Going back to my routes to find new experiences in the wild places.
Tabbed about 16 clicks from Portpatrick. One blister on pad of left foot.
Saturday, 31 March 2007
SUW 1.1935
Lambs. Sun setting. Calves. Sounds. Smells. Sights. Whoever came up with the waymerk scheme should be commended. I'm looking out to the hedgerows and field boundaries keenly.
SUW 1.1856
The sounds of Stranraer mingle with sounds from the nature reserve and farmland. Police siren, cattle, motorbike, grouse, and a heron screeches part. A good sign as it is my totem. Perhaps someone will take pity on me and let me watch Who? New series just started
SUW 1.9
North of Portpatrick. Chatted with some nice people along the path. The only boorish people were the football fans f'ing, b'ing and c'ing on the train to Glasgow. The parents of the kids beside them did nothing, so wasn't going to get upset on their behalf. Wind getting up, blowing in off the Irish Sea as sun loses it's power.
SUW 1.5
On the west coast. Strange hearing Irish accents. Hadn't realised how long it had been (excluding media). Train is hoaching. Lots of holiday makers (including me). Treated myself to a suunto vector from tiso's. I think i'll tear out the foreign language instructions from the manual instead of carrying them across country. Got the MCoS discount. They still had some half-price katy'n water filters, but i resisted. The aqua mira drops should be enough until later trails. Ayr now.
SUW 1.2
Oops.
The day starts well. I wake with the alarm. Breakfast. Even see Gerard's photo of a merino wool station. Cheery taxi driver drops me at train station 30 mins before the train is due to depart. I join the queue me people for the Glasgow. Once it opens its doors, i find a seat where i can watch my pack. As i prepare to wait 30mins before leaving, the train seems busy. It'll be crowded by the time it leaves. The train departs. It is a Glasgow train. Not my Glasgow train, but the previous one.
Oops.
:) hey, took me to Perth to sort email problem. Listening to ghost in the shell on mp3 player obviously helped me get in the zone. Aah, Major Kusinagi :-)
SUW 1.1
Just past Arbroath. Problems this morning: caught wrong train; email to blog failing. No worries. Train is earlier one that i boarded in error. Photoblog works until i can get to a computer. Carnoustie. Lovely day.
Friday, 30 March 2007
SUW T-1
Well. This afternoon flew by. Helped by some half-price chocs from the Whittard's sale. The SCW exhibition has given me things to think about on the trail. My futile attempts at painting some 15mm figures can still be seen online.
I can see the bed in my spare room for the first time in ages. The main bedroom is now gear-strew, and the living room strewn with food - and not in a too-many-beer-and-pizza way either. Searched the flat and emptied bags for my Aqua Mira water purification liquids, eventually finding them under a fleece cap.I'm thinking of getting some Paramo Cascada trousers. Hmm...wonder if I can hit some gear shops in Glasgow tomorrow? Tiso's is on the way from one train station to the other, but I can't see any on their site, just jackets. Good excuse to call in anyway.
...Hmm, I'm definitely avoiding packing.
Found this for Sheila, who's son and partner recently lost one of there cats in an RTA. no-one will mess with that cat.23.20pm Food divided into ziplock bags for storage. Packing 10 days worth to see how far I can go without resupplying. Answer: until the first chippy.
Taking a plastic bag of things for the train journey, juice, pasties, crisps that I can eat without delving into rucksack. I tell you, I'm more paranoid about thieving paws on the train, than anything on the trail. I reckon I'm crossing the line between realism and cynicism there.I've kept a gear list. If I'm not too tired, I'll post it, for what it's worth.
A Greater Tomorrow
Had an early lunch, and went to the art gallery to see the exhibition "A Greater Tomorrow - Aberdonians in the Spanish Civil War" (link). Nineteen people from Aberdeen joined the International Brigade to fight the fascists in 1930's Spain. Five died over there: one at Gandesa, and four on the Ebro.
There was a good audio interview with John Londragan, who served on an anti-tank gun. He was at the battle of Jarama (recalled in the Woody Guthrie song), and talked about being up on Mosquito Ridge.
The full poem by volunteer Bob Cooney is reprinted on the wall by the blood-soaked Republican flag (link):
Seven and twenty years? That long?
It seems but yesterday
We left that war torn hill above Gandesa.
Is it perhaps because I'm growing old
That thought now skips so lightly down the years?
And the travail of a quarter century
Melts in the vision of those great days
Those days we lived and knew that we were living
We also say
Hasta La Vista - Madrid!
There is so much we want to see once more
We will stroll in the Puerto del Sol
And the Ramblas of Barcelona
We will cross the Ebro and drink with our friends in Mora
Friends who will be free!
We will look at them and at each other
And each of us will think
"This is why we came in '36"
And if we live to be a hundred
We'll have this to be glad about
We went to Spain!
Because of that great yesterday
We are part of the greater tomorrow
Thursday, 29 March 2007
SUW T-2
Tabbed it up Bennachie today, ordered taxi for Saturday morning. Washing kit just now - or rather the machine is.
Program on BBC Alba visited a bothy near An Teallach, and a tale of tourist-baiting was told. I must agree with them, that I never liked to idea of telling lies to tourists. Maybe some don't know about the true nature of the haggis, and believe the tripe told them.
Rest of evening sorting out gps information, as I seem to have ended up with duplicate 'marks' in Memory Map. too many imports from backup, I suppose. Then a few things to print out, ready for an evening of packing tomorrow.
As the pie of inevitability settles in my stomach.
Benn'2903
Only shelter is back against trig point. Never mind. Got to top in 50mins. Low cloud being carried on wind, so not much sounds either. Hill fort below looked very atmospheric. I'll snack there, then back to car.
MIA Bennachie
There is a hill somewhere out there. It was there for the last 3 out of 4 weeks, but not today. 2 youngsters ahead in jeans, carrying bag of alcohol.
Wednesday, 28 March 2007
SUW T-3
Dropped in to PC World at lunchtime to see about USB connectors for the mobile phone, as I have a couple of mobile phone chargers that are miniUSB out, but I need to convert them to accept the normal USB in. They suggested Maplins, so I'll drop in there on the way out to the Benn' tomorrow (in my B-kit).
Went to the oriental supermarket for some seaweed cakes. I read that they are good as trailfood, as they contain vitamins and suchlike. I don't know for sure, but a few won't do me any harm. Tried them before with riceballs - tastes like I imagine seagull vomit does, but has that exotic kick to it. Went in with my scavenger eyes in, and came out with a couple of packs of pickled vegetables, some more noodles, and a strip of "Hello Kitty" sweets.
