Windfall

Two storms in a row have hit Rock HQ this week, one with winds so strong that the gazebo had to be anchored down with 100kg of metal weights.

The cairn on top of the Bonsai Mountain took a battering and had to be rebuilt and is now a bit more pointy,

The view from the top as spectacular as ever even though it was hard to stand upright in the wind.

The triplets loved it, here is Loki and Benson braced against the wind.

The sun breaking through the storm clouds added to the spectacle.

Compulsory selfie with Loki and Shadow.

One species that benefited from the storm were the pigs who had the unexpected windfalls of plums and apples. 
 

Feeling tyred

Teh reason why Stan is not so much parked as abandoned in a field on a relatively flat part of Wales a few miles up the road is due to a bit of a disaster yours truly had transporting ponies to their holiday home.

The newly refurbished horse box had a bit of a hissy fit 

and let itself down by blowing a tyre. Unable to stop and put the spare on as the same thing had happened before and I being lazy didn't take the wheel to be fixed. The ensuing drama which included a pillock trying to overtake me as I turned right into the safe haven of my destination ( he stopped and attempted road rage until a large skinhead got out of a camoflaged truck and pointed the error of his ways which in turn enlightened RRMK2 to an aspect of the English language he had never heard his father utter before, yes I forgot he was in the car sat behind me ...) meant that Trixie trailer had to be left on the hillside while the ponies frollicked all summer.

As its nearly holiday over and back to reality for the equines the trailer had to be fixed and thankfully, for once, everything worked, the wheel came off, the replacement fitted and I went home triumphant via the garage dropping off the broken one to be fixed. Lesson learned.

Actually its been a day for horses, I went for a bike ride and had to hold our gate open so these lucky people could pass unhindered. 
 

Some years back taking a leaf out of Andy from Germanies lifestyle I opted to use 2 wheels as often as possible which has led to some amazing adventures and long distance rides like 500 miles in 72 hours (probably further than that plus 3 mountains in the time)

but after epics like that the local rides never fail to surprise me 

with picture opportunities.

Which is why 

some short rides take so long.

The apprentice looks a bit apprehensive here, hardly a surprise given the last time he was on his bike he had a high speed crash that really cut him up badly. 

He asked for a selfie at this point as he was feeling pleased with himself, rightly so after completing a tricky forest trail.

One of us looks good in this pic, and its not me! Perhaps I should spend more time cycling and less time photographing!
 

Apple sauce

A while back we rescued some pork...I mean pigs... we rescued some pigs, a situation that arises when you are looking for an African Grey Parrot (long story) and end up with three pigs and a pony as well as said bird. 

Anyway it being the time of year when yours truly dons his rucksack and casually walks by apple trees not necessarily owned by him to gather unwanted fruits to supplement their diet.

 A local small scale cider producer called me on the weekend asking if I wanted the apple pulp from creating the fruit beverage. Well I didn't, but these lucky pigs did. 

Not the best idea

After every expedition comes the boring bit, cleaning and sorting kit and the task was made a lot easier by acres of sunshine and a large vehicle called Stan who volunteered to be a clothes horse.

Naturally the dogs decided they could help too and the tail end on Arfur dog can be seen sticking out the back of the truck while his front end is in the food store. Ace heading over to help exacerbate any potential theft. 

After packing it all away, doing a fairly long days paid work and then finding yours truly was home alone the rash decision was made to pack a sack and go and camp on top of the Bonsai Mountain. Looking a the gathering storm this was perhaps not the best idea ever but it seemed like a good one at the time.

Packed with everything one person would need for one night the unfeasibly heavy pack was carted uphill for 1.1 miles.  

Nature treated us to some warning signs of things to coma along the way and these were duly ignored. Us being me and Mrs Bear. 

On the summit the light took on a weird hue and the wind picked up so yours truly decided to sit on a rock with a can of ice cold guiness and contemplate the good things in life.

Mrs Bear felt the same but without the benefit of one of Irelands finest exports. At this point it would be good to post pictures of the ensuing storm, he torrents of pleasingly warm rain and the immense bolts of lightening arcing across the sky. 

 Unfortunately I cant load videos of the this as I lack the techno skills, But believe me it was amazing and called to question the sanity of being the highest life form for a few miles clutching a metal can or wearing a rucksack with a metal frying pan in it. So after 2 hours getting wet we pulled the eject handle and wandered back in the dark to HQ for a safer meal and comfortable bed. 

Top of the Welsh World

Working through the bucket list the boys wanted camping and a Snowdon summit.

Faced with a less than optimal weather forecast we set off in the hope of finding a weather window that would allow us to summit and get a view while remaining dry and good humoured. The camp sites were operating in Covid 19 rules but we found a good site albeit in the wrong valley. Stan was pressganged into service as a cooking aid

while rug rat MK2 ignored parental advice and duly fell head first into the stream.

Good moods soon returned as we cooked hot food and toasted marshmallows swapping jokes and stories

before the young ones turned in and the older ones sat by the fire pit, braved the midges and had a grown up cordial.

Early doors presented a nice surprise, the sun was clearly trying to break through the fog and low cloud.

A short drive and we were at the jump off point. The Police are very keen of parking at the present time, loads of cars getting towed away as lockdown weary folk trek up the big hill. Local knowledge from previous record attempts led us to our usual quiet spot only to find about a dozen other cars had already found it. 

However it did look like we might make it to the summit in clear weather and the boys were very excited.

Especially when they spotted the inappropriately named halfway cafe was open and selling slush puppies. 

Fuelled with brain freeze and sugar coated pop corn 

they sped up the next section in every growing sunshine.

Lots of unanswered questions about this post, why this post, what's it for, what do they do with the money? The only definite answer was no you cannot have any.

A restful rock.

A thoughtful moment from RRMK2.

With increasing altitude the vista expanded, this is looking back towards Nant Peris.

The highest point the train now goes to, it stops 350 metres short of the summit height wise.

Looking the other way, on the cliffs above the lake there were two very unfortunate sheep balancing on a ledge. I spoke to a farmer when we got down giving the location of the poor wooly backs but their fate is sealed. Gravity or starvation will get them.

Ever onward.

This is the pint at which they are higher than they have ever climbed before. 900 metres. 

Almost the whole of the Llanberis trail can be seen here.

Keeeef having a happy moment.

Richard and Evie super happy.

Almost at the top we were hit by a sudden shower, by the time waterproof jackets were fitted the sun came back out. 

Posing with the summit in the background. 

Crib Goch, they will have to be a bit older before trying that route. 

Just about to summit face.

On the top, RRMK2 not so sure about how safe this all is.

Very happy face but what is in the socks?

The boys did it, the moment of pride and joy got mixed up with RRKK2s absolute panic over large flying insects where he had to be physically held to stop him running off in a blind panic. Instead of a victory pot noodle on the summit we descended back to the last rail station for a late lunch. Spirits began to rise. 

Older members of the group had a snooze.

The weather now started to close in so we hurried down.

Still enjoying the view.

But the main motivation was a second slush puppy. 

Amazing how happy a cold sugar rush makes them.

Almost home.

Everyone happy.

Back at the car

it was a quick drive to the souvenir shop where the boys got treated to more cold stuff on a stick and a sweatshirt each declaring their prowess at climbing 1085 metre summit of Wales. 

Back at base the heavens opened and a downpour of biblical proportions happened and a command decision was made, boys stay in the car while I pack the tent away, lets go home.

 In the sock? Eric and Ernie on their continuing adventure, the 4th summit for them I believe.