Sheep Trekkin'

So I escaped a little later than planned yesterday but still had enough time to head into town for the first sheep hunting.

Here's the first ! (At least the first which will appear here, the others have people's faces on which aren't going to be posted here - Facebook yeah ... but Facebook has the permissions locked down)

That's Maisy and Friends, which is just outside the Children's Hospital in the centre of Bristol. It's where I started (properly) doing the Old City trail which takes you back into the centre of town before heading out towards the waterside. It's 2.5km, although I didn't go that particular route having picked up the Bagpuss sheepie  in Cabot Circus already.

I can't show the Bagpuss cos it has a couple of Pretty Ladies posing (for someone else) but ...

I'm sure Dodgy Geezer Smoking Outside Bus Station won't mind appearing beside the sausages (Lamb Chop). Onwards to ...

The central shopping area, with a Shaun On The Cob lurking outside Broadmead. There's a Please Stand By standing guard over the central plaza part of Broadmead too.

But again, people in shot and all that ... The trial then takes you back out of town, through a loop through the Castle Park towards the Waterside areas. This one is Knitwit, in the park. There was a pair of Pretty Girls sitting talking on the bench out of shot to the right. I think the noise the app made as I ticked off this Shaun perturbed them a bit ... or they were merely just curious. Either way, I wanted to keep walking to complete this little circuit.

You can probably tell from these pictures that it was a bit rainy too ... I was in my rain hat which didn't have much ventilation so I was being a bit warmer than usual ... When near fit, I can usually walk indefinitely when it's on the flat. Elevation changes can be a challenge but while there's energy in me (and I'd been fuelled up by a lunch !), I can walk for a long time at a really good pace. Fast enough, for the app to think I ran the last 20 metres to my first Shaun.

I thought that was cute. And appreciated it :-).

The trek was coming to an end though as I headed down Corn Street, where this one was guarding an entrance :

That one is Woolly Wonderland, who is in the entrance to St Nicholas Market. There are many shinies here, in a place I never realised existed before embarking on the trail. I actually missed the last one on this trail, although I'll be back in the week.

Not today or tomorrow though. I woke up today to legs that were very heavy, with not much power available in them. They're just not used to the exercise, although they're not beyond hope and can be beaten back into shape. The torn bit on me inside my hip didn't bother me yesterday and I managed to maintain the discipline of keeping my legs straight so as to not aggravate knees that are getting short of cartilege.

Yep - pain ... but it's the honest pain of unaccustomed exercise. It's the pain that comes from legs that are waking up to doing more exercise later. I'm not saying I'll go do marathons next week, I'm not set up that way. But I do know the next time I do this, I'll be in better shape for it.

What is the plan ? I'm having a peek at the map at the moment and I can see 4 trails that could be done as a Great Circle starting at Cabot (and lunch for fuel!) and mostly coming back to Cabot. Via Forbidden Planet, a mecca for nerds that I haven't worshipped at for too long. There is a mean gradient involved there though. I may do that one separately as I can park near Forbidden Planet and then dash around the Shauns while I'm at the top of the hill.

Trails ?

Old City trail is 2.5km with 10 Shauns. I ticked off all but one (missed it!) yesterday.
Temple Trail is 2.5km with 9 Shauns and takes you past Temple Quay and the big Bristol station.
Southback Trail is 3.5km with 5 Shauns, taking you on a tour of the urban part of Bristol south of the river.
Harbourside Trail is 5km with 12 Shauns and has you going down the River Avon and back. I've done parts of this when I was visiting the cricket shop that is on this route.
The Heritage Trail is 2km with 8 Shauns but has that gradient ... which would be tough on unprepared legs.

So with the last 4 of those, that's 13km with a little more when switching from route to route. Could take a while.

I'll need me boots then. I did yesterday's walking with my work shoes which are starting to wear out. They didn't have thick soles anyway, so walking on Bristol's occasionally pebble line footpaths can be somewhat ... sore.

I'm looking forward to hitting the trails again. Seeing the 10 Shauns yesterday feels like an achievement. And ...

With a total of 14 Shauns, I am now ahead in the Rivalry (she will catch up and go past, I'm sure).
It's letting me count sheep for a very special friend too who isn't likely to find time to count them herself.
I don't think I have any chance of catching up with Snow Queen's amazing 48.

What do they say about exercise ?

I hope so !