing to do with my project. I guess you could say I was just very proactive.

Image courtesy of Alex Greene 33

Adventure She December 2018

Adven t u r e Sh e - Th ou gh t s On Ch an ge If you have been inspired by the articles you've read so far, then why not use this business tool. It could help you with implementing any changes you want to make, whether adventure, work, or personal related. After all, if an analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) is effective in the workplace, then why not use it in our private life too? That way we can: -

remind ourselves of our strengths and keep working on them, so they stay as strengths;

-

acknowledge our weaknesses, which will help us identify how to deal with them, e.g., delegation, or attending a course, or purely doing more work in his area;

-

see what opportunities are out there , e.g., is there a diving course near where we live, or is there an outdoor centre we could volunteer at, or is there a gap in the market which we could fill; and

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identify what threats exist which could ruin our plans, e.g. extreme bad weather including hurricanes, storms and floods, has ruined many an expedition.

St r en gt h s

Weak n esses

Th r eat s

Oppor t u n i t i es

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Adventure She December 2018

KAYAKING ANGLESEY

ByLucyTatam 35

Adventure She December 2018

THISISTHESTORYABOUTMYFIRST EVERTIMEINASEAKAYAK

ABOUT LUCY TATAM

Three days before the May

?Snowdonia White Water Sea

Bank holiday my dad (who?s a very experienced paddler) and

and Surf ?, dad?s local knowledge and experience of

I decided to sea kayak around

the area, we planned by

Anglesey.

writing the tide times for

I first started to kayak

Sea kayaking has never really appealed to me before, as a

different points around a map.

regularly about three years ago, when I started to do

17-year-old I?m more into the

We then knew what times we?d need to be on the water to

bigger, better approach of river

catch the tide, so we didn?t

grew up in the outdoors

kayaking. This trip however

have to paddle against it.

changed my perception of sea

Thanks to the tide times, our first day of paddling was going to be a long one, 50km from Benllech Beach to Llanddwyn Island. The idea for doing this

and so have been doing trips with my parents since

kayaking.

Having carefully looked at the weather forecast and using Terry Storry?s old book

canoe slalom. However I

before I could walk. Over the past few years I?ve focused mainly on canoe slalom (it?s in the Olympics so go have a look!) and made it to the Division One category which is directly below the Premier Division.

Premier is the top category in the UK you can have for canoe slalom and it?s my aim to get there before I ?retire?. I also paddle rivers recreationally mainly in Wales but also in the Austrian Alps. Currently I?m on an outdoor activities BTEC course which is an

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on day 1 was we would get a lot of tidal assistance through the Menai Straits, which is the section of water between the Mainland and Anglesey.

However 50km is still a really long way, even with help from the tide.

equivalent to A ? levels, and through this I?ve found a passion for teaching paddle sports as well. I am now a level one qualified paddle sport instructor and teach in all my spare time!

My dad is a very experienced paddler having been paddling since he was my age. He is especially experienced in expeditions like this one since they are definitely his favourite form of adventuring.

Although he has never paddled around Anglesey before he has paddled most sections of it and done similar paddling expeditions up in Scotland.

Arriving at our put in at Benllech Beach at 11.30 was a shocker, the place was packed!

Since it was bank holiday, and miraculously for North Wales it was hot, everyone had made their way to the beach. Dad and I felt distinctly out of place in our scruffy paddling kit and sea kayaks (borrowed from an outdoor centre where my dad was a senior outdoor teacher).

We definitely stuck out among the holiday makers in their bikinis and dresses.

Our first paddling stretch was from Benllech to Puffin Island.

This went pretty quick since I was still fresh, BUT having never been in a sea kayak before, it wasn?t without its problems. We had a slight tailwind coming offshore, meaning it was blowing from the land out to sea and could very easily have pushed us out to sea if it had been stronger.

The wind made it hard work, as it seemed to be endlessly

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turning my sea kayak inland! No boat I?d paddled before had done this to me. It was just the start of the trip and I was already nearly reduced to tears because my kayak simply wouldn?t turn where I wanted it to go. Once I got the hang of edging and constant sweep strokes however we were away.

The next stretch was the main part of our day, the paddle through the Menai Straits.

The Menai Straits is a section of water between mainland Wales and Anglesey. They are around 25km long but extremely narrow, which means there can be a very strong current flowing through them when the tide is going in or out, because all the water gets funnelled through.

Our aim was to catch the tide so that it would shoot us though the Menai Straights and out at Aber Menai Point. We would be paddling with a headwind, but hopefully the tide would mean we still made fast progress.

At the start though, there was no tidal assistance. We put our heads down and paddled hard into the headwind to make any progress at all. Once we had got properly into the straits the tide picked up and we started making some serious progress.

Adventure She December 2018

Penmon lighthouse Image courtesy of Pixaby

It took no time at all to get to Menai Bridge and we shot through the bridges at well over 7 knots, hardly needing to paddle. This gave me time to stop and admire the scenery from my boat, even though I?ve paddled on the Swellies many times before; I?d never paddled them at this speed and from this direction.

You mentioned the Swellies, when you paddling through the Menai Strait. What?s the Swellies?

The Swellies are a section of the Menai Straights between Menai Bridge and Britannia Bridge where the water travels faster than in the rest

of the Straights. When there is lots of water flowing through them they become like a huge river, with lots of waves and whirlpools that need to be navigated. For inexperienced paddlers it can be very dangerous because you can easily be tipped in, however many experienced paddlers use it as a sort of playground. My dad and I, as well as a group of friends (once we became competent enough to be able to paddle here) paddle there most weeks in the summer. We take very short ?play boats? there and surf some of the more popular waves that are produced.

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Dad and I were becoming really hungry and decided to stop at Felinheli sailing club at around 4 to grab some dinner. Of course, it was just my luck that I was on my period, so stopping at the sailing club was a life saver, it was my last chance use a proper toilet and gave me a chance to find relief for the back pain I?d been having all day. No doubt the rest of you ladies will understand the difficulties of adventuring during your period as its just one more added complication!

From the sailing club we paddled out to Aber Menai Point. Our plan had been to

Adventure She December 2018

keep padding for a few more kilometres past Aber Menai Point up to Llanddwyn Island, where we?d camp for the night. Now Dad gave me the option of stopping at Aber Menai Point. I decided to carry on. Even though those last kilometres were hard, I was happy because it meant less to paddle the next day, which was going to already be a very big one.

This last section of the day?s paddling was stunning, since we were paddling against the backdrop of a beautiful sunset. But I was also tired by now and it felt as though I was paddling in a daze.

Twenty meters from the camp spot and I was woken out of this daze very rudely.

Unknown to me a wave had been building up behind me

(it was a very calm day so I didn?t expect this at all) and catching me off guard, it broke on me, meaning the wave essentially crashed on top of me and picked me up for a ride. Thankfully I managed to surf the wave, looking like a complete novice and screaming thinking I would be capsizing at any second. After surfing it for the 20 meters to the beach it died off and deposited me right where I wanted to be. I was amazed I hadn?t ended up in the water.

After a solid 8 hours sleep, dad and I woke up at 5 to the sound of our alarm.

When we got out of the tent however we could barely see more than 10 meters ahead, there was thick fog covering

Menai Strait Image courtesy of Pixaby

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the whole of our side of the coast. We boiled some water for our one luxury item of fresh coffee and then set off for the days paddle at around 6. The reason we needed to be off so early was that we needed to be around the Stacks, which are two lighthouses on the Island called North Stack and South Stack by lunch time, or we would be stuck this side of Holy Island.

For the whole of the morning we were covered in thick fog and very rarely saw the shore. To travel the distance we were aiming for today, we realised we wouldn?t be able to hug the coast and would instead need to cut straight across the big bays. On a normal day this would have been

Adventure She December 2018

Aberffraw Image couresy of Pixabay

easy because you aim for the next headland and paddle in a straight line towards it. But with no visibility, we used compass bearings from our map to travel between headlands. It was a lot harder to navigate because we didn?t know in what direction the tide was moving (we knew if it was flooding or ebbing, but we couldn?t tell if we were being swept out to sea or not). The first crossing was only two kilometres and so only took around twenty minutes, after this crossing however they started getting longer and longer and longer.

Our last crossing before

reaching the Stacks was 8km long, which was an hour and a half of not seeing the shore. At this point I was starting to wonder if we?d got ourselves lost. When you?ve been that long without seeing anything but mist (we could only see around 10 meters in front of us) your head start playing games with you. After around 45 minutes I?d find myself thinking I could see the cliffs of the headland, but instead find out it was just more fog. It was a relief to finally see the last headland, but at the same time I was a bit disappointed, being in the

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mist and fog had added to the adventure and made my trip feel a bit more extreme.

We stopped for lunch on a small beach near South Stack, just before the Penrhyn Mawr over-falls that are between South and North Stack. This is an extremely fast piece of tidal water that forms big waves that tower above most paddlers and is a fantastic play spot for sea kayakers. I had never heard of these over-falls before and when I rounded the corner to them, I was blown away. Out of the mist at least 30 sea kayakers appeared in what I can only describe as chaos.

Adventure She December 2018

All of them were there to surf the waves that were forming, however lots seemed to be in the water and not on the water and there were rescues going on in all directions as well as people very expertly surfing the waves. Dad and I decided to paddle around the biggest waves and then join the tidal race a bit further on where we were still getting lots of help from the tide, but not in the midst

of the huge waves. From here we paddled towards South Stack where the fog horn lured us in. Finally, the mist started to clear and we could start to see our surroundings.

Now we could see the local wildlife. Guillemots, Razorbills and even Puffins go there to breed in spring, so it?s a bird watchers heaven. There were thousands of them on the cliffs and they made massive

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amounts of noise.

The next section of our paddle was also beautiful and very inspiring; I would have loved to have had a bit longer to explore all the caves and arches we saw. As it was I could only paddle past and stare in wonder at all the legendary climbing routes that one day I?d love to climb.

From here we paddled on to just before Holyhead where we found a tiny beach just

Adventure She December 2018

before the docks and decided to rest for an hour and a half. This was the first proper rest we had had for lots of the trip and it was lovely to relax for a bit! We got changed into dry clothes and lay all our kit out to dry including our tent, then slept for an hour before deciding to be on our way again.

Now came the scariest part of the trip for, we had to cross Holyhead Bay. We hoped we?d time it so we wouldn?t be run over by the ferries arriving and leaving for Ireland. As it was, we got it wrong and were 10 minutes into the crossing when the high speed ferry came out of the sea mist on its way to Holyhead. We were right in its path! On the far side of the bay was the port marker for the ferry marking the area that it couldn?t be in and this is where we headed, me with a new burst of speed that I hadn?t had earlier. It took a lot longer than I thought to reach it and we realised later that we were once again paddling against the tide.

However, we just made it in time and watched as the

ferry sailed past us and into Holyhead. I would like to add to anyone doing this trip that it has since been requested that any sea kayaks wanting to cross should radio in and let them know you are crossing, since it?s impossible for us to be seen as we are so small.

Once we got to the other side we paddled to a small camping spot we found in a little bay. Here dad and I had some lovely ideas of climbing up to watch the sunset, but these plans never happened since we were fast asleep by round 7pm. Before falling asleep however dad and I discussed how good this trip was for us. We hadn?t really talked much over the past two days, the paddling is very physical for me, so it was a lot of heads down and getting on with it, talking just really wasn?t an option. Over dinner a very simple packet of Thai Curry where you add boiling water, leave it for a few minutes and the eat it) we talked about how lovely it was to be out paddling in the wild without distractions, technological or otherwise.

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Day three, our final day! The hardest day for me, even though it was the most beautiful and will always be my favourite, as by this point I had burns from the salt on my wrists, neck, under my armpits and where my bra straps rubbed (next time I might just go braless, although some people say if you rub Vaseline on your skin where your rubbing, it?ll stop it). The sores on my wrists were becoming infected and I also counted 8 blisters on my hands. My back was constantly sore, from period pains and being sat in a boat for so long, I could barely move my arms without wanting to cry and my hair was so salty that it had become stiff and dreadlocked with thousands of white specs in it looking like dandruff but was actually salt. I hadn?t had a shower in a while and so I also smelt terrible.

However, I woke up to a beautiful sunrise and was in high spirits because today was shorter than the first two days, only around 35km.

We set off, but soon after disaster struck, I ran out of

Adventure She December 2018

jelly babies! At the start of the trip each of us put a packet of jelly babies in our buoyancy aids to give us energy on the way, and I had run out. I was down to my emergency chocolate rations for the rest of the day. The weather was perfect, the sea was completely still, like glass, there was no wind and there was a beautiful sun meaning I didn?t need to wear my cag (essentially a special waterproof coat for kayakers).

Whilst paddling out to a few islands we saw hundreds of birds, the smell of them though was disgusting!

