KÍLIAN JORNET & MERCHE A.H. JONES, SUMMITS OF LIFE

Merche Addams Holmes Jones

Today, The Grandma wants to rest a little in her English studies. She wants to dedicate this post to the person who has shared more time with her in these last years: Merche Addams-Holmes-Jones.

Merche A.H. Jones is a twister chaser who loves climbing and x-treme sports. Now, she is participating in one of the most important of her competitions and The Grandma and all the members of her families want to cheer her up to the victory.

Merche is Norwegian. Roald Amundsen is Norwegian, too. Norwegian people love nature and respect it. They are great explorers, climbers and runners although, nowadays, the best trail runner and ski mountaineer is Kílian Jornet, a man who Merche knows very well and admires a lot. Both of them have something in common, their summits of life.

More information: Visit Norway

Kílian Jornet Burgada, born 27 October 1987 in Sabadell, is a professional trail runner, ski mountaineer and long-distance runner.

He is a six-time champion of the long-distance running Skyrunner World Series and has won some of the most prestigious ultramarathons, including the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, Grand Raid, the Western States Endurance Run and the Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run.

Kílian Jornet, Hardrock

Jornet holds the fastest known time for the ascent and descent of Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, Denali and Everest.

Jornet was born in Sabadell, a Catalan city near Barcelona. He grew up in Refugi de Cap de Rec, a mountain hut at 2000 meters in the Pyrenees at the cross-country Lles ski resort in Lles de Cerdanya, where his father was a hut keeper and mountain guide. At the age of three he climbed Tuc de Molières, a three-thousander in the Pyrenees. By the age of five he climbed Aneto 3,404 m, the highest mountain in the Pyrenees, and a year later he climbed his first four-thousander, the Breithorn (4,164 m) in Switzerland.

He started ski mountaineering in 1999, and competed for the first time at the La Molina race of the Spanish Cup in 2000. In 2003, he became a junior member of the Spanish national ski mountaineering team, and has raced as a senior since 2007. Jornet studied at the University of Perpignan Via Domitia.

More information: Kílian Jornet

Jornet has been recognised as an elite athlete since 2004 by the Catalan and Spanish sports councils. For his achievements in the junior class ski mountaineering team, he won the Catalan sports award in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

In 2005 he set a course record of 2:30:57 for the race to the 4,015-metre summit of the Dôme de Neige des Écrins. He was World Champion in the Buff SkyRunner World Series in 2007, 2008 and 2009 becoming the youngest athlete to win this honour.

Merche A.H. Jones is winning the race

His sister Naila Jornet Burgada and his girlfriend Emelie Forsberg from Sweden also compete in ski mountaineering and skyrunning events.

On 7 September 2013 Jornet and Forsberg had to be rescued by the Peloton de Gendarmerie de haute montagne at 3,800 meters of altitude while attempting to climb the north face of the Aiguille du Midi in the Mont Blanc massif, wearing trail running shoes with crampons and a body stocking.

Since February 2016 Jornet and Forsberg are resident in Rauma municipality in Norway.

More information: Summits of my Life

Summits of My Life is Kilian Jornet's personal project, in which he is trying to set ascent and descent records for some of the most important mountains on the planet, and culminated with the record attempt on Mount Everest. This project includes:

-Kilimanjaro 5,895 m. On 29 September 2010, Jornet ascended and descended Kilimanjaro in a record time of 7 hours, 14 minutes. This record was broken on 13 August 2014, when the Ecuadorian mountain guide Karl Egloff ran up and down in 6 hours and 42 minutes on 13 August 2014.

Kílian is climbing down Mont Blanc

-Mont Blanc traverse, 4,810 m. In September 2012, Jornet completed the Innominata, a route linking Courmayeur and Chamonix, in 8 hours and 42 minutes. 

A previous attempt at ski crossing the Mont Blanc massif from Les Contamines to Champex in June 2012 resulted in the death of the French mountaineer Stéphane Brosse when a snow cornice collapsed under him.

-Mont Blanc. In July 2013, Jornet achieved the fastest known time for the ascent and descent from Chamonix in 4 hours and 57 minutes.

