Operation plus 5 weeks

So after five weeks I'm now well into my recovery plan. Three weeks of being in the immobiliser is thankfully behind me and for the last two weeks I've been having physio twice a week. On top of that I've been spending around an hour a day stretching my arm and shoulder muscles out at the gym.

I had my four week consultation with Mr Tytherleigh-Strong last week. He was very pleased with my progress (and his handy work!).

After my physio session this week I've started lifting small weights and using a theraband to add a little resistance to try and build some of the wasted muscle, after three days I can already notice a difference.

Progress to date.

Passing ninety degrees internal/external rotation shouldn't be pushed for another week yet to allow the Bankart Lesion to repair fully, but all other movements are coming along nicely!

French Alps 2014 - Day 4 - Ubaye Racecourse

Dan, Tim, Charlotte & Katie left to get baguettes and possibly go to supermarket at 08:30 but agreed to go to meet the others in the car park at the top of the “old town”. Due to miscommunication, the rest of the group (Danny, Molly, Rich, Sophie, Steve, Rob, Conor, Mat, Charlie, Marshy) headed on to the supermarket. A quick phone call and they realised Dan, Tim, Charlotte & Katie were waiting for them at the car park.

All headed up to the River Ubaye, except one group to the Upper Ubaye and the rest/majority went to the Racecourse get in. Whilst the rest waited for Dan, Tim, Charlotte & Katie to find the get in.

Shuttle done, on we got. With Connor, Rob, Charlie, Marshy, Sophie, Rich  taking the lead, Conor was to take the first swim (a daily regular for him), shortly followed by Katie - trying to get over the eddy line, but her excuse was that she was too hot in her dry suit. Charlotte then had a super quick roll, well done, best roll of the day! Shortly followed by Katie, least expected roll of the day. But both were excellent and just where/when required.

The duo also had a short swim, and most importantly Sophie returned to the surface with a big grin and her paddles, however the same could not be said for Rich, as he figured he had let go of his paddle. He then left his newly acquired girlfriend in pursuit of his true love (VE’s). After this we found a nice rocky beach to have a snack and had a group photo by some random french guy. Shortly after we entered the racecourse gorge, where Katie fell in… shortly followed by Charlotte. Swiftly rescued by Steve & Molly just above the narrowing of the gorge, boats the other side of the gorge. They had no choice but to have another swim through the rest of the gorge, escorted by Steve & Molly, with an audience of british paddlers on the bridge above.

Meanwhile, the first group were getting concerned as they finished their run in an hour and half and two hours later Group 2 (Charlotte, Katie, Danny, Steve, Molly, Matt, Dan & Tim) still hadn't arrived. During this time they prepared lunch for the group. Charlotte & Katie were reunited with their boats, Dan had to chase Katie’s almost to the big gorge and we all paddled to the end for lunch.

After lunch, Steve, Rob, Danny, Charlie, Rich, Sophie, Molly, Dan, Tim went on to do a second run of the Ubaye racecourse. They hammered it in 43 mins, and reckon it could have been done in under 40 had they not have stopped.

On the way back to the accommodation we stopped at the supermarchè at Embrum. We have never seen Molly, Katie & Charlotte so excited about a proper toilet.

Tonight we had pasta bolognese followed by sorbet, cooked by Charlie & Marshy. We all had a glass of wine to commemorate the loss of Charlotte's dear shoe... it will be sorely missed.

Written by Katie B with input from everyone

Views on the drive to the Ubaye

Views on the drive to the Ubaye

Teddy riding high

Views on the drive to the Ubaye

Views on the drive to the Ubaye

Danny shorts (Liberated from Rich a few years ago) needed a wash before getting on the water

View from the get in!

Danny's view down the rapid

Rich looking for his beloved VE's while Sophie makes her way to safety. 

Group two poses for a group photo after a stop for a snack

The moment before Conor's swim..

Conor navigating a tricky rapid 

The view before entering the gorge.

Katie out of shape on the eddy-line, can you guess happens next?

Group 2's decent of the Ubaye

Group 2's decent of the Ubaye

Steve bringing Katie safely through the gorge to reunite her with her kayak 

Molly brings Charlotte safely through the gorge to Danny waiting with a line

Second run of the Ubaye Racecourse 

View down the initial rapid on the Ubaye, Rob attempting to stay in front of speedy love machine!  

More fun on the Ubaye view from Danny's GoPro

More fun on the Ubaye from Danny's GoPro

French Alps 2014 - Day 3 (Upper Guil / Upper Guil Gorge / Chateau Q )

French Alps 2014 - Day 3 (Upper Guil / Upper Guil Gorge / Chateau Q )

We left the accommodation by 10.00am to drive to the Upper Guil. When we arrived Conor realised he had left his shoes back at the accommodation, so Charlie kindly lent his.

After the shuttle, we split into groups. Group 1; Rob, Charlie, Rich & Sophie in the duo, Conor & Marshy. Group 2; Danny, Molly, Steve, Katie, Charlotte, Mat, Dan (Dan and Tim, Dan) and Tim (Dan and Tim, Tim).

Group 1 lead the way and set off down the river, with group 2 following shortly after. Conor had a swim fairly early on (he should know better), followed by Charlotte (the hot girl of the group)  demonstrating her swimming lessons. Both were back in their boats quickly and off paddling again on the river, no dramas :-).

Down to the next set of rapids, and Charlotte got pinned on a rock, she managed to stay upright until Danny got to her, once freed she immediately capsized so Danny who attempted to upright her accidentally stepped into a deep section and swam too.