Then, as we had the most amazing experience that was the highlight of my trip and left me buzzing. We were looking out towards more islands when we realised the rippling water in the distance was actually a pod of dolphins! There were around 60 of them and we paddled next to them for around 30 minutes before they disappeared off into the distance. Not long after I had to stand up in my boat and stretch because my back was so painful. As I was

doing this I heard a blowing noise and turning around we saw a porpoise around 10m away. We sat and watched it swimming around us for a while before it disappeared off. Then a bit further on an inquisitive seal started to follow us for a few kilometres. Seeing the wildlife around me really made me realise how lucky I am to live in this amazing environment and be able to immerse myself in the middle of it through my outdoor adventures!

The last few kilometres dragged on for hours. I was shattered and paddling slower and slower. In the end we had to hug the coast so at least we felt like we were moving.

When we finally arrived back at Benllech Beach I was so emotional. It felt like I?d really achieved something big. There had always been the possibility that I might not make it, especially in just three days (lot?s aim for a week because of the distance). After all, I hadn?t directly trained for it and even though I?m paddling fit from my canoe slalom

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training, this was my first long distance paddle.

I would like to say a huge thank you to my parents for this trip! I dragged dad out last minute to do this paddle with me, and even though it was my idea, his experience was vital as I didn?t know anything about tides or expedition planning. He took a massive gamble in paddling with me because neither of us knew what my limits were, we didn?t know if I would be able to paddle long enough each day to cover the distance needed and so we didn?t truly know if we would make it. I would also like to thank my mum who makes these adventures possible from home, she keeps the rest of my life running and organises it for me so I?m able to go off and do these amazing things (and sometimes joins in with them too!).

Adventure She December 2018

Q&A WITH LUCY TATAM What?s some of the biggest differences between slalom kayaking and sea kayaking, apart from one?s on rivers and the other is on the sea?

In slalom kayaking which you are paddling on a river for very short periods of time and aiming to complete that section of river faster than everyone else (usually under 2 minutes).

This is one of the most competitive types of kayaking. Sea kayaking is probably one of the least competitive types of kayaking. Before this trip sea kayaking never appealed to me. Most of my friends are also white water paddlers and so we never really went the sea. This trip really changed me perception of sea kayaking.

How physically demanding was the trip?

I never imagined how physically exhausting it would be and completing the 140km in just under 3 days I definitely pushed myself more than I have ever done on a river. Although I train regularly to compete, I have never trained to paddle constantly for such a long period of time and so after the first few hour of paddling on day one, my arms and shoulders had an almost constant lactic acid build up. My muscles also started to break and re build into endurance or slow twitch muscles over the trip (in slalom we only develop our fast twitch muscles which allow us to paddle for a short period of time but at a very fast speed).

However the worst pain was definitely back pain, sitting in an upright position for that length of time with very little support is really painful! The salt water can be really painful as well.

The only reason I think I managed to get through this and complete the trip is because I was

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How hard is this paddle? Do you have to be a 3 * or a 4* or what?

Even in good conditions the paddle can be hard because of the unpredictability of the tide and also some of the technical water such as the Menai Straights and Penrhyn Mawr over falls. Because of this you need to be a minimum of 3* sea kayaking standard but preferably a 4* sea kayaker. I?m a 4* white water paddler and so was able to safely complete the expedition due to my paddling ability and my dad?s paddling ability and sea kayaking expedition experience. Please don?t try it unless you know what you?re doing and paddling with someone who does! Like all types of adventures if you?re not experienced enough things could go wrong very easily.

How did you come up with the idea to paddle around Anglesey as you?re first sea kayak expedition?

The idea was a really spontaneous one, Anglesey is a classic sea kayakers trip, and being right on my doorstep it?s a challenge that I had been aware of for a while, dad and I hate having wasted time on our hands and so when we realised we had a few days to spare with perfect weather we decided to do the expedition.

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Don't stoplearning ByZoePye

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Adventure She December 2018

Zoe Pye beli eves i n li vi ng li fe to the full.

Here she shares some of her secrets, i ncludi ng how she goes about graspi ng the opportuni ty to evolve by developi ng new sk i lls.

A word of warni ng though. We thi nk you'll agree Zoe i s an extremely hi gh achi ever. For as well as bei ng a great snowboarder and a samba dancer, she's also an ultra marathoner and has completed events such as the M arathon des Sables. On top of that, she has a full ti me job i n the fi nance i ndustry.

So please don't worry i f li k e us, you fi nd yourself thi nk i ng "how on earth does she manage to do so much?" We can't all be li k e Zoe and we may not all be able to achi eve, to the same extent as Zoe, but, we can all embrace her ethos to li fe li ve to the full and we can all defi ni tely learn from her ti ps .

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I fell in love the first time I went to the mountains and tried snowboarding. Unfortunately, that happened when I was 30? I thus feel like I have a lifetime of learning to catch up on.

I grew up by the sea and was taught about the ocean from birth (I was swimming almost before I was walking). With the mountains, 10 years after my first experience, I probably have the capabilities of a 10 year old, with the fear of a 40 year old - I am completely aware of my lack of understanding and complete lack of knowledge of things that people living in the mountains since childhood take for granted.

I have had to learn everything; from how to walk on snow, to the fact that snowboards need wax.

Getti ng started...

My first time snowboarding was a last minute decision, I ended up in borrowed clothes and being shown how to snowboard by a friend of a friend (this did not involve

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Adventure She December 2018

proper turns).

Ov ercomi ng f ear...

The start was not promising, the first time I stepped on snow I fell (I didn?t know to bend my knees). Once I had the board attached things did not materially improve.

The fear was intense and omnipresent, even when not snowboarding, I was petrified on the lifts and frequently got vertigo - a baby slope felt like it was on a 45 degree gradient. I had to learn tools to overcome my fear, including - (1) counting to three and then turning (i.e. 1, 2, 3, turn, 1, 2, 3, turn), (2) not hesitating, and (3) controlled falling (i.e.

However, although I showed minimal promise, I loved snowboarding straight away? the key to starting is trying.

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deliberately falling to learn that falling doesn't equal death).

I had moments of pure bliss intertwined with moments of pure terror. With time, experience more bliss and less terror.

Th e f eel i ng...

Snowboarding takes me back to nice feelings associated with my teenage

Adventure She December 2018

years, of being completely in the present and unaware of the outside world. Although at the start, I had all the anxieties of a teenager.

Learning to snowboard as an adult has helped me learn not to care what people think. Plus, having 4 year olds kick my ass has taught me humility.

Few things give me the joy of snowboarding; I took a month off work to improve

my snowboarding and had a brief crisis coming to grips with the fact that my life for a month amounted to little more than trying to make nice lines in the snow - I subsequently made peace with the concept.

Th e many setback s...

Some days I needed to be kind to myself, on these days, I would snowboard for a couple of hours and then

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read by a fire in a mountain hut with a glass of mulled wine.

I joined a group to snowboard off-piste; I pre-stated that I wasn't very good, but was told I could join. Turns out I wasn't good enough and had an instructor tell me that ?you?re not good enough to come with us'. I told the experience to a friend that evening, they suggested I try a new board -

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I had a second hand board and as they rightly stated, 'technology has changed a lot in 10 years'. Turns out, with a new board I was much better, I felt like Aladdin riding a magic carpet. It also transpired that you need to wax snowboards, the wax made a material difference to my snowboarding - I no longer stuck in powder and may have been 'good enough'.

same time as snowboarding (although I initially didn't have the same passion for it). With samba, I couldn't move my hips, dance in time to the music or remember choreography. However, I applied the same skills I had learned from snowboarding (1) not giving up, and(2) being kind to myself, especially when I needed a temporary break. With samba I was given an opportunity to dance in the London Olympics closing ceremony; an opportunity would not have existed without the courage to try new things and the tenacity to continue in the face of all odds. A bucket list item for me was attending the Olympics as a spectator, through samba, I exceeded my dreams.

I sometimes recall that line 'you're not good enough to come with us', when I am running and the idea of not being good enough motivates me to run faster.

Learni ng new sk i l l s...

As an adult, once you learn one new skill it teaches that you can learn others. For example, I started samba at around the

I have learned that when you are at the beginning in the

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learning process; things can only get better and you can only improve.

Future goal s...

My love for the mountains and snowboarding has enriched my life in ways I never imagined. I was in Chamonix doing a freeride course at the start of the year and came up with the idea to buy a flat there, a dream that has since

become a reality.

This season I have enrolled in a ski touring course in mid-February, a prerequisite is being able to ski off-piste. I have never tried skiing, but I like a challenge - in January, I will be putting all my energies into getting competent on skis. I don?t care if I am amazing at skiing, as long as I can semi keep up on the course I will be happy. I have also

"Once you stop lear ning you star t dying" Albert Einstein

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discovered passions for travelling between mountain huts and am just getting into mountaineering.

In Chamonix I have found a home and in the mountains I have found peace of mind...I guess it is called flow, when your body and mind are aligned doing exactly what they should be doing, that is the mountains and snowboarding to me.

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CAMINOFRANCES TOSANTIAGODE COMPOSTELAPART2 BYJANEHARRIES 53

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This is a continuation of an article on pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela. Part 1 appeared in the September 2018 issue of Adventure She and focused on the history and context of the pilgrimage, plus the Northern Route, or Camino Norte.

June 2004, some 9 months after I cycled the Camino Norte to Santiago de Compostela (SJPDP), I showed up at the Pilgrim Information Office in Saint Jean Pied de Porte, to start the 760+ kms hike along a different path, the Camino Frances, to Santiago de Compostela.

register and obtain my pilgrim?s passport. I looked at it. I was the 2,663rd person who would start that year from SJPDP. The pilgrim?s passport (which can be issued in a whole host of places) is an essential item for all pilgrims, for it distinguishes the pilgrim from tourist or regular backpackers. Without it, one can?t stay at hostels designated for use by pilgrims only.

Being a walker, my pilgrim passport would have to be stamped once a day until the last 100 km and twice a day thereafter. It didn?t matter where it got stamped, refuge, hotel, church, town hall, even a bar, would do. But stamped it must be. As the information officer told me, ?that way we know if you travel 60 km in a day, you?ve taken the bus?.

Next morning it was time to head off. I chuckled when I read my guidebook over my breakfast coffee, for it advised taking it easy for the first few days on the Camino. Alas, that was near

The previous year, whilst part of a cycling tour group, I?d felt a fit of a fraud. Now I too was alone and about to walk this ancient path. I trembled with a mixture of excitement and nerves as I walked into the Pilgrim Information Office to

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impossible when starting in SJPDP, for (at least when I did it), there was almost no accommodation between there and Roncesvalles some 22.7 km away and on the other side of the Pyrenean mountain range.

As Aymeric Picaud in what was the first guidebook to the Camino Frances produced around 1140 AD wrote ?It is eight miles up ? it is so high that it seems to touch the sky?. I was going to be in for a hard first day.

bread.

Roncesvalles is a place full of history and tradition. A special pilgrim?s mass was held at 8pm, then in the morning we were woken by a slender Dutchman heartily performing Gregorian chants, as he walked around the great hall where we had slept in iron bunk beds.

I found the first two days on the Camino to be amongst the hardest, for there were few realistic accommodation options, making for long days. At least on day 1 I?d been fresh.

Day 2 started easily enough with a stroll through Basque villages, some of which were allegedly hideouts for the Basque terrorist group ETA. (Was that why the only friendly greeting I received all morning, was from two Argentineans that ran a bar in Burget, where most of us pilgrims had breakfasted?) But, as the day wore on it and the sun got hotter and hotter, I got more and more tired. But, by the time I reached Zuburi some 21.4 km from Roncesvalles, the scorching heat of Spain?s summer sun attacked me from all directions as it radiated off the buildings. I staggered through the town until I found a bar which was open and mercifully air-conditioned too. Dozens of other heat tormented pilgrims were already inside desperately trying to cool down.

Up, up, up, up, up. The tiny mountain road made the route easy to follow. The gradient and length of the climb made it a long slog.

The weight in my pack made it a really tough climb. On and on and on. I had two emergency sports gels with me. Gels designed to be used in times of need. It was only day 1 and yet, near the top, I deemed this to be a time of need. I tore open the pack with my teeth and sucked down the sticky sweet substance. I think it helped.

Anyways, I made it over the top and down the other side to Roncesvalles.

One of the joys of the Camino is meeting both locals and other pilgrims. That night at dinner in one of Roncavalles?two restaurants, 11 of us sat around a table, 3 French, 2 Italians, 2 Belgians, 3 Germans, and me. Languages came and went, French, German and English mostly, with Spanish occasionally used as a common denominator. After such an arduous day, it didn?t take long for us to devour the ?7 menu del peregrino of tomato macaroni, fish and chips, yogurt, red wine, water and

Two cold drinks, an ice lolly, a bag of salted crisps, a coffee pick me up, one hour and air conditioning did the job. I set off on the day?s last leg, 5.4 km to LarrasoaĂąa. First though I

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soaked my hat and t-shirt in a fountain. Now at least until they dried, I had my own mini portable air conditioning system.

But this load felt unusually heavy. I rued the fact my trusted backpack which was meant to make heavy loads seem lighter, had disintegrated days earlier. The replacement pack just wasn?t the same. Sure it looked nicer, it had the separate sleeping bag compartment, the adjustable back, the inbuilt rain cover, but it wasn?t as good as my old pack for distributing weight. Arghhhhh.