-Matterhorn, 4,478 m. In August 2013, Jornet achieved the fastest known time for the ascent and descent from Breuil-Cervinia in 2 hours and 52 minutes. He improved the previous fastest known time set by Bruno Brunod in 1995 by more than 20 minutes. He started climbing up the 14,962 ft peak during mid-afternoon local time, reaching the summit in 1 hour 56 minutes via the Lion Ridge from the Italian side.

More information: UTMB Montblanc

-Denali, 6,168 m. In June 2014 Jornet completed the fastest known time for the ascent and descent with a time of 11 hours and 48 minutes using both skis and crampons, breaking the previous record by 5 hours and 6 minutes.

-Aconcagua, 6,960 m. In December 2014 Jornet set a record for climbing and descending Aconcagua from Horcones, the nearest road, at Puente del Inca, and back, in 12 hours and 49 minutes. Jornet's record was broken in February 2015, again by Karl Egloff, who completed the route in 11 hours and 52 minutes.

Merche A.H. Jones

-Elbrus, 5,642 m. Jornet made an attempt in 2013 to set the fastest known time for the ascent and descent from Azau but was forced to turn back by bad weather. The fastest known time for the ascent is 3:23:37 set in 2010 by Andrzej Bargiel, while the record time for ascent and descent is 4:20:45, set on 7 May 2017 by Karl Egloff.

-Mount Everest, 8,848 m. Jornet planned an attempt for September 2016, but after 3 weeks of acclimatizing at base camp on the north side of Mt Everest at 6,000m, the weather started to change and snow accumulations increased the risk of avalanche, so the attempt was cancelled. 

He returned in 2017 and successfully summited Mount Everest at midnight, local time, on 22nd May. Climbing without fixed ropes or supplemental oxygen, he reached the top via a new route in 26 hours from base camp. On May 27 he reached the summit again from advanced base camp in 17 hours, about 15-20 minutes slower than the records from this camp set by Hans Kammerlander and Christian Stangl in 1996 and 2006, respectively.

More information: Everest Trail Race

I am not afraid to fail; to get lost, 

to dream, to be myself, to find. 

I am not afraid to live.

Kílian Jornet

MERCHE A.H.JONES, THE NORWEGIAN SPIRIT OF NATURE

Merche Jones at the Norwegian Fjords

Merche Addams-Holmes-Jones. Twister Chaser and Mountain Climber. Norway.

I'm Merche Jones. I was born in Trondheim in Norway. Perhaps because I was born in a mountainous and cold country, I love nature. I love winter sports and climbing. I'm a mountain climber and a twister chaser. Climbing can cure, I'm sure. Being in contact with nature is something fascinating but dangerous. You must know that you are a part of Nature and it can control your future. I'm reading a fantastic book: Victor Riverola's Mountain and life. I recommend it. I'm a crazy fan of Killian Jornet. He's a superhero. I have been a member of three different families which I adore and respect.

-Good morning, Merche Jones, and thanks to attend us.

-Good morning. It's a pleasure.

-Well, to start this interview I would like to know how you define yourself.

-I'm a mountain climber and twister chaser, a person who climbs mountains trying to arrive to the summit and who chases twisters, hurricanes and tornados. They are beautiful and dangerous jobs because you are in extreme contact with nature and its forces and, as you know, nature is unpredictable.

-Some people don't believe that climbing and chasing twisters are jobs. Could you explain it to them?

-A job is a union of skills and knowledge that you have to do something. Then, you receive some money for this effort. It's simple. It's the difference between amateur and professional sport. Amateur is done by leisure but professional is done to earn money. In my case, I have my sponsors which pay me some money if I arrive to reach some objectives. That's all.

-What is your motto when you are climbing?

-'Impossible is nothing' although you must be clever to know when is a good moment to continue and to stop. In my case, it's my life which is in danger and you must be brave but sensible. Nature is incredible nut it's also very dangerous because you can't control it and although you can predict some phenomenon, you can't do it with 100% of security. You live in the world of predictions and you must take some important decisions in only some minutes because your life depends on it.

