Broken Broadband; Two rides; a Two year old on a rock face

I tried to put a quick ditty up yesterday as the only thing to note were the rides to and from work, however, I've lost the home broadband at the minute, and it became an ordeal to type something more than twenty words with my phone.

I couldn't believe how cold it was on this occasion.  This was the first time this year that I have had to wear several layers, and still feel it wasn't enough.  By the time I rode the 19.5km into work, I was seriously wondering if I could feel my right toes at all, and any speed above 26kmph gave a quick dose of the brain freeze as though I ate too much ice cream, too fast... can you eat too much ice cream?  I'll let Olive be the judge of that in the future sometime.

I added another pair of socks for the return leg, and the trip up Shooters Hill certainly showed... there was about 7mins difference in both directions, and I thought I hit it harder coming back (all in a brave effort to stay warm).

I'll always add the links to future workouts in here, the write up will give an indication as to how it felt.

From The Telegraph Website, Photo: Hook News

Aside from all this, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw an article of a mother who took her two year old daughter up a rock face, in a back carrier. There are so many levels as to how this can possibly be wrong.  To start with, there is the issue of why is there the need to take a two year old up there?  I agree, getting them to appreciate the great outdoors at an early age can only be a great thing, we do so with Olive as often as we can, and I've carried Olive up some big peaks in Wales.  The header picture was taken on one such day to Fan-Y-Big in the Brecon Beacons, but as you can also tell, we took the initiative to not let Olive hang as close to the edge that I was prepared to (Julia was well back, even wincing at the sight of me there).  

As close as we'd get together.  Olive was all wrapped up warm.  Courtesy of Tim Loe

However, saying this, I understand parents wanting their children to be a part of the thrill of their activity, and our decision to keep Olive safe from an edge was ours to make.  The mother here says 'she's been on my back a lot when we've been hillwalking and I knew she was safe and comfortable in the carrier... and [she] started saying she wanted to go on my back while I climbed.'  It was acknowledged as safe by her group, including a qualified Mountain Leader, which I trust, but surely you can have a stronger say over a wilful two year old daughter who wants to stay on your back, and demands "up mummy, up"?  

The most alarming thing for me though was the mother had her helmet on, and the child did not.  Here the explanation is offered, 'I'm aware how it looks in that photo. I'm wearing one and she's not. I regret wearing one myself now. The truth is, the area we were climbing is extensively climbed.  The rock is stable and the routes are short. There isn't really any need to wear a helmet. I put mine on out of habit, but from a safety point of view it wasn't necessary.'  As far as I am aware and concerned, it's a golden rule to have the right safety equipment, and wear it at all times.  If they were planning on rock climbing, then bring a helmet for the child if she is wilful.  To justify yourself by saying you didn't need one either is crazy, sometimes the most well worn routes are the most unstable.  I cannot imagine any qualified Mountain Leader letting any member of their party not wear a helmet for a Grade II scramble, nor a climb of any description.

Maybe I'm getting anal in my old age.

Rant over, as ever, views expressed are my own.

I need to get more concise.

GB