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!!

Its been a while!  Face and I have been so busy with our film we have had hardly any time to do anything else.  Last weekend we headed to Meave Baxters house and shot her riding at Yellow Water, Rosstrevor.  Was a good shoot, got some amazing scenery shots at the top and finished the day off with some interviews back at hers. 

Friday we headed to Rosco’s to do some shooting and interviews at his house.  We got him riding the smallest motorbike I have ever seen and I couldn’t believe the speed of it, was hilarious.

For video clips on the above check out www.breakthecyclefilm.com

Yesterday afternoon I was a wedding photographer for the day for a couple that go to Rosco and Fionas church.  I think it went well.  Couldn’t have done it without Face being there and helping me out with the camera settings and lenses etc, my head went blank a few times and there wasn’t any time to play about with as I only had one chance to capture some of the moments.  After I got a few shots of the first dance I could relax and had some fun on the dance floor.  The music was pure cheese, was funny.  Didn’t stay too long after that, we were both wrecked.

No shooting this weekend, looking forward to being able to do something else though not sure what yet!

Last weekend Face and I headed to Dublin to shoot Dan and Gerard Wolfe for Break the Cycle.  Was a brilliant weekend, good craic, the weather was great and some kind person named Shane and his girlfriend came down and set up a zip line for us for a couple of shots.  It worked so well and was quite funny to see Andy flying around in the sky.  Got some amazing scenery shots etc on the Sunday when we headed to the lead mines near their house.  Check out the link for a short vid and some photos www.breakthecyclefilm.com/wolfe-brothers/

Only managed to get out on my bike once this week as been flat out in work, really got spoilt when I was off for nearly a month and had all the time in the world.  Will really have to try squeeze some more sessions in.  Think I am going to invest in some bike lights so I can head out at night, should be fun, I have enough trouble staying on my bike in the daylight!

Heading to Rostrevor this weekend to film Meave Baxter.  Looking forward to the shoot, hopefully the weather will be as good as it was last weekend.

Just a quick post to update!  We were at down at Waterford from Sunday to Tuesday filming couple of riders for break the cycle, check out the clips at www.breakthecyclefilm.com

Apart from one of the riders riding into a tree and having to go to A&E and my forehead covered in Midji (not sure how that is spelt) bites it was a really good few days, some funny times had.  Have been pretty flat out in work the rest of the week.  Spent Wednesday morning with one of the anaesthetists in the Obstetrics theatre where I seen a caesarian, was really interesting, I did feel a bit nauseated at one point, thought I was going to faint but managed to pull it together.

Am just getting ready to head over to Face’s here and then we are heading down to somewhere near Dublin for the weekend to film some more riders.  The weather is awful outside, hopefully its a bit better down south.

Last week was very upsetting for my family and I as my Granda died on Tuesday morning.  It hasn’t been an easy week.  The funeral was on Friday and was very sad.  Everyone is holding up as well as can be expected, will just take time I guess.

After the funeral on Friday I left Face off to airport then headed into town to meet Jude for a coffee.  We went to Murials, our now regular spot, Im not big into coffee, but Jude says its really good, so if you’re a coffee addict check it out.  Apparently the food is good too, havn’t got round to eating there yet myself though.  Didn’t stay too long then headed home to chill, was a strange day.

Saturday I headed into town with my Mum for a spot of retail therapy.  Got a really nice Vans coat in TK Max, its so cosy I love it!  Then I headed trampolining where I caught up with Helen who wasn’t feeling too good.  That night I headed out with my sister and her friends to see the Jungle Book at the Belfast Opera House.  To be honest I didn’t think it was that great, but still enjoyed it, had a really good laugh, one of her friends in particular is hilarious.  We went to Robinsons restaurant first for some dinner, I had the chicken fajitas, they was really good.  I didn’t even know there was a restaurant in Robinson’s until Saturday!

