The Goat gets new wheels...

Hey hey, I have been a fan of old motors for years due to the fact that I have never been able to afford a new one....heh

Anyway as I hike around I need wheels as well as me hoofs and would die a death if I didnt have them, so the Ford escort that has taken me to John O'groats and back twice, to the lakes loads all over Wales and up and through all of the UK's highest mountain passes including Applecross in Torridon Scotland and Rhinos Pass...yeh that was a pant shifter for sure....and remember it is a 16 year old boy with 129,000 miles on the clock, but the MOT of 2007 has stopped it in it's rusty tracks so I have had to say a tearful farewell to it....but it was a bag of sh*t so I dont feel that bad about it....bring on the new posh banger !!!

Here it is though being loaded up on to the death truck.....2 hours left before crusher time baby...

Bye Bye....old freind it was good eh......

But now I can look forward to trashing my new (Posh banger) in the form of a 1998 1.6 Fiat Brava with only 61,000 on the clock and with a full MOT Thats a first for a start...at a snip at £500 notes none to shabby i'd say....

Take a look at those feminine lines and the growling undertone.....oh bolllocks to all that at least it has brakes the Escort didnt......

£500 notes no more....awesome...

Anyway after driving this gliding sensual beast of a car for about a fortnight I am truly convinced I have got myself a bargain and so have invested in it.

I have had the Cambelt and tensioners done on the car to hopefully secure me another safe 50,000 miles of driving, at a cost of £200 notes mind you - shocking these mechanics eh....

Whats that noise.....ka clunk ka clunk........shit !!!!

Trip To Tenerife - April 2007

Hi all I have decided to join this crazy world due to the having to many pictures and videos to send via e mail.

Anyway I will keep it short - I went to Tenerife to see my brother and his family who live in a rural spanish village called Chio, and as I like hiking I decided to get a car and head out of the resorts only to find that this Island is more magical than I had ever imagined, always worth getting off your arse and making the effort I say.

From the world class ravene of La Masca to the heights of Mnt Teide and the surf breaks at Medano this Island has it all - but only if you have a car !!!

Take a look



Mt Teidi - Yes you can get the cable car, if you want to join the twats, but if you like hiking the way to do it is to walk up, I did and will be joining the twats on the chair lift next time as it nearly killed me - But what views.







Here is a video which shows some of the 200 pictures taken, it is mostly of the trek up Teide which I have to say was so difficult, altitude sickness or effects can kick in about 3000M and it did with me, my heart was pumping so hard as it struggled to supply my wobbly legs. I felt punch drunk and was a tad emotional on the top as it was the hardest challenge I had ever taken on, and of course I had done it alone and so had no-one to spur me on when the going got tough. I did at one point nearly turn back. I was the first on the route and did not see anyone behind me until I was 2 hours in or up. I started in the dark carrying 3 litres of water and supplies, the refuge Altavista was not open due to construction work, I did have a permit for the summit but only just made the alotted time by 5 mins!!!! The route up had taken me 4 Hours 40 Mins.

Mt Teide Ascent Video Record...



The most upsetting thing is when you get to the cablecar your surrounded by twaty tourists who have no idea what you have just been through...dam tourists, anyway you then have to struggle up the last 300M to the summit to get your award - the views, and they were stunning.

Did I catch the cable car down? to dam right I was destroyed...ha ha..

Mnt Teide -
Mnt Teide Slideshow

Anyway hope the videos give you some insight as well as make you smile, but tenerife isnt just about the volcano as a driver I was in heaven when it came to some of the roads around the mountains, roads that have 40/50 switch backs, some inverted, alot of roads are thin even one lane especially on the way to La Masca - which is where I went next....if you have not done the Masca Gorge you have missed an awesome sight. .....

The La Masca Video with Led Zeppelin....





Look at those roads, the terrain was awesome and a switchback heaven.....sweet

La Masca-
La Masca Slideshow

I made me brother Gordon an exceptional chain smoker (World Class) .... climb a peak called Roque De Conde at a height of 1001M it over looks Playa De la Americas and if you are in resort and look inland it's the famous flat topped peak that stands out a mile.....bless him he made in good time and i think enjoyed the experience....here he is (half dead), his girls Alexandra and Elena should be proud of daddy.



Wont be doing that again in a rush will ya Don Don.....mmmph.....

And heres the Goat.....



The most beautiful area of Tenerife though is not the coastline or the peak of the Volcano but in between as the contrasting greenery and the harsh rock ironically go so well together and converge....and with the Inversion playing wonders 300 meters below you, you are in a truly magical place for sure - if you make the effort that is. There are so many marked trails and BBQ spots and the Mountain biking is awesome, you can if you so wish loose yourself here......



The contrasting colours.....love it.....