Montanejos

I am just back from 10 days of Spanish sports climbing. Great trip - good company, good food & good climbs - what more could a girl ask for :)

Myself, Eoin, Andy and Claire headed to Valencia to make the most of the Paddy / Easter break - 3 days holidays for 10 days climbing. Paul & Beth came out to join us mid way. Kev Moroney joined us from Toulouse and we met up with Pierre and Katya for a couple of days. As the time got closer to the trip - we turned in typical cheapo climbers. With a lot of googling, I managed to find the cheapest car rental - rental from the Denia butterfly company. On arriving in the airport, we headed off in search of the rental agency - none to be found. Back the the info sheet and we realised that it came with directions. Top story of the car park - look for parking spot 496 - there you should find a portable office. Low and behold - they were right - a caravan... deguised as an office. We picked up our little Seat Leon and headed on our merry way - naturally getting lost and circling the airport two or three times, not to mention circling other roundabout - finding ourselves on road parallel to those we actually wanted - but with no way of getting onto them.. Hmmm - yes I was driving and no I still don't know my left from my right.

Montanejos is a little village about 150 KM northwest (I think) of Valencia. The climbing is scattered around a couple of little gorges, most of which is within walking distance from the refugio where we stayed.

When we weren't climbing we were chilling,

getting wet,

playing,

eating good food,

and of course climbing :)

Surprise Surprise !!

Thanks to Maeve's fantastic and secret organisational skills, last weekend I had a surprise birthday celebration. As I headed into town to meet a few people for a quiet dinne - boy, did I get a surprise to walk into the restaurant - to see about 13 or 14 of my friends sitting around the table. It was fantastic - thanks guys you really made my birthday special...

Learning about Filters .... the digital way :)

The Original Image


Using PS filter I generated these images :) My favourite is the infraread one!!



Left: Green Filter, Center: Infrared Filter and Right: Yellow Filter

Family Reunion

The weekend before last I went to Norfolk for a family reunion, my uncle's 60th birthday - it was the first time in 8 years since the entire family got together - some photos from the festivities in true McGloughlin, Cumming & Goodbody style :)



The whole clan - brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, cousins, grandparents, nieces, nephews, 1st, 2nd and 3rd generations :) The question is: who belongs to who and do we all look alike ?



The cousins and new additions


The cousins in order of height, i'm the littlest now..


The cousins in order of age



As it was in 2000, now if only I could find the one from 1995 :) See I wasn't quite the smallest then!!

Snowboarding, Les Gets

Just back from a long weekend snowboarding in Les Gets. What a great little (or not so little resort). After last winter in New Zealand - I had become accustomed to short runs & minimum lifts - but what a surprise to be back in the European Alps, long long long long runs and bucket loads of lift - I was in heaven.. well not quite, it hasn't snowed in a couple of weeks and there was no powder - so were were restricted to the pistes, which was a pity - there was so much potential.



As with all good trips - small disasters must occur - sure ya need a story to tell :) Snapped binding, ripped boot, salopettes and board bag (all mine) & a pulled muscle (not mine)!!



Photo & piste map from Les Gets official website

Beauty in Dublin !?!

Yesterday, the sun came out. I got up early to reap the benefits the day had to offer. Sunrise on Sandymount beach served as a little reminder, don't have to look very far to see the beauty in the world. You can find it anywhere, you just have to look.

Like old times ...

... and so it was "the Glendo Club Trip "

Thinking about old times and getting to know the new folk - it was a night of chit chat, drunken banter and lots of laughter. I think the photos speak for themselves - have a look :)