Saw the photo of the aircrew holding a Garmin eTrex out of the door of his hello, and I thought - you want to have a lanyard on that, as they're slippery wee things.
Signed up for the UK Outdoor Bloggers Forum.
Got the charity page up and running at: www.justgiving.com/duncanmacleod-suw
Mike came round after work, and we watched Werner Herzog's "Grizzly Man" about Timothy Treadwell. A thought-provoking movie. Most of my thoughts were "no - don't do that, these are wild animals". An example of the movie can be found here. It was a good movie, leaving me with questions and thoughts about reality and sanity, but I definitely felt more sorry for his companion, Amie Huguenard, who died with him. She does not get a wiki entry.
Alan Sloman has beaten 25% of the UK on his (truly) big walk. 423 miles in 28 days.
There's an exhibition about Aberdonian volunteers in the Spanish Civil War at the art gallery - I must get to see it. When I was looking in to the conflict, I found this page of Spanish children's drawings from 1938. A photo-diary of the war can be found here.
On a cheerier note, Simon's photos of Beinn Dearg and An Teallach can be found here.
Update: WD has some good tarp pictures and advice here.
Umm Naser Tragedy
I missed this story yesterday: "Sewage 'tsunami' kills five in Gaza" (Source). I was looking on Al Jazeera for a different perspective on the news of our sailors being held in Iran.
As it was yesterday's news on the BBC site, I had to go looking for it: "Sewage flood causes Gaza deaths". (Source)
I don't know why I was drawn to this article, but I think it is the empathy. I can't empathise, only sympathise, with the gun fights and physical violence of the civil strife that some people live with in their daily life. But I can empathise when the world goes wrong on this level.
Look back kindly upon their lives and upon the difference they made to yours.
Tuesday, 27 March 2007
Scum
I hope the police catch the person/people involved in this story from Robert Scoble. The victim, Kathy Sierra, blogs about her threats - here: warning, strong language.
At the back of my brain, there is a nagging feeling that this is yet another issue of the real world-virtual world overlap, discussed recently. If the politicians and police just want to control things, rather than protect people, who is left to help? Where are the Net marshals? In the USA, will the FBI be going after these scum?
The Net allows the good and the bad. Will goodness make the badness go away, or will the true evil of human nature triumph as we slide down the toilet to the end of days?
Windturbines - epetition reply
Ooh, a letter from 10 Downing Street to AktoMan. Details here.
Summary: "We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to withdraw all subsidies and support to on-shore wind farms in valued landscapes."
Answer: "all proposed wind developments must take place within the formal planning procedure, which allows all relevant stakeholders to have their view and assess all relevant impacts on the environment, local community etc."
The rest is economic waffle that I, frankly, amn't interested in. The industrialisation of the landscape disappoints me. But, what the heck, there are elections coming up soon, as well as the tourist season. And what's the point in getting flustered, when there is sod all we voters can do about it anyway except put a cross in a box against some person/party that serves our own feeble interests best.
SUW T-4
Is it? I've lost track. Am I supposed to be counting to Friday midnight, or Saturday (SUW d1)?
Went to Boots at lunchtime, and got some batteries. The ones the e-Lite use (CR2032's are on 3-for-2 just now), also some steri-strips for the first aid kit, and some more AAA's for the gps and phone. Stopped off in the Polish deli to get some traditional sausages for the backpack. I couldn't see the ones I liked from last week - I reckon I must have finished the off. Oops.
After work, I mainly went to the supermarket in "hunter/gatherer" mode. As well as rice, beanfeast and cous-cous, I got some stock cubes, chocolate, coconut milk, chocolate, peanuts, chocolate, health bars, chocolate and syrupy porridge for breakfasts. Also some healthy drinks and fruits for the rest of this week, as I must get the dregs of this cold shifted.
My PC's been processing cd tracks down to a manageable size for the 2gig player. I'm using an old version of dBpowerAMP music convertor, and knocking tracks down to 12kHz mono at 24Kbps sample rate. To give you an idea, Sam & Dave's album on the iPod weighs in at 47.9MB (from the CD). The same album is only 7.21MB on the wee mp3 player. Quality is lost, but what the heck, I've only a wee cheapo pair of headphones anyway. That's about 30 albums and podcast folders, and I've still about a 800MB left. That'll be enough for photo-storage if I can get to a Net cafe.
Off to get some Wildebeat (ooh, a new TWiT is out). Shame that Andy's blogger-interview isn't up yet, as I'd love to hear that.
Clarkie, the Boy Wonder
Mike, the designer of the AktoMan logo, writes about the process on his blog.
Is this the sort of sign you were waiting for, Mike?
aktosign Hosted on ZooomrMonday, 26 March 2007
TarpTime pt3
As i was on own and too self-conscious to crawl inside with people around in a public park, here's a photo of tarp with bivvy bag inside it. Hmm, that pole looks like it could be an issue.
TarpTime pt2
A bit cheap n cheerful, but that's because it's cheap and i was cheerfully happy in the cold.
TarpTime pt1
Twilight found me lurking in Duthie Park with a backpack of items. 18m of cheap strong string, 2 walking poles and some tent pegs. Oh, and the car boot liner from Woolworths. After no experimenting at all, here's what i got.
iGeneration
The Prologue
I was driving across town on Sunday. Radio is dull, so I go to put on a CD, but remember that they are back in the flat being added to my iPod. I recall what Michael Kickingbear (1) said about listening to podcasts in the car instead of radio stations.
Thoughts
Instead of listening to the radio, I would have preferred to listen to something I wanted to hear. Instead of watching a television programme, I channel-hop, or switch off. Instead of reading a newspaper, I skim through data sources more relevant and entertaining (2).
Why is it important that I only receive information that I perceive to be relevant to me just now?
I like the irrelevant, I aim to be a renaissance man, having breadth of knowledge and skills rather than depth of knowledge. (3)
I don’t think it is age-related, more related to the strength of character. If the character is weak, then choosing relevant information falls into the laziness category ("I’ll do the minimum to get by", and so some information fails to 'stick'). If the character is strong, then the person might find that they can focus in on main projects and still have enough energy (physical/mental) left to deal with the minor tasks.
How do people learn about strength of character any more? (4) We sit and watch “Friends” and see that as society’s guidelines. I see children being pulled along the streets on their ‘heelies’ and maybe that is why it annoys me - is that my poor strength of character or their laziness? Maybe that is why people who struggle in their normal life have the animal cunning to push on through other challenges. Maybe that is why we huff and puff when the lights change and we have to wait a few extra minutes to get to our destination. For some people, the world really was against them, and they had to rage against it; for others, getting up in the morning is the biggest struggle we have to face, and so that is our yardstick. And if something is more difficult than that, well, we can turn on the iPod or change channels, and tune out the things you think are irrelevant.
