Fuzz and Face

Not been doing much filming in the last few weeks so had time to do some other stuff!  Even managed to go surfing 3 times last week.  Really getting into it again, now that I can just about stand up and have got myself new booties which keep my feet so warm!  

Friday night we headed to Grace and Shaggy’s for an Indian and DVD.  We watched Being John Malkovich, it is so funny, totally weird and random!  Saturday after tramp I caught up with Face for a surf, was pretty dark by the time I got there but we stayed in for a good while, Face had already been in for 3 hours, he was a wrinkly mess by the time we had finished!

Sunday we headed to Kilbroney where we met up with Meave, her sister and Michelle for some mountain biking.  The weather was pretty crazy, it was really windy and was even snowing at one point, was good craic though, i had some stupid falls and somehow managed to go down a really steep hill sideways and still stay on my bike!  I was shaking like a leaf afterwards.  After we got back into Belfast we headed up Black Mountain for a walk but didn’t make it all the way as Face’s ankle wasn’t too good.  Went home and watched journey to the centre of the earth in 3d!  

Managed to get out on my bike this morning for an hour or so and booked a new years holiday this evening.  Location is secret though, Face won’t know where we are going til we get there (well thats the plan anyways!)  Roll on 27 Decembers!!

Saturday morning Face headed up to East Strand for a surf while I went to my trampoline class.  After it was over I drove straight up to Portballintrae where I met up with Andy, Grace and Shaggy who were putting together a £2 kite they bought!  It actually flew pretty well for something that looked like it would break the moment we let it go!  After that we went for some pizza at Coast (under Ramore) and then to Sweenys in Portballintrae where there was a band playing (if you could call one girl and her guitar a band!).  Was really good craic, was nice to be able to chill and not have to think about stuff.  

(After waking up in the middle of the night with projectile vomit?!) Face and I were up early on Sunday morning and went on a search for croissants but couldn’t find any!!  Walked down to the harbour beside Grace’s apartment and watched a few guys body board in some pretty mental waves, was such a nice day.  When Grace and Shaggy surfaced we all headed out for brekkie/lunch then went to Giant’s Causeway, the wind was mental had long walk before we fed our faces on ice-cream.  Went into Portrush for a walk along the beach before we headed home.  Face and I finished off the day with a meal in McHughs Bar in Belfast.  We weren’t too impressed with the food but then again we ordered Pheasant (didn’t taste too pleasant in my opinion!)

We have been so busy lately with Break the Cycle stuff I have nearly forgotten about our blog.  I have been off work now for just over a week and I am loving all my free time.  Last week I was out on my bike every day, although I am totally covered in scratches and bruises.  I was out with Face a few times around Beaver etc and also went up the Cavehill myself to try out a few of the trails i had walked when we filmed Rosco for the film.  It was seriously slippy up there from all the rain, chickened out on a lot of the trails but rode a few of them was good fun but I was so scared being on my own.  Totally lost it on the road on the way down from Belfast Castle, I braked too hard round a corner and I went flying across the ground on my belly, thought I had broken a rib.  Had to cycle about another half hour then to get home, was glad to get off my bike then! Went round to Ormeau BMX track on Fri evening, have got this thing in my head that I want to get a BMX bike, but just trying to build up my strength on my hardtail first.

We caught up with Shaggy and Grace for our usual Friday night Indian and dvd.  Went for the madras which finally was up to our hotness standards!  Was really good.  The dvd was pretty good too, cant remember the name of it, it was about Joy Division, maybe it was just called Joy Division?  Who knows!  

Saturday we were up at the crack of dawn to head down to the Mournes to film Ewan Dogherty.  We headed up Donard, took us about half hour to reach the spot we were to start filming and on his first run he got a puncture and had to go all the way back down.  That was just the start, there was 3 more punctures that day!  We headed back to Ewans house after we finished and took a few shots there then headed to Helens Bay to take some cross country shots.  The weather was pretty amazing all day, we had a quick look at the footage later that night, it looked pretty good!  Sunday, another amazing sunny day, we headed back to Donard with Ewan to finish off his section (another puncture and broken rear mech!)  then met up with Turkey at Tollymore to shoot him at one of the trails.  He ended up with a puncture too but thankfully we had nearly finished his section so we just scraped the last bit of the trail!.  

