Willy´s new blacksmithing multi-tool and a technical trail ride home

 On Friday it was ruckus in the smithy again. I wanted to come early to have a chance to pursue my own projects, but to little effect. Julia and Nick joined in and I had to try to tutor them while trying to learn something myself-i.e. making Damascus. Not good. Okay, so it´s great that all these folks really dig black- and bladesmithing, and we have a vibrant and lively community, but, yeah, if you have one forge and three people and want to do some challenging work, that sucks. I will not do this anymore. I have to make my peace with the fact that it simply shall not be that I become an accomplished swordsmith. I can do a bit of challenging work, but to really learn, I would have to have a smithy of my own, and out of financial issues this cannot be and will not be.

Yeah, okay. On the other jhand it felt great to have all the folks around and I was really pleased to meet with Volker from www.schmiededaseisen.de /forum and right glad to meet Willy again who dropped by.

 Willy had brought some novel idea, a multitool blacksmithing anvil for delicate work, made from an old section of railroad. It offers horn, plane, square section,

 rounding tool and "hardy chisel"...

 ...on one side...

 ...and setting and rounding and cupping tools on the other.

 WAAAAAAY cool, if you ask me, and I have to try this myself....

 We split up early, for we wanted to help Gudrun move from one part of the building to another on Saturday, so I had plenty of time left until dark. So off I rode into the woods and up a technical incline up the Hohenstein trail.

 From the Hohenstein there´s a lovely view...

 This is Ahlhausen Manor in the distance...

 And our beloved smithy...

 

Had a cuppa tea and a break...

 

 ...and faced the challenge of another, even more technical section. Now I haven´t ridden seriously for some one- and - a - half year due to lack of motivation and lack of time, but I realized it´s all in the head. I was huffing and puffing up the hill, but still managed to get on top of things and without so much of setting a foot, I managed to clear the bastard.;-) Was a bit proud of that, I can tell you.

 On I rode through the pre-spring forest, along technical trails with a mighty midget of smithing rucksack on my back-but still, I was riding and gliding and smiling. Funny, how, even when life´s not exactly easy, riding always has this windshield wiper effect on my soul...

 Finally I arrived at the dam by the lake of my old home and took in the scenery again and let my thoughts wander.

 It was getting slightly dark, so I made my way home.

And I arrived with a feeling of content. I simply have to pursue this more. I have to strain myself at first, but let´s be honest...  life´s too short and shitty to compromise on things that do you good.