Clearly I needed to go through my pack with a fine tooth comb and send any superfluous stuff home.

Like a number of other obligatory crossing points, the 14th century Gothic bridge into LarrasoaĂąa, was the scene of many an attack by bandits in years gone by. But LarrasoaĂąa is also famous for its welcome to pilgrims throughout the ages. An Augustinian monastery was situated here from around the 11th century and reportedly looked after pilgrims with great zeal. I was greeted by the mayor, coincidentally called Santiago, who oversaw pilgrim registration and stamping of passports.

So on the third night in Pamplona I checked into a hotel. In the full length mirror I could see huge red raw sores on hips and shoulders. Ouch. It had been a seriously hot day. In a desperate attempt to desperate attempt to reduce my core body temperature, I submerged myself in a cold water bath.

Instantly I arrived at the annexe I collapsed on my bed. I had no more strength. No strength to shower, wash my sweat and salt ridden clothes, or to cook. I simply lay on my bed, one of many very tired pilgrims. Later Santiago the mayor visited us pilgrims in the annexe, handed us his card, wished us well, encouraged our attempts at Spanish, and gave everyone a small packet of foot lotion for tired feet. His visit revitalised me just enough to shower, and eat some snacks from my backpack, before I fell asleep.

TCP rubbed into my sores, shoulders and hips taped, I could postpone the inevitable no longer. I tipped my pack upside down on the bed and divided its contents into three piles. Bare essentials, camera gear, and what could be posted home. I even tore up my guidebook, only keeping the pages for the rest of the trail.

Those first few days one thing dominated my thoughts as I walked and that was the load on my back. It felt heavy, very heavy. I was in the middle of a career break and backpacked a lot in those days. I was used to carrying heavy loads, albeit for shorter distances between youth hostels and train stations.

The next morning, I realised how easy it would be for me to leave the Camino. No more tiredness, red raw sores, painful joints, dehydration, or hunger. If I left the Camino, all those could be in the past. After all, at that time I hadn?t exchanged any email

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addresses, no one really knew who I was, no one would chase up on me and berate me. It was then that I realised how much I was really enjoying the Camino, how much I wanted to do it and there was absolutely no way whatsoever that I was going to stop. It didn?t matter how bad the sores on my shoulders and hips were. I simply rubbed more TCP into them then tapped them up once more.

According to Michael Jacobs in his book ?The Road To Santiago De Compostela?, some Middle Age ?critics spoke disdainfully of those who ate and drank their way to Santiago?. I?m afraid even the most devout pilgrims would probably fall foul of this criticism today. For the reality was, that friendships were formed while endless Americanos, cafĂŠ con lĂŞches, bocadillos (giant Subway style sandwiches) and menu del peregrinos were consumed. Day by day we all got to know each other a little better, as we ate, drank and walked together, passed cornfields, brilliant red and black poppies, and every now and then, shepherds going about their daily business as they moved their flocks.

For me, Pamplona marked the end of stage 1 of the Camino. For rather than thinking of the heat, the weight of the pack and the seemingly insurmountable remaining 700 or so km to Santiago, I only thought of the next few days. For mentally I had now broken the Camino down into sections, Irache, Burgos, Leon, Astorga, Santiago. Even better my next major destination, Irache, had a free wine fountain and I like bit of wine.

Most long distance hikes seek solitude, but because of the pilgrims?need for food, water and shelter, the Camino is different, it deliberately seeks out towns and villages.

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Even in the Middle Ages, there was a network of places for pilgrims to stay, as inns, hospices and monasteries, all sprang up alongside the Camino, for the church had realised how important it was for pilgrims to have a place to stay. Whilst walking out of LogroĂąo I saw a table manned by a couple of locals, which was laden with apples, oranges, and biscuits. They stopped pilgrims, occasionally almost forcibly, such was their desire to share their hospitality. For those without walking sticks, they presented them with a staff. Apparently they sit there every day from around May to November, simply to help pilgrims. Whilst in NĂĄjera a new purpose built hostel had opened up the previous day. Around 9 pm some parishioners showed up to inspect the hostel. Rumour had it that they had funded this new refugio. There was no charge to stay there, just a request for a donation.

Both festivals and religion go to the core of Spanish society. I once read ?in Spain, even the atheists are Catholics?. I was lucky, I arrived in Santo Domingo de la Calzada (?SDDLC?) just in time to see the (belated) Ascension Day processions. Marching bands made their way through petal strewn streets.

SDDLC is of course famous for the legend of the cock and the hen, and how a hanged pilgrim?s innocence was proven by a roasted cock and hen returning to life. The hanged boy, still alive, was thus freed. Even today, to commemorate this miracle, a live cock and a hen are kept in the cathedral.

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When the Camino Frances was ?developed? as a route of pilgrimage to Santiago in the Middle Ages, attempts were made to keep pilgrims faithful and focused, and to enable them to worship as they walked or rode along the Camino. Shrines were built, even cathedrals. Burgos?cathedral is reputedly one of Spain?s greatest, third in size after Sevilla and Toledo. Work started in 1221 and lasted for 5 centuries, which explains the different styles, the overall Gothic design, the Renaissance choir stalls and the Baroque wrought iron work. The cathedral was so rich and ornate inside, it overwhelmed me with its riches, I simply couldn?t take it all in.

start of the Meseta. The Meseta is dreaded by most pilgrims for the monotony of its later stages and its baking hot summer days.

But to a few like me, it was mesmerising.

Here outside Burgos the Meseta was high up on a plateau and gave the illusion of walking on top of the world or in outermost Tibet.

Later, there were almost pancake flat days along what is dubbed the ?motorway? of the Camino Frances, a purpose built path to get pilgrims through this area, where the only view was of cornfields stretching off to the horizon and beyond. Somehow upon leaving a small village, a German pilgrim ? Claudia, and I, were so focused on our conversation that instead of following the Camino, we followed old farm tracks that fizzled out in

Less than a day?s walk from Burgos was the

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some fields. Claudia and I were lucky though, the fields came to an end at a village just over 3 km from our intended destination. No one could believe how on earth we had managed to get lost on the Meseta.

Actually we were all lucky, for while it was June, for some reason there was a little cloud cover for most of the days it took us to cross the Meseta. It even rained for a few hours as a storm blew in darkening the skies and filling our ponchos like parachutes. Being flat, the walking was easy. Now fit, with a much lighter pack and sores healed, I could handle long days, but a few still suffered.

Claudia developed giant sized blisters courteous of a 32 km day. She desperately needed medical attention, but unlike some who opted to take a bus when the going got tough, Claudia got tough and opted for treatment by the most qualified person present. As the rotund Spanish pilgrim treated her, I asked him if he happened to be a doctor. No, he replied with a rapacious laugh, I?m a butcher!

The Meseta was broken up by

towns and villages. In 2004 when I walked it, the villages were mostly poor places with adobe houses.

It would be interesting to return there now and see whether money spent by increasing number of pilgrims along the way has filtered into and helped regenerate the local economies. But the towns contained some unexpected treats, like the art exhibition in Carriรณn de los Condes. That?s when I learned about another of the legends surrounding James. The story goes that during a key battle against the Moors, James appeared dressed as a warrior astride a white charger, and led the Spanish to a glorious victory. I was mesmerised by the statue of ?Santiago Matamoros?James the Moor slayer. Sword at the ready he looked like he was about to behead a

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Moor, while other decapitated Moors lay next to his horse?s hooves. It was a most powerful depiction. I was starting to understand how James had reached cult status in Spain.

Walking into the cities is one of the least pleasant parts of the Camino. Now as we neared Leรณn, Jan a Dutchman, Claudia and I, decided to share the pain of the approach. Together and just like the pilgrims of old, we reached the top of the hill overlooking Leรณn and had our first glimpse of the cathedral with its towers and rose window. Even from that distance the cathedral, which was built in the Gothic style from the mid 13th to the late 14th centuries, looked magnificent, a true masterpiece. Closer up it didn?t disappoint. With over one hundred stained glass windows it was breathtaking both inside and out.

As you approach Santiago, there are so many small towns and villages with refugios along the Camino, that if you lose someone, it?s possible you might never see them again. An hour or so after leaving Leรณn I?d turned right instead of left and took an ugly route

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alongside a main road. I was still on the Camino Frances, but I hated it. I wanted to scream and rant and rave. I promised myself that regardless of distance, in future I would take the more interesting option. I consoled myself with the fact that at least I could chill out with friends I?d made over dinner. But of course there was no sign of them. My mistake meant I?d lost them.

Canadian, was apparently just a kilometre or so behind.

Astorga with its plaza, town hall, bishop?s palace by Antonio Gaudi?s, and its cathedral with a plaque dedicated to the memory of three Red Cross nurses who?d died in the Spanish Civil War, was a special place. More compact and quieter than Burgos and Leรณn, it was one of my favourite towns along the Camino Frances.

To my immense delight the following evening, while I was in one of Astorga?s three refugios and some 45 km from Leรณn, a figure walked in with a ?hello Jane?. It was Jan the Dutchman. Another Camino friend, Paul a

It was only 266 km to Santiago now. Yet while there were a few new faces, it still didn?t seem crowded. The green army style

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over flow tents on the outskirts of Astorga, were deserted. Some claimed numbers were down because people had stayed at home to watch the European Soccer Championship. Night after night, Dutch, French and German pilgrims were glued to the television sets in the bars of towns and villages alongside the Camino. Extra time and penalty shootouts were hated, since the curfews at the refugios meant missing the end of the match.

With the easy days of Meseta well and truly over, it was time for more challenging days, with a long slow climb up to Cruz de Hierro which at 1,504m and a steep intense climb up to ancient Celtic village of O Cebreiro at 1,300m. There was plenty of sightseeing too, with tiny churches almost hidden away in the bush, as in Hospital, and even a monastery with guided tours in Samos. Jan and I were the only ones on our tour, for due to a shortcut alternative, most pilgrims including Paul missed the town. The only other pilgrim we encountered there was an US based Israeli. As I?ve already mentioned, with so many options to stay in, it?s possible to lose people. Thanks

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to the tour / short cut option, we lost Paul.

blister so far, a tiny one that I hadn?t even noticed until I took off my socks at day?s end, a week or so earlier. But I?d had ankle problems on and off for a couple of week, plus I?d gone over on it the previous night.

Sometimes it was really hurt. I was lucky, for Jan stayed with me, keeping me company as I hiked through the pain. But by the next day my ankle was better and it didn?t hurt again.

Maybe those hands of the Knights Templar really did work.

No day was the same, for one day, there was also the restored muleteer village of Castrillo de los Polvazares in the MaragaterĂ­a (which is now classified as a national monument), another had Gregorian chanting by monks from the Benedictine monastery in the most simple of churches in Rabanal Del Camino, and the next day, in the almost desolate village of ManjarĂ­n, there was more prays and chanting by the self proclaimed resurrected Knights Templar. After the service and on seeing my ankle was in pain, one of them placed what he claimed to be healing hands on me. I admit I was sceptical.

It didn?t seem any better. I?d had just one

For me, one of the surprises of the Camino Frances was how well I ate as a fish eating vegetarian. Some Spanish helped too, it meant I could explain and the locals were usually only too happy to whip up something

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special for me, if it was a meat, meat and meat menu. While Redecilla del Camino wins my prize for the best mains (a white fish in a butter sauce), Barbadelo won the best dessert, a cheesecake that was almost like a crème caramel, it was so rich and light. In fact the Dutchman and I returned for more at breakfast.

There were only three more days to go now to Santiago and the crowds had finally shown up. Whether by luck or design, for us this overcrowding experience only lasted that one morning from Barbadelo to PortomarĂ­n. Deliberately staying in tiny hamlets, starting two, sometimes even three hours later than most pilgrims who tended to leave around 5 or 5.30 am when it was still dark, walking into the afternoon when so many pilgrims were having a siesta, we actually found that we had the Camino to ourselves. Literally! Two nights out of Santiago, we were the only ones at the refugio in Leboreiro. Maybe it was because the refugio didn?t have any beds. Finally, I had a reason to use the thermarest I?d been carrying all of this time. Jan, the only other remaining member of the gang of friends that had formed earlier on the Camino, rearranged the furniture and made himself a bed out of tables.

And then a day later, that was it. All we had to do was to walk the final leg to Santiago. It was so sad. Every pilgrim wanted to be there, to have made it successfully to Santiago, but few wanted the experience to end. Within

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minutes of arriving in Santiago, we?d bumped into Robert, an Austrian, atheist and amateur church historian. He took us on a guided tour of the Cathedral, explaining the rituals to us two Protestants, who despite having visited numerous churches of all shapes and sizes along the way, still didn?t understand the customs of the Catholic branch of the Christian faith. So it was Robert that took us up behind the altar, past the gilded Romanesque statute of James with its precious stones, that is now guarded, and which devout pilgrims traditionally kissed or hugged, and then down into the crypt past the elaborate silver looking casket, which supposedly contains James?bones.

