The valiant eight, aged five to fifty something!
The EckO New Year Deflab Fun Run has now been held three times. The first year we all met at Taynish, had a good run, headed for the café and goodies Rosie had prepared then went home saying ‘We must do this again’.
In 2010 the road from Tayvallich to Taynish was too icy to attempt so the run was held around Loch Coille-Bhar with many using their orienteering ‘dobbs’ for traction on the ice. Again a good size crowd headed to the café for soup & goodies after the run.
2011 – the event was put on the calendar again. A ‘Doodle’ vote slightly favoured Sunday 9th January and twenty eight indicated their intent to be there. The weather then turned and it snowed late afternoon and early evening of Saturday 8th January. This meant accumulations of up to 15cm in the Oban area and a covering at Dunoon. Carol had about 10cm at Cairndow.
The deflab fun run had eight supporters in the end as the Oban folks (quite rightly) decided their journey was not essential and to stay at home. We have not heard if an alternative fun run event took place or not! The MacMillan family live just south of Tayvallich while Paul, Lynne & Carol made the journey on reasonable roads from Dunoon.
The eight split up into four groups for exercise. Susannah took Jura and Louis up the hill (or was it the other way round?); Carol & Lynne headed on a clockwise circuit beginning on the path through the woods; Paul went on an anti-clockwise circuit beginning by heading for the hill; Gordon, recovering from his ankle break, took Iris dam building at the watermill. Even although there were four groups we all met a few times and ensured that Paul did not get lost.
3pm – time for food! Carol, Paul & Lynne had aleady had lunch at the café (well it had been a long drive from Dunoon) and can recommended the B.L.A.T. or the paninis as they did not repeat during the run. The MacMillans had not eaten since breakfast, Iris (aged five) mentioned this a few times! Nibbles were soon on the table after we had rearranged the furniture to make one large table. This was followed by lovely warming soup and sandwiches then cake or scone. Carol was also seen taking food out of the mouths of babes – or a marshmallow from the mocha or coffee thing the kids had.
Lots of chat, catching up on the festive season and hopes for 2011. John & Rosie joined us and told of their plans for the café in 2011 – a covered veranda, some landscaping including fence removal and knocking down a shed. They will try and put the local otter on contract to appear when customers are there!
4pm and it was time to drive home. Temperatures were dropping and so the potential for icy roads was there. We took it carefully and arrived safely. Our own driveway is steep and looked like a slick of icy so we left the car in Paul’s Dad’s drive which is almost level.
An event at this time of year will always be subject to the weather, especially as people in the club do have to travel a long distance to get to the events. At the end of November Carol, Paul & I had not been able to get to Kerrera.
Posted on 10th Jan 11
by Paul Frost - Website, Membership, Publicity
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