DONE - The New No.32: Quadbiking

OMG!  Of all the things I've done so far - abseiling, indoor skydiving, the firewalk - walking barefoot over hot coals, going on the fastest zipwire in the world, cooking (!), quadbiking was without doubt, THE single most challenging and scary thing I have done, EVER!   I don't even think the wingwalk is going to come close.   Did I think I could die - HELL yes!  I was the only one of the group to basically crash on the practice run!!!!

The 'excitement' actually started before we started - confusing?  Well, basically, because of the amount of rain we've had and the fact that the centre don't have proper parking - they're rough and ready and that's why I like them - when Stewart tried to park, we kind of got stuck.   We were told to stay put and they would get the youngsters from Frome Rugby Club who happened to have spent an entire day there doing activities, to come and push the car to safety.  And that's what happened.  After I waited and got carried away watching all the wee baby lambs!



Finally, after a bit of hilarity/stroke HUGE amount of embarrassment, we were ready to go and sign in for quadbiking.  We'd only made the others who wanted to quadbike wait 30 minutes, we did apologise though....

I don't have many photos of the actual quadbiking as once you got going you got going and quite frankly I was always way behind everybody else with only my 'babysitter' Dewi - see selfie at top of page - to keep me company.  Anyway, first things first, you had to sign your life away and then we were kitted out with waterproofs and helmet.  I got a bit of scared with this form as they do point that accidents HAVE happened and that this IS  a dangerous activity.

Good look?  I haven't all of sudden sprouted a bushy beard, promise, it was cold so I was wearing a jacket with a faux fur collar.  Once we were all kitted out we attended the safety and training briefing.  This is where my problems started.  You see, I've never had a driving lesson in my life, don't cycle, cry at the thought of horseriding so basically, I have very very rarely been in sole charge of any form of transport in my entire life bar one go on a Segway and a couple of times on the backs of animals which always leaves Stewart worrying that I will self implode and spew my guts I get so scared. But then again, this entire year is supposed to be about 'challenges', without doubt this was my biggest.  I tried my utmost to listen to instructions but the instructor lost me the minute he started talking about ignition, throttle, accelarators, gears and brakes - HEEEEEELP!!!!  

But, I did get my butt on to the bike.  When we were all ready to set off, I couldn't remember even how to start the bloody thing.   I did though - with a bit of help.  And then we went to the practice place.   I would have been happy (?) to stay here on my own for the rest of the afternoon.  As I mentioned above, I actually managed to crash on one of my first 'goes' and had to be rescued by Dewi who then spent the entire time babysitting, being my bodyguard and sticking with me like glue.   VERY much appreciated and I needed him.  Eventually after a bit of emergency makeshift engineering he did something which would keep me in the right gear for the rest of my time there - Stewart had told him I needed an automatic and that's essentially what he managed to do.  So we then set off on the real trail through the farm and fields.  I was at the back, always.  There were loads of muddy rain filled potholes and lots of uneven track and loads of boulders and stones on the ground.  I innocently didn't realise that apparently this is part of the thrill of quadbiking and the aim should be to go straight through these.  I spent a lot of time feeling happy with my ability to gingerly drive my way around the potholes and miss all obstacles!  Stewart, when he found out later that this was what I had been doing found this hilarious. I did kind of enjoy it, but I was also petrified, even though I felt as if I was travelling at the fastest speed known to man, I was constantly so far behind everybody else, the others must be calling me all sorts as every so often they'd have to wait for me to catch up.   If I could drive, I'd be the equivalent of the 100 year old Sunday driver who never goes above 10 miles an hour. 

But, I spent an hour on the quadbike, I didn't kill myself or any other living thing, miraculously and I have with this activity actually challenged myself to do something I found horrifically out of my comfort zone, and I'm glad I did this.  I've been blasé about so many of things I've done this last year and that wasn't entirely the point of this challenge.  I'm proud that every now and again I do test my comfort zone and I'm proud that I survived, I didn't wet myself and I didn't cry.  And I have ONE cool photo of me looking in control.