Heck, it is a blame culture, and all we need to do is make up an excuse for why the task hadn’t been done on time. (5)
If the bailiffs are kicking in the door, the poorhouse turns you away, and the rain doesn’t stop falling and you forgot the waterproofs: who are you going to blame? What does not kill me, makes me stronger? (6) But people use that as an excuse for lots of poor behaviour these days. Or for making challenges more difficult (eg crossing the Andes by frog (7)).
Maybe that’s why I’m nervous about the imminent 212 mile trek.
Epilogue
It is all writ large best here, I think, by Mr Thomas. We ‘did it’ in school, and the work stays with me, resurfacing in so many different ways. Strange that it was irrelevant back then, when I might have nicked myself shaving, or had to recover some escaping sheep from the croft, or a goat ate some birthday cake.
Country Walking Website
It is my loss that I don't frequent the Country Walking site more often, and must confess never to having bought a copy of the magazine. Things I noted on the site:
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Bought some thin cord and some reflec tape in Square One (a real hardware shop). Going to tie off lengths of stuff on to the boot liner in an attempt to make it tarp-like. The reflec tape is going on to tent peg cordage, with a stitch to keep it in place. This should make the pegs easier to find in the moorland. I reckon 6 tent pegs and I'll give it a try on the trail.
Warm mid-day here. If too clammy in the woods next week, and if it is quiet, would I have the nerve to try skinny-trekking? No chance. For one thing, I'd attract all the midges from 5 counties. Not a nice thought at all.
Sunday, 25 March 2007
Another Month Gone
The ClustrMap went up a month ago. According to it, AktoMan has received 3,503 visits since 25 February 2007. For the same period, Google Analysis notes 2,249 visitors (hello La Habana, Alcorcón and Lisbao).
The interactive FrapprMap is up to 175 members, of which 11 readers have added photos. Newbies of note: Paris, Vienna, Inverness, Calgary, Wichita, Nanuet (NY), Cardiff, Preston, Norwich (Hi Sally), Ipswich, Cambridge (Hi Geoff).
Site changes over the past month:
- I've upgraded to templates in Blogger, making it easier for me to add features to the sidebar. I'd still like to organise in a better way.
- I've added a diary of forthcoming events. I'll add in links to earlier events, allowing easy access to media by date, for example, visiting the 23-24th September 2006 gives access to Flickr photos. Sadly, I haven't yet found a way to link straight to pages on the Kiko diary.
- AktoMan logos were added to the page and the icon file.
- The Odiogo syndication came through. I have no control over the chosen voice, but it has allowed people to multitask (I am told).
For better or worse, time marches on.
SUW-6
Been in a basement wargaming for 7 1/2 hours today. Summer's here, sun's out, and a pile of us hide from it rolling dice and arguing about rules and having a fine time. Life is what you make of it. Ate gorp and used new multitool to fashion a die-rolling cup out of a chocolate box. Not that the victor let it go to his head, but well done to Ian's side.
As I was packing boxes of figures into my car I noticed the Woolworths car boot liner. Something grabbed my attention, and I finally opened it out. It is a 5'x5' square of plastic. It has 8 eyelets and carrying handles on each corner. "Tarpaulin?" thinks I. Not as light as nysil, but a good temporary shelter if raining or when I get the urge to try out the bivvy bag. Tentpegs in the corner, walking poles and paracord. Or as a tent footprint. For the weight, I think I'll add it to the pack.
Only other prep work was resizing some more mp3 tracks.
Waste of Space
Ah well, the anti-spam filter goes back on here folks. Some div of a porn site sent the following comment in to an earlier post today:
Nice blog. Keep it up!
I have a new webcam site /blog.
Its mostly live webcam shows and stuff.
Have a look if you get time :-)
In the message was a link to a commercial porn site. As the illegal trade in sex slaves, mainly drugged up by their pimps, is not something I can condone, I removed the comment. Instead why not watch a programme about the anniversary of the end of (part) of the UK's involvement in the trading of African slaves and think on the similarities. But life goes on, and you make of it what you will.
Virtue is the foremost provision,
Virtue is food for the journey,
Virtue is the best vehicle
For going in any direction. ' '
Summertime Starts
Saturday saw a few extra bits and pieces for the trek. One the way back from the post office, I stopped in Tkmaxx and found a triple DVD set entitled "Literary Britain" for £7. Betjeman, Hardy's Wessex and the Lake Poets (Wordsworth, Coleridge and Southey). I'll need to watch the latter before I go.
Bought some dehydrated food, a gas canister, and a Gerber Shortcut multitool. Decided to stick with the scissors instead of the pliers that Clutch comes with. Tiso's had a bigger stock in than last week.
Added towns on the Southern Upland Way to Memory Map, and copied some more music to the mp3 player, dropping the quality down along the way (instead of the higher quality of the iPod).
Folding spork fits in to my cookset quite nicely.
Boots cleaned and Nikwaxed - overkill, but what the heck.
As Weird Darren wonders about an Summer Camp - if it is somewhere close to the Wainwright Coast-to-Coast then I'm game. It gave me the idea, just an inkling of an idea. What if... I complete the Southern Upland Way at Easter, the Wainwright C2C in Summer, that would just leave a Welsh coast-to-coast to complete a hat trick! The only Welsh C2C I know is Offa's Dyke, but I may be wrong in that. A totally silly idea, and will be knocked out of me by the cold light of days hiking, but that's the inkle.
Clocks to move forward. I wonder which one I'll miss this time round. I wonder where I'll be sleeping this time next week?
Saturday, 24 March 2007
Folding spork
One trip to sorting office to collect tuesday's recorded delivery that royal mail failed to redeliver this morning. Still, 2 out of 3 ain't bad. The spork fits nicely into palm of hand in a wolverine-esque manner. Or is it nakade? Memory fails me.
SUW T-7
Ugh.
This time next week, I'll be travelling South. For some reason it makes me more nervous.
Caught the later half of "Out of Doors" live this morning. I'll catch the rest on the 'listen again' feature.
The happy, cheery postman brings a free TGO re-subscription gift of a Colin Prior 220' panorama of Torridon. I'll see if I can get a frame in town that is 3 foot long and 7 inches tall.
Also arriving, my trail-book for the Southern Upland Way, "The New Penguin Book of Scottish Short Stories", ordered second hand for a penny from Silver Sporran Books via Amazon (plus postage and package).