Charlotte caught Tim’s eye, but why wouldn't she! Grabbing his line but unfortunately Danny did too.  by his helmet Go Pro and that dragged him down the river head first. The river was deeper than we thought so tried to stand up but it pushed them both further under the water, preventing Charlotte from rolling. She eventually bailed out of the boat and swam a little further until she caught Molly’s line and got to the bank.

Back in the boat, we headed off down the river again without any more mishaps, and got out before Chateau Queyras. We scouted Chateau Q, the only people that didn't run it were Katie, Charlotte, Matt, Sophie, Marshy and Conor, who sat on the bank and took photos. Everyone who ran this made it through without any mishaps. Meanwhile, we realised that the baguettes had been left in the accommodation, so we had nothing to make lunch with. Conor went out looking for baguettes while the others made a base in the sun to catch some rays.

After lunch, we decided to head over to Le Lac for a swim and an ice cream. Rich and Sophie headed off on their own (to go for a walk?) hmmmm… By the time we set off it was getting late, but following Danny, we thought we would be there in no time…after driving through very narrow streets and then a bit of off-roading up a gravel, tight road, where Conor’s car got stuck, we decided to reverse back down the mountain and follow Conor, eventually ending up at Le Lac, too late for a swim, we decided to have a pint and a chat as the sun had disappeared up the valley.

Back at base, we had a lovely dinner cooked by Charlie, with assistance from Marshy and Danny. Danny was fiddling with the french jugs and they were too much to handle so he slipped on the stairs and pulled his calf muscle.

The night finished with drinks in the living room.

Written by Katie B with input from everyone!

Upper Guil Gorge

Tim (Dan and Tim Tim) running one of the first technical rapids in the Upper Guil Gorge

Charlotte's first pin 

Danny and Steve rescuing Charlotte after her pin, Danny must be close to getting his IR status! (International Rescue)

Steve running the Upper Guil Gorge

Chateau Queyras AKA Chateau Q

Rob and Rich first through Chateau Queyras

Rob in Chateau Queyras

Charlie in Chateau Queyras

View from above Chateau Queyras as everyone else watches the first groups run!

Molly Styling it up in Chateau Queyras

 Dan (Dan and Tim Dan) in Chateau Queyras

 Tim (Dan and Tim Tim) in Chateau Queyras

Steve running Chateau Q

Steve running Chateau Q

Molly and Dan (Dan and Tim Dan) running Chateau Q

 Danny in Chateau Queyras

Danny Chateau Q 

 Rich and Rob in Chateau Queyras

Rich's Mangina pose 

Group two posing for a photo after a successful fun of  Chateau Queyras

Group photo after lunch at the  Chateau Queyras get out. Very kind of a raft guide to leave us some temporary seating!

View from the drive over the Col d'Izoard

Another amazing view from the drive over the Col d'Izoard

A rather tight route though the back streets after taking a wrong turn!

After the tight city street came the rocky track, the van and beemer could go no further.

The only option was reverse now!

Arty Picture of our well deserved beer at Le Lac after a rather eventful drive!

A New Challenge!

A new Challenge!

Snippet from the local paper of the results from Dan's first 10 mile TT!

However he was quicker than stated!

French Alps 2014 - Day 2

Day 2

Happy Birthday Terry!

After creamy porridge (not quite to everyones taste) and Rob told Rich not to get anything to go on the porridge as Rob “doesn’t haven't anything with my porridge so if anyone wants anything special they can get their own”, Conor finally got out of bed, we then had to try to put the get ins and outs on the satnav. Rob had to repair his boat after breaking the fittings; we found it particularly difficult to get the boat back out of the accomadation, but the winch came in use. Finally we got on the road by around 11:00 heading to the sunshine run.

Toilet Chronicles - at the get on the loos just said WC and there was only one. Whilst Molly and Sophie went to borrow the cafe, Charlotte & Katie just sussed out the car park facilities. They were unsure if it was unisex as there was a gent using the urinal, but then his wife walked out also. Needless to say they braved it but it was another hole in the ground. Dan was very confused when he saw them walking out past the urinals of what he assumed was the gents.

Whilst waiting for the car shuttle, Rob took Sophie on moving water for the first time in her own boat, where she excelled in her breaking in and out. Eventually we got on the water at 13:00, only for Danny to realise he left his skid lid in the van. Having a successful “sunshine” (mainly wind and shade) run, all continued on through the Rab wave. First to go through was Rob leading Rich, Sophie, Connor, Charlie, Danny (borrowing Katie’s helmet), Molly. All of whom took the most difficult line. The Duo managed extremely well and even managed a roll part way down the wave. Before the rest of the group ran the Rab we questioned Rob as to why he took such a crap line, his response was “It looked like fun but Rob Deller always said run the wave hard left”. Unfortunately for Conor he took this hard left line and landed upside down, two rolls later and he was back up the right way …. Smooth move. Then the rest of the group made it down the Rab wave, but the Germans who followed us weren't as successful with two swimmers and the rest “munched”. Molly to the rescue! All finished the sunshine run successfully. The Germans even made the effort to come and thank Molly at the end of the run and spoke good english.

Next it was for the Briancon Gorge, which was up due to the rain earlier in the day. No major epics except for Matt who forgot his baby grow and decided to bail out and mooney to the rest of the group.

Back to the accommodation to cook dinner and the gas bottle ran out on the cooker. How many men does it take to change a gas bottle and how many women do you have to ask to figure out how to change the gas bottle? Dinner was yummy, Chilli again with a barbecue flavour, or was it burnt we aren’t quite sure. 

Written by Katie B with input from everyone.

Rab Wave

The Love Machines first Roll/

German Carnage

    Embrum Surf Wave