back in the saddle

well...i'm back again on the blog after a few rough weeks of trial and tribulations. enough said.
The training for the row is going along slowly and surely which is exactly what I want it to be. I'm not a class athelete and never will be but a simple slogger who gets from A to B at some stage.
I am considering changing the route to leave from Cornwall in the UK instead of Portugal for a few good reasons, one of which being that his year is the 40th anniversary of a legend called Sidney Genders who, back in 1969, rowed from sennen cove in cornwall to the Canaries, then to Antigua, then to the USA. He is a hero of mine doing what he did without all the modern gear that we have today. A true legend and I would love to start from UK as a trubute to the guy!
But as with all things to do with ocean rowing there is a multidue of variables to account for so any plans i make are as fluid as a pint of water!
any feed back, to those who may read this blog would be welcome
all the very best and GBU
Gary

a new dawn fast comes

hi all
theres been no blogs for a while due to family circumstances, mainly of my own doing!!!
There may well be a announcment of a chang of route very soon...now that will keep you guessing as to where and what!!!!
things are moving forward but slowly.
training has taken a back seat due to injury and family but it will resume soon and with a vengance!!!
thats all for now
laters and GBU
Gary

Good saying

"We are determined to win. We'll fight them until hell freezes over, and if we have to, we'll fight them on ice."

Great saying.

Trying it on

Let see if this works!

G

sore yet faithfull!

sunday was a bike day as well with a further 20+ miles to be added to saturdays total. The soreness is surprising but it will be way worse when i get ocean rowing....just check out other rowers blogs to see wht happens to the backside on these long rows....its nasty, just plain nasty!
So its monday and i've been to check on my cab--you now the crispy one-- and they have started work on her. It look grim but theres always hope...always!
Just been to the gym as well and had my fastest time ever on the jogger over the usual 18 minutes so i rekon that the sycling will have to play a big part in the future of my training. Its enjoyable as well if you take the pain out of it!!!!
I cant wait for more people to start getting involved with my row..theres no such thing as a SOLO rower because so many others get involved. The only time you're along is when you are at sea but even then theres many thinking about you.
well have to go and get showered.
laters
G

determined to succeed

The whole arena of ocean rowing is fraught with problems and dangers. To me the very worst that could happen is that I have to give up and 'retire' from my attempt. To be honest it brings me out in cold sweats at night when i think about it!
In my planning i am always looking for ways to paint out potential disasters that seem to reoccur in ocean rowing--but more of that another day.
I had my bike fixed today with these wonderful puncture resistant tyres and went for a jaunt of 20 miles...and do i feel it tonight!!!!!! I'm sore in a certain place and really need padded shorts before any more attempts are made.

with that thought i shall leave you all
Good night and God bless
Gary

a new day but hope is here as well!

Its Saturday and I'm in one piece so its bonus day!!!!!
welll....i have to say that last week was a bad one indeedy. Big ex pence on taxi.....problem with one of my sons....then the BIG drama with the fire yesterday...ah well. That's life.
So..what will today bring for me? Surely nothing else CAN go wrong or have i spoken too soon?
well shall see!
Back to the real world now-Training!
I'm off shortly to get some new tyres on my bike...allegedly they have some puncture proof tyres which are fairly pricey but could be worth it!
once this is done then i shall be king of the cycle ways as i dash from here to there at great speeds! ( or not!)
anyway, time to go.
laters
G

What a bloomin’ day!

This is what i have been up to today so far;

May taxi developed a fault so i took it in to be looked at and they found it was the exhaust-no problem just fit a new one.

Went back lunchtime to pick it up and driving home there was a grinding sound so i drove back and they put it up on the ramps to have a look underneath again to what else had gone wrong.

Morris used a blowtorch for some reason and the cab set on fire! Bloody great flames billowing out from the bonnet and i was stuck up 15 feet in the air stuck in the driving seat!

A few minutes later and the damage was seen- the wiring loom was burnt out and there was a huge amount of fire damage done. What a pain in the backside this all is and what an expensive week it had turned out to be.

More to follow laters

G

Test page

This is test page on sending a blog from my lapy

G

just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water!

its funny how life throws a curve ball at you sometimes, is'nt it!
just when you thinks thngs are going well then BAM....you get hit sideways and thrown upside down!!!!
well--that was last night.
Details? a certain person has thrown in the spanner in my life and its gonna take a few days to sort it out. why do people do that?
Anyway, enough of the moaning and groaning and back to life......
training resumes at 0500hrs friday morning in aneffort to beat all the birds round the park! followed by a longish row at the gym, followed swiftly by a talk at the MS society (norwich branch) about the row. So i am working on my first power point presentations which is making my hair go grey! But another skill to be learnt!
a
laters
G

what to do?

just got back from an early morning jog/walk/trot with the dogs and feel knackered!
One of the things about this very mild ME that i have is that it just sucks the eneergy from you at the silliest times. ie just when you NEED the power the strength drains away and thats a pain in the butt!
But never mind, this is all part of the challenge for me to overcome as best i can and to carry on boldy where no man has been before! The portugal to Antigua/USA route in a row boat!
Bring it on!
Anyway, enough of the moaning and groaning.
If anyone knows how i can set up this blog so that everyone is notified when i post a new post can you let me know as I cant make head or tails of the instructions. Not the brightest light bulb in the ceiling!!
So....thats all for now folks
Laters
G

good news

Last night Julan Barnwell and myself spoke and gave presentations at the Carrow Yaught club here in Norwich. They were kind enough to allow me to get Amazing Grace in the water so that I could begin my training. It was a great nite and enjoyed by all.
Also i have just been invited to speak on bank holiday weekend sunday on BBC Radio Norfolk at 8-9 am about the row. Its a guy called Tony Mallion who's asked me and i have free reign to chat about everything from a christian view point.
Now that this blog is alive and active I shall endevour to keep everyione update.
laters
G

a few days more

well its now tuesday and i have been working hard for a few days...not that i have been slacking at all just that i forgot about posting!!! shame on me..
training has been hard these last few days and its not gonna get any easier as time moves ahead towards the start of the row. But thats what i signed up for and so stopp whinning MR Moore and get on with the job.
laters
G

saturday grumps

its saturday and i feel bloomin' grumpy. Not enought sleep and the idea of going out and training is enugh to jar me off. But here we go...theres no choice and i'll have to get out of bed and get it on!
Training is always hard for me being a olympic class couch potatoe but i will carry on and push through.
well, have to go...speak laters
G

life on the water

Not a bad title i thinks!
I am off to the river early saturday morning to get some rowing in on the Yare River. Its all good practice and builds up my confidence every time i go out alone.
Whats river rowing in a 24 foot boat got to do with ocean rowing, i hear you say?? Its all about getting used to the boat, Amazing Grace, before I ever see the sea!
Its gonna be a lot of hard work in the next few months as i prepare in many ways for the adventure of a lifetime.
But thats what blogs are for...to follow others as they boldy/badly do something different.
see you laters
G

another try

just lost a long post i tried to put in....whats happeneing here/
G

The first of the many !

A great bih HELLLOOOOOO to everyone who will read this blog account of the greatest anventure of my life....a 4200 mile solo row across the Atlantic Ocean .

I shall be leaving from Lisbon, Portugal this November and heading south to Antigua and will expect to be at sea for anything up to 160 days! So should be fun indeedy!!
I also have a website up and running so please have a looksee>
garysatlanticrow.com


laters
G