whitespider1066

Late this afternoon what had been suspected for the last couple of days has come true. They say never a truer word said in jest, and the gallows humour round the office has certainly become a reality.

As more work is sent off-shore there are casualties. Today it was announced that more would be added to that casualty list.

I could be one of those casualties, but won’t know until near the end of August.

The employment equivalent of death row, now we have to wait to see if there is a stay of execution.

Dead Man Walking or is that Walking Dead?

One of the things I was tempted by at this years Outdoors Show at the NEC was the Freeloader solar charger. But I wasn’t sure whether it would work in Scotland in May with poor light. As we know it was rather hot and sunny up in Scotland this year on the TGOC, so it would of been perfect conditions for the Freeloader. But hey you can never tell these things so far in advance.

I’ve finally crumbled and got a Freeloader with the Supercharger to use over the Summer and Winter, just to see if it will be suitable for the TGOC next year. If it gives reasonable performance during the Winter then I think it will definitely be included in next years kit.
The first planned outing of it will be on the Dartmoor trip this month.

So what is the attraction of this device for me? A single source that will recharge multiple devices. For example if I wanted to take my ipod currently that would require a battery extender and supply of AA batteries, my phone requires another battery extender and also a supply of AA batteries. Which soon mounts up in space, weight and money. However having a single item that can charge both just seems like a holy grail, or it did until now.
Until the Supercharger was released I don’t think this was that holy grail I was seeking. But with it, it is (possibly). The Supercharger is a larger solar panel that is weather resistant (unlike the Freeloader), that can hang off the back of the pack, and will work in poorer light.

I also took delivery of some US goodies today as well. A friend is over on holiday and bought with them some ziplock bags (more for the collection), and some boxes of Jiffy buttermilk biscuit mix. May not sound exciting but to a sado like me they are. It also means one of my many projects takes another step forward.

Another fine evening out with the wolf pack round Fleet Pond. I do think that one of the highlights of this Summer is going to have been seeing this young deer feeding in the evening. The new camera is allowing me to capture it in action, and it seems that it has this patch as a favourite evening snacking spot. It does amaze me how people with their dogs walk right past this deer. But I have shown you the photo evidence of that happening before.

Over the years Fleet Pond hasn’t failed to deliver on the wild life front. About three years ago during the Summer I saw fox cubs playing outside their den (is that the correct term). I’ve seen woodpeckers this Summer, hardly saw them last year. If I can get a photo of the woodpeckers I will be really happy.

Below some rabbits just sunning themselves. If I didn’t know better I could swear that the dogs and the rabbits have come to a truce of some sort. Or the alternative is that my dogs are just getting older and no longer have the heart for all that running around after something so small and swift.

Well I hope it is coming across how much I am enjoying myself when I get out. Whether it is walking locally with the mutts, or out on the hill. The camera is adding to that enjoyment. But what I don’t want to do is get into a comfort zone and stagnate. I want to keep growing, learning, pushing myself.

Well it looks like the TGOC footage that Cameron McNeish was shooting for the Adventure Show will be hitting the screens August.

Here is Cameron’s words on the subject:

“After that the next Adventure Show will feature this year’s TGO Challenge and that should shown sometime in early August.“

Read the whole posting here.

Before I was up in Scotland doing the TGOC, Podcast Bob was up there walking the Cape Wrath Trail with Lee Wells. Want to find out how Lee and Podcast Bob got on?

For the time being check itunes or whatever software you use to download podcasts from an RSS feed (I bet that sounded like a foreign language to some of you out there) to pick up part one of a series of podcasts Podcast Bob made whilst on the trail.

As usual this isn’t up on the sites yet to download. So once it is I’ll link in the player.

I know that this will piss some folks off and others will find it interesting. But there is no way to escape it, it’s time to talk about the gear I took on the TGOC this year.
Anyway the base weight I was carrying minus food and water was around 10.5 kilos. With food thrown in I was around the 13 kilo mark.

