You only Board when it's snowing...

...you only board when it's SSnnnowwiiinnnggg!

We (me and the Giddy Blonde) went to Glenshee this weekend and it was ACE.  Like proper snow and everything. I can say, after 3 years of beginner lessons I have not only mastered the turn, but also the Poma's and am down on the ski lifts too. So very pleased with myself as I know think I can say 'I'm a boarder.'  Not a very fast boarder but I'm going for style not speed.

We stayed in Braemar Lodge Hotel ran by what I can describe as very attentive but long suffering man and wife, and their Slovakian 'man-who-does'.  The decoration was very 'Highland Retreat' with a herd of dead animals adorning the bar and hallway.   Right on the edge of the village Braemar, 200 yards away from the snow gate so we had a prime view when they opened the Snow Gate - which isn't half as impressive as it sounds, more of a mud covered cattle gate - and convoyed the folk in the cars waiting by means of council gritter.

Once on the slopes I was amazing!  Astounding! Magical!  I was shooting pixies and unicorns out of my snowboarding wake (not really).  And I only had a face full of snow once!  And unlike the first time I went snowboarding, I didn't come back covered in gaffa tape!

That assides, on the way back the cyclist were out en masse.  We ended up following (by accident, we're not psychos) a couple of guys, who judging by the way they kept rising from the saddle, and doing that odd little half wiggle that you do when your @rse nips and there's only so many places you can park your bum, hadn't been on their bikes in  some time.  I expect that will be me this weekend.

I am going forth with the turbo training and trying to do the whole heart rate zone thing.  I've found it a bit complicated, and a bit tiresome to be honest.  I was trying to do intervals in zone 5 (or 100%) then go down to zone 2.  But it takes me ages to get down to zone 2.  Like, aaggeeesss.  And the purpose of the Heart Rate zone thing was to make it targeted and mibbies cut some time out so I wasn't thumping away needlessly.   I've asked for some advice from some lovely forum people in how I can continue, so the plan is to re-group and include that at some point.

Mx