Furthermore, a big box from Expedition Foods, which I had ordered on Monday. The Drytech food feels weird in its figure-hugging packaging. No wasted volume there. The Pemmikan is from a German company called Cathay. I look forward to tasting it on the trail, "für trekking" as the label says. No pre-trek nibbles to try out the delights.
And some birthday cake from my Dad. Which will be eaten today.
Flat currently smells of Nikwax. It smells like .. preparation.
Off to clean boots. Yup, I'll be wearing boots on the SUW, leaving my Terrocs at home. Choose your own reason from last night's poem.
My Way
Extracts from Liz Lochhead's poem "My Way", from the book of poems "The Colour of Black and White". This is because Darren's not well, and he may have caught the cold from me. I can be infectious.
Now - if you want to lie back and relax, WD, you'll find the audio version here:
I only did it for a laugh
I did it because I'm a fool for love
I did it because push had come to shove
I did it because - my age - I've nothing to proveBut I did it
I did it
I did it
Yes I did itI did it to go out in a blaze of glory
I did it to make them listen to my side of the story
I only did it to get attention
I did it to get an honourable mention
I did it to put an end to it all
I did it for no reason at allBut I did it
I did it
I did it
Yes I did
Friday, 23 March 2007
Royal Mail - alpha
I have had an email from a trader I bought an item from on eBay have the package returned to sender as it was not 'called for'. I have never received a card to collect an item. When a similar problem occurred recently due to the ineptitude of the "Royal" Mail, the woman on the desk of the sorting office refused to go and look as I did not have a card. Can you please tell me WHY in your so-called Customer Service policies, no-one has the brains to ask WHY mail has to be returned to the sender? Or is this some conspiracy to get people to pay twice?
As I am refusing to pay for YOUR problem, please send a small supply of claims forms to the above address, so that I can have some to hand, as I am awaiting a delivery from a company in England, and you have already 'lost' his previous order.
Considering the problem is only intermittent, perhaps you would look into your staffing, as there are a number of streets, places and closes with similar names - but one would think that that would be taken into consideration before the management returned uncollected packages willy-nilly without considering the complete picture (tired postman, poor training, rushed jobs, unfamiliar route, lack of community spirit, etc).
I look forward to some sort of improvement in service from the "Royal" Mail, and you can keep track with further developments online at http://aktoman.blogspot.com/ - as the item purchased was to accompany me on my charity trek across Scotland on the Southern Upland Way, but your people have just ruined that.
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Sent via the Royal Mail website >> "Customer Service/ How can we help?/ I've got another problem which isn't shown here ".
I do love the terminology. "Service", "How can we help?" about a problem "you" have. Well, my problem is that someone at the post office failed to do their job, and I am out of pocket, so exactly how are you going to help me? Perhaps you can go back to making deliveries when people are home from work? Or by not introducing 1-week turnarounds when you fail to deliver the packages in the first place.
I couldn't help but notice how many packets were waiting to be delivered when I called in to the sorting office a few Saturdays ago. Something in the Royal Mail system ain't working, and needs to be fixed. May I suggest that if the core business is delivering the mail, you start with that.
So, at the moment, I've an unhappy trader who has received their packet back (Hi, Jim), a customer who has paid for delivery with nothing to show for it, and a post office 'service' who appear on TV and talk about percentages of correct deliveries, etc.
I have 3 packets await redelivery tomorrow, all requested through the Royal Mail website. Hopefully it all goes well, as I hate dealing with this Corporation
Thursday, 22 March 2007
Bennachie 22/03
Sun sharp behind me. Sounds of the digger being carried clearly on the wind.
Bennachie Hosted on Zooomr
Shades of Bennachie Hosted on Zooomr
Wednesday, 21 March 2007
SUW T-10
Picked up some Polish sausages to try on the trek. I had Bohan's for tea, and a nice snack. The Uhlan's I'd had before, but preferred the type that was new to me. The woman in the shop said it was dryer, and she was right. Also pulled me up for calling them 'salami'. That's me told.
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Added a diary to the sidebar.
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I normally collect the "sorry, you were out" cards from the Post Office and drive to their sorting office to reclaim my property. I cringe when I have to deal with these guys. For one thing, they aren't "sorry" as the post used to be delivered when people hadn't gone out to work. So scrub the "sorry" comment and change it to:
"it is cheaper for us if you collect your own mail, which I'm sure you appreciate as it means stamps are a bit cheaper; but we don't care if you don't cos there's nothing you can do about it"
Just off to try there redelivery website for the first time. Well, they spent a lot of government money on it, so it must be worthwhile.
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I've started a kit list of things to get after the SUW (thanks, Stef/BG, for item one on the list).
Justin.TV
In a reminiscence of EdTV, there is Justin.TV. The lead, Justin Kan is wearing a headcam to videoblog his life. Having just seen his live chat window being hit with a pile of abuse, it just shows the downside of Web 2.0 - just proves how many ignorant prats there are all around the world. Watching someone broadcasting his 'normal' life and then sending abuse from your own 'normal' life and complaining that "this is lame"?
Compelling. Real "Big Brother", without the wannabe celebs bickering about nonsense.
Tuesday, 20 March 2007
SUW T-11
Snow came (yippeeee) and went (oh, now I have to walk home in Scarpas as they won't fit in briefcase). Definitely in a countdown to Easter mood. I can't help but think "in two weeks time how will I cope with this weather". So far the answer has always been - better than in my work suit and overcoat.
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Got a call from Ian at Expedition Foods. He called to make sure the pemmican wasn't a wrong order as it's normally for colder climes. I explained my situation, and I'd have liked to have chatted for longer, but I was in a cupboard at work (doubles as a telephone booth) and had to nip off.
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One of my colleagues at work remembers eating dehydrated baby food when inter-railing it round Europe in her younger days. May be a line of investigation.
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Post Office delivered my wee mp3 player from eBuyer. So, in answer to the guy from Comet who said "if you can find a player with 1-2gig storage and and mp3 player for under 80 quid, let me know". Job done. With 60quid spare.
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Card from the Post Office. I'll go and collect it. Either the multitool (still no sign), or the folding spork. If there is no sign of the multitool by the weekend, I'm reckoning on canceling the order and going with one from the shop. The eBayer can then take it up with the Post Office complaints at the loss of trade. It's not the first time the PO has screwed things up, and the lack of customer-centred ethos from their senior management stinks.
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John Hee's been writing up his reports from The Outdoorzzz Showzzz at Walkabout in the UK.
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Cameron's site is still dead due to bandwidth issues. Across on iTunes, no-one has written a review yet. I'm sure some blogger elsewhere will rectify that omission.
