Frank Montgomery's Personal Pages
Summary of 2016
Dear
Friends and (mostly ex-) Colleagues,
Wishing you
a Merry
Christmas
and a
peaceful New
Year, and
hoping the
world might
return to
sanity.
I brought in
2016 in more
or less
traditional
style with a
Hogmanay
party for
friends and
neighbours
in my
house.
Surprisingly
that was the
first time I
had done so,
as usually I
would be
away.
Old
timer's
first time:
In May I had
a go at
Seniors
Cinema in
The Light in
Leeds. A
good film
(The
Revenant)
plus coffee
and a
biscuit all
for £4.
Great value
but I
haven't been
back yet!
In November
on the
London Tube,
a young man
offered me
his seat! As
I was
carrying
some luggage
I accepted,
but I must
look older
than I feel!
Hill
Walks:
My first
hillwalk of
the year was
Ribblehead
to Dentdale
via
Whernside in
January with
Steve
Hammond.
Lots of
enthusiasts
were camped
out by the
Ribblehead
viaduct
that day to
photograph
the recently
refurbished
Flying
Scotsman.
However
delays due
to track
problems
meant that
it finally
came through
in pitch
darkness!
(This was
shortly
before the
line
collapsed
north of
Appleby,
and indeed
it is still
under
repair).
Thee walks
led by Andy
Gibson
included the
Norber
Erratics
in February,
Simon's Seat
in March,
and
Great
Whernside
(which is
lower than
Whernside)
in April.
In June,
Peter Khoo
and I walked
up the
Washburn
Valley to
John
o'Gaunt's
Castle,
which is now
in private
ownership.
However by
speaking
nicely to
the builders
we were
allowed to
wander over
it.
Skiing:
At the end
of February
I was once
again off to
Morzine
for a week
skiing in
one of the
biggest
areas in the
Alps.
Cycling:
In May Barry
Hughes and I
took our
bikes on the
train to
Plymouth to
catch the
ferry to
Santander
and thence
cycle to
Gibraltar.
A lot of
work had
gone into
planning the
trip, so
when I got a
text from
Brittany
Ferries on
the evening
before
departure to
say the
sailing was
cancelled
due to a
technical
problem, we
were less
than
pleased. It
turned out
that the
'technical
problem' was
a faulty
propeller
shaft, and
the ship was
in dry dock
for 3
weeks. I
had to
cancel (and
subsequently
rebook) 17
separate
accommodations
(plus flight
and trains),
but
thankfully
my travel
insurance
paid up
without
fuss.
Having got
stranded in
Plymouth, we
decided we
may as well
get some
cycling
done, so
headed for
Exeter via
Dartmoor.
This was my
second time
cycling that
route, and
the previous
time (2002)
I didn't
have to get
off and
push! A
month later
we cycled
from Leeds
to
Manchester
to make use
of the hotel
and train
tickets we
had
prebooked in
anticipation
of our
return
flight from
Gib. This
was a
really nice
ride via
Saltaire,
Hebden
Bridge and
Littleborough.
Later in
June I
cycled to
the
annual York
Rally,
and for the
first time
carried a
tent &
sleeping bag
on my bike.
The extra
weight
wasn't as
bad as I
thought it
might be,
but then
it's fairly
flat to
York! While
there I had
a go on the
outdoor
velodrome at
York
University,
where
(unlike
indoor
velodromes)
you can use
your own
bike. It was
good fun
getting to
the top of
the banking,
but being
outside, the
wind was an
added
hindrance.
In July,
while
cycling
across Fife
on my
folding
bike, I hit
a pothole at
some speed
and went
flying.
Entirely my
fault as I
was holding
my GPS in my
hand, so
didn't have
a proper
grip of the
bars. A
white van
man was
following me
and
thankfully
avoided
running me
over, and
then kindly
gave me a
lift to St
Andrews
where I got
the bike
straightened
and myself
cleaned up.
I came away
with a few
scrapes and
bruises, and
a little
wiser!
August was
once again
time to
catch the
Hull-Zeebrugge
ferry and
sample
the delights
of
Maastricht,
Hasselt and
Bruges.
In mid
September
Barry and I
set off for
Spain again,
this time
taking the
ferry from
Portsmouth
to
Santander.
Thankfully
this time
around
everything
went like
clockwork.
The Bay of
Biscay was a
bit rough,
and on our
climb up
from
Santander to
Reinosa
(at about
900m) the
weather was
cold (14C),
wet and very
windy. At
one point in
a gulley
near the top
of the climb
the fierce
headwind
combined
with the
gradient
forced us to
a
standstill,
and we had
to walk for
about 100m.
The next day
was still
cold but
less windy,
and after
that
conditions
were more or
less ideal
for cycling.
Highlights
of this tour
were: the
climb just
described;
meeting up
with my
former
masters
student
Richard
Llewellyn in
Burgos
(He is a
lecturer at
Napier
University,
and was in
Burgos for a
project
meeting. We
met through
the wonders
of
Facebook.);
our visit to
Bodega
Martin
Berdugo
at Aranda de
Duero (As an
'angel' of
Naked Wines,
I had gone
to their
wine tasting
at the Royal
Armouries
Museum in
Leeds, where
the Bodega
owner had
invited me
to visit.)