So did I feel a fraud as a non Catholic? Not at all. The Catholic Church in fact encourages all comers to join in the Santiago experience.

What of the pain that I?d endured in my ankle for days at a time? That too was part of the pilgrimage experience, for as Michael Jacobs put it in his book ?The very hardships and dangers of the journey were an essential part of the process?.

Some people may try to denounce the value of the modern day pilgrimage, but for the walker or the cyclist it is still hard, with pain and suffering being the reality. The Camino itself might be well trodden, but each pilgrim still has to tread each one of those steps. I estimate it took me over one million steps to cover the 778 km from SJPDP to Santiago. So is it any wonder that the modern pilgrim, just like the pilgrim of old, also suffers from blisters, thirst, hunger, maybe even tendonitis? What is sad is that again like the pilgrim of old, the modern pilgrim also sometimes suffers death along the way.

Pilgrims have been knocked down by cars, pilgrims have fallen off or crashed bikes, and pilgrims have collapsed and died, as one elderly man did just a day?s walk from Santiago.

But, religious differences or not, we certainly understood the lure of Santiago and the pilgrim routes of old, how today for reasons that are often similar to those used all those centuries ago, people are once again flocking to Santiago, not just Catholics, but other Christians, atheists and people of other religions too.

Minutes later and now armed with our compostelas (the official certificates granted to pilgrims who successfully complete their pilgrimage to Santiago, as evidenced by our pilgrim passports), we saw Paul and two other very familiar looking pilgrims, the gang was back together. When had they all arrived? Just a few hours earlier. We?d been staying in almost next door villages at times, but just hadn?t bumped into each other.

Would I do it again? Probably not, for it was such a special time, I don?t think I could replicate the experience. But would I do a pilgrimage to Jerusalem? Absolutely. Shame world and religious politics makes the overland route impossible. Perhaps I should make do with Rome instead.

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MOUNTAIN BIKERACING byhannahattenburrow Additional photographycourtesyof MPGRomania In August 2018, 130 participants from 25 countries descended on the resort of Fundata in the heart of Romania?s Carpathian Mountains. It was time for the second edition of Romania?s first multi-stage mountain bike race, the Carpathian MTB Epic.

The atmosphere around the race village was quite chilled. Fundata resort sits on a hill and the riders were spread out between many hotels so sometimes it felt quite empty. In the race village itself it was a lot more exciting, with various sponsors stands and riders everywhere!

The four day event involved a fast and technical 11 kms Prologue, the result of which would determine the starting order on the next day. The next three days each involved mountain biking 60 kms, for a total height gain of 8,500 metres and I was going to be a part of it.

The first night I was wired with nerves and excitement, I could hardly eat at the buffet lunch. Other riders chatted in a mixture of languages around me, I just tried to stay calm and focus on eating.

The food was okay and plentiful but I always find it hard to know what to eat

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when I?m away racing, as there is no control on what will be there. I tried to stick to pasta and meat. Getting back to my hotel which was a short walk down the hill, I laid out my snacks and kit for the next day, checked I had enough fresh water and then turned to my phone to talk with friends back home, anything to keep my mind bubbling over!

This helped me calm my nerves and not to continuously go over and over the next day in my head.

points for the 2020 Olympic Games. There was a hive of activity with Rollers buzzing and drones above capturing every moment as riders prepared.

Eventually riders all took their allocated starting positions, with the professional athletes at the front of the peloton and then places awarded on where you came in the Prologue.

Silence fell as the timer started the countdown. A loud horn blared and the race was on. The sound of clicking pedals and gear shifts filled the air, as riders charged out of the race village.

St age 1 At the start the atmosphere was electric, especially as riders could collect qualifying

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The first stage was 60 km, on the steep and rugged edges of the Southern Carpathians. Now 60km is not that far? but add in 2,700m elevation and it?s a whole different beast and far removed from the training rides my legs were used to from the UK?s rolling South Downs.

into a valley, then down steeply through boulder fields, where good line choice was the aim of the game to keep the bike rubber side down.

Back in the woods was more familiar terrain for me as I weaved through the trees.

Still I had to watch out for roots and again hold on for dear life when the descents got super steep in more than one place! At times committing 100% was the only way to make it down safely. A few times I had a little ?chat? with myself, telling myself to stay focused on the job in hand, in order to keep the bike moving.

The climbs were exhausting, reaching some stunning view points on the way. The mountains were so beautiful and often so still and silent, all I could hear was my heart beating loudly in my chest.

As for the descents, they were fast. One descent was particularly spectacular.

Through the middle of a large rock face, out

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hours and finished in sunshine! For the ?rest?we battled afternoon thunderstorms and hail storms, you have to love mountain weather!

The ?hike-a-bike? section became particularly difficult, as gripping on wet, washed out grass, in mountain bike shoes, proved tricky.

St age Tw o With Stage One in the bag, the start line for Stage two was full of stories and wounds telling the tale of just how epic a challenge we had been through. In fact, it had been so epic; several riders didn?t make it to day two!

The demanding climbs hadn?t got easier overnight and we rode out of Fundata using the same route as the previous day for the first 12kms. Climbing past the feed zone, (where riders stopped, chatted and refueled), another hard slog followed all the way to the top where there was an astonishing view, vast,

rugged, wild, untouched by humans wilderness, which stretched out in every direction.

HEAD LIN E byauthor

What goes up must come down. Now for the descent!

Peering over the edge I couldn?t believe they wanted us to ride down this meadow, what lay before me was something I would feel at home snowboarding down but biking seemed a step too far. It looked like a black run without the fluffy snow to make it feel ?okay?.

Opting for two feet would have been just as hard as two wheels! My bike slid to the side and skidded down the hill. Luckily I managed to stay on the bike and in one piece.

Later the course once more climbed into the woods. Now this felt like a whole world of fun. Loose earth, roots and switch backs made for technical riding. I kept my eyes up, picked my lines carefully and swept through the forest, my 29 inch wheels making easy progress down the mountain side.

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Alas the fun was over far too soon. Instead a long and arduous gravel road climb took me back to the pain cave for what seemed like hours. At least this road was a good opportunity to refuel, so as I rode I munched on a Science in Sport banana fudge bar (I can recommend this tasty energy treat).

Finally, I saw the red tent of the feed zone. I was thrilled as this meant I had made it to the 25km cut off point in 3 hours 21 minutes.

Another 45 minutes and I wouldn?t have been allowed to continue onto the next section, which was the most technical section of the course.

But as I started to climbed ever higher, the weather snarled, thunder and lightning surrounded me, the sky darkened and the rain came down. It was so heavy, I felt like I was riding under Niagara Falls.

Riding up through a technical rooty section I lost my back wheel on a wet tree root and fell. As I unclipped

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and tried to get my foot to the ground I twisted my ankle and the bike fell heavily on my side.

It wasn?t that bad, but in that moment I decided that my head had to rule and to turn round and back to safety, for the trail I was following was now a ranging torrent of water and the idea of going further into the dark forest with cracks of lighting in every direction made me

really uneasy.

I retraced my steps.

Reaching the feed zone I had passed earlier, I was surprised how far I had actually climbed. Not stopping, I continued on through the rain and wind, feeling so cold I just kept pushing, not noticing the time tick by.

Every cyclist knows that feeling of ?hitting the wall?, I hit it and crashed through

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the other side. Each pedal stroke after passing the final 10KM sign hurt and it took all my focus just to push the pedals round. I felt mentally and physically drained but wasn?t sure why. I kept telling myself it?s only 10KM, I can do this, but my body seemed to have given up.

Back in the race village after a warm shower and dinner I realised I hadn?t eaten since passing that

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red tent for the second time. No wonder I?d hit the wall and my body had crumbled when I needed it the most.

Stage 3 would be different, I promised myself, as I switched off the light and fell asleep.

St age 3 Today we were joined on the start line by more riders, as some people had signed up for a one-day ride of an epic 40 kms, rather than the full 4 day event. My body was relieved this was the last day of crazy climbs and I confess 40 kms was an appealing idea. After all this was the hardest riding I?d ever done. Even the 8 74

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professionals were saying that. Yes the Carpathian MTB Epic had been a rollercoaster ride from day one, but the truth is, I didn?t want the surge of adrenaline to end. So whilst 40 kms sounded appealing to my head, my heart wanted the full 60 kms.

We headed off into new territory. The first big challenge, a grassy field with ruts and divots the size of my front wheel made more challenging by its gradient, sloping away from us on the right hand side. It was definitely tricky to navigate.

Then some exhausting single-track followed by a ?hike-a-bike? section, lifting my bike onto my shoulder for hopefully the last time. I won?t miss these!

At the top I now had to decide, would I opt for the 40 km or 60 km? The decision wasn?t hard, it had to be the 60 kms.

I felt a buzz and new lease of life as my bike now ate up the miles along a testing downhill section with views

all around. As with other stage races I have done, my body took time to adjust to the miles and cycle of eat, sleep, bike, repeat. Now my body had adjusted, I felt great.

I cycled amongst lush green forests, over tiny bridges, through rivers and vast ravines with the sound of the water echoing all around. Then after climbing out of the ravine, came a really long and, problematic descent. It was almost like riding in a river bed of boulders. My arms got a serious workout absorbing lots of shock as I rumbled through those rocks. Feeling totally shaken to pieces, the next feed zone which was soon after, came as a very welcome break.

There was more to come though, for after another climb, was the steepest downhill I?ve ever come across, it looked like something out of a downhill course. I committed myself to it, thoroughly in the zone and feeling as though my wheels were part of me, I

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HEAD LIN E byauthor managed to ride the first 50 metres before grabbing a tree in order to stop.

There was no way I was cycling this bit. It was a narrow trail between a bank of trees and a cliff edge. My bars seemed wider than the gap between the trees and the small trail not much thicker than my tyres. I got off and started walking. Even this was hard as it was so steep, I had to use the breaks on my bike so it didn?t run away from me as I slowly leaned on my bike which followed the trail whilst I clambered over tree roots.

Fortunately after that, the torturous parts were over.

After hitting the wall the previous day thanks to not eating enough, I ate every 40 minutes. Clearly this strategy worked, for whilst I pushed myself hard, I maintained a steady pace. Yes at times it was tough, with the last 5km feeling a really long way and particularly tough. But finally the white finishing arch was in view, I had just had one more climb to make and

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then it would be the home straight.

Rolling over the finish line the Carpathian MTB Epic had picked up the mountain biking ?rule book?and thrown out all the aces. It was packed with features and thrills, and was a massive adventure that pushed my mountain bike skills to the maximum and challenged what I thought my body was capable of. I had no idea how tough this race would be, after completing the Trans Alp I didn?t think anything could beat that for technicality but this did and I was in awe of the amazing race this beautiful, country had hosted.

As it turned out, I exceeded my own expectations, both physically and psychologically. Yes, I am more capable than I thought!

Top t ips f or an yon e t h in k in g of en t er in g Training - You need at least five months focused training on hills and

increasing your endurance.

Get in those hill reps and ride technical singletrack in Wales (or somewhere else that?s hard) to iron out your skills.

Nutrition ? get your food and hydration plan sorted each day pre-race and stick to it, whether it?s raining or not.

Weather ? It rained every day but was also super-hot P20 it great long lasting sun protection and a good light weight rain coast is essential.

Flying ? I flew with BA so my bike was my luggage, no issue on the way out but on the way back the Bucharest airport wanted to charge me 100 Euros for my bag being over weight.

Bike ? A dropper post would be good and a spare set of brake pads, I went through one set in a day .

Editor?s note: The Adventure She team has watched the official race video. Hannah Attenburrow

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is a seriously good mountain biker and very fit too.

Yes we believe in seizing the moment and living ones dreams, but a race like this needs to be entered with an understanding of just how hard it is going to be.

Hannah Attenburrow tells us that being a solo race, yes the other competitors look out for you but you are miles away from civilization so have to be self-sufficient there were times I didn?t see anyone for hours. She added that this is not a race for amateurs but for seasoned mountain bikers who have already put other stage races under their belts and that having good quality insurance cover is a must for events like this. Hannah uses Dog tag multi extreme sport cover for all her trips. https:/ / www.dogtag.co.uk/ Other providers are of course also available.

Please ensure you check you have the right insurance for your trip.

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OF

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Abou t Han n ah At t en bu r r ow Hannah Attenburrow is an ex Elite Cross-Country mountain biker. During her mountain biking career she competed nationally and internationally in some of the most grueling races, including 24 hour solo races and two European stage races; The Trans Alp, from Austria to Italy and the Carpathian MTB Epic, through the wild Carpathian mountains in Romania.

guiding and holidays through her company Beyond the Mud. Hannah believes the beauty in mountain biking comes from the adventure, the ability to explore new places, sometimes otherwise not accessible, under your own steam.

Beyond The Mud was born from a desire to get out and live life to the full. With the belief that life happens outdoors and that there is no better way to explore our natural environment than on two wheels!

