Unplugged

Jim Evans

Staff, scotch egg eating champion and serial Top Trumper

Taking up running in an attempt to lose the winter flab..

Recent Daring Deeds

A Gentleman’s Adventure

The plan was to circumnavigate anglesey, like all best laid plans, the weather had something to say about this!

On the drive across from Nottingham the weather had steadily deteriorated, we were supposed to be launching into the Menai straights no later than 5 to catch the out going tide. After a few broken, no signal, lots of voice mail phone conversations the six gentlemen met in a car park over looking the straights. It was obviously nothing was going to happen tonight. It was cold, raining and a strong wind was blowing from the south. Even on a strong tide this wind would be too strong to paddle against.

A plan ‘B’ was hatched in a local drinking establishment and we set off for ..

Posted on 28 April, 2008 by alpjim

Rev’in it up in the wind.

I picked up a Pyranha Rev last week to test before we order them for the Alpkit team. I’ve paddle it a couple of times just down the road at the National Watersports Centre with favorable results. I have not been a fan of Pyranha playboats since the the demise of the Pro-Zones. The new Rev is the first boat I have sat in that looks and feels right from the word go.
This weekend I took the Rev with me up to Angelsey for a couple of sessions at Stanley Embankment. Its been a while since I have been there and the first time on a decent tide since the new A55 has opened. Getting changed in the carpark with the wind howling and waves breaking on the beach large enough to think about surfing ..

Posted on 21 April, 2008 by alpjim

Gear Testing with the Smiff

Sometimes opportunities present themselves and you have to grab with both hands. Nick and I had arranged a meeting in N. Wales on Friday morning. Up early we were on the road before the cockrel and we’re well on our way up the M6. Plan ‘A’ was to be all done and dusted by lunch and scoot off for the afternoon for a spot of biking. At 2 o’clock we were still in Petes Eats munching down on some fine chip butties with stuff still finish.
Finally we arrived at the Swallow Falls hotel at 4pm, grabbed the bikes and set off for a jaunt along the Marin Trail. We didn’t do the whole thing, we weren’t set up with the lights but it was great to get out.

A big apology to Nick though, my new disc ..

Posted on 18 February, 2008 by alpjim