Only one day to go before I head off for this year’s sojourn to the Alps, do I feel ready? absolutely not!

It’s been a hectic lead in, as usual reasonably self-inflicted, but think I will get there despite a spinning head saying you’ve got to do this, you’ve got to do that….

Still some good progress has at last been made. Yesterday after being short staffed at the Cafe some un-planned pots were washed early & late, sandwiched in between were a meeting to review ‘Reach out for Nepal’ followed by an interesting climb on & above the Idwal Buttress.

As far as Reach out for Nepal is concerned it was an interesting planning meeting on how we move forward with the funds raised, a lot of actions have been highlighted over the coming months which we will keep you abreast of through this blog & the Reach out for Nepal Facebook page. For now I can announce that the sum raised has now reached circa £5,750.00 so from us all another thank you for your support is warmly given.

As to the climb (well a scramble if truth be known) it was very kind of Georg to take Kean & I out in less than good weather for a much needed rope session before we hit the ridges of the Aletchorn & Jungfrua. It was good to feel the exposure & begin to get into the zone. I have the added benefit of a couple of warm up days with Tim on the slopes of Mont Blanc before Kean joins us & we head off towards Switzerland & 4 days of Alpinism. Being the gentleman that I am I will honour my promise & not mention Kean’s mighty tumbles on the descent back to the car, just how he ran down Snowdon in a slightly better than modest time without falling over in Saturday’s race is one of the wonders of modern Fell running! I can see we might have an interesting time in the Alps! In truth to have Tim & Kean alongside me when we hit the serious stuff is very reassuring indeed but I am still a little nervous.

Of course before the Alps Dorina, Simona & I have the Caernarvon ‘Race the Train’ tonight (as I said self-inflicted diary cramming). We have been for a couple of group 4.9K training runs with me just keeping far enough ahead for those daggers to fall short, un-like these hilly runs the flat to downhill course tonight will seem far easier I promise girls & if I’m wrong my contingency plan is to head off for the Alps a day early to escape their wrath.

Now back to packing, packing & more bloody packing!