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I'm off back to my secret project. That's not the same secret work project. Listening to the new TWiT podcast. I still reckon that there is a niche for a 'round table' outdoors podcast of a similar format. news roundup, and generally chewing the fat - something that Andy Howell was getting accidentally with his "interview the bloggers".
Interesting talks about conferences - "constructive rather than instructive". New tech to me: Talkshoe (live and recorded interactive podcasts).
Monday, 19 March 2007
SUW Planning 4
Ordered in some Drytech meals from Expedition Foods. Plus some Pemmikan, which I've never tried.
Did some work on some cunning background ideas.
OutdoorPreview 2007
3rd-5th July, Harrogate International Centre, trade show. (Link)
Focused exhibitions, such as outdoorpreview, really do provide a showcase that gives the UK outdoor trade an important 'leg-up' when looking to rationalise brand choices, what will sell-through, what is new and how best to plan for the coming seasons. Knowledge is power and attending outdoorpreview ensures a constant information flow aimed at helping you run a more profitable business. (1)
On the site, if you go to the Outdoor Enthusiast section, there's information on camping, walking and equipment care.
SUW T-12
Someone asked me what the total ascent of the Southern Upland Way was? I didn't know offhand, so had to check in Ronald Turnbull's "Across Scotland on Foot". After checking the number by adding up the ascents listed in Roger Smith's official SUW guidebook, the graphical answer is:
A couple of Munros short of Everest.
Gulp.
West to East that is 6,980m/22,900 feet. At least it is spread over 212 miles/340km.
Waiting for Godot
Nothing much happened today.
I stopped off in WH Smiths and noticed they had "Free Today" marked on some books. When I read the small print, there was some free nonsense if you spent money on other things. Same sort of chickanery that was in the adverts in Harpers Weekly in 1862 - SPLENDID GOLD WATCH. 145 years and a different era, oh how we have advanced.
There is a good selection of maps, and was tempted to get a spare OS map for the SUW, Tour or Travel, one had the Way marked. But I resisted as I've the guidebook and maps too.
I had a look at a book on the British Citizenship Test, and was astonished to learn a couple of new facts:
- Gaelic is the native language of Scotland.
- A Levels are studied in Secondary School. (note - not mentioned "except in most of Scotland")
If you spot the errors, please don't tell me. I'm not trying the mock test, as I'll be deported from the mainland, but here's the link.
No sign of the book I was after.
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Some new faces on the Frappr map, and 169 members.
George (the real one) got his picture uploaded, and BG/Steff is present (looks like his breachclout is on too tight). Chasrle's is sporting his name-badge, which is sweet. A new addition from Nanuet, NY state. In England, new APs in Preston and Exeter, down on the south coast.
Still not completely tying in with the automatic system on ClustrMap.
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Zooomr is still offline, being upgraded. Bit of a nuisance, but I think the PhotoStory of the trek down the beach worked out okay.
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Useful site: http://www.videojug.com/tag/camping
Discovered whilst looking up to put a face to the voice Kirsten O'Brien who appeared on the Steve Merchant show; which I listened to to hear I'm So Dave's update.
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I'll need to spend some time at ExpeditionFoods.com - to see about...well, I'm sure you can figure out what I'm looking at. Also see what the delivery time is on BokkeFoods.com
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By the way. I think I've figured out what the 'format' of this blog is. I'm probably stating the bleedin' obvious, but I reckon it is a visual radio show about an apprentice hiker. Any thoughts?
Sunday, 18 March 2007
Dave's Made It
Dave has made it to John o'Groats (earlier in week). It was closed, so Steve Merchant didn't believe him. The local who they asked to confirm where he was seemed in a hurry to get about her business. The TIC was closed too, and he didn't know how to get back.
Steve lost the bet, and will pay his show fee to Comic Relief.
Dave's closing song: Primal Scream "I'm losing more than I’ll ever have" (couldn't find on YT, alternative)
I look forward to Dave's blog catching up.
The Links Effect
Went for a walk on a cold and windy, but sunny Sunday afternoon. Tried out the 3MP camera on the phone to capture these images of Aberdeen, starting from the beach and going back up to the town.
Links: Links, Beach Ballroom in the 1960's (site), Transition Extreme, The Lemon Tree, Provost Skene's House
Scottish Writers (1)
Picked up a book in the library the other day "Discovering Scottish Writers" (ed Alan Reid & Brian Osborne). I've split the long list into sections, and this is the first, pre-Walter Scott list, in chronological order.
- John Barbour (Poet)
- Robert Henryson (Poet)
- William Dunbar (Poet)
- Gavin Douglas (Poet)
- Sir David Lindsay (Poet & Playwright)
- Alexander Scott (Poet)
- William Drummond (Poet)
- Sir Thomas Urquhart (Man of letters & Translator)
- Allan Ramsay (Poet)
- Alasdair MacMhaighstir Alasdair (Poet)
- James Thomson (Dramatist & Poet)
- Tobias George Smollett (Novelist)
- John Home (Dramatist)
- Duncan Ban Macintyre (Poet)
- James Macpherson (Poet & Translator)
- James Boswell (Biographer, Diarist & Travel writer)
- Henry Mackenzie (Novelist & Essayist)
- Robert Fergusson (Poet)
- Robert Burns (Poet)
- Carolina Oliphant, Lady Nairne (Poet)
- James Hogg (Novelist & Poet)
I hope to get some culture along the Southern Upland Way. There's a deep heritage before Scott and Burns.
Saturday, 17 March 2007
Where are the AktoPals?
So far, the 150 listed folks on the Frappr map reside:
- Canada
- Ontario: Toronto.
- USA
- Washington: Ferndale; Seattle.
- Nevada: Las Vegas.
- Colorado: Arvada.
- Minnesota: Rochester.
- Kansas: Wichita.
- Texas: Plano; Athens; Dallas.
- Vermont: Burlington.
- New York: Manhattan Island - one AP on 6th Avenue, and another on Broadway (I didn't realise how accurate the maps were).
- New Jersey: Morristown.
- Europe
- United Kingdom
- Scotland: Aberdeen x 2 (Hi FJ); Edinburgh; Glasgow (hi "Big Galloot").
- England: North Shields; Gateshead; Harrogate; Leeds x 2; Manchester x 2; Sheffield x 4; Derby (Hi Simon); Shepshed; Hinckley; Telford; Birmingham x 5; Newmarket; Cambridge x 2; Milton Keynes x 6; Stevenage x 2; St Albans; Watford x 2; Aylesbury; Stoke Mandeville; Oxford; Gloucester x 2; Brentford; Epsom; Brighton; Cosham; Fareham; Exeter; London x 12 (Hi George).
