Robert Hausam interview pt 2

This BPL.com interview focuses on the kit that Robert used, travelling lightweight with a load of 24 pound/11kg load - not baseweight.

On packliner, question starts "Scotland is supposed to be notorious for its rainy weather..."

Choice of tarp instead of tent discussed, and the UK attitude to tarps (eg Bob Cartwright of BPL.co.uk

Andy Howell mentioned, when midges talked about ... and described for the US audience. Classified as a "no see um" sort of swarming insect "a flying mouth".

"What weather were you prepared for?" "Almost anything, down to a few degrees below zero °c ... prepared for high winds ... rain gear was fabulous...". He uses the Montane Quick-Fire jacket too.

"Success with the BushBuddy stove, and found another hiker, Colin, using one too." "Even though a wet climate, you had no problem finding fuel?" "Quite a successful experiment".

"Lairig Ghru was the most spectacular part of the trip", said Robert... "bailed out of tarp, and stayed in bothy [Bob Scott's presumably] along with a few other people who had tents." The interviewer, again, asked about the bothy construction (so as to compare with State-side trail shelters).

"Was finding water a problem?" "It's something Scotland is blessed with in abundance ... just get from a stream ... carried at least a litre of water, but normally not a problem".

"Did you do any food-hanging?"

Seems strange to consider these techniques that people use to keep food from bears. Something that many people need to do in other parts of the world.

Hmm ... linked a third pole to his trekking poles to make a tripod. Robert had worked on the linkage with a friend. Sounds a good idea, and hope to hear more of this.

"How many hours of daylight?" "Surprisingly...even to people from other parts of UK...light enough to be useable to about 10 at night"

Conversely, I keep forgetting how dark it gets down south in the UK.

I laughed when the interviewer used the term "civvies" to describe non-hiking clothing.

Yet again, another cracking podcast, and nice to hear things that I take for granted being discussed as being out of the ordinary. One day I will trek in the US, and have to hang food from bears, not eat the main meal near the pitch, and cross a 'real' river. I look forward to the challenge.

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Link to podcast page, featuring written article, photographs and kit list too. My posting about part 1