Energised by her love of the sport, Hannah has been working to help others get the most out of their cycling. She runs a mountain bike club for kids called ?Pedal 2 Pedal?, from the Queen Elizabeth Country Park. She also runs mountain bike coaching,

You can follow Hannah using the following social media channels:

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https://www.instagram.com/beyondthemud/

1-Day Challenge, a one-day contest where participants have 40 km to ride and 1,500 m to climb.

https://twitter.com/beyondthemud facebook.com/BeyondtheMud

All the details about the event are available on the official webpage: www.carpathianmtb.ro

www.beyondthemud.co.uk

To watch the official video, go to http://carpathianmtb.ro/multimedia/

Abou t t h e Car pat h ia M TB Epic The event which is organized by MPG Romania offers cyclists two choices: - a 4-day EPIC where professional and amateur riders have to pedal 180 km and to ascend 8,500 m; or

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THENEW YORKCITY MARATHON BYANNYERGINBYRNE

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Ann Yergin Byrne has run over ..... marathons and ..... ultra marathons. Now in her 60's she's retired from running due to knee issues. But, she hasn't retired her sense of fun, her wit, or her love of travel.

We asked her, what was is like to do your first ever marathon?

are all excited and bursting to run, too. I felt like I was on Cloud 9, so much so that although I could feel the bridge pulsating with the pounding of all those feet, I hardly noticed the incline ? even though it?s in fact the steepest hill of the course.

But, being in such a crowd did indeed keep me from going too fast ? okay, my version of ?fast? ? and I relaxed into a nice comfortable jog.

The first time I ran a marathon was in New York City, where I was living.

It was exciting. People from all over the country and the world come to run it.

Another jolt of adrenalin hit me at the end of the 2-mile long bridge, as I came out onto the streets of Brooklyn: the roar from the crowds of people who are there to cheer the runners on. People line the entire course, often four- and five- deep, clapping, calling out encouragement, offering orange slices and water, playing wonderful, loud music.

On that cool October morning, I arrived at the Start in Staten Island with some 15,000 other runners and got ready to run 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometres and yes, the ?.2? is important!), through all five boroughs of New York City, to the finish line in Central Park, in Manhattan.

As the course goes through Brooklyn for some eleven miles, it?s an ethnic tour as well.

We were first in Bay Ridges, the largely Italian area of ?Saturday Night Fever ? fame.

I decided to take the advice I?d been given: Start from behind the rest of the pack. That way, you can?t go out too fast, which you might otherwise do because of the adrenalin and excitement, and then you?d burn out. So, I went back? . and back? . and back? . and pretty much started behind everyone!

I was still jogging steadily and happily through miles 4, 5, 7, through the black, Hispanic, Anglo and mixed areas which were all out there cheering and being so supportive.

It worked. When the cannon went off, it was thrilling ? the helicopters were all up there following the lead, elite runners, and there?s a great view of Manhattan as you start up onto the bridge. Plus, you?re surrounded by all these thousands of other runners who

My parents met me at mile 8.5 ? I?d been looking forward to that! They had come down from upstate New York and we?d worked out that they?d be able to see me go

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by at three different spots, travelling to the next by subway after I passed by. It was a great motivator to keep in mind!

and no cheering. But ? they?re there!

About two miles later, I started up the small bridge that connects Brooklyn to Queens. It also marks the Halfway Point of the race, and as I crested the top, a woman with a radio called out, ?Rod Dixon?s won ? 2:08!?

Rod Dixon of New Zealand had just won the race in 2 hours and 8 minutes ? and here I was , half way! But it was actually thrilling to hear ? as it was to realise that this meant some 15,000 people were now stretched out over more than 13 miles of New York City roads.

I also had my name printed on my t-shirt, so I got a lot of calls of ?Go Ann!?, ?Keep running, Ann!? ?Looking great, Ann!? and so on, prompting more than one of my fellow runners to comment, ?Boy, you sure know a lot of people!? The personal cheering helps, and even when you know you dUon?t look ?great?, you still believe it and are buoyed by it.

Then, we turned a corner, and suddenly there was: quiet. It was an Orthodox Jewish neighbourhood. The Satmar Hasidic men in their furry hats, beards, and black coats all lined the street too, as crowds had in other areas , and a few women and kids passed out orange slices ? but there was no clapping

I was now in Queens, but only for two miles, and as I started up the 59th Street Bridge, I sang the Simon and Garfunkel song in my head to keep me going up this incline. After 15 ½ miles, it felt a lot steeper than the Verrazano had. I was a bit tired ? but ?Feelin?

The Statue of Liberty is seen early on in the marathon, Image courtesy of Pixabay

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to get some exercise.?

Groovy!? Luckily too, I?d actually ?practiced? this bridge a few weeks earlier with 3 friends.

We took a bus from Manhattan into Queens in order to run back so we?d know what to expect.

(Yes ? New York City really IS one big Woody Allen movie!)

Now over the bridge, I was in Manhattan, where the course turns right and heads north up First Avenue for nearly four miles.

As well as the crowds lining the sidewalks and cheering, there were lots of banners and signs up to cheer the runners from the ?marathon-watching? brunches and champagne parties in the cafes and restaurants in this yuppie and wealthy neighbourhood. A few blocks up, I got to see my folks again, too. They now had their umbrellas up, as it had begun raining lightly and would keep doing so for the remainder of the day.

A lady on the bus, seeing us in our running gear, had asked us ?So, are you people all doing that marathon in a couple of weeks??

When we said we were, she asked if we were going to win it. Smiling, we said, No ? no chance of that! ?Good!? she replied. ?It?d be no good if you won.? ?Why?? I asked. ?Because they give the winner a car!?, she said.?And if you have a car, you?ll stop running ? you?ll just drive everywhere. Better

So ? now the crowds handed out paper

Pulaski Bridge - half way , Image courtesy of Pixabay

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Finally, the oh so welcome Central Park, Image courtesy of Pixabay

towels so those of us wearing glasses could wipe them!

water or flat Coke. Someone called out ?Ann, here, want some Coke?? Because my body and my brain were no longer on speaking terms with each other, I replied ?No? as I took it and drank it.

At the top of First Avenue, I headed over the Willis Avenue Bridge into the Bronx ? mile 20 (32k) ? and I hit the legendary ?Wall?. My energy was depleted and I was starting to feel tired and sluggish. A group from my running club had a table at this point set up with icy poles, orange slices, and cups of

It was a good thing, too ? instant liquid sugar hit. I needed that! And that, plus the happy cheer of the guy yelling to us all ?Hey! You?re in the South Bronx, you BETTER keep

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running!? helped spur me on and over the Madison Avenue Bridge back into Manhattan ? specifically, Harlem, which had some of the best, most enthusiastic crowds, and great, loud music. To this day, whenever I hear Lionel Richie?s ?All Night Long? it takes me back to running ? no, practically dancing! ? to the boom boxes blasting that song at mile 21.5.

miles 25 and 26 and feels like the longest stretch ever.

Then finally I was turning right again, into Central Park and heading north toward the finish line ? only about a quarter-mile away.

Mom & Dad were at this corner to again cheer me on. I handed Larry the cap I?d been wearing since he was peeling off here ? that way I could fix my ?hat hair ? and be ready for my crossing-the-finish-line photo. Yes, even!

Another mile and a half and I was now running down Fifth Avenue. There was Central Park on my right ? but the Finish Line was still 3 miles away, on the opposite end and opposite side of the park.

By the way, this last Âź mile is, in an unspeakable act of cruelty by the race planners, UPHILL.

My friend Larry now jumped in to run the last 2 miles or so with me. When we?d planned this, I?d been looking forward to the company and chatter to keep my mind off how I was feeling. Larry is hilarious, witty & funny and can keep up a steady patter of jokes and comical observations.

BUT ? it doesn?t matter. IT?S SO EXCITING! I could see the Finish banner, the clock, and all the cheering people. I picked up my pace and ran!, coming in under the banner at 4:17:58 (though the photo shows 4:18:01). As I walked through the chute, someone hung a medal around my neck and someone else wrapped a space blanket around me. I walked slowly with the other finishers toward the buses that held our gear, the lot of us looking for all the world like a moving throng of baked potatoes.

.....which now began to really irritate me like crazy, due to the fatigued state I was in. I?d even moved to the centre of the runners pack so that the crowd couldn?t see my name on my shirt and cheer me personally. I just wanted everyone to SHUT UP AND LEAVE ME .... ALONE!

I remember feeling emotional, almost moved to tears. I had done it. It was a thrill, and a high, and I loved it. AND ? it was addictive!

After two tough miles of inclines and hills, I rounded a corner and turned right onto Central Park South. Although this stretch is only about a half-mile long, it?s between

And so I did it again, and again, and again, and ...But that?s another story (or 25...)

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We asked Ann about those other stories. In her unassuming way Ann eventually admitted ?I did 25 marathons in total, plus 10 ultras. The ultras were: Wakulla Distance Classic (twice) (50k), 49-er Double Marathon, Quadruple Dipsea (28.4 miles), Summer of Love 50k, Amerlcan River 50 miler, and I?ve gotta check the names of the others, will send soon!?

When the others arrived they included Prospect Park 12 Hour and Forest Park 40-Miler. She was then heading to her loft area to search out her records, as it was driving her mad that she couldn?t remember the names of the other ones.

Here's a couple of her trophies.

Ann, we take our hat off to you and to all other runners, whatever the distance, that have enjoyed so many races, you can no longer remember them all. It sounds like you had a lot of fun.

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K ayak i ng Greenl and

By A dri ana Eyzagui rre 88 Image courtesy of tinmanphotography.co.uk

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In 2018 a few of us went kayaking in Disko Bay in Western Greenland. The starting point for our trip was the town of Ilulissat (previously known at Jakobshavn) .

According to the website www.greenland-travel.com ?The word Ilulissat means Icebergs?. In 2004 UNESCO declared the Ilulissat Icefjord as a World Heritage Site.

The icebergs in this area have come off the Sermeg Kujalleq glacier.

We were lucky to arrive in time for Greenland Day, which was celebrated at the local church with traditional songs, bright beaded costumes and a fantastic demonstration of Greenland rolling by a husband and wife team using their skin-on-frames qajaqs. They were in the bay in front of the church for about 30 minutes, demonstrating several types of rolls wearing a tulik and no gloves in water of just 1 degree centigrade, and which had broken ice. It was a privilege to see them so expertly and happily rolling in front a crowd celebrating their traditions.

In the bay, the enormous icebergs float north or south depending on the currents and winds. Whales come to feed in the rich summer waters of the bay. In the soft light of the midnight sun, this stunning place turns gold and blue.

Everyone was a bit on edge at the start of our kayaking; as kayaking here involves padding past those huge icebergs they are dangerous.

Paddling amongst them requires a lot of

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experience, the place comes into its own when the whales appear. As soon as they emerged amongst the icebergs, everyone would know as shouts of joy erupted from us. Each of us must have taken hundreds of photos.

concentration and care. But as well as dangerous, they are beautiful, an amazing work of nature. Some are white, some green, and some deep blue. They towered above our kayaks. Some leaned precariously, which gave us a lot of motivation to paddle faster. It was a jaw dropping and really exhilarating experience.

You can hear the Minke and Atlantic humpback whales before you see them. Even when they are far away their spout sounds fill the air. After coming up to breathe, they dive, curving their backs and exposing their huge tail fins in the air. Instantly they dived, we focused our attention on where they would reappear, always hoping to capture that elusive photo of the whale in front of the best iceberg in the area.

For two weeks we explored the area north of Ilulissat. But rather than making a bee line north, our aim was to paddle among the icebergs, whale watch, enjoy the midnight sun and hike to Greenland?s beautiful inland areas.

Although paddling among these giant bergs and along the stunning coastline of Greenland is in itself, a very unique and amazing

The whales are so huge and powerful, we had

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to be watchful at all times, especially when paddling very close to the coast as a whale could surface between us kayakers and the shore. We knew it is important to keep a healthy distance from the whales. One rule is if you can smell the fishy breath of the whale, you are too close! At night, when the light is golden and you can hear them, it is impossible to remain in the tents. The temptation to come out to see them is just too strong. We also heard their primeval screams at night. Made you think of wailing dinosaurs. In one of our camps, where we stayed for a few days, groups of them came several times a day to feed and snooze.

There we saw mums with their calves and huge males beating the surface of the sea with their powerful fins.

The whales and the ice make Greenland?s seascape extraordinary. On land, the feeling is very different, still special, but a different special. We got to experience the land when the weather was too cold or not good enough to kayak, as then we hiked. The place is covered in

very delicate tundra that has taken decades to build into a soft cushion of vegetation where minute plants thrive.

There are ferns, lichens, trees, flowers - all tiny and very fragile. From this tundra, raise strong granite mountains with lakes and hillsides dotted with round boulders

"I f you ca n smell the fishy br eath of the wha le, you a r e too close!"

-Adriana Eyzaguirre

deposited in place sometime ago by the retreating ice-cap.

In many places, Viking corn still grows wild.

