I may possibly have invented a new sport

It's been a lovely day weather wise. I awoke this morning in good spirits, which is always good, especially after having a terrible nights sleep. From time to time I find myself having panic attacks. They come along without warning and I do not have to be feeling particularly stressed about anything. I tend to have lots of panic attacks when I have a cold. I think it's the whole breathing thing. Anyhoo as I could not sleep I decided to jot down my thoughts. No they don't make much sense on reflection and anyone unlucky enough to read them would think I am a complete wack job, so rather than share them here I think it's enough that I tell you, yes at times I am slightly 'cuckoo'. I don't care I think it makes me 'Special' lol.

So upon waking I decided it was a canny day to wash and hoover out Tango, my little Smart car. I love my little Smart. I know I get some funny looks from time to time when driving her, but I don't care she suits my personality. Bright orange, so draws attention...Oooh how I love attention, Fun, yep I like fun and reliable, yeah that's me. The good thing about having a little car is she doesn't take long to hoover and wash, hey presto done, what to do now?

I decided to watch a movie just as Ern came back in. It was called 'The Finest Hours'. It's based on a true story about a oil tanker that breaks apart and the 4 brave coast guards who set off to rescue 32 souls from the tanker in the fiercest seas imaginable. A very good flick and better than a lot of crap I have seen lately. Though I do have to say 'Dead Pool' was right up my street and I thoroughly enjoyed the film and humour. Ryan Reynolds plays a class part.

Movie finished I noticed a beautiful ray of sunshine shining through our front room and across our hardwood floor. 'That's it I'm off on my bike I thought'.

Surprisingly enough I actually managed to find everything I needed to just head out. Usually I plan an outing and I am on ages as I always can't find something or another.

I decided to venture over by Fox Parrot wood near Craghead. I took my GoPro. I didn't intend to ride far I just wanted to be out as it was such a lovely day.


As I got over to Fox Parrot I started taking a little footage. I had chosen to nip in alongside the allotments. I recalled last time I came this way getting slightly lost and venturing down a sort of hidden trail which was actually quite dangerous as there is a huge drop into the burn below down the hillside. 'I'm going to avoid that though' I thought to myself. Well my thoughts didn't exactly go to plan as I dropped further down the trail I inevitably found myself on this familiar trail which proceeded to get narrower and narrower. Omg my sense of direction is crap. Not this again... Last time I had to hike with my bike, crabbing along a trail which was no more than 6 inches across. In fact is this even a trail, which idiot would attempt to even come along here, let alone one with a bike and a prosthetic leg. 'Owww, Ouch crap, crap' Oh great and there are loads of brambles and those nasty thorny bush, tree things. 

I was listening to some tunes

There is a big drop behind me

The bank side was strewn with wild garlic, which was very slippery. So this made the going even more precarious. It took me ages to get from one side of the bank side to the other. Having to walk side ways and keep my bike as a sort of  support . My Bartlett Tendon kept getting snagged as well it was straight with the tendons attached. I began thinking for any 'normal' person this would be the equivalent of walking along the trail with a bike with their leg in a cast.

As I eventually reached the end my heart rate finally got back to normal I was buggered and at some point adrenaline must have kicked in as I hate heights lol. I began thinking this is more of a 'walk than a bike ride'. It was a Hike Bike, maybe a new extreme sport lol. The rules being you firstly have to have no sense of direction, be a bit thick oh and either be so stupid that you cannot see it would be safer just to go back the way you came, or so stubborn that you just continue on regardless. I like to think I am just stubborn.

I even tried taking some GoPro footage of me pushing my bike along the trail , but it is way to shaky as I was trying to hold on to  my bike with one hand , hold the GoPro with the other and watch I didn't fall off the trail and down this huge drop. The footage actually looked like something out of the Blair Witch all shaky and lots of noise as I jostled my camera around.

Well I have decided I am definitely not going that way again, not even with wor Baxter as he is bonkers and would end up at the bottom of the bank side in the burn way,way below.

I am now just typing my blog up before retiring to pop some cream on my scraped good leg. Those brambles don't half get you...

Rain,Fun and a complete Cock!

  Once upon at time there was this geet old miserable twat...But hey we will get to that bit later on...

Just lately I never seem to have a minute to myself, don't get me wrong I'm not complaining, it just takes a lot of getting used to. Going from being ill for all those years and basically doing nothing everyday then getting up and knowing I had the same to look forward to the next day, then the next and so on. I suppose in a way it's the same for the majority of people who are unemployed, no money to do anything,depressed and frustrated. My friend John is out of work and I sometimes see his frustrations and how he doesn't like taking anything from me, for instance if I treat him to a McDonald's or buy a gear cable for his bike. I tell John "that's what friends are for" to help you out when your struggling, give you a bit of morale support and tell you everything will work itself out. You can't buy proper friendship and hey money is made to go around.

My m8 John

Not exactly what I had in mind

I awoke to a beautiful sun shining through my bedroom window, it was around 7:36am. I knew it was going to be no good turning over in bed and trying to catch a few more Zzzz's, my throat was sore and I just didn't feel too good at all, aww great wor Kyle has given me his cold, the little git. Not to worry though, it hadn't escalated to man flu quite yet so I hopped out of bed and set about preparing myself and my gear for a little adventure.

WoW that was a tough outing!!!

OMG!!! I'm either really, really unfit, or today's outing was just really, really tough, maybe it was a bit of both to be fair as I'm absolutely knackered after today's adventure.

A part ride, part hike starting at Fox and Parrot Wood

Set off for a little bit of a ride with my son Kyle today, me on my Sandman and Kyle on my Ibis. Decided to set off along to Craghead then cut through Fox Parrot Wood and up towards West Pelton.

Kyle and Me @ Fox Parrot Wood

Fox Parrot Wood

• Ancient and new woodland • Excellent for dog walking • Wide open spaces
Fox and Parrot Wood, named in memory of a local doctor and his beloved bird, forms part of County Durham's Great North Forest. The gently undulating grass rides make this site ideal for strolling in the fresh air and admiring the beautiful broadleaved woodland that has been taking shape here since 1998.
As well as being popular with dog walkers, this site offers a sense of boundless space where walkers can roam freely and even explore the ancient semi-natural woodland in adjoining Twizell Wood. The establishment of Fox and Parrot Wood has been important to the area's biodiversity, having been planted on improved grassland after the decline of opencast coal mining in the 1980s. This 21-acre wood was planted in two phases in 1998 and 2004 under the Trust's Woods on Your Doorstep Project and the Forestry Commission's New Native Woodland Scheme. The site will continue to be maintained as native broadleaf high forest woodland until it begins to regenerate naturally over the next hundred years and beyond.