Gym de Vine

When I lived in the city I shelled out significant dollars to belong to a gym. Like many other gym members it was more of a donation than a membership as the thought of hauling the body out of bed at some ungodly hour to sweat it out in a building with lots of strangers just didn't "spin my wheels". But, each year I made new promises and each year I started a programme somewhere with some great goal in mind. Don't get me wrong - I think gyms are great for keeping in shape but I have moved on from the concept of having to belong to an expensive club to get my exercise.

My gym is now the outdoors. Not just any outdoors - but vineyards. Together with a friend, sometines, we go walking in the vineyard that surrounds her property. I say sometimes because she has been a 'no-show' but that doesn't stop me and the dog. In fact, it is the highlight of Jack's day to know that the lead is coming out and I am putting on that ever familiar pair of training shoes and pants.

Two things I like about walking in the vineyard - there is very few people around and the scenery is changing over time. Of late you can feel the tension building in the air as we get closer to harvest. That, in itself, is another blog post. Our morning walk is around 5-6km each day, and with a small and lively terrier as a lead it is always at pace.

The past few months we have had a range of weather from densely foggy to outrageously hot for the early morning. The humid heat is not something the viticulturists like at this time of the year but, for me, it usually meant a few mushrooms on the back leg of the walk.

I recently went walking around the vineyard and came across a gas cylinder hanging from a chain on tripod. My head decided it was a delightfully rustic frost machine until it went off as I walked by one day. Of course it was a gas-gun that gives off a seriously loud bang to scare birds. Always a little slow on the uptake, I now keep a wary eye out for them. I mean what was I thinking - a frost machine in the middle of summer.

I am trying to get into a habit with the vineyard walks and I average around three a week. My aim is for four and I am not sure what will happen when winter approaches but have decided to cross that bridge when I come to it.

For now it's the vista, the casual chat with the vineyard manager and the lookout for rabbits that makes the daily 'workout' all worth it.

THE BEST...............as always the changing scenery on each walk.

THE WORST.............shoes soaked through to the socks from the early morning dew. Saves washing your feet I guess.

I'M LEARNING............that a gas cylinder hanging on a tripod is to be avoided at all costs.