We also hiked from our kayaks, paddling through some bouncy narrows and into a long fiord that ended close to the ice cap. Keen to get as close as possible to the ice cap, we hiked through soft tundra made of beautiful tiny flowers, bright moss and black lichens. That day we got to a very good vantage point where we could see the enormity and thickness of the 92

ice cap and the moraines.

The environment is so extreme that life just about holds on and the balance is very delicate. It is a contrast between sterile ice and life in some of its smallest and largest expressions - from the magnificent whale, to the minuscule flower. From the barren granite slopes, to the seashore where thousands of fish slowly trace its shallow contour to avoid deeper waters where the whales lurk.

Greenland is indeed very very special.

Th e Wh al es of Di sk o Bay The most common whales to spot in Disko Bay are: Th e At lan t ic Hu m pback Wh ale - Up to 18 metres long and weighing around 30 tons.

They are an amazing sight to behold. Before you see this whale, you will for sure hear the sound of its blowhole as it expels a plume of water. After taking a large breath, it will curve its back, show its dorsal fin and dive. As it dives it will expose the underside of its tail with its typical black & white pattern. Sometimes,

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you can see them beating the surface of the water with their pectoral fins to communicate with others or let out huge screams that remind us of a primeval world. From one of our campsites in 2018, we spotted many whales of this type. In summer, they have young calves with them and one day three of them came right into our small bay to have a long snooze.

Th e M in k e Wh ale - The minke is much smaller weighing only 10 tons and being 10 metres in length. They are not as common to spot as the humpback, but you can recognise them by the shape of their dorsal fin. We also saw many of these, especially moving very close to the shore.

One day, one surfaced right between one kayak and the shore which made for a very exciting time for the paddler who was attempting to film the encounter. The water got a bit turbulent but slowly the whale went on its way after sending a huge plume which engulfed our paddler on its fishy breath.

Th e Bow h ead Wh ale - This is a leviathan of a whale! It can reach weights of 100 tons and grow to 18 metres in length. It can live to 250 years and is one of the largest animals that has ever existed.

Those are some very respectable stats!

Th e Belu ga - This is a medium sized-whale and moves around in small pods of 5 to 10 animals but there are stories of herds of several thousand of individuals!

There are other whales, including orcas and narwhals, but these are much harder to see.

Narwhals are hunted to make tourist trinkets, so if you spot one, don?t tell anyone!

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94 Image courtesy of tinmanphotography.co.uk

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96 Image courtesy of tinmanphotography.co.uk

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About Adr iana Eyzaguir r e Adriana runs Explora Expeditions which runs coaching courses, trips and expeditions for sea kayakers, particularly in Greece and Greenland. During her own holiday, she enjoys kayaking in her native Chile. If you are interested in learning to sea kayak or in joining one of the trips or expeditions run by Explora Expeditions, get in touch with Adriana via social media and please mention us. At the time of publication. spaces are available on the second of the summer 2019 expeditions Explora Expeditions is running to Greenland. No payment was received by

Adventure She or its editor, for this article. It;s ini here simply because we're fascinated by Greenland and want to share its wonders with you.

You can follow Adriana on social media: Website: https://www.exploraexpeditions.com/greenland/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/exploraexpeditions/ Meetup: www.meetup.com/Explora/

Additional photography for this piece was provided by tinmanphotography.co.uk which you can follow on social media using www.tinmanphotography.co.uk and @tinmansphotography

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Gasl i gh ti ng

By Cl ai re Standen

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Empow eri ng w omen to recogni se gasl i gh ti ng and emoti onal abuse Life is often far from easy. But what if life as it is, becomes unbearable? What to do?

Some readers might wonder what does gaslighting and emotional abuse have to do with adventure? Alas gaslighting and emotional abuse can strike at all types of people. We believe forewarned, forearmed. After all, none of us know when we too might encounter someone who tries to gaslight or emotionally abuse us, be it at work, at home, or at play in the great outdoors.

In early 2017, I read an article about gaslighting that made me question my own situation. I was being told my interpretation of events was invalid. I was made to feel my reactions or responses were overblown or outrageous. I was

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being told, repeatedly, that I was wrong, and no explanation of my point of view could counter it. It had cultivated an atmosphere of fear. I was afraid to act, afraid to speak, afraid to be me. Yet, not a finger had been lain, not a voice raised. It was under the radar. It was almost imperceptible. Covert.

Each scenario, when examined, was ambiguous. Was it abuse, or just humour?

Was it abuse, or just a misunderstanding?

Was I remembering inaccurately, or stupid, or was I indeed ?too emotional?"

silenced. And when I asked myself the big question- that?s like what? It became so clear- that?s like me. Not this meek and quiet me. Not the shadow of a me that I?ve become, but the me that I was, before all of this. The me that I would like to be again. So why, then, did I feel the need to silence her?

Why did I start to act to make this so? My daughter held a mirror up to me. At first, I turned away, repulsed by what I saw. Then when I began to look more closely, to see the similarities, I realised that what I saw shining through was purpose, was light, was truth.

What I saw shining though was a future that I could either embrace and nurture, or reject.

I had always considered myself to be a fairly intelligent, articulate woman, but here I was, standing in the kitchen screaming at the top of my lungs. One long, continuous note of frustration, still unheard. Inarticulate, raw and impulsive. Everything I was not ?allowed? to be. Feminine anger, quashed and labelled inappropriate.

From that point on, it didn?t really matter what happened. There were very tough times. Pure terror, guilt, anxiety, shame, hurtful words and derision. There was also freedom. Freedom and this vision of and for the future that drove me forwards through the storm, using my last ounce of energy to reach the outside, another reality. Something so very different from my married life that when I caste my mind back now it is really very difficult to remember any of ?that?.

So, I started to shut down. In truth, I had a spiritual near-death experience. The adventurous, inquisitive and extroverted me was dulled. I was in a fog. My brain felt like it had a cloud surrounding it, 24/7. And there were the kids. Kids to take up my time. Kids to take up my brain space. Kids on whom to focus my attention. Not knowing who you are is a scary place to be. Trying to raise tiny humans when you don?t know who you are is even worse. They were my downfall, and ultimately, my saviours. Because, you see, I had this daughter. This fiery embodiment of fierce individualism who would not be

When I walked, I stepped into my power. I stepped into my power so completely, that now I help other women to do the same through my business, Rising Strong. In that space between hopelessness and fear, I am there, holding the beacon of light up, showing that it is possible. I receive messages weekly from women who need

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help to rediscover their own power. In empowering these women, I have found my purpose. The biggest adventure of your life is to live your soul?s purpose and go after the life of your dreams. Women are resourceful, powerful, creative beings. The original creative being. Creators of life, literally and metaphorically. So I reach out to you today, Adventurous She, to ask- what is your soul?s purpose, what were you sent here to to do?

Of course, at times there are periods of huge resistance, and I have had to do deep inner work in order to get to where I am today. I will continue this journey of enlightenment for the rest of my life, I am a mere sapling in the forest of universal knowledge.But I do know that I have a gift for helping others, and I will continue to do this. Within my dreams are a charitable foundation to help women who?ve escaped abusive relationships to re-train and empower others. I want to open up the conversation around emotional abuse, and shine a light into the darkness wherever it persists. I have a burning desire to educate, empower and inspire. I am strong. I am powerful. I am an adventurous she.

I have shed the role of victim, with all its stories and excuses, coming into alignment with a truer version of myself. I am not looking for external validation any longer, nor am I searching for a saviour.

WHA T I S GA SLI GHTI NG? Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse where the perpetrator questions the victim?s understanding of reality to such an extent that the victim is no longer sure of their own mind. This could manifest as calling specific memories into question, or insisting that things were said or done that were not.

Gaslighting will make the victim question the very core of their being, as they wonder how it is that they can do nothing right, no matter how hard they try. It spirals out of control, with seemingly minor incidents, such as asking the same question for which the perpetrator has already received an (apparently unsatisfactory) answer, repeatedly. Until the answer moulds into something ?acceptable?, or the victim gives up expressing their opinions. It can live alongside other forms of abuse, and these go hand in hand to degrade the confidence and self esteem of the victim. Think of a frog in a cold frying pan. At first, there doesn?t seem to be anything to worry about, it?s not so different from a lily pad. Then the heat goes up and notch and because it is incremental, the frog doesn?t notice. With emotional abuse, the heat is turned up gradually, imperceptibly slowly, until the heat becomes damaging and the frog perishes.

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A BOUT CLA I RE

can access these resources remotely. I want to build a community of women supporting and encouraging each other through the hard times and celebrating the successes together. I also have plans for beautiful rural retreats, workshops, talks and the biggest health and wellness festival in Scotland! I?m ambitious, because I believe so deeply that connecting with other women is how we?ll spread the message that emotional abuse, whether it?s happening at work, at home or at school, is unacceptable and we will not tolerate it any longer. Together, we rise.

Strong. "

Claire is a single mum to a four year old and a two year old. Before having children, she hiked, rock climbed and enjoyed travelling. She worked as a seasonal ranger in a country park during her forestry degree and volunteer at Mount Rainier National Park in the USA. Since having her children she still adventures, Claire says " The nature of our adventures has changed". As a family they have stayed in a yurt and enjoy exploring and hiking in woodlands, and up hills.

You can follow Claire on the following social media channels.

Claire now helps women who?ve left emotionally abusive relationships to build confidence, believe in themselves again and step back into their power. She coaches using Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP).

Claire says this means she is "skilled in working with people to introduce more possibilities into their narrative of their life. It is the same type of therapy that I myself accessed when I was newly separated, and having been absolutely blown away by the change in my outlook, I knew that it was what I wanted to reach out to the world with and offer. I share a lot of positive, inspirational content on social media daily. In 2019 I plan to deliver an online programme, coaching a cohort of women, so that more people 102

Website:

www.RisingStrong.me

Instagram

@RisingStrong.me

Adventure She December 2018

A DV ENTURE SHE - THOUGHTS ON WHA T TO DO, I F YOU'RE THE V I CTI M OF GA SLI GHTI NG, OR A NOTHER FORM OF A BUSE As an adventure magazine that seeks to empower and educate as well as entertain, we do our best to both bring issues to public knowledge and to support people. We really wish we could advise individuals, but we can't. After all, each individual is different, plus we're not trained in the area of gaslighting or other forms of abuse. A few thoughts do however spring to mind.

If you think you, or someone close to you ,might be getting gaslighted, why not ask your doctor who is the best person you can talk to, to help you through and beyond your particular situation. You might of course want to ask your doctor about the method Claire discussed in her article, namely NLP. If all the doctor appointments are full, and you need help now, ask or an emergency appointment,. After all, mental health is as important as physical health. and your mental health is important.

There are also a lot of free telephone helplines, which are designed to help people in times of need. So if you need to, and it's safe to do so, why not call them. You can even try phoning more than one.

We really hope this article might help any of you who might be suffering, especially if you are suffering in silence. There are people we care about you and your situation and those helplines can be a good place to start on a journey.

Finally, please do try to stay safe, physically and mentally. Yes it can be hard.

But staying safe is important.

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Cycling New Zealand's Sout h Island Rain, Wind and Hail

By Car oline Powell Phot ogr aphy by Car oline Powell and Noel Wat er st on 104

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I'm

known as the weather jinx especially when it comes to holidays!

I?ve been flooded out of a campsite in the Pyrennes, endured the wettest Christmas for 125 years in Queensland Australia and spent many soggy weeks cycle touring along the west coast of Scotland and its islands.

Some of this can be predicted and indeed expected due to weather patterns, such as Scotland in summer. However, my trip to New Zealand in their summer, raised a few questions about whether global warming really exists!

For the record, I do believe it exists, despite what I encountered in New Zealand.

It all started well enough.

We set off from Christchurch in glorious 30 degree sunshine and rode to the accompaniment of gorgeous purple lupins as we headed towards New Zealand?s Southern Alps. So far so good for our self supported, cycling

holiday, when we hoped to cover about 1200 kms over 2 weeks. Perhaps this would finally be the holiday when I threw off my persona as a weather jinx!

Approaching the iconic Lake Tekapo with its world famous turquoise blue water, my partner noticed a change in the sky way ahead. No longer blue, what was at first a shimmering grey sky quickly turned into extremely threatening shade of grey.

Soon the weather was upon us and we were engulfed in a freezing hailstorm.

We rode on, desperate for shelter, but there was none.

Finally, we found some at a salmon far (reputedly the highest salmon farm in the world at 667m). There, cold and wet we sheltered in the one building open to the public, ironically the freezer shop. As the hail settled around us and my fingers turned to ice, we swallowed our pride and for only the second time in my life, accepted a lift with our bikes.

The lift though wasn?t

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exactly much more comfortable, for we were sat in the back of an open pick-up, so were still at the mercy of the weather as we headed off downhill to Twizel.

You might wonder why accept a lift when we?d still be in the open and subject to the hail and the wind? We were simply so cold, all we wanted

"cold a nd wet we shelter ed in the one building open to the public, ir onica lly the fr eezer shop."