Yesterday evening Face and I headed up the coast.  Was such an amazing night, the sunset was pretty cool.  Face headed in for a surf at White Rocks and I headed out around Portrush on my bike.  Went for a walk along the beach after I finished on my bike, felt so chilled out, wish I lived up there and could do that every night!

Glad to say my Granda isn’t doing too bad in hospital.  My week and a half off work is nearly over, but then only a week and a half then to go and il be off again for two weeks!!   Had really good weekend, Friday I cycled to just past Cushendall on my bike.  Was about 43 miles and was such a nice day.  Face picked me up then we headed up to our favourite hostel Sheep Island View in Ballintoy for the night.  Face headed in for a surf after we left our stuff off then we headed to the Ramore for dinner.  I was totally  starving by that time, went for duck for a change, was good!  

Saturday we headed to Whiterocks for a surf then spent the rest of the afternoon chilling out and taking video footage.  We headed home that night and Sunday Face headed out on his bike for his first try at downhill since his broken egg and I headed to the Valley Leisure Centre for a swim.  After a family dinner at mine we headed up the coast.  We stopped off at Carnlough and took a walk up to Cranny Falls which are pretty amazing, really nice piece of landscape, really wish we had taken our camera.  We headed on up the coast taking some footage along the way, Face has put together another short video, its on his vimeo site, the sunset was amazing, video looks really good.  

Yesterday I plucked up the courage to do a bit of off-roading by myself and cycled from mine up the Cavehill and then down over the top.  Was pretty sketchy at times but I had such good fun, and I didn’t die as I thought I would.  Came down by the castle then cycled home again, definitely looking forward to doing it again soon.  Face and I headed to Portballintrae for a surf last night after he finished work.  There was quite a few people in who all seemed to enjoy themselves except me, the waves were a bit too big for my liking!  

Finally today..  I got up this am and headed to Valley for a swim.  Swam a mile front crawl in about 1/2 hour.  Not swam properly for a long time and just took a notion for it again.  Not to sure what I doing the rest of day.  Face was at physio this am and he working rest of day.  Maybe il head out on my bike later if the rain stays off..

My granda took really ill and has been in hospital since last Thursday.  He is doing ok at the moment, have been heading up to see him as much as possible.  Really hope he is ok.  

Went to Shaggy and Grace’s for an indian (The Kyber) and dvds on Friday night, we watched Vantage Point and some funny random snowboarding movie that I think they have watched too many times!  We were slightly disappointed that our Indian dish was not spicy, again.. even though it had 3 stars this time!  Next time I think we’ll order the Vindaloo!!

Face did the Lap of the Lough on Sunday.  I went up to see him and Shaggy finish with Grace after i visited my Granda, they did 87 miles in around 5-5 1/2 hours, and were pretty wrecked after, I think I would have still been going after 10 hours giving my level of fitness compared to theirs!

Am off work now until next Thurs.  We headed up to Whiterocks on Monday for a surf, was ok but I really do have an irrational fear of the waves that stops me enjoying myself.  Spend most of my time paddling just to try stay in one spot as the winds were so strong and kept dragging me across the beach, least I got some exercise.  

Talking of exercise, I have been getting out on my bike a good bit and keeping to my routine of press-ups, tricep dips, sit-ups and back raises every morning, just have to keep it up this time!

It has rained so much the last few weeks and Saturday saw some pretty huge floods in Belfast.  The new underpass near the Royal hospital filled up with 20 feet of water, was crazy!!  We caught up with Shaggy and Grace Fri night, went round to theirs for an Indian and dvd.  Watched the Kite Runner.  Was so good, apparently the book is even better, can’t wait to read it now!  