- Okay, so, who placed a London pin on the MI5 building, own up, I can wait all night!!! I thought the name 'Millbank' was familiar.
- Wales: Swansea (Hi Chris).
- Irish Sea: two folk in the water south of the Isle of Man.
- Spain: Madrid.
- Switzerland: Pieterlen.
- Belgium: Diegem.
- The Netherlands: Nieuwerkerk Aan Den Ijssel; Amsterdam.
- Germany: Bonn (Hi Frank).
- Poland: Lublin.
- Far and Away
- China: 6 folk (see previous comments as to why I'd rather not list locations).
- South Korea: Seoul.
- Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur.
- New Zealand: Auckland.
Is that 150? If not, then sorry for missing out people.
Music on the radio: Little Richard "Tutti Frutti". Hum that and grab yourself an AktoCard.
TOS Day 2.3
To recreate the thrill of Birmingham, I forced myself out round 4 outdoors shops in Aberdeen on Saturday afternoon, to see what they had in the sales.
Tisos. There's an Osprey 50 litre pack for sale for £90 (reduced from £120). Looked like an Atmos to me, but didn't take a written record. MH Trek pants down by 15 quid, for the normal and the zip-offs. They had the Gerber Shortcut multitool for £20.
Now, I have a Leatherman Squirt on order - once the Post Office get back to their core business and deliver the package to me, posted 10 days ago, recorded delivery, so someone will get there @rse chewed out since they have failed to deliver to package. But the Gerber is new, and there in front of me. But I know nothing about it. How does the weight compare to the Leatherman (which they have on show), what are the tools like. "We don't have an open one." "There is a picture of it". "I can show you a bigger Gerber so you can see".
Now, I'll point you here, dearest passenger, to my recent ramblings about the Real World/Virtual World interface, and cite this Saturday afternoon as a case in point.
Needless to say that there was no sale, as the impulse to buy was broken.
Waterstones. Not an outdoors shop, but I was after a book, and since it assimilated Ottakars, it is the nearest big bookshop on my route. I won't say what the book was I was after, as all will become clear later. There used to be a section on local writings, and the Scottish authors. Now it is 'adult/erotic' books in that prime slot. JockJottings (my term) are hidden by the kiddies section out the back of the shop. I couldn't tell if there was anything upstairs, as half of the upper floor is now a coffee shop, where you'd have to push past folk to get to the core business products. Once more I left empty handed.
Blacks. Big winter sale on. Some major discounts. They've also got the oval Sigg with a cup. Great design and I would be tempted but I have an oval Sigg already, sans cup. Package said it was based on a 1941 Swiss Army design. Picked up a Cyba-Lite for 2 quid, and "Don't Forget the Duct Tape" for 3 quid. They have some gorillapods in stock - I might give one a try when my beanbag dies on me.
It was the first time I came across kids wearing those wheel-heel things. Outdoors, no problem. But indoors, up and down the shop's timber floor? Here's a YT link - and someone will get hurt, if it hasn't happened already.
Craigdon's. Sale on (I didn't buy the pink fluffy boots in the window). About £10-£15 quid off lots of products. Saw the Osprey 22L pack in the flesh. Nice. Heard that the tent show is again in 5/6 May (link). Despite nice kit, there was nothing I was after. Nice to get space to wander.
Nevisport. And finally. In the door, looking at the sales items, I was greeted by ... "how'd the winter skills training go?" Not "what can I sell you?" or "do you need help?" I recounted some of the self-arrests and left the gent with an AktoCard so he could see the photos (unsigned card, but nr 8 - he looked bemused). Thought about a 3 litre Camelbak, but I've the 2 litre one already plus the oval Sigg, so resisted the impulse buy. Also resisted the Great Glen Way Harveys map until a later date (for another grand plan).
The surprise shop of the day was a bargain book shop. The Scottish section was well-stocked, with a book on Corbetts, and 2 editions of Cameron McNeish's "The Munros" book, Scots poetry and even some local interest books. Nothing I was after though.
TOS Day 2.2
Well, George, BG and Dave Mycroft are back from Birmingham. But pipped, I think I can say, by Cameron McNeish's podcast from the show - now, that's a media scoop for Mr McNeish.
And there in one of Dave Mycroft's photos is John's Hat of Doom! One brim to rule them all, and in the darkness bind them.TOS Day 2
Second day of me not being at The Outdoorsssss Showssss, though Cameron and WD are making up for that. Other bloggers are available, and will no doubt be posting soon.
Off to the shops to see what's in the sales. There's also an errand I must run in a non-gear shop. More later.--
And in the real world, Alan Sloman's reached 15% of the walk. Well done sir."I'm So Dave" is at Wick, having walked 1168 miles over the last 59 days. To paraphrase Bill Bryson's AT book, it isn't just the walking, it is the getting up each day and walking, and the next day and the next day. As a new discovery (empathy?), I am in awe at the mental, as well as physical, fortitude of people like Dave and Alan.
Please accept these very limited edition GoldAktoCards as some small token of the amazing effort that you have shown.
"Out of Doors" 17.03
Radio Scotland's outdoors program (link) discussed the North Sea path meet has been talked about at the. Interesting that the Scottish Exec didn't send a representative. Still, I suppose it was too far to travel out of the Central Belt (twinned with London). Snarl.
- Aberdeenshire Council's "North Sea Trail" page.
- Free maps on the Shire site.
- Official site for the overall dream plan: www.northseatrail.org
- Article in "The Scotsman" newspaper.
129 miles. Hmmmm.
I've been driving regularly to Peterhead over about 7 years now, and when I get to the coast near Stirling Village, the view is always different. From the time of day to the weather, to the nautical traffic - it is always a unique view (which the old phone camera doesn't do any justice).
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By coincidence, the "Munro virgin/novice" slot talks about socks, then rucksacks, and hydration systems.
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AktoCard winners go to the people at Aberdeenshire Council for their hard work on the trail sections, and Martin & Euan at Radio Scotland. Take a copy with pride chaps and chapesses, you've done good.
SUW - T-14
Two weeks today! Gulp.
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Pacerpole section came back today - I only posted it on Wednesday lunchtime. Delivered lengthwise through the letterbox (at least the postie is smart enough not to say it was too wide to fit).
Email yesterday from Heather (link from Heather about Mr Townsend's recent Stateside trip). The advice is:
When locking, try steady and firm turns so you can almost feel the nylon-plastic part of the bolt pressing against the inside of the shaft wall.....this allows time for it to fully engage.
