January

[Sweder]

I’m a big fan of the Blues Brothers movie.
There’s something about ‘putting the band back together’ that appeals to me, and here we were, putting the 2005 RC Almería team back together, albeit minus two very important members, Andy’s wife ‘M’ having been part of the original crew, and of course the incomparable SP. As re-hydration specialists go SP takes some beating, though it’s fair to say the 2007 team had a pretty good run at it.

As much fun as the post-race festivities undoubtedly were we need to start, as is customary, at the beginning. Or at five am on Saturday to be precise, which is when I arrived in the sleepy, leafy streets of Crawley to meet Andy. We exchanged Neanderthal salutations before rumbling through the pre-dawn murk to hook up with band member number three, Niguel. Truck parked and taxi hailed we three stout fellows, well met if still bleary-eyed, set sail for London Gatwick and a rendezvous with our fourth musketeer. Stood in line at the EasyJet check-in, shoulders hunched against the incivility of the hour, we were cheered by the arrival of Suzie, our Canadian friend, hot off the Gatwick Express, looking more bright-eyed and bushy-tailed than anyone many hours out of their time-zone has a right to.

We chatted excitedly all the way, through the endless drudgery of security, the ritual departure lounge coffee, cattle-style boarding and an uneventful flight on the Big Orange Bus. The fields, hills and mountains of southern Spain yielded to the Mediterranean sea as we descended upon the city of Almería and our good friend Antonio. And then we were five, reunited at the airport gates, crammed into Antonio’s car and heading for breakfast, more catch-up and running-fuelled banter.

Five go Mad in Almería?
We’ll see, we’ll see.