-And when you are chasing twisters?

-'See and escape'. You're in a big danger when you are near a twister but it's an incredible feeling that you must live at least once in your life.

-Do you believe mountains have a part of mysticism?

-All things which have a connection with the unexpected world need a part of mysticism and perhaps this is good because we will continue respecting them. You must be afraid of danger; you must respect the mountain because although it is able to offer to you incredible moments and experiences, it can kill you, too.

-How do you feel being a member of The Jones?

-Well, very well. We're a great family full of happiness, collaboration and sense of humour. I like enjoying time with them. They are a great and unforgettable family.

-How is a normal day with The Jones?

-I think there isn't a normal day, if you consider normal like standard. Every day is a different day, isn't it? Then, why is the reason you try to do the same every day? Today is May, 15 2018. Is another date like this going to exist? No. This is our philosophy: enjoy your time and do whatever you wish because impossible is nothing.

-How long have you been studying English?

-Since I was a child. I'm from Trondheim, a town in Norway. On one hand, English is studied at school in Norway since you're a child. On another hand, if you are a professional climber, you travel to other countries to climb as important mountains as you can and English is the common language in this profession.

-Then, you speak two languages? Is it very difficult to do it?

-Well, in fact, I speak three languages: Norwegian, English and Sami. 

-What is Sami?

-Sami is a Uralic which is spoken in parts of northern Finland, Norway, Sweden and extreme north-western Russia.

-Which is the real situation of these languages?

-All of them are protected and recognized by the Norwegian Parliament. The UNESCO has elaborated a great project for recovering as languages as it was possible but to keep a language is very important the conscience of being a part of this language, of being a part of this community, of sharing culture and habits and nowadays, in a global world, this is more difficult, although I think we are in the correct way. Some of these languages are alive because they have survived thanks to the geography. Their speakers live in mountainous zones with difficult access and this has allowed their survival. New roads, new links and new communications are putting in danger these communities. In Norway lives a Romani community which, obviously, speaks Romani. 

-Do you believe the new generations will keep the language?

-Yes. Although living in a global world means diversity, and diversity is something very good, every human needs to belong to somewhere, and even your life was a constant travel when you go to sleep and think to yourself, you speak only one language. This language determinates your culture and your culture indicates your place. We are the best ambassadors of our cultures.

-Why are you interested in these languages?

-Because I'm also a climber and these communities live in the mountains. If you want to climb a mountain you must know it. You must know people who live around it because they know it perfectly and they are the best guides and advisers. They know the weather and the geographical conditions better than anyone and the mountain is a part of their home, then, if you want to understand the mountain, you must understand the community and language is a great tool of integration.

-What can you explain about your life with The Jones?

-Well, we're a multicultural family and this is one of our great secrets. You learn something every day because every one of us has something to explain and share. It's amazing and beautiful but we must accept that all has a beginning and an end.

-And after?

-We will never forget this experience. We will continue being a Jones but every one of us will take his/her path although he/she knows that he/she is not alone and we will be always a united family.

-Which is your best memory with the family?

-It's difficult to choose only one but I remember every time we play bingo. I was the speaker and we spent funny moments. My family is very competitive and everybody wanted to win. I like this because demonstrate a great spirit of overcoming and effort.

-Do you believe that 'Impossible is nothing' for The Jones?

-Of course. We can achieve whatever we propose. Now, we are in better conditions than three months ago.

-Why?

-Because, when we start we were sixteen individualities and now we are one team. You work better knowing that you aren't alone and you can trust in your family because they are always there to help you if you need them. This is very important to get over problems and bad moments.

-Do you like this message?

-Yes. It's a great message of motivation to arrive to reach your objectives. If nobody had believed in doing things, we would have lived Prehistoric times and we're in 21th century. Take Killian Jornet as an example and you realize that 'Impossible is nothing'.

-What do you do when you return at home after climbing a high mountain?

