But then again once a year is 'regular' I guess 😁
Just not enough spare time really.
Since starting the Byway Nomad channel on YouTube, a lot of spare time has been taken up riding and filming, editing videos and even then I don't always get them out by my (self imposed) deadlines!
When I started I had visions of producing one new video a week, after all a single ride out can bag ten or more lanes, so that's ten weeks worth isn't it? Well yes but it's amazing how quickly that goes by, not helped in the least when I realise that lately having finally got into the groove that I tend to post every five to six days rather than every week, so the videos get used up even quicker.
I also created a rod for my own back when I decided to add voice commentary to the videos which increased the time it takes to produce each finished video. As a result i've actually gone back to the text only format.You'd be amazed at how difficult it is to get a suitable period of quiet to do the recordings. I've been disturbed by delivery drivers, children playing outside, ice cream vans and even the cat jumping on my keyboard at a vital moment!!
This year has had a fair few, they kicked off with our first training weekend on Salisbury Plain in January, although that had to be curtailed to classroom training only as ice made the trails and minor roads very dangerous. In February the training on the Saturday and an Adventure Rally Raid on the Sunday went ahead and these events were well attended and went very well with many satisfied customers.
After that it was March training, the Kielder 500, running Suzuki's demo rides at the ABR Festival and at Suzuki Live at Cadwell Park (photo above), then the Wales 500 and Adventure Rally Raids in the Peak District and Cotswolds. Not to mention writing risk assessments and method statements for the Suzuki events.
Then the planning, recce'ing and creating the road books for three of the six Blazing Saddles remote Road Book challenge routes (as well as a number of future projects).
For the Blazing Saddles Challenge, I created the Peaks, Kent and Thetford routes and despite the odd issue with missing waypoints (whoops)! road closures, fallen trees and fly tipping, the feedback has been fabulous.
And I also launched the Byway Nomad website, which of course took time and requires keeping updated, so please go take a look
Then there's all the rest, holidays, weekends away with friends, family barbeques etc, etc but at the end of it all I do actually like rambling away in text, so here I am back again.
And getting back to videos for Byway Nomad. i'm just about to publish my last video in my stock, Mill Way/Mill Lane in Bedfordshire. After that I need to get out on the bike and video a few more!
The next videos may take some time to appear as I'm off on a holiday in Cape Verde for a week. Most unlike what I normally get up to as on face value it's a 'Beach Holiday' but seeing as we've already booked quad biking and sea kayaking trips, maybe not!