Caroline Powell

was to get into the warm as quickly as possible. The lift meant we got there quicker. It also meant we didn?t have to navigate our bikes through the hail and didn?t have to manage the brakes with ice cold hands. In fact, the thought of attempting to brake with heavily laden and sodden bikes was not worth contemplating.

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That night instead of camping we stayed in the dry of a cabin at a lodge, where on discovering the laundry room, we eventually started to thaw out.

On we cycled, through alternating sunny and wet days, each night camping somewhere different.

One evening we basked in the sunshine by the shores of beautiful Lake Wanaka. Then as we slept, the wind picked up and up and up. Some campers retreated to the safety of their cars, not a choice we could make! Luckily we had a great tent that was up to the stormy weather and so managed to stay where we were. Mind you, we had also chosen as sheltered a spot as we could find.

Now we faced a big climb up the Haast Pass.

This is when we encountered some rather unpleasant (at least to humans) local wildlife ? the infamous sandflies, which rather like Scottish midges, seem determined to bite any exposed skin.

A cyclist passing in the opposite direction, covered in bites, advised us to keep moving at a speed greater than 6km an hour to outrun the sandflies ? not that easy when ascending a massive pass on heavily laden bikes. On the downhill another New Zealand favourite, the rain, reappeared.

Riding up the West Coast we were looking forward to seeing the famous Fox Glacier. Again the weather jinxed our plans. We both love skiing and have spent several weeks in the mountains and on glaciers. With thick grey cloud hanging over the glacier itself, we forwent the chance to explore the top of the glacier, instead hiking up from the village towards its base. It proved to be a lesson in climate change, with retreated ice exposing?ice-scoured?rock walls.

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was underwater! Also I didn?t exactly feel comfortable inside with newspaper cuttings on the dirty walls announcing to all that the owners had reputedly made their money running a brothel in Australia. The suggestion that it was only another 30 minutes by car to the top of the pass spurred me on and as I said to my partner, I?d rather pitch a tent on the roadside than remain there any longer.(This was about 2004 or so, so of course it could be very different and really nice by now, but I didn?t like it when I was there). So off we went, only about another 400m climb for the legs to cope with up to the top of the pass, before a short descent to Arthur ?s Pass village. We made it, the welcoming lights of the village greeting us as the day grew to a close.

On we cycled via Franz Joseph to Hokitika, home of the annual Wildfoods Festival.

Fortunately for us, we were a few months too early for this particular merriment, where you can eat (at least according to their website), delicacies such as ?Huhu grubs, Colostrum shooters and Possum kebabs?.

We did however discover a hot tub which was far more to our taste, especially as it was another soggy night.

By the evening of day 12 we were approaching the long steep climb up Arthur ?s Pass. Our plan had been to camp in the garden of the last hotel to the west of the pass, as recommended in our local guide book. That way we wouldn?t have to climb the steep pass with our fully laden bikes at the end of a long day. Alas what greeted us when we arrived was certainly not welcoming.The front garden of the said hotel

The up side of riding further was now we had a total rest day from the bikes, when we

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could hike. Eating our sandwich lunch in fine weather on Avalanche Peak, with stunning mountain views all around us was amazing, particularly as Keas (the mountain parrot ) appeared and decided to fight us for our food.

champion in the women?s veteran category of the Brompton bike world championships.

When not cycling, she?s a technical specialist in the health system.

An ext r a t h an k you f r om t h e edit or It was glorious to be enjoying sunshine once more and that?s how it stayed, almost the entire way, with the heavens opening one last time with just enough force, to ensure we arrived at our final destination once more soaked to the skin.

Abou t Car olin e Pow ell Caroline and her partner Noel are hardened cycling tourists, who have ridden both the Pyrenees and the Alps end to end, whilst carrying panniers. She?s also a multiple world

Caroline doesn?t do social media. So how did we get hold of this article? Caroline happens to be my best friend and has been a tremendous sounding board and a huge support, in the founding of Adventure She. She very kindly agreed to write the article, after another author who was going to write an article on cycling New Zealand, unfortunately couldn?t do so. So here?s a huge, public and mega thank you Caroline, for your support and friendship, as well as the article.

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Wh at m ak es Lak e Tek apo?s w at er t u r qu oise?

When ice from glaciers hits rock, be it on the side of a glacier or base of the glacier, the rock is trapped.

The very slow moving glacial ice effectively rubs against the rock, grinding it up, so fine, it?s almost like flour. According to the website http://www.tekapotourism.com ?It is often referred to as glacial flour ?. The flour gets carried along with the ice, eventually turning into water. Again according website http://www.tekapotourism.com this ?glacial flour continues its journey in the river waters of the Godley, Cass and Macaulay rivers until it flows into the lake 109 where the majority remains suspended within the water. This results in the turquoise colour."

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JUNGLE RUNNI NG PERU

BY JA CQUI BURK E Im age cou r t esy of Beyon d t h e Ult im at e

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As I sat chatting to my new tent buddy Freya, relaxing after my first day of competing in the Marathon Des Sables (MDS), in the Sahara Desert, we discussed challenges we had done and those we hoped to do in the future.

Freya mentioned a friend had done the Jungle Ultra in the Amazon Race Forest. He maintained it was the hardest event he?d done. In fact, after returning to the UK, he was admitted to hospital for infectious diseases.

Normally when you hear stories like that, you would want to avoid it like the plague. But not me, I wanted to hear more about it. So on my return from completing the MDS, I looked into the Jungle Ultra. I studied the organiser ?s Facebook page, read all the comments, looked at the photos and watched all the videos. I was hooked.

I reached out to some of my MDS tent buddies, to see if anyone else was interested and Alex Thomson happily agreed to sign up to do the challenge with me.

I?d made some mistakes in the MDS. For one thing my bag was so heavy I couldn?t run, plus it caused me shoulders issues. I was determined not to repeat those mistakes, but rather to learn from them. So for the Im age cou r t esy of Alex Th om son

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Jungle Ultra I reached out to previous competitors and the race organizers and sought their advice on kit and food.

11,200 feet above sea level I could feel the difference in the air, for here it was a lot thinner and harder to breath than at sea level. Some of the hotels even offer oxygen to help guests cope with altitude sickness.

In the Sahara we?d been in 8 man shelters made of goat?s-hair and which had 2 sides open to the wind and the sand. In the jungle, we?d be sleeping in hammocks. So as well as training for the run, I practiced putting my hammock up in the garden. Who knew getting a hammock just right is so hard! Let?s just say I?m very glad I practiced a lot at home and got it right before I headed off to the Amazon.

The following morning at 5am us competitors, medics and support staff all met outside the Ruinas Hotel. In a convoy of 6 mini buses we set off on our 6 hours road trip to the race start at Wayqecha Biological Research Lodge.

The lodge sits in the Cloud Forest which is the name given to the forest in this part of Peru. Prior to arriving at the lodge we?d been able to enjoy all the world?s luxuries. Now we were self sufficient, apart from hot water, which the race organizers gave us.

Finally in June 2018, 48 of us competitors gathered in Cusco, Peru. With a day to spare my MDS tent buddy Alex and I set out to explore this amazing city / town and its cathedral, the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin, (or to use it?s more commonly known name, Cusco Cathedral), which was finished in 1654. At 3400 meters /

At the race briefing we were told it hadn?t rained in the Cloud Forest during any of the 4 previous Jungle Ultra races. They spoke to Image courtesy of David Nolan

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Image courtesy of Beyond the Ultimate

soon, after the briefing and medical checks, the rain started and didn't stop for 48 hours.

the race.

8am it was time for the race to start.

Backpacks on, once final race briefing and to the accompaniment of a local brass band, us 48 competitors were off.

By 5pm, most people were sitting or lying in their hammocks just trying to stay dry. Even though I had a rain cover for my hammock, staying dry and keeping my belongings dry under the hammock, was hard work.

St age 1

We descended all the way from 9000 ft down through the cloud forest to around 3500ft.

Then came the first of our river crossings.

Two members from the local support team stood in the fast flowing river, helping us cross. Then it was time to climb again. Up we went, to a winding road, with some stunning views and waterfalls along the way.

I was up at 5am. The field where we were camping was completely water logged and my trainers were wet even before we started

It was still raining when we finished. There had been so much rain, the owners of the land had put extra straw on to the ground in

Being so close to the Equator, soon after 6pm it was dark and most people were in their hammocks trying to sleep. But thanks to the rain, I couldn?t sleep.

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an attempt to soak up some of the rain, but we were still ankle deep in the mud and water.

St age 2 The second day?s running started along the same winding road with which we?d finished day one, then after about 20 kms, we had our first taste of the Amazon Rainforest.

We ran, walked, scrambled, slipped and slid on rarely trodden trails, as we climbed and descended through the thick vegetation. It was so

hot and humid, you could feel the heat surrounding you. The only respite from this heat was the streams.

But even those were covered by the trees, which made tackling them hard going. At least being in the water helped us to ?stay cool?.

What with going though swamps, waist high rivers, and trying to run in and around the Amazon Jungle, my feet had been wet the whole day. The conditions had taken their toll. As I arrived in camp, I knew I needed assistance with my feet. I had developed 3

blisters on my toes. In those conditions, you don?t want bad feet. I cleaned them up and when to see the doctors. They helped me dry out my blisters and then taped, all ready for the next day. Thankfully, my blisters didn't get worse. Trench foot has been known to occur at the race.

Apart from visiting the medical team, the usual routine on arriving in camp, was first, find a spot to pitch up your hammock, then have a quick wash followed by making dinner. This meant collecting some

Image courtesy of Beyond the Ultimate

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boiling water, pouring it on top of some dehydrated food in a foil packet, then waiting for it to reconstitute before eating. To help make life easier for the next morning, after dinner, I also always prepared my bag, water and snacks for the following day.

St age 3 This was a staggered start, as after a few kilometers we had to use a zip wire to cross a river and it could only take two people at a time. So to minimise hold ups the half the group set off and then

45 minutes, the rest followed.

I was alone and it was hard. I kept having to focus, to look for the red tape markers showing the way. Normally they hung off a tree. Care is need though as in the past, children and even animals have removed them. Today in the 4km between the start and the zip wire, several runners got lost, which meant they ended up doing an extra couple of miles.

Luckily I wasn?t one of those.

If at any point I was unsure Image courtesy of David Nolan which direction to go in, I

walked up the track to see if I could see a marker. On this occasion I saw the marker across the river, just around the bent.

A lot of the today?s track was on logging roads, where big lorries had left large track marks, at least 2 foot deep.

These soon filled up with water. Most of the time I walked in the middle of the track, but sometimes I had no choice other than stepping down into those huge ruts and trudging through the water and mud.

The jungle is hard, but it

Image courtesy of David Nolan

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does at least have a canopy that helps keep off the sun. As I emerged from the Jungle the sun and heat just hit me. There was no more shelter from the sun for the next part, a big long hard climb, followed by the descent to camp.

It was such a good feeling to finally make it to the day?s finish in Santa Rosa de Huacaria, for out there alone in the jungle, I?d found it a lonely place and I?d struggled mentally. This

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feel good feeling of making it to the end of the day was made even better, when the leader of the town greeted me. She actually presented each of us with a beaded necklace and thanked us all for coming to stay in her village. Another good feeling was seeing the grassed over playing field, where local children were playing games. Plus, we could use the local stream to have a wash and cool down.

Afterward we simply sat out overlooking the village, eating our dinner and chatting until dark.

St age 4 Since I?d struggled mentally on day 3, I joined up with four others. As a group of 5 it meant I was slower, but it also meant I enjoyed it more. After all, it wasn?t just a race, but also meant to be a holiday.

You could have been excused for thinking that today?s stage was some form of water, rather than a running race. Straight away we had a river crossing, then a couple crossings on log rafts, motor boats and inflatable rafts. At least we?d

been warned there would be a lot of rivers crossings today. In fact we ended up zig zagging across 10km of river, which took us around 5 hours.

We were delighted to finally come out of the river, even if it meant now we had a couple of hours of trekking under the scorching midday sun before the next checkpoint, the third of the day. By then we were all tired and just wanted the day to end. Still we battled on.

With 1 km to go we came to

Image courtesy of David Nolan

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our final zip wire crossing.

The five of us celebrated on the far side by for a ?family? photo. Together, we had succeeded, we had done it.

It felt extra good to arrive at this night?s camp, for we knew this was the final camp site. We still had another day?s racing to go, but at least we would have to carry all our kit. Here we could put up our hammock and leave it in place until the very end.

St age 5 Up at 4am, ready to race by 4.30am. It was still dark, so we needed our head touches for the first couple of hours. As we proceeded through the local towns, it was lovely to see many families come out to cheer us on our way. They weren?t the only ones in good spirits, we were also happy as we knocked off mile after mile, with each mile, making it ever closer towards the finish line.

Of course the weather took a turn for the worse and it began to rain, again. The road surface became even more slippery. Every time we

climbed, we knew we?d have another slippery descend on the far side back down to a river. Then there?d be the inevitable river crossing, followed by yet another climb etc. This went on for most of the day. Whoever knew the Amazon was so ?hilly??