Went surfing yesterday at West Strand Portrush after work and got chewed up and spit out by quite a few waves!  Have to admit, when they are as big as they were yesterday (which I know wasn’t really that big) I just don’t enjoy myself that much as I am so scared of them, I kept looking behind me and seeing them coming then chickening out and paddling towards them instead!  Face hit his arm off his board pretty hard apart from that (and nearly spewing up) he really enjoyed it.  Headed out on my bike for a while today after work.  We are going to take part in the Lap of the Lough (Neagh) cycle on Sunday for charity.  Its 87 miles, never attempted even half that before but am going to give it my best shot.  Off work tomorrow so going to head out and do a few miles to see how it feels!

Face has another vid up on vimeo that we shot on Sunday.  Found a new restaurant we both really like up in Portrush, its a Chinese, thinks its called the Mayflower?!  Really good, and it does banana fritter and ice-cream.. delish!

Its been a while again.. Face has just got a new 35mm adapter for his camcorder and we headed up to Ballycastle Forest yesterday to check it out.  He asked me to dander about while he filmed me, me not realising he would make a video of it and now its made and online, quite embarrassing!  He will prob have a link here to it soon.  Hoping to get a few photos posted of his set up too.  Looks pretty mental!

Headed up to Portrush West Strand for a surf today, didnt look like we were going to get much but when we were in it was really good.  Got so many waves, still haven’t mastered standing up properly yet but getting there.  Face is doing well with his short board but I think he is dying to check it out on some big waves.  Im just happy with the little ones!  Seems like I have got stung on my finger by something in the water, thinking maybe Im better not knowing what it was.

Hoping to get out on the bikes tomorrow, its been a while.  Face is going to the hospital for some physio this week at last.  Hopefully he will start to see a big improvement soon.  Its not been an easy year for him so far, things can only get better!

Just back from up the coast again.  Went for dinner at the Ramore in Portrush on Friday and Saturday!  We hooked up with a couple of Fuzz’s mates on Friday for a surf session on Whiterocks beach.  It was funny seeing them turn up in over-sized and summer wetsuits in temperatures near zero degrees.  I think that might have put Ian off a bit, but hopefully they will be back for more.  I heard Ian saying it was worth it just for the one wave he got.  Well we all know that that is how it begins.   I got to go out on my new shortboard at last!  The thing really feels like it fits me well and it was much easier to catch waves than I had thought it would be.  Fuzz and I had another session on west bay on Sunday which was pretty good but i managed to loose a fin on my board after wiping out pretty hard.On Saturday night we stayed at the hostel in Balintoy - Sheep Island View.  For any of you who don’t know, this is a top class place if you ever need a place to stay while up the North Coast, although we did have a crazy Russian guy talking to himself all night! Nothing else that interesting happened.  We did get a few pics of some cool sunsets and messed about with the camera a bit. Check out roadtrips pics for more… 

This weekend has been pretty good, was surfing yesterday and brought my friend Helen up to give it a go, was a good laugh, and I actually managed to stand up properly was sooo happy!  Was riding Andy’s board, think it must have given me some luck!  Actually really looking forward to getting into the water again now, instead of being stupidly scared, hopefully I am starting to sort my head out.  Should be in again this Fri with Helen and her boyfriend Ian if not before.  Really hoping Face will be making his first appearance on his new board then too before we all hit the Ramore to feed our bellies!

Today I got up and headed up on my bike for a bit then headed down to Moneyscalp with Face to take some shots of the downhill winter series round 1, was pretty good day, Im sure Face will have some shots up here soon!  Maybe next time he will be racing and il be taking the shots!

Shaz has eventually got herself into the water after a long break.  The conditions were pretty good down at whiterocks.

She was crappin herself beforehand with all sorts of messed up things going through her mind like shark and monster attacks etc.  I think she is glad now that she went in. 

Meanwhile i am still not the best so i was left taking random shots on the beach.  I can’t wait until I’m well enough to get in as well and rip up the waves on my new board!