I'll look at how I'm holding them, as I let them go into a naturalistic position, pushing myself along - I'll see what bad habits I've let myself get into. I'm probably guilty of overlocking with a rapid twist instead. Hence one section getting locked too tight. (YT link)
Still, it solves the issue of which charity to focus on for the SUW. I've decided to put links to both "Comic Relief" and the "Gurkha Welfare Trust" (for reasons mentioned before). People can then decide that if they want to use the walk as a focus, to donate money that way.
I was sickened to hear that the UK Government "planned to transfer £425 million from the Big Lottery Fund and £250 million from other good causes after 2009." (Source: BBC News). I don't know how this theft will affect real, honest good causes - not only from the government stealing from money 'donated' by the public through the national lottery, but by the expected drop in people actually doing the lottery because of this. With less money coming in, and more money going out to fund the British hosting of the Olympics in 2012, charities (honest to goodness goodness) will lose out. Or will they? Will people just give money directly to charity, thereby bypassing the lottery 'system'. In which case, I think that some low-key community projects will then be affected.
Ach well, we get the politicians that reflect society. People blag towels from hotel rooms, or break the speed limit on regular basis, justifying with excuses. Be a better society, and we'd get better politicians.
2 weeks today. Yaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh. I need to get away from 'civilisation' and out into the real world.
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PS: link from Heather about Mr Townsend's recent Stateside trip. Chris' own blog has his comments. New word of the week 'pulk'. Chris comments that:
In six days in the Yellowstone backcountry we saw no people or even any trails. We did see bison and elk and the tracks of many animals and birds.
All I can say is 'wow'.
The longest I've gone, so far, is one day, when I only saw one person (and I said 'hi' as he cycled past). No, I tell a lie, I'd forgotten that a couple of days later there was one day when the only human contact was seeing 2 people in the distance (link).
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AktoCards list this week:
- Nr 1: Cameron McNeish (in with my TGO subscription)
- Nr 2: Heather & Alan @ Pacerpole Ltd
- Nr 3: Doreen at work
- Nr 4: Paul at work
- Nr 5: Fiona-Jane
- Nr 6: Parents (one each would have just been too much of an ego-trip)
- Nr 7: Mike
Tonkan
...and the raves...
Listening to This Week in Tech podcast, episode 90 "Idiocracy" in the background. Good weekly roundup of tech-related news...and then off topic down 'rat-holes' on the "content free podcast". If you want to singalong, here's the song. Film being mention "Idiocracy" on IMDB.com, and looks good - It is by Mike "King of the Hill" Judge. (YT link, warning: adult language).BTW: Andy, Bob & WD,if you haven't heard TWiT's podcast yet maybe the format gives you the same ideas it gives me. They did some video in the past too.
--Watched "Macross Plus" film last night. Number 8 in the SFX magazine top 25 anime. Not having seen the original tv series (YT link) I will now have to go and get it. I'm not surprised that "Anonymous"'s step-niece watched it a lot. The spiky-noses were strange, but a great indepth storyline. 13 years old, but the high-quality work that was put in back in 1994 means that the animation hasn't dated that much.
We watched it in the subtitled versions, voices:- Isamu: Takumi Yamazaki
- Guld: Unshô Ishizuka - voice was familiar, as he was in "Cowboy Bebop"
- Myung: Rica Fukami
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After that, we watched "Syriana", with George Clooney looking like John Cleese (sources 1,2,3).
Do not watch the trailer - the movie is not an action film, it is better than that. The trailer put me off the movie, which is an intelligent political drama. Watch out for lots of familiar faces - none more so that Doc Bashir himself. Hmm...I can't help but notice that he only appears on the 'extended' cast list on the IMDB page: alphabetical listing problem, or maltreatment of "Johnny Foreigner"? (oops, best not end on a rant).
Chaorain
Just catching up with comms from the last few days.
Maverickapollo's blog "Just Rants and Raves" noted the scum (my words) that are now using blogs to pass on damaging computer code to the reader. I call these people scum, and hope that they get the sack from their jobs, catch nasty diseases and otherwise have their karma screwed with for the evil scum that they are.
Every part of the Internet gets vandalised by these scum for their own waste of time scummy damaging scummy stuff. All that will happen is that people will complain to the politicians that nothing is being done, and something must be done. The authorities do do some things, but obviously not enough. It is another issue with the interface between the real and virtual worlds.
When the scum get caught, the sentence must take into account all the damage that they and their scripts have done worldwide.
...enough of my ranting...
Some Meter on Feet
American Bushman asked what my thoughts were on foot care. Although not an expert, here's what works for me:
Naked feet: keep toenails clipped and hard skin smoothed. I use a rubbing device from the supermarket as they didn't have any pumice stones. I get dry, hard skin on my right outer heal, and so would tend to get blisters there.
Socks: chose carefully. I use a mix of different brands. If using "Sealskinz" waterproof socks, I'd recommend liner socks. Choose your socks with the same care that you chose your boots or shoes.
Footwear: the Inov-8 Terrocs have never given me blisters, however those were not the pair that I wore on the WHW (where I did end up with blisters). I've reverted to boots, and have had no problems with the Scarpa ZG65's. I think the most important advice is to get a proper boot fitting. Even after you have researched the products available, and what you want from the footwear (rather than what the seller thinks you want).
Care and attention: dry your feet regularly. If you feel a blister start to develop, stop and treat it. I'm too much of a wimp to use the hot pin method, and go for the clean scissors and snip. Germolene is my antiseptic cream of choice, but I'm not a trained medic, so won't give out advice here (not with the current 'blame culture'). Keep your first aid kit sorted, replacing used supplies. I use a waterproof first aid bag, mine came from BPL.co.uk - I know that any old drysack would have done, but I always tell trail-mates where they will find my first aid kit in my pack. Just in case.
Pre-treatment: I put vaseline on my feet if I'm going out for a trek, then pull on my socks. Normally because my 'official' creams are stowed in my back the night before. I have a drybag with my 'remedies' - foot creams, lip balm, sunlotion, jungle juice. The Gehwol foot creams from BPL.co.uk are the pre-treatment and the post-treatment "refreshing balm" - in all honesty, I use the latter more often (unless I'm on a multiday hike, the vaseline lasts long enough so I don't use the footcream). As I suffer from migraines, I found that the refreshing menthol balm works well on my forehead and helps ease away pains, in the same way as products like 4head. Again, I'm no expert, but it works for me when the weather makes me feel tingly.
Proper Planning Prevents P...poor Performance.
Any athletes foot will get treated before I go out. I did once carry some talc for it, but these days I just leave it in my car kit (when I remember).
Another thing that might help is hydration. I use a Camelbak system and make sure I drink regularly. I'm not sure if that makes a difference.