Gossamer Gear Mariposa™ Plus Rucksack

I like this pack alot. It really does suit the way that I like a pack to work. It carried the thirteen kilos very comfortably. There is lots of space for gear internally and in the external mesh pockets. I’ve not found the lack of a lid, and lid pocket a problem (even though before buying it was a major concern). The bits I would usually of had in there (compass, whistle, pen knife, sunglasses etc ) either stored in one of the side mesh pockets, or in one of those mesh washing tablet bags you can get in the main compartment.
I’ve moved away from using a bladder and hose to drink from. Prefering to have a bottle that I can easily reach in the lower right hand mesh pocket, which I can easily reach whilst walking instead. This means that the inner pocket for the bladder becomes a handy pocket for holding a magazine to read, and/or print outs of maps. I also stow the golite ground sheet I have here as well.
Back padding was provided by my sleeping mat, which for me works really well. I had a handy carrier bag to cover this with if I ended up walking in the rain.
Adding the small hip belt pockets to this allowed me to keep the phone handy in one, and snacks in the other. And really has made this the perfect bag for me.
You can read my earlier thoughts on the Mariposa Plus here.

Sleeping:

RAB Endurance 400 sleeping bag (stored in exped dry bag)

Rated to -7 and around 800g I like this bag. A part from when I was in hotels this was used every night on the crossing.
I don’t use the shoulder baffle that this bag has. So it was a surprise to see that at both ends of the shoulder baffle the sitching was coming away,  with down starting to come out. We are talking over an inch holes here. I did a field repair using duct tape, as I still had a couple of nights use to get out of the bag.

There is one design fault I think with this bag. That is with the velcro tab at the top. If the bag is done up all the way and the velcro tab closed properly then there is no proble. The issue comes when you are not zipping the bag all the way up and using it more like a quilt (maybe because it is too hot to use other way). This is when half of the velcro tab then attaches itself to the inner of the sleeping bag, and pulls away at the material. I can see this causing a tear and more damage to the bag. The picture in the right shows the damage I mean. 

Despite the above, I like the bag.
I have sent and got back the bag for repair, which was done for free. Even RAB didn’t zip it up fully when returning it and the velcro did the same as I described above. I’ll have to talk to them about this I think.

The Pacific Outdoor Equipment Uber Mtn pad

I like this. When not being slept on, it was being used to provide padding in the Mariposa Plus for the back. Ok I did slip off it during the night, but I was doing that with the therm-a-rest as well.

Lifemarque silk sleeping bag liner

I think if you have a down bag then one of these is a must. Getting down cleaned is an expensive business, and this allows you to keep the down bag cleaner for longer. Does it add a degree to the rating of the down bag? I don’t know. I did find it slipping down during the night sometimes. Even when sleeping in a hostel/bunk house I used this to sleep in and had the sleeping bag acting like a quilt.
But generally this has been a good investment, and worth taking along.

Ajungilak air pillow

I do like a good pillow. This basically gives me that. Used all but two nights of the crossing. What can I say it does exactly as it says on the can.

Another great day of weather. Such a crime to be stuck in the office. The thought of sitting under a tree and brewing up when out with the dogs keeps me going. It also makes me feel restless to be out on the hill.
It doesn’t help that the new all colour BPL.com magazine arrived in the post yesterday. I do look forward to this dropping through the letter box. Although American centric (although Chris Townsend has written for the magazine in the past), it is still a very good read.
Which reminded me I needed to renew my subscription to TGO. Is a subscription too much just to make sure I get the application form for the TGOC? Nah not really. It’s easier to accept knowing that TGO is a good read. I like the more mature articles, and knowing that the magazine isn’t anti-me.

Above an even more lightweight brew kit. Which all fits sooo easily into the “fanny” pack. Dam you would almost think that I was getting used to using this setup for some other reason

I spotted this on the walk this evening. I think it is a Tawny Grisette. My field guide says that it can be found early Summer to Autumn, in mixed woods especially with birch. If anyone thinks it is something different, then please let me know what you think it is (you can contact me via here).

Well a special trip to Tesco to get those new mossie t-shirts and socks. Which turned out to be a wasted trip, as there was no sign of them. I’m so glad of the factual reporting in the News of the World. The shop assistant had no idea, and said they only did their restocking late at night. I’ll be buggered if I’m staying up late just to drive over there to see if they happen to of got any in.