Then, for a change, we came to a fast flowing river. Here three locals had a boat to take us across. But half way through the crossing, we were to told to jump out and help steer the boat to the other bank! In fact, with the river ?s fast flow, it was quite frightening.

On the far side we were told that we had another 15km to go before the next check point and then another 15km to the finish line. 200 kms down, just 30 more kilometers to go.

This stage was much much longer, 70+ kms. We?d started in the dark and now it was dark once more. The head touches were switched on for the second time that day. By now one of our group of five was feeling 120

exhausted and emotional.

But this is one of the special things I like about ultra races, people help when they can. She was there with a friend. Her friend took her hand and held it as they walked every step together for the next 30km. Another of our group had by now an injured knee. A bad knee can be debilitating in any race, but in the Amazon, with the mud, the ruts, the rivers, it?s worse. I had benefited from joining up with this group.

Now it was my turn to help out. So as she walked behind me, I pointed out to her the potholes and sheer drops. By sticking together and encouraging each other over the last couple of days, we all stuck kept going.

But we weren?t the only team there. In fact everyone supported each other.

Whenever someone had a bad day, or needed help putting up their hammock, or simply were the last one into camp, the support staff, medics, fellow competitors were always willing to help out.

Now it was almost over. As

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121 Image courtesy of Beyond the Ultimate

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Image courtesy of Beyond the Ultimate

we approached the village, we could hear all the cheers from all our fellow competitors.

Then local children appeared and ran alongside us. Us five held hands and crossed the finish line together. As you can probably guess, it was an emotional finish, everyone congratulating and hugging each other. As for me, I felt completely shattered, my body ached and I longed for a hot bath plus a good night?s sleep.

rain, the humidity, the heat, the sun, the mud, and all those river crossings! I haven?t even mentioned the jungle! But for me, the main issue was being wet, the whole time.

Still, I would recommend Beyond The Ultimate Jungle for anyone wanting to push the boundaries.

Wh at ar e clou d f or est s?

Clouds forests are basically tropical forests which are near mountains. Fog / lots of mist hangs around the canopy of the trees, hence the name. Clouds forests occur between around 11,000 and 5,000 feet on the eastern slopes of the Andes mountains. The

Out of the 48 competitors who started, 45 completed the event and those 45 included all 8 women who started the Jungle Ultra.

Definitely the hardest challenge so far, the 122

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Wayqecha Biological Research Lodge is situated at over 3,000 metres / 9,842 metres, so right in the heart of Cloud Forest territory. Plant life here gets a lot of its moisture from fog drip.

An im als of t h e Am azon Rain f or est The rainforest is home to jaguars, monkeys, snakes, parrots to name just a few. I saw some monkeys playing above my head, swinging from branch to branch crying out to each other. A fellow competitor, thinks he heard a roar, that could have been a jaguar, but he didn't stay long to find out and quickly made his way along the trail.

Abou t t h e Ju n gle Ult r a During the race we all had to carry our food, hammocks, medical supplies, torch and at least 2.5 litres of water per checkpoint. If you wanted a change of clothes or any hoe comforts, you had to carry it. If you?re thinking of doing the race, have a look at the website https://beyondtheultimate.co.uk/ultra/jungle-ultra/#!/2019

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About Snowshoeing

BY PENNY WALKER 124

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Snowshoeing has become an increasingly popular winter activity. Is this at all surprising when as Penny Walker puts it "With a pair of snowshoes strapped to your feet you can discover otherwise inaccessible pristine back-country landscapes which will take your breath away." Here Penny Walker looks at the history of snowshoeing.

Wh er e did it st ar t ?

With a pair of snowshoes strapped to your feet you can discover otherwise inaccessible pristine back-country landscapes which will take your breath away. But where did it all start?

Snowshoes are of ancient origin and were probably first used in Central Asia in around 4000BC.

Native Americans used snowshoes extensively on many different types of terrain in winter for hunting or moving through areas where there were no roads.

Nearly every Native American tribe developed its own particular shape of shoe, some triangular in shape and others almost circular. The most peculiar shaped snowshoes were the hunting snowshoes of the Cree native 125

Americans which were more than 1.5m long and turned up at the toe!

Native people in North America still make traditional snowshoes with readily available natural materials such as wood and animal hide.

Many also sell them to members of the general public who no doubt never use them for their intended

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purpose, instead contenting themselves with the knowledge that they have an authentic item hanging on their living room wall!

In the 1950s new materials were developed which resulted in lighter weight, more durable snowshoes that didn?t require the same maintenance as the wood/hide models.

Aluminium, stainless steel, plastics, neoprene, polypropylene may all be used in the snowshoes that we see today.

Sn ow sh oes of t oday Today, aluminium, stainless steel, plastics, neoprene, polypropylene may all be used in the snowshoes.

Once mountainous areas all over the world started to recognise the commercial potential of snowshoeing, dedicated snowshoeing trails were being created in popular hiking areas.

To cater for this expanding market, three types of snowshoes have been developed over the years.

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1) A super small, lightweight snowshoe designed for trail runners. Yes, snowshoe races do exist and are becoming increasingly popular with trail runners looking to continue their activity through winter 2) Recreational snowshoes for outings of up to 10kms on non technical terrain. These are generally the type of snowshoe that are rented out by sports shops to the general public 3) Mountaineering snowshoes which are slightly larger and with features that

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can cope with steeper slopes and more technical terrain.

These include the crampon feature for superior grip on icier terrain.

The size of snowshoe you should use will depend on your weight. The heavier you are the bigger the base you will require to support you on deep snow. Bigger snowshoes will also be highly beneficial if you intend to explore in deep, fresh powder.

All snowshoes have adjustable bindings that allow you to adapt the fixing to your shoe size.

Th e ben ef it s of sn ow sh oein g In these days of environmental awareness and sustainable travel, snowshoeing ticks all of the boxes.

The only energy required comes from your own two legs and the impact on the environment is minimal.

Any evidence of your presence will quickly

disappear after a fresh fall of snow and the only sound you?ll make is the scrunch scrunch as you put one snowshoe in front of the other.

It?s a low impact aerobic sport that requires a certain physical effort which is particularly intense when breaking trail after a heavy fall of the white stuff.

Going snowshoeing in a small group is the sensible choice as it enables you to share the trail-blazing with other members of your party, thereby giving your legs some respite from the intense effort.

Snowshoeing may also provide benefits to mental well-being. Not only does the physical effort send those feel good endorphins coursing through your veins but the

reward of those breathtaking snowy mountains vistas is proper food for the soul.

Then there?s the pure magic of snowshoeing through woodland, beneath trees coated with their fresh, frosty

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icing. Stop a moment and you?ll hear the deep silence that only comes after a heavy snowfall. There can be no greater contrast to the hustle, bustle and noise of most people?s everyday lives.

Such moments are precious and are greedily stored away, ready to be retrieved and savoured when life?s reality deals an unwelcome hand.

St ayin g saf e w h en sn ow sh oein g Anybody with a reasonable level of fitness can enjoy snowshoeing.

Unless you are already familiar with the area, I would always advise using the services of an expert local guide on your snowshoeing outings.

Not only will they know the safest areas to explore having regard to avalanche risks, snow and weather conditions, but they will also know the best places to go to suit your fitness and ability.

Itineraries include easy

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snow-covered forest tracks suitable for families or dedicated snowshoeing routes around ski resorts.

Insulated and waterproof walking boots are the footwear of choice for a day on the snowshoes. If the snow is deep, a pair of knee-high gaiters will prevent snow from finding its way into your boots.

The fitter and more adventurous outdoor lover should however opt for a wilder back-country excursions up onto untouched ridge lines with spectacular views of the high mountains. With the local knowledge of a good guide, you might even find that apart from your group, the only other life you encounter is local wildlife, which here in the Pyrenees could mean birds of prey circling overhead, red deer or chamois

When it comes to clothing, opt for lightweight layers that you can add and remove as you heat up and cool down. Avoid traditional ski salopettes at all costs unless you want to die of heat exhaustion!

I swear by merino wool, preferring to use a base layer topped with a lightweight windproof shell jacket on my upper body.

Then on my bottom half I wear a pair of windproof softshell trousers. A warm hat, buff and windproof gloves complete the ensemble.

Snowshoes and poles can be hired from just about every sports shop in mountainous areas for under 10? per day. Compare that to the cost and environmental impact of a day at the local ski resort and snowshoeing really is an attractive proposition!

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of clothing, snacks, camera, binoculars, mobile phone and of course that all important sun screen!

Abou t Pen n y Walk er Penny Walker is the business owner of The Adventure Creators, a highly personal business creating year round adventures for lovers of the great outdoors in the mountains of the central Pyrenees. You can follow her on social media at:

Take a bottle of water rather than using a bladder system as the pipe of the latter can freeze if temperatures are very low. A flask of coffee, tea or hot chocolate is always a welcome treat during the day, too.

Instagram @adventure_creators

In places such as my own playground, the mountains of the Pyrenees, they really are essential equipment in winter conditions, working by distributing your weight over a bigger area, thereby preventing you from sinking into deep fresh powder. Give snowshoeing a try this winter!

Facebook: @adventurecreators Twitter: @AdventureCrtrs

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Image courtesy of Pixabay 130

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FLORI DA WI LDLI FE SA FA RI

BY JA NE HA RRI ES

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When thinking of Florida what comes to mind? Perhaps theme parks, hurricanes or Miami Beach?s art deco district? Of course the answer could be something totally different. With a week between family commitments elsewhere in the USA, I headed off to find a different side of Florida, it?s wildlife.

definitely had no interest in watching dolphins perform in a swimming pool.

Looking back, perhaps I should have avoided this too, for whilst these Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins had their own sea water lagoon, they weren?t totally free, for they couldn?t venture out to sea. Was this a glorified pool, or was this an educational project, where a few dolphins lost their freedom in order to educate humans about the species and thereby help the wider dolphin community?

A mere hour ?s drive from Miami airport and I was on Key Largo, the most northerly of the Florida Keys. My guidebook raved about a dolphin experience. I wasn?t so sure. I

Anyways, I got to swim with them, alone. Just 132

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them and me. I?d been told to make noises underwater. For some unknown reason I hummed ?Somewhere Over The Rainbow?from the Wizard of Oz. Perhaps it was the surreal nature of swimming with dolphins that subconsciously brought this film to mind. For I can?t recall ever singing that tune before or after, bar when sat with young nieces watching it on TV. Anyways whenever I hummed it, the dolphins came to me. On trying some other tunes, they ignored me. Very strange.

Dolphin swimming may have been in an enclosure, but snorkeling with Hammerhead sharks was definitely in the wild. A sail boat ride from Key West, I?d signed up for some snorkeling. I certainly hadn?t expected Hammerhead sharks.

It was quite an experience as first one and then another small Hammerhead shark appeared in front of me.

Hammerheads can range from about 3 feet to just under 20 feet, and these were definitely towards the smallest end of the size spectrum. I?d once dived with sharks on Australia?s Great Barrier Reef. Just like then, this

Kayaking a mangrove forest

time I felt no fear, purely intrigue, wonder, amazement.

Now it was time for another true Florida experience, alligators. By now I?d left the Florida Keys and was in Shark Valley in the Everglades. There from the safety of a trolley car, one can take a 15 mile tour around the park and spot alligators. Or, one can rent a bike and cycle in same loop, but in the opposite direction.

I chose the bike option and simply couldn?t believe it. For there right at the side of the road, sometimes even on it, lay an alligator, then another and yet another. I was so gobsmacked at the sheer wonder of this, I barely took a 133

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photo. What's more, I didn't manage to get a single photo of my hired bike with an alligator in the background.

Never mind, I was clearly too totally immersed with living the moment, to capture it for posterity.

Still Florida continued to entertain. It was time for my

third Florida kayaking adventure (I'd already been kayaking twice in mangrove forests of the Florida Keys), this time in the Everglades national park, which since 2000 has been an UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to UNESCO?s website, the Florida Everglades ?contains the largest mangrove ecosystem in the Western Hemisphere, the largest continuous stand of sawgrass prairie and the most significant breeding ground for wading birds in North America.?

As I paddled with a guide and a few other kayakers, it was as if time stood still. For we were alone save for the water, the

Kayaking the Florida Everglades

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sawgrass and the birds. No cars, no buildings, no towns. Pure and simple peace and quiet . Just thinking about the calm out there on the water of the Everglades brings a state of calm over me, even now.

One week, four canoeing / kayaking adventures, one dolphin swim, one snorkeling with sharks, one cycling with alligators, plus a trip to a wild bird rehabilitation centre. As for theme parks, the count for me was zero.

Alas time never does stand still and my time in Florida was almost over. I drove north to Pine Island for one more species. Until this trip I had never even heard of manatees (or sea cows). Now here I was kayaking amongst them.

So next time you think of Florida, think different, for Florida can certainly make for an adventure. Of course, unlike me, you might choose to add in the thrills and spills of a theme park, or two, or three, as well as the wonderful, fabulous, amazing Florida wildlife.

Alligator as seen from the bike at Shark Valley.

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