Millers in South Africa

back row from the left - Peter, Ian, Dan
middle - Alistair, Margaret, Susan, Monica, Alison (Rasmusen nee Miller), Alison (Miller nee Inglis)
front - Mitchell, Tristan, Logan, Sarah, Patrick, Kristin, Natalie

It's been a while - 10 years in fact - but The Miller family finally all rendezvoused in the same place. The venue was South Africa where Susan Miller is doing animal conservation research. For those struggling with the family connection - Margaret Miller is Pat Duff's twin sister (and hence YC's aunt) and her children and their families live in Canada (Ian, Alison), Australia (Peter), and South Africa (Susan). Susan Miller reports that it was an amazing holiday, and that her family made their mark "by being the only people mad enough to go swimming in the unheated, outdoor pool".

Madness clearly runs in the family - Mr & Mrs Rev T have been swimming today in the North Sea - bracing!

Yare Navigation Race 2011

YC has just returned from sailing on The Broads. The week culminated with the Yare Navigation Race on Mimosa (skipper Andy, Lois, Emma & YC). This race starts at Coldham Hall (near Brundall) and heads 15 miles down the Yare to Breydon Water, before returning to Coldham. The trick is to take the ebb down the river, timing your arrival on Breydon close to slack water, before returning on the flood tide. This year the tide was late and the wind forecast to fall out. So when to arrive on Breydon?

We aimed for a 3 30 pm arrival and by luck/judgement got there at that time. We had to punch the last of the ebb on the return leg, but did get the benefit of the best of the afternoon wind before it fell out.

We finished 6th overall on adjusted time (by handicap) out of 50 boats - a result which Lois declared was "dead exciting!". The 5 boats ahead of us were all "big boats" ie serious racing machines in a different league - so we were the first "slow" boat home.

Before the race, YC had spent a few days cruising with Mr & Mrs Rev T on the fine craft Stella Genesta. By now YC is sure readers know the script - leisurely sailing, crossword solving, training on beer etc etc. All very enjoyable.

left - Stella & Mimosa's crews in Burgh St Peter churchyard
right - racing on Mimosa by Langley Woods

left - boats waiting for the bridge to open in Reedham Street
right - race winner Moonshadow

photos of pre race cruise

photos of Yare Navigation Race

Out in The Cheviots

YC took a jaunt around the route of the Yetholm hill race yesterday. It's one of his favourite training runs. It's all off-road and packs 2,500 ft of climbing into 8 miles. He added a bit extra on, with a side trip up The Schill - a hill he hadn't been up for several years. There was hardly a soul about and the running was glorious.

YC's running was truncated by injury in August. It's only when you can't get out in the hills that you realise how much you miss them. Readers will be relieved to know that this doesn't apply to beer - as YC never misses a chance to sample a pint of the finest. On that note, the Jarrow Bitter in the Oddfellows Arms (North Shields) was VG last night. As the weather was inclement, YC caught the 306 bus which dropped him outside the pub. It's even better when you are Rev T - a bus pass got him there for nothing.

left - the outward route viewed from Staerough Hill (James Duff's least favourite hill)
right - The Schill from the Pennine Way

the return route along Steer Rigg, viewed from White Law

Hedgehope running

YC went for a run up Hedgehope today. The forecast rain had not arrived and clouds were at 2,000 ft. It was perfect running weather. There was hardly a soul about and YC had the hills to himself. There was some interesting wildlife about (no quips about a thin runner in shorts please readers): a mole, a stoat, and a peregrine falcon. After all that exercise, YC has now had his tea...

For any readers wondering how YC knew it was a stoat and not a weasel, the answer is simple. A weasel is weasily wecognised whereas a stoat is stoatally different.

left - purple and green heather makes the NFR runner feel at home
right - Great Standrop, James Duff's favourite hill

back on the fells

Dedicated readers have noticed an absence of fellrunning from Birtley News of late. YC has been struggling with an injury (no comments about old age/infirmity please), but managed to get his fellrunning back on track yesterday at the Dufton Show race. This 5 miler heads up Dufton Pike (a foothill of Cross Fell) in the Eden Valley. The day was cool, the clouds were high, and the grassy running good. It took YC about 40 minutes to scamper round the route. Here are 3 folks from NFR (Richard, Paul & Steph). Dufton Pike is in the background.


more on NFR website

steam engines and swimming

Matthew's week has continued to be action packed as he:

• learns how a steam engine works - ably demonstrated by Andrew Walker (see above)
• follows the fortunes of Harry Potter who has just seen off the troll (as read by YC above)
• swims in the North Sea at Kings Edward Bay (brace yourselves readers!)

monopoly & model railways with Matthew

Matthew is back in Tynemouth staying with Grandpa and Granny (more commonly known to readers as Rev & Mrs T). He has brought with him a travelling set of Monopoly with which he is rapidly licking YC into shape. Hands up which readers can remember how many houses make a hotel - YC certainly couldn't recall.

Today Matthew has been to Chris Campbell's house to play on the model railway. The railway is in Chris's attic and provides lot of scope for a "young controller" to keep the trains running on time. When he is not driving the trains, Matthew is reading "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone". Harry has just got to Diagon Alley and is about to buy his wand. After that Harry will be able to perform all sorts of magic. As well as freeing snakes in the zoo, Grandpa is hoping that Harry's magic will extend to refilling the wine bottles at Percy Gardens. You never know...

left - a young controller at work on the model railway
right - Chris points out the finer detail to Matthew