Bon Voyage

Within 1 hour of publishing this entry my first and best support crew will depart the UK for lands afar!

Helen & John supporting us on DW 2004

All the best to you both and, if you feel like it, you can fly back for next Easter, which is only 123 days away, for only Au$4700 (for 2) with Quantas

Many thanks for all your help in the past and, water permitting, you can be my support team for the Murray River Marathon

All the best for the future

Tom

Devizes

Yesterday, Saturday, Richard and I took the Condor to Devizes. 

My intention was to do a bit of a longer paddle than the last one, sort out the steering. We met Devizes Canoe Club there, they invited us on a paddle trip today but unfortunately time prevented us joining in.

Out paddle session went very well. Richard doesn't understand that he's running very quickly after walking, I'm not jealous!

Anyway, good session and it's the first time I've ever paddled back across the start line towards the Caen Hill Flight. We have training plans there, very soon!

...and, in keeping with the team directive we acquired more team pets:

Tom

Splash Down

Exeter Canal

With 130 days until DW2010 it was time to launch the GT Condor

We went to Exeter Quay but decided that it would be better to go the double lock further towards the estuary of the Exe.

There's a really tight bridge to cross on the way to the car park by the Double Locks pub.

After some fine tuning it was time to launch the Condor

We had a few wobbles, tried out a few support strokes, went to the narrow bridge turned around, tried some more wobbles, tried some more support strokes. Eventually we got back to the point where we got in- zero swims and a happy crew

The carbon Kevlar Condor was a different boat from the demo fibre glass one.

A lot nicer and the new Gees seats are even better than before

Well at last we're on the water and, in the words of D-Ream,

"Things can only get better"

Tom

teamGT Condor

the teamGT Condor

Paul drills a hole in our boat

Full carbon Kevlar, new improved Gees wooden platform seats and a foot pump

What else could you ask for from a DW boat?

Today she'll hopefully have her maiden voyage in Exeter

Tom

Time

Richard just looked at the countdown clock (135 days to go) and realised what the last entry said- it's all got very real very quick.

He also used some word I never heard in the Bible (as Paul Simon sung)

Tom

and it all becomes more rea!

Saturday I paid for the boat

Tonight Richard joined Canoe England and we filled in our entry form for the Waterside Series

Tomorroww we collect the Condor

It's all got very real, very quick

Tom

I am getting scared now.  I had almost forgotten that I have to actually paddle a boat along a wet thing called a river.  I don't know why I said I wanted to do this!!  Aaaagggghhhhhh!!!

Training is not going very well for me at the moment, and I have just had 2 weeks on the sidelines with flu.  Not going for kudos and saying it was the piggy flu, but it was bad enough!

Hopefully that is the last bout of sickness between us because we start racing in 12 days!

Bring it on!  And load the for'ard torpedo tube!

Rich

new stuff

Today we got the roof bars on one of the team cars!

We also picked up a new team member, teamGT dog 2.

Otherwise known as Hamish!

hamish

The collection of teamGT pets is growing!

paddling

Tonight I actually got out on the water and paddled a Kirton Trainer

Bit tippier than the Talisman but a far better boat than the Tor but, in my opinion,

none of them touch my Epsilon.

Because of the rain there was a good flow. The guy I was paddling with, Glen, did a few river bed inspections- I remembered why I don't like overstern rudders when you need to whip your kayak round to perform a rescue, or two, or three...

He did try hard and kept on going, the new paddles and a strong current did make it a bit of a challenge. He should try what I do and just pretend I can paddle a tippy boat. Well done Glen, good effort!

Tom