VW Cali
Guest User
Given that Cali ownership is all about being "outdoorsy" (word not in OED) wondered what other sports/activities people here enjoy.
Hiking, biking, sailing, golf etc? Keen to hear it all.
Start off with my somewhat mixed/uneven baggage and experience.
It was cricket initially, at decent level, decades back. But decided to go to US for college (university) which ended the cricket. Took up tennis one summer oandut of sheer boredom at least at club/college level found it very easy after cricket, but missing some element that attracted me to cricket. Physical danger was one element I missed, and also that the ball moves much slower than in cricket. Its more a game of movement than of reflexes.
Generally ball games with fast moving balls are relatively easy games for me. Table tennis came easily too.
Racquets of course is different to tennis in speed. Ball moves fast, and tad harder too. Unfortunately never really played it.
Played tennis very sporadically after leaving the US. Not easy to play when you live next to Royal Albert Hall and work 70 to 100 hour weeks every week for years.
Took up running and loved it, primarily because of how magnificent place Kensington Gardens really is. I could run 10k in 40 minutes before work put paid to fitness. Plus as I moved further from Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park discovered that it was not running I loved as much as those wonderful parks.
Tried hard to like golf, and could probably play and improve but find it very slow and boring.
Took up tennis again after retiring early a few years ago, but heart not in it. Still have the big shots but the eye no longer sees the ball as it used to and movement is laboured. There are good days though, but the range from poor to good is rather too wide, with poor my default form.
Some days it comes back and a few aces and passing shots appear from nowhere. Sadly, always seem to disappear next appearance in court.
In sport, I like playing to high standard rather than playing to win. In fact would prefer to lose every match long as it hard and challenging as opposed to easier wins. Noticed though that oldies at my club seem to play mostly for the opposite motivation.
For some reason, love boxing. As I have grown older can no longer deny that it shouldn't be allowed. Nevertheless once you put on the gloves nothing engages mind, lungs, heart as much as boxing does. Closest that came to it was facing fast bowlers without helmet at Lords indoor nets and asking them to try and knock your head off. Because they come in one after the other it was more intensive than say when someone bounced you at the Oval in the middle.
But batting came easily to me. Boxing I have so much respect for.
Because of an injury in 2009 had to do some strength training. Always thought it was somewhat for the vain...unfair though the thought was.
But it reaped unexpected benefits. A few years ago a visible 6 pack arrived that I hadn't seen in 2 decades, plus can do 10 full chinups, lift 120kg etc, do 40 push ups etc. Plus stamina good too - cam keep going high intensity workouts for an hour.
But that is fitness, not sport....
Tad back into hiking now, and want to do mountaineering. Something that challenges physically, intellectually, and engages all senses and emotions simultaneously l...
Mountain bike has not been used much since it was bought.
Wanderlust for 7 plus years has been huge, but with young children there are obligations and responsibilities first.
Ideal holiday would be tough physical challenge during day, and falling asleep in Cali to one of 279 unread/partially read books on my Kindle.
Oh, and to help those less lucky than this lucky loser. So far most initiatives have come to naught through nothing but lack of persistence.
Strongly believe that if kids from disadvantaged backgrounds had access to more sport and outdoors would do wonders at both individual and social level. Maybe one day can do tad more to help.
Hiking, biking, sailing, golf etc? Keen to hear it all.
Start off with my somewhat mixed/uneven baggage and experience.
It was cricket initially, at decent level, decades back. But decided to go to US for college (university) which ended the cricket. Took up tennis one summer oandut of sheer boredom at least at club/college level found it very easy after cricket, but missing some element that attracted me to cricket. Physical danger was one element I missed, and also that the ball moves much slower than in cricket. Its more a game of movement than of reflexes.
Generally ball games with fast moving balls are relatively easy games for me. Table tennis came easily too.
Racquets of course is different to tennis in speed. Ball moves fast, and tad harder too. Unfortunately never really played it.
Played tennis very sporadically after leaving the US. Not easy to play when you live next to Royal Albert Hall and work 70 to 100 hour weeks every week for years.
Took up running and loved it, primarily because of how magnificent place Kensington Gardens really is. I could run 10k in 40 minutes before work put paid to fitness. Plus as I moved further from Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park discovered that it was not running I loved as much as those wonderful parks.
Tried hard to like golf, and could probably play and improve but find it very slow and boring.
Took up tennis again after retiring early a few years ago, but heart not in it. Still have the big shots but the eye no longer sees the ball as it used to and movement is laboured. There are good days though, but the range from poor to good is rather too wide, with poor my default form.
Some days it comes back and a few aces and passing shots appear from nowhere. Sadly, always seem to disappear next appearance in court.
In sport, I like playing to high standard rather than playing to win. In fact would prefer to lose every match long as it hard and challenging as opposed to easier wins. Noticed though that oldies at my club seem to play mostly for the opposite motivation.
For some reason, love boxing. As I have grown older can no longer deny that it shouldn't be allowed. Nevertheless once you put on the gloves nothing engages mind, lungs, heart as much as boxing does. Closest that came to it was facing fast bowlers without helmet at Lords indoor nets and asking them to try and knock your head off. Because they come in one after the other it was more intensive than say when someone bounced you at the Oval in the middle.
But batting came easily to me. Boxing I have so much respect for.
Because of an injury in 2009 had to do some strength training. Always thought it was somewhat for the vain...unfair though the thought was.
But it reaped unexpected benefits. A few years ago a visible 6 pack arrived that I hadn't seen in 2 decades, plus can do 10 full chinups, lift 120kg etc, do 40 push ups etc. Plus stamina good too - cam keep going high intensity workouts for an hour.
But that is fitness, not sport....
Tad back into hiking now, and want to do mountaineering. Something that challenges physically, intellectually, and engages all senses and emotions simultaneously l...
Mountain bike has not been used much since it was bought.
Wanderlust for 7 plus years has been huge, but with young children there are obligations and responsibilities first.
Ideal holiday would be tough physical challenge during day, and falling asleep in Cali to one of 279 unread/partially read books on my Kindle.
Oh, and to help those less lucky than this lucky loser. So far most initiatives have come to naught through nothing but lack of persistence.
Strongly believe that if kids from disadvantaged backgrounds had access to more sport and outdoors would do wonders at both individual and social level. Maybe one day can do tad more to help.
. Six weeks so far and at least another 4 to go before they let me put any weight on it. (should have bought a DSG gearbox).
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