-I like staying with my dog and my cat. I love them. My dog is an amazing loyal animal which likes playing with his ball and walking out with me. He's a middle-size light brown dog with a crazy personality. He's lovely and very protector. My cat is a small Persian. She is very nice and she likes climbing furniture. She's a climber like me (Laughs). When I arrive at home, I like sitting on the sofa, drinking a cold drink and watching a good film with them.

-What are their names?

-Mont and Cayo.

-Who is who?

-Mont is the cat and Cayo the dog.

-Thank you very much, Merche Jones.

-Thanks to you.

One time, to know that it's real.
One time, to know how it feels.
That's all.
What do you see?
What do you know?
One sign, what'll I do?
Just follow your lifeline through.

A-ha

THE JONES PARTICIPATE IN THE 116th PARIS-ROUBAIX

Joaquín, Silvia, Claudia, Merche, Victor & Noelia Jones

The Jones have participated in the 116th Edition of the Paris-Roubaix road. This year, the organization has made an exception and the inscriptions have been opened to women. All the members of the family, except Eli Jones who is still missing in Loch Ness although is present in our memories, have participated in this fantastic race full of danger and emotions.

Víctor Jones has arrived in the fourth position being the best classified Jones and Claudia, Joaquín, Merche, Noelia and Silvia Jones have arrived in the top 20. The Grandma is still cycling, although the race has been closed some hours ago but, as you know, the most important is participating, enjoying and arriving.

More information: Paris-Roubaix

The Paris–Roubaix is a one-day professional men's bicycle road race in northern France, starting north of Paris and finishing in Roubaix, at the border with Belgium. It is one of cycling's oldest races, and is one of the Monuments or classics of the European calendar, and contributes points towards the UCI World Ranking.

The Paris–Roubaix is famous for rough terrain and cobblestones, or pavé, setts,being, with the Tour of Flanders, E3 Harelbeke and Gent–Wevelgem, one of the cobbled classics. It has been called the Hell of the North, a Sunday in Hell, also the title of a film about the 1976 race, the Queen of the Classics or la Pascale: the Easter race. Since 1977, the winner of Paris–Roubaix has received a sett, cobble stone, as part of his prize.

Download The Paris-Roubaix Route 2018

Eddy Merckx and The Grandma, 1973

The terrain has led to the development of specialised frames, wheels and tyres. Punctures and other mechanical problems are common and often influence the result. Despite the esteem of the race, some cyclists dismiss it because of its difficult conditions. The race has also seen several controversies, with winners disqualified.

From its beginning in 1896 until 1967 it started in Paris and ended in Roubaix; in 1966 the start moved to Chantilly; and since 1977 it has started in Compiègne, about 85 kilometres north-east of the centre of Paris. The finish is still in Roubaix. The race is organised by the media group Amaury Sport Organisation annually in mid-April.

The course is maintained by Les Amis de Paris–Roubaix, a group of fans of the race formed in 1983. The forçats du pavé seek to keep the course safe for riders while maintaining its difficulty.

More information: Cycling Tips

Paris–Roubaix is one of the oldest races of professional road cycling. It was first run in 1896 and has stopped only for the two world wars. The race was created by two Roubaix textile manufacturers, Théodore Vienne, born 28 July 1864, and Maurice Perez. They had been behind the building of a velodrome on 46,000 square metres at the corner of the rue Verte and the route d'Hempempont, which opened on 9 June 1895.

Víctor Jones (centre) and other participants

Vienne and Perez held several meetings on the track, one including the first appearance in France by the American sprinter Major Taylor, and then looked for further ideas. In February 1896 they hit on the idea of holding a race from Paris to their track. This presented two problems. The first was that the biggest races started or ended in Paris and that Roubaix might be too provincial a destination. The second was that they could organize the start or finish but not both.

The race usually leaves riders caked in mud and grit, from the cobbled roads and rutted tracks of northern France's former coal-mining region. However, this is not how this race earned the name l'enfer du Nord, or Hell of the North. The term was used to describe the route of the race after World War I. Organisers and journalists set off from Paris in 1919 to see how much of the route had survived four years of shelling and trench warfare.

