Still top dog

 I lose count of the number of dogs here at Rock HQ, there a lot. Perhaps 23. Here is Reuben taking 5 before dinner. His brother died today, Morgan, so sorry to hear that news from Nick and Wanda. We forget our Berners are so elderly, anything past 6 years is old for a Berner.

 We have a lot over that age, heres Reuben closest again with Mr Bear and Dotty from the first litter we had so they are nearly 10. Reuben a mere 8.

 This is Ripley, aged 6 and  a bit and totally refusing to ever have puppies which is what we had hoped for with Rocky

 talking of which

 Here he is, 11 years 7 months and still top dog.

We do have one small dog, Arfur. Arfur dog.

The Postman calls

 Bored with the jobs list yours truly took the boys for a stroll

 as despite the weather trying to prove otherwise it is spring and there should be lots to see in the flora and fauna stakes.

 The apprentice who had a camera for his birthday got down to some close up work

 while RRMK2 demonstrated how much he has grown recently by leaping over the style he normally has to be thrown over.

 Mrs Bear on the other paw still needs a helping paw with this one.

 They really enjoyed the fresh air although one of them looks like he having way too much fun.

 In the Oracles shed a parcel awaited so RRMK2 took charge and

 carried it long enough to be photographed before dropping it saying he did not want to be a postman. On the lane we met MBAOSPW and her favourite pony Will.I.Am out for a stroll.

 In the box? Why these magic shoes, red one go faster.

 Dinner was a fun affair with a who could make the muckyist sandwich or Muckywich competition.

The apprentice won...for now.

Catch up corner

 Like buses, no post for ages now a whole rack of them so stand by. Having held the 8 peaks challenge and with the markers still out there yours truly decided that it would be good to get them back again but this time with Keeef on our bikes hence the dayglo.

 We made the top, non stop, some kindly gent held the gate open for us at the entrance to the common, the gate where we would dismount and cry at only being half way up.

 After a mental 1 mile downhill section we parked the bikes in the Oracle's yard and headed up to Worzel summit

 and then hopped back on again to get to Old Radnor Hill summit which is less of a hill and summit thanks to the quarry digging it away. Here is Keef with the Bonsai Mountain in the background.

 Failing to photo Navages here is Herrock

 with Keef blocking out most of Rushock hill behind him and so on to Bradnor

 leaving only an even more insane downhill section before parking in Kington High Stree

 for a compulosry selfie and

 a look at the stats, 4 hours 35. Not bad. I did run it in 4.19 though.

 Rewards for doing so well.

 I did manage for fall off once (sepctacular over the bars style)  and luckily

 have the apprentice who wants to be a paramedic so has his own first aid kit.

He also helps RRMK2 in his quest to become a Mummy.

You can't get me

 If he were any more agile then Arfur dog would be a ninja.

 Here we see the little scamp hiding from the heavyweight K9's with his bone safely out of reach.

That small head contains a very clever brain.

Happy Birthday

 Reuben is now 8 years old, which as some my know is old age for a Berner, so he did what he does best

 and got very muddy and wet

 before jumping about on the sofa.

 So we thought we had better cook him a special meal which is why Rambo was

paying such close attention to the recipe book.

What a sensible idea

 Being responsible for running the 8 peaks challenge this weekend yours truly had to go out and lay out the clippers at the checkpoints on the course for the runners to find.

 The route as a crow could fly it was just about 10 miles, as I "ran" it turned into 13.

 So on the hottest day in April since 1949 off I set up the biggest hills around Kington.

 Leaving clippers

 at various places

 along the way

 while enjoying fantastic views.

 But due to the heat things started to go slightly awry.

 Thinking that I would do this in less than 4 hours (record is just about 2and half but that was set by a whippet) I didnt pack my bag with much other than a turkish delight, a bag of skittles and 500ml of water. At this point, less than halfway there was only 100ml left.

 So ever onwards

 leaving clippers

 at strategic locations.

 By now I was out of water and as Rock HQ was only across the valley and almost on the route of the race a slight detour would put things right, the last mile I covered in 14 minutes so I was ahead of schedule feeling confident.

 More clippers

 dropped

 and then so did I. This is the point it really went completely wrong.

 The view from my sad situation showed the hills already covered and the last one Worzel was there so I had come a long way from its summit to find myself sat suffering from cramps and feeling terrible. What I should have done was pulled the eject handle and baled out heading home some 1000 metres to my left. Instead I scoffed some skittles and headed up, and up

 to the summit of the bonsai mountain noting that this last mile had taken 42 minutes which even taking the climb into account was slow.

 And the cramps caused by lack of water continued meaning walking pace for next 3 which took 46 minutes combined.

 So I finished 19 minutes and 16 seconds over my target, but I finished and had a fab can of pop and bacon sarnie at Dots cafe to celebrate.

Think I might have caught the sun too.