Getting There: A Mountain of Motivation

Four generations of my family have walked these mountains. Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons), have been a constant in my life, almost since birth. At just six months old, my father placed me on his shoulders and walked me to the top of Pen-y-fan, and I have been there at least once a year, for every one of my fifty seven years and counting. The mountains of South Wales hold precious memories of family days out with the grandparents O'Brien, Mum and Dad, my little sister Samantha and my oh so dearly missed big sister Lee. Back in the day, our family, along with the families of my dad's twin sister, Auntie Margaret and his older sister, Valerie, all lived in the same street in Culverhouse Cross. I was the only boy amongst two sisters and four cousins. Family day trips to Neuadd Reservoir were a regular occurrence for us all every summer. Enjoyed by the men and me, but I'm not so sure about the girls. I was taken on a hike of the Horseshoe, whilst my female siblings and cous...

I've   frequently , been told throughout my life, how much like my father I apparently am: 'Wow! you're like you're Dad' 'My God! You look like Mike!' 'You follow your Dad' 'Your father must be a huge influence on you' 'It must be great to have your Dad to motivate you' 'You're so lucky. You must have Karate flowing through your veins' Bla bla bla fucking blaaarrrrghhh! Of course my father has been an enormous influence on me. It's inevitable! Of course I've picked up a mannerism or two of his. It's in the genes! And of course, I've followed in his footsteps in many ways. It was expected! When you live with a man who is such a dominant figure within the home and hugely respected in his field, it is impossible not to be influenced in to trying to emulate him in some way. BUT....and this comes from a place of love... In so very many and important ways, we are extremely different people.  Let me give some quic...

I don't know what it's like to have cancer... But I've known cancer my whole life. I don't know what it's like to have cancer...  I haven't felt the time-stopping, stomach-wrenching, sledgehammer of shock, anguish, desperation and despair that a diagnosis slams into a cancer victim's mind in the few seconds it takes for the consultant to say, "We've found abnormal cells".  In that moment, I imagine all the worst case scenarios start flooding your consciousness and positivity can seem like a ridiculous concept.  I don't know what it's like to have cancer... But I do know what it's like to find out that someone you love more than life does. I know the out-of-body, other worldliness of those words when the news is so matter-of-factly delivered. It's like you're watching a film or it's happening to someone else... 'Not us!' I don't know what it's like to have cancer... But I know how absolutely fucking useles...

I initially intended to use this BLOG as a means of journaling my Alpine Adventure 2022 and conquering the mighty Mont Blanc on my first ever trip to Chamonix. It was an amazing trip which culminated in us being ordered off Mont Blanc in a violent blizzard, which at the time, was the single, stand-out, scariest day of my life. I never got around to putting pen to paper.... or should I say 'fingers to keyboard'. Emerging From The Storm So along came Alpine Adventure 2023. This would be the year that myself and a team of like-minded people, would get to the top of that mountain. And yes! I would record it all in a super-interesting BLOG that everyone would just love and never get bored of reading. We had trained hard, we were fit and as ready as we were ever going to be. We were due to fly at the end of August and boy Oh Boy OH BOY! was I excited. Then... July 2023, Dione, my wife, was diagnosed with breast cancer.  That was.... and always will be.. the single, stand-out, scaries...