Sunday I plucked up the courage to do a xc mtb race in Castlewellan Forest, Shaggy was doing it too.  I got up there pretty early and bumped into a few kids that I teach trampolining who were also racing.  They introduced me to a girl who was in my category and she took me around the track for a practice run.  That took about an hour and I was wrecked, then I only had 1/2 hour before my race started, I had no idea what I was letting myself in for.  The course was pretty steep and technical, the technical bits really held me back as I had to walk a lot of them, I came last (obviously) but I am not going to let it put me off, definately going to work on my skills a bit and thinking of checking out the cyclo cross race in Lurgan this Sunday.  I have no idea what to expect at this either, should be funny!

Was seriously wrecked after the race, I only had 2.5 hours sleep sat night, just couldn’t sleep, so think that contributed to my wrekedness!!  I had free tickets to a UTV live gig in the Limelight for that night but I could hardly make it home never mind going out that night.  A bit gross sorry but when I got home I realised I hadn’t gone to the toilet for 9 hours which is a miracle for me!  I must have sweated away every last bit of fluid in my body!  I was starving as well, so I just fed my face had a bath and went to bed.

Yesterday I picked Face up from airport, who was a sleepy mess and then he dropped me off to work, my first time there in two weeks.  Am not so excited to be back but am off tomorrow which is good.  I am actually helping Face out with a video job which I am quite excited about, should be good.  

Today well, was in work this am then went with Face to his hospital follow up appointment for his leg.  Was totally pointless him going.  The doctor actually picked up his wrong leg and was moving it about asking him how it felt lol!  I headed out on my bike this afternoon for a bit then met Face and we headed to the cinema to see Death Race.  Its really good, pretty fast paced, if you like Fast and the Furious you would like it, only its a lot more hard core.

Very sleepy now so gonna go, nights!

I’m just back from a very hard weekend of work at MotoX of nations in Donnington Park.  I was over there producing video for an online tv channel called Freecaster.  It was quite short notice but i flew out on Friday evening and got back Monday morning.  

As I said the work was very busy.  I had to shoot video in the morning, and then edit 3 videos together the same evening.  I was using the lens adaptor on my camera on Saturday so I was quite tired at the end of the day from carrying the equipment.  I took the adapter off my camera for Sundays racing so things were a bit easier.

The racing was amazing with the top motoX riders from around the world competing.  It was hard to enjoy everything fully though because things were so busy.  I was mostly going back and forth from the track to the media centre.  I worked 7am to 2am on Saturday, and 7am to 4am on Sunday!  Just catching up with some sleep now on Monday.

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!

Face and I have been pretty busy with the Irish Downhill Mountain Bike Feature Documentary we are making.  Face has put together a website so you can check out our progress, looks pretty good check it out at www.breakthecyclefilm.com  Will be updated regularly!  I have been searching for bands to contribute their music to the doc, if you know any good bands out there who would be interested please give us a shout asap.

Last week was pretty good, started back to work last Thursday night trampolining coaching, and then Friday in the Royal back in theatre.  Saturday we headed to Rosco’s gym to film him taking his spin class, and then in the afternoon after I finished my trampolining classes, I headed up the Cavehill to meet up with them and give a hand shooting Rosco.  I took quite a few pics, in-between helping Face with lens changes etc.  Check them out below.  Rosco has asked me to come to a wedding in his church in October to be the ‘wedding photographer’, will definitely have to get some more practice in before that!

Saturday night we headed to down to a pub in Newry to catch up with Glynn and a load of other mountainbikers.  Think it was called The Brass Monkey.  Was a good laugh, got talking to a few of the girl bikers and think I gonna head out with them on the bikes sometime soon, should be good!

Last night we went to cinema to see Step Brothers, was hilarious, a lot funnier than I thought it was going to be.  Was in work today then headed out with Face and Shaggy on the bikes, was so good, managed to hold it together and not have any crashes at my previous crash sites which I was pretty happy about!  Not long back washed my bike and now Im probably going to hit the sack soon!

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!