Oh, and by the way, with this blog post I have also managed to tick off one other challenge too - to start a blog and write 50 posts - so double joy today :):):)

Thanks for listening friends.   Hope you're not ashamed to find out my limitations and weaknesses!!!  Next 'task' in a few days time.  See you soon.

Lesley
xxx

DONE - The New No.24: Firewalk - Dedicated to my Mum and Dad

This is the first full task I have done since losing my Mum and Dad, so this is dedicated to them...


Here Come the Hotsteppers - na, na nah, Feeling Hot Hot Hot and Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire were all going through my head when I decided to sign up for the Firewalk a wee while ago.  Why did I choose to do this?  Because I'm crazy, because I can...?  Nope, just was fascinated to find out how it's actually possible to walk over burning hot coals without ending up in A&E, and I'm sure I saw it once on the Generation Game and thought it looked cool.

So on a Thursday evening in March I trundled along to the Millennium Centre down Cardiff Bay and registered in time to take part in the hour long 'training' session.  First things first, it got official and I was given my wristband.   Oh, lord, now it seems real....

The training session was run by a world record breaking Firewalker called Scott who spent an hour explaining the science behind how it's possible to do this but also going over again and again the do's and the dont's.   He promised us that in taking part in the firewalk we would leave the event guaranteed with three things - 1) a certificate (whoop - I'd rather a shiny medal but I likes certificates too) 2) a huge smile after the walk either through sheer relief or because it actually feels empowering and 3) black feet - seriously black feet from the coal.    Fair enough.

For those who have been wondering how on earth it really is actually possible to walk over the coals I could say that it's all about mind over matter, being in the 'zone' and other such mumbo jumbo which would have freaked me out - apparently there are firewalk companies who do concentrate on the 'mind' aspect but I much preferred Scott's down to earth approach which was basically to explain the science.   Coal, is a poor conductor.   Even though the coals when we walked across them would be throwing off between 500-600 degrees of heat, the coals themselves are poor conductors - I understood at the time although I can't properly explain it now but I remember he also used the example of placing a metal spoon and a wooden spoon in a pan of boiling water and how the metal spoon would burn your hand but the wooden spoon won't. 

So, I was happy enough to rely on the science.  And his and his company's excellent track record of safety which I had researched beforehand.  He has never had anybody with an injury in a loooong time of organising firewalks.  Good enough for me.

So, while I was in the training session, Stewart, and my Welsh Mam, were outside watching preparations - which he was sending through to my phone just to really get me nervous!

It was early evening when all this was going on but as the light faded, the coals didn't!

So, the time came when the group of nutters - or rather, the group of folk who are up for new experiences - we all trundled out to face our fears, our demons whatever, and walk over burning coals.  

 

 















The main thing we had to concentrate on was to have a good steady pace, not too slow - it will burn, and not too fast - it will burn.  And then the absolute golden rule - DON'T STOP!   It will DEFINITELY burn!!!!   It's actually difficult to describe exactly what it felt like - apparently we would all describe differently to the next person.  Me?  I was aware that it was hot, but not in an unpleasant way - not quite like walking across hot sand, it was more that I felt prickles of heat.   I actually ended up going back for another 'go' and then another, so three times in total.   I was aware that on my second walk I could feel a bit of coal stick to my foot which is a danger but the other golden piece of advice he gave was that when you stepped off the coals you must remember to WIPE YOUR FEET - that meant that any wee bits of burny hot coals would immediately be brushed off.

It's difficult to see in these photos but you never walk on the huge lumps of coal - rather, the 'stokers'
spread littler bits all over the grass - shame you can't see that too well.  But, it was well worth it.  I booked this just before my Mum passed away and when I told her about it she freaked slightly and didn't want to know too many details, but, I know for sure she would have been proud as punch afterwards that I actually did it.  So that's it, another 'challenge' and that takes my completed list to 30 items.  

Oh, and by the way, this firewalk was organised to raise money for a south Wales charity, the Nolan Charity Fund.   I do have a fundraising page so if you were to feel so inclined - maybe feeling particularly generous after a few wee weekend libations?   My page to donate is here:

https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/lesleyedge1