May has been late this year, maybe, but has come with a vengeance this last week or so of idyllic weather. May blossom always reminds me of my father: his birthday was in May and each year it was a race to see whether that or May blossom would come first.
Yesterday morning I took my first, fleeting swim in the L. To do this and get back in time to take breakfast in solitude requires getting up earlier than usual, although even so at this time of the year the sun is up before me. Those that miss this time of the day miss the best part of the day IMHO, but then it is best partly because They miss it!
Challenges are part of life, even self inflicted ones. I think I may have mentioned my goal to reach the mountain Lobawn running from home (and I admit some walking) barefoot of course. I tried to hide the goal from myself in case I didn't make it, but went there anyway and having got there of course I had to come back, and I had to come back a different way (a rule, also self inflicted).
The map shows my GPS track with statistics:
. Total distance 19.44 miles
. Average speed moving 4.64 mph
. Maximum elevation 637m, minimum 181m
The route was along what we call Goatman's lane to the Wicklow Gap road, then take the road that is part of St. Kevin's way and up to the pass between Hollywood and Donard with Church Mnt on the right. At the summit I turned left towards Corriebracks but kept on the peaty track towards Lobawn.
The descent was initially cross county and rather hard going in places to descent into Corragh to meet the track that fords the stream there. These mountain tracks are well enough made to survive the years and I wonder who made them and why? From Corragh it was paved road all the way home.
This is my longest run yet and my body didn't like the last few miles. It wasn't that keen on the first few either, but the bit on the top of the mountain was epic. And possibly worth all the strain.
Forty shades of green - my mum would have loved this
The path, where I disappeared up to my waist in sticky peat
Looking back, that path on left, our lake in distance
That's Church Mtn left centre, Corriebracks to right
The summit stone, or summit like that
That's why I like Irish mountain tops, OK?
Look carefully and you'll see our lake by that tree
Delightful gully at start of my descent
Which later turned into a stream
Here I washed my lower, somewhat peaty half
Corragh, looking back, Lobawn central on horizon
My favourite flower (after daffodils, dandelions, gorse, buttercups...)
An early start taking Ali to the airport: she is attending her mum's 93rd birthday party whilst the rest of the world is glued to the Royal Wedding. Once back home I went for a 5 mile run along the lake shore then, once Saturday community duties were done, I left at about 11:30 on my trusty velocipede armed with sandwiches, etc.
Outward route
My destination Wicklow town, yes I know this is a frequent destination of mine but I like the coast and it is the nearest. Although my outward journey was slightly circuitous via Moneystown to explore new vistas.
As usual I walked along the cliff to Lime Kiln Bay, put my feet in the water but did not swim (too cold, and anyway I like to swim naked and there were People there).
My return route, having visited Lidl in Wicklow (two bars of chocolate and one litre of orange juice for a mere €2.17) was the most direct thus via Devil's Glen where I admin I walked the steepest incline, and of course back via Laragh and the Wicklow Gap.
Total distance (cycling) 65.14 miles
Maximum speed 42 mph
Average speed moving 11 mph
I finally made it back, rear end sore and suffering cramp, just after 19:00.
I took this video at Brides Head (nothing to do with the novel), just by Lime Kiln Bay: it shows the very strong current that habitually sweeps past here, so that you would be ill-advised to swim far from the shore. Not that I would - I keep to my depth generally. At the end you can see the People desecrating the shore. I suppose they have as much right to it as me, mind you, possibly more as they might live locally.
Before getting to my subject, and in case you were wondering (and one of you at least was), the reason for no posts recently is... well a certain amount of lack of muse, but also being busy with teaching maths, physics, electronics and statistics to a student here. Which is kind of all-consuming, because teaching reveals how little one actually understands the subject that one's life has been largely built around. In a teacher - student relationship I wonder does the teacher actually learn more than the student does?
Back to the subject. In odd moments in between lesson preparation, and for brain relief, I occasionally flip through some comedy on youtube and more often than not end up choosing the Marx brothers. Because their humour is the best and has stood the test of time. And of the Marx brothers without doubt IMHO Harpo was the most talented. Interestingly, outside of acting he seems to have been the most stable of the brothers, witness a lifelong marriage and four adopted children.
My introduction to the Marx brothers was through my best friend N at school and, once discovered, my first proper viewing was clandestine on an ancient 405-line TV hidden away in my parent's guest-room. Clandestine because my parents did not at that time want a TV in the house. Ancient because when given to me to mess with the TV did not of course work - when plugged in it would blow the mains fuse. I discovered the offending component by increasing the fuse wire gauge until the component blew rather than the fuse. A rather coarse method of diagnosis but it worked well in this particular occasion. And yes I did know, even at that tender age, that TV's back then were not isolated from the mains and also had about 20,000V flying around inside, so they were not exactly safe for a kid to be messing with. But then I was no ordinary kid. Which accolade I still maintain.
And it just so happened that, at the time, the BBC was airing a series of Marx brothers films. May the BBC be eternally blessèd. In this and other ways the BBC has moulded my career.
Of the various scenes in which Harpo is the primary actor my favourite has long been his Gabriel scene. Not that this scene is humorous but it is endearing, full of humanity, love and all things good.
And whilst we are on the subject of Harpo, here is a good compilation of his more humorous skits for those of you that will not or cannot take the time to watch the full movies.
Adolph, I salute you. And I thank you for in some small way moulding my character for the good. I suppose some might say he was a bad influence but I cannot agree.
