Its been a while since I took part in any of The Adventurists’ offerings. 10 years, in fact, since Espe and I took part in the Pioneers Rickshaw Run. Work, Kids, Life have generally been getting in the way. Two weeks before Christmas we got the keys to our home, and yes, this one is the keeper. After Madrid, Bristol, Barcelona, Cardiff, Barcelona (again) we are, at long last, settling down in Bristol. And with settling down comes more time to do stuff. Exactly the sort of thing, for instance, that someone who isn’t settled might do. So how did this come about?

I’ve been helping out with The Adventures online tracking system since the 2006 Mongol Rally. The addiction of watching all the updates come in, overtime became indifference, looking only at bugs, code and data entry one looses interest, but that all changed with the inagural Icarus Trophy. Prior to the event Mr. Tom had mumbled something about how wonderful this winged adventure would be, but as usual, I wasn’t paying that much attention.

Study, kids and international moves got in the way in 2016 and 2017. I planned to have a taster, but Sky School ditched Girona as a base (a spectacular 45 minute drive from where I was living) so that put paid to that plan.

As with so many plans (and pipe dreams for that matter), the only way to actually make them happen is to give yourself a deadline, and then tell as many people as possible about it so you feel obliged to actually go through with it…

And so I have my deadline of July 25th 2018, which now only gives me six months to learn to fly and figure out a few other minor details… watch this space.