More information: Cycling Weekly

Originally, the race was from Paris to Roubaix, but in 1966 the start moved to Chantilly, 50 km north, then in 1977 to Compiègne, 80 km north. From Compiègne it now follows a 260 km winding route north to Roubaix, hitting the first cobbles after 100 km.

During the last 150 km the cobbles extend more than 50 km. The race culminates with 750m on the smooth concrete of the large outdoor Vélodrome André-Pétrieux in Roubaix. The route is adjusted from year to year as older roads are resurfaced and the organisers seek more cobbles to maintain the character of the race, in 2005, for example, the race included 54.7 km of cobbles.

More information: Eurosport

Everyday there's something that reminds me why I love this sport.

Bernard Hinault

"APERI MURUM QUAE INIT AUTUMNALIS QUA!"

Minerva & The Jones in the Sorting Cerimony

Open the wall,

that arrives in fall!

The Jones are welcome in Hogwarts. In their first day in the school, they have been received by the masters, Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape. 

They have been talking about rules and imperatives  inside Hogwarts and about the routines in their day by day using the Adverbs of Frequency. They have also talked about Prepositions of Time, something very important when you are living in a place where space and time are not determined.

More information: Adverbs of Frequency

The family has revised Present Simple and written a common plot about the first book of the saga, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (or Sorcerer's Stone in the USA version). They have also created some spells to knock down walls, something very interesting if you want to enter in a place and the door is closed.

After participating in a Bingo Contest, where Merche Addams-Holmes-Jones and Ana Bean-Jones have been the winners and Carla Bean a fantastic speaker, the family has worked the auxiliaries in Present Simple, the structures in questions and the W's: Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How? which are very necessary to create good compositions.

More information: Prepositions of Time

Finally, The Jones have assisted to 'The Sorting Cerimony' with Minerva McGonagall to know which is going to be their school during their staying in Hogwarts.

It's a dark street. Two old people carry a baby. Some years after, the baby is a boy who loves snakes and speaks with them. Once, he receives a letter. Lots and lots of letters arrive under a terrible storm.

A giant visits a couple in the middle of the night. Two gentlemen talk to a boy named Harry Potter. The giant shows several places to the boy, until he reaches the magic shop where he gets his first wand. Then he remembers his parents. He begins his adventure. He crosses the platform and shows his scar to his new friends in the train destination to Hogwarts, a prestigious school of magic.

Ron Weasley, Harry Potter and Hermione Granger

Harry Potter and two friends look a picture. The cat, suddenly, leaps up and transfigures into a professor. Harry Potter puts a magic hat. During the dinner, the head of a ghost appears on the plate. A man waits the arrival of the train. All students listen like the teacher talks about the nest competition. Harry Potter and his friends have dinner while hundreds of candles float in the air.

There are some boys at school. Draco Malfoy finds a clear ball. Harry and his friends are looking for something throughout the school. Behind the door, there is a dog with three heads. They find a trunk. Suddenly, appears a troll at the school.

Harry and his friends wear scarf while they are talking. They put the uniforms to play a quidditch match. Harry receives a kind of clock at Christmas. Harry and Ron rescue Hermione in the bathroom because Ron uses his wand. Harry walks across the corridor with a light. Harry receives a broom for Christmas.

In the dark night, the man observes a little dinosaur. Meanwhile, harry Potter is looking for something in Hogwarts. At the same time, the blond boy sees a big centaur through the window. Finally, Harry Potter finds the object that he was searching. This object is a shiny mirror. In the next morning, he walks with his friends to magic class and the teacher shows them the place where people can see the magic potions. Last, they read the secret recipe of Nicolas Flamel about how to make a Sorcerer's Stone.

The four intrepid boys enter into a cave and discover three dark monsters. When they try to leave, they find magic flying beings which guide them to a large chess board and become a game. When they make the movement, the boy enters into another room with a mirror that through time takes him to see his ancestors.

He fights against a sorcerer. He's wounded in combat. He recovers in the infirmary. A few days after recovering, there is an event in the dining room of Hogwarts. In his farewell, for returning to his home, he receives a gift but not really...

More information: Word Order I, II and III

Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, 

our most inexhaustible source of magic.

Albus Dumbledore