We were
treated to a
personal
tour and
presented
with a
bottle of
wine each.
We drank one
bottle that
evening, but
the other
was taken
all the way
to Madrid!;
the amazing
Roman
aqueduct in
Segovia;
the top
class
cycling
routes in
and out of
Madrid; the
wonderful
scenic route
from
Fuencaliente
to Montoro;
the
Mezquita in
Cordoba;
the
Alcazar Real
in Seville;
meeting
former
colleague
Nicolas
Ibanez in
Seville;
eventually
getting away
from
Gibraltar
airport,
the 5th most
dangerous
airport in
the world!.
Culture:
This year I was privileged to see the whole of Wagner's Ring Cycle (in concert by Opera North, 3 operas in Leeds, one in Nottingham); I also enjoyed watching a recording of Die Meistersingers (at Glyndebourne) in the Vue Cinema in Leeds, where the total audience was 3!; An abridged outdoor performance of King Lear in Meanwood Park Leeds was memorable; Der Rosenkavalier (R Strauss) and Billy Budd (Britten) both at Leeds Grand, were great peformances; but one of the most thrilling was Bach's double violin concerto by the (amateur) Sinfonia of Leeds, conducted by David Greed (leader of the orchestra of Opera North) with his two sons as soloists; finally the Magical Chinese Lantern Festival in Roundhay Park was quite captivating.
Visits:
I was very pleased to be able to visit:
In February:- Ian Lyall in London; my cousin David Kean and his wife Moira at their Ruby wedding anniversary in Milngavie. While there I also re-established contact with David and Liz Knight.
In May:- My old classmate Ng Hang Wan and his wife Diana in York and Leeds.
In June:- My sister Ged for a few days in Leeds.
In July:- In one trip to Scotland I managed to visit my sister Ged and family, cousins Miriam and Trish and their husbands, cousin David & Moira, old friend Chris Low, former student Richard Llewellyn, cousin Helen Sheridan, and old friend Gerry Quinn. Later I met cousin Miriam and her husband Ian in Leeds.
In September:- my nephew Rory stayed with me for a few days and enjoyed a 45 mile bike ride over Ilkley Moor.
In October:- former colleague Guenter Emberger (from TU Vienna) in Leeds. Hopefully I'll meet him in Vienna in Sept 2017.
In November:- my sister Ged in Glasgow while attending the Track Cycling World Cup in the Chris Hoy Velodrome; My niece Laura in her new home in Glasgow; Former student and colleague Tri Tjahjono and his wife Aike, in Leeds; Also former student Max Wen in Leeds.
This year I was privileged to see the whole of Wagner's Ring Cycle (in concert by Opera North, 3 operas in Leeds, one in Nottingham); I also enjoyed watching a recording of Die Meistersingers (at Glyndebourne) in the Vue Cinema in Leeds, where the total audience was 3!; An abridged outdoor performance of King Lear in Meanwood Park Leeds was memorable; Der Rosenkavalier (R Strauss) and Billy Budd (Britten) both at Leeds Grand, were great peformances; but one of the most thrilling was Bach's double violin concerto by the (amateur) Sinfonia of Leeds, conducted by David Greed (leader of the orchestra of Opera North) with his two sons as soloists; finally the Magical Chinese Lantern Festival in Roundhay Park was quite captivating.
Visits:
I was very pleased to be able to visit:
In February:- Ian Lyall in London; my cousin David Kean and his wife Moira at their Ruby wedding anniversary in Milngavie. While there I also re-established contact with David and Liz Knight.
In May:- My old classmate Ng Hang Wan and his wife Diana in York and Leeds.
In June:- My sister Ged for a few days in Leeds.
In July:- In one trip to Scotland I managed to visit my sister Ged and family, cousins Miriam and Trish and their husbands, cousin David & Moira, old friend Chris Low, former student Richard Llewellyn, cousin Helen Sheridan, and old friend Gerry Quinn. Later I met cousin Miriam and her husband Ian in Leeds.
In September:- my nephew Rory stayed with me for a few days and enjoyed a 45 mile bike ride over Ilkley Moor.
In October:- former colleague Guenter Emberger (from TU Vienna) in Leeds. Hopefully I'll meet him in Vienna in Sept 2017.
In November:- my sister Ged in Glasgow while attending the Track Cycling World Cup in the Chris Hoy Velodrome; My niece Laura in her new home in Glasgow; Former student and colleague Tri Tjahjono and his wife Aike, in Leeds; Also former student Max Wen in Leeds.
Work:
My tenure as
external
examiner at
University
of the West
of England
has been
extended for
a further
year, to
September
2018. My
visiting
fellowship
at the
University
of Leeds has
been
extended to
September
2019, by
which time
I'll be 70!
I continue
to
participate
in
JBM
accreditation
visits (3
this year),
and to serve
on the
CIHT
Individual
Case
Procedure
Panel.
Retirement
is great
fun!
This
year, I
have
once
again
made a
donation
of one
pound
per
recipient
of this
email
(250)
split
between Practical
Action and
Maggies
Centres
Best
Wishes
Frank
Montgomery
PS If
you wish
to be
removed
from
this
email
list for
future
years,
please
let me
know.