But I will have to go there later in the week, so will look then. But our local massive Tesco is pushing the camping kit at the moment. So if you are looking at cheap camping stuff that will be of use during the Summer, now is the time to get it.

One thing I did notice this evening when walking the mutts at the brew stop was that there seemed to be an aweful lot of mossies about. Which means I am going to have to start using the ol’ bug spray at the start of the walks.

Or according to the News of the World from tomorrow Tesco start selling t-shirts and socks that repel mossies. Now the reporting in the News of the World claims this is a world first. So I suppose we better not mention the Craghopper stuff that has been available for years. But according to the article they may have a point as these new t-shirts and socks have been in development for 5 years, and are made with a “magic extract of powerful lemon eucalyptus” that is woven in compared to I suppose the others that spray on their repellent. Apparently this material has been tested fully by tropical medicine experts!

So how much does all this advance clothing technology going to set you back? Well adult cotten t-shirt will set you back £8, kids £6 and toddlers £5. The socks will cost £4 for a pack of two pairs. With the promise of shorts and skirts if sales are good.

Guess what I will be buying tomorrow? It will be interesting to see the designs available.

Been giving some thought to a little project I will be trying next weekend. Which I will say more about at the time. See John Hee is not the only one that can do cryptic teases. 

But I was also looking at the map what comes with Scottish Hill tracks for a route to use on the TGOC next year. So far I have decided on starting from Oban, I know I want to hit Rannoch Moor, which means I go through Bridge of Orchy. I know Braemar is on the cards, and I can’t make my mind up about Tarfside yet. I know I should make Stonehaven at some point (it’s been my finish point twice now, and I’ve not made it yet), but it was suggested to me that there is a better finish point that is more scenic just below Stonehaven. So I might go for that instead.

It’s early days, and is just some thoughts about general places that I need to connect up. It also means I have some fun spending time looking at maps.

I’ve been away with Nathan this weekend visitng my Nan and Mum back in my home town of Wisbech. It gave me some time to go to the cinema with Nathan. We had planned to see the new Angelina Jolie move Wanted. However when we got there Nathan pointed out it was an 18, so he was unable to see it. So we ended up seeing Prince Caspian. Which was enjoyable, longer than expected. I spent the whole movie thinking of Spanish holiday homes next to golf courses everytime Caspian spoke. But that aside we had a good time. What about the end of Doctor Who? OMG! What an episode, next week can’t come too soon. 

Had an evening walk with the dogs, so they have had an extra treat today of a second walk.

As you can see in the picture above on the left, an ultra light brew kit. Which could be minus the little re-cycled first aid bag (that had stove, windshield, fuel, matches and spoons in). So it would all easily fit in the “fanny pack”. Am I showing my hand too early to Mr Hee?

I’m definitely taking one of the alcohol stoves with me to Dartmoor this month. The only decision I have to make is which one. But that may be made for me if the new stove arrives by then. Yes a tenth stove is on it’s way (more on that when it arrives). There will also be an eleventh as well once the guy who makes them returns back from his trip (which is mid-July).

I also want to try some of the different designs that Tinny has over at MiniBullDesign.

I know a certain magazine “gear guru” doesn’t like alcohol stoves, I think his words were they are rubbish. But let’s face it I use that word to describe the magazine he writes for. I’ve even given up reading it at the news stand now. I find that the magazine (and we all know which one it is) is no longer relevant, and just not worth the cost or effort to try and find that single nugget of information that may be of use.

But because of that entrenched bias against this type of stove I think that reviewer is missing some pretty amazing little pieces of technology that are weighing next to nothing. Some of these guys I’m sure should be working for NASA with the designs they are coming up with.

The decision of stove will also dictate which pot/kettle I will take as well. However as I stated earlier in the year my aim for this Summer was to get away with using a 35 litre pack for weekend trips. I think that this will be an easy target to hit, and hopefully I will be around the 5 kilo mark as well. But we will see when I do an initial packing of gear next weekend.