I also use the 'smart foot' moulded insoles in my boots (but not my Terrocs)
With Eagle Eyes
Woawwww, was it only me that spotted something strange in Weird Darren's press pack for the Outdoorsss Showssss:
Starts with "B" and ends in "uff" ????? Is this the real reason "Weird Darren - the Buff Slaying Peacock" wanted a press pack? I think the world should be told.
We are at the back of your headz making your eyez swivel ' '
Friday, 16 March 2007
TOS Day 1
Well, no matter how high up in the building I go, I can't see Birmingham from here. Other people who are at The Outdoors Show are, or will be:
How many 'outdoors' can you have? Magic, Great, Show, Channel.
Also, why is it 'outside' (singular), but 'outdoors' (plural) when a man can only exit through one door at a time?
Thursday, 15 March 2007
Wednesday, 14 March 2007
Bob & Andy's Big Day Out
Just caught the podcast over tea, and very good it was too. Not just Bob Cartwright and Andy Howell
Link to podcast page on TheOutdoorsStation
I was surprised that the podcast covered not only the wood-burning stove and bacon sarnie making (even though I was tucking into my tea, I was getting hungry again listening to that) - very good podcast, as ever, but I wasn't expecting the 'new media' discussion in there. Food for the ears and the imagination.
I do hope it'll be part of a series: "Bimbles with Bob", "Ramblings with Robert", "Aurally Active Andy". Or when the two chaps head out again:
- "Bob and Andy's Wrong Trousers" - how choosing the wrong trousers can result in chaffing of the nether regions, and what creams can be applied (obviously an XXX rating there folks),
- "A Close Shave" - using shaving oils and packable razors on treks
- then the full-feature film version "Bob and Andy's Curse of the WereTarpKit". ' '
Link to Andy's blog of the pod for a picture of the bacon being cooked, the stove being used, and the foldable spork.
Oh, I've taken the executive decision to not copy-and-paste the player in, so that Bob gets the audience passing through his site instead. More work for readers (point, click, scroll, click), but you need the exercise, and you'll see his shiny new site.
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Speaking of laziness. Can people start making an effort and rating podcasts where you've got the chance. I notice that iTunes does things differently now, but if you notice the chance to rate Internet media that you enjoy, then please do so. It advertises your happiness to people around the world and the podcasters have a chance of reaching new people who may ignore 'unpopular' feeds.
Tuesday, 13 March 2007
End of Month Report 1
Well, it has been the first month of Google Analysis reporting who in the big wide world actually reads my postings. For me, it is a journal of my experiences and hiking-related happenings. Whether discounted shaving oil in Asda or seeing reindeer in the Cairngorms, I'm recording what I find to be important. If you observers of this transient life find some trigger or common emotion, then great. Otherwise, it is just me and a blank page, but that's great too, as it allows me to focus my thoughts on things. (Some of that comes from the conversation with Andy earlier today, so may be in the blog-pod-cast, 'blogcast').
Visitors from 14 February: 1,956. (ClustrMap's stats started later, but are about 200 extra for the same period when analysed with Google's data).
February's returning readers: 68%
Average time spent reading: 3 minutes 46 seconds.
Frappr map has stabilised at 39 people.
ClustrMap may be more accurate than the Google Map, as nodes appear and disappear on Google Analysis, but stay on ClustrMap, and are noted by visitors themselves on the Frappr map.
Areas for expansion: Greenland, Antarctica, Pacific Islands (other than NZ, "hello NZ"), and the Russian subcontinent. Oh, Alaska too. But at the moment, I'd be happy if someone from the Hebrides dropped by. Or France, Italy, Turkey, Subsaharan Africa. I'm not fussy, it just gives me an excuse to look places up on the map.
To the visitors, wherever you are in the world, if you want to grab yourself a AktoCard, you've earned it.
Oh, and the real world AktoCard #2 is in with my PacerPole being sent to the hosPO...no, I did that one earlier. Like Blue Peter badges, they'll be on eBay next.
SUW Planning 3
Dash it. Why is getting to the trail-head such a battle? I've theTrainline.com site open, as well as travelinescotland.com, and the map of the western SUW, and the guidebook, and Memory Maps! I'm looking at getting to Portpatrick about 2.30pm, so realistically, not starting to trek until 3pm after "feet wet". That'll mean I either camp west of Stranraer or, east of Stranraer, which would mean clearing Castle Kennedy.
Advantage of latter: gets me away from the urbanites.
Disadvantage of latter: a long day travelling.
Fallback position: I fall back on the ground and crawl into tent in the first best pitch I can find as the sun starts to set.
Driving Andy Barmy
Technology letting us down, as I'm being interviewed by Andy Howell for the podcast on bloggers. Between the connection crashing, a foreign lad going door-to-door selling sketches (sorry, are we in 19th Century Paris?) , and me coughing and wheezing and losing the train of thought, it's all well. Poor Andy's got all that to edit to get something worth listening to. It'll be worth listening to, and I can't wait for the finished product.
Andy's side of the conversation can be read here.Phone test 5
You have received a Media Message
This Media Message has been sent using an O2 camera phone.
Click here to view this message online
http://mediamessaging.o2.co.uk/mms2legacy/showMessage2.do?encMmsId=044E47298C54237E
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UPDATE:
well, that didn't work, so I'll kill the link. It was an attempt at using a native AMR file via the MMS system in O2 on the QT. TTFN
Skippinish
Ordered OL42 Kielder Water & Forest (Bellingham & Simonside Hills), from themapcentre.com - the pound off was charged in postage and package. Even my cold/flu addled brain can figure out that that means it is post free. Woohoo (cough/splutter).
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Nifty feature on the Ordnance Survey site, where you can zoom to an area, and it shows you what maps cover that area.
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skipinnish.com - they have some mp3s to legally download too. Including a Norman MacLean sketch. If you like his style, try this on YouTube too; and this. yes, mentioned him before, but he is funny, and I need cheering up.
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I don't speak German, but AlpinAktiv.de has some great video podcasts. Thanks to Chasrle at OM for finding it.
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Ooh, email from Andy Howell for the great blogger podcast. Will someone be podding the blogs of the podcast? And which category will that appear in WD's weekly round-up. It can't be an exclusive scoop if he reports it in both podcast and blog. I obviously work with Excel too much, when I keep on waiting for a blue dot to appear.
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SUW planning - copy of GMF's "The Steel Bonnets" dug out (just seen the price on Amazon, wow, it is 400 pages long and only £8.57 plus pnp), also the Osprey book "The Border Reivers". Must get an appropriate book for the journey. Maybe some Burns? Rabbie, not George. Boom tish.
Also, thinking last night that a cheap wee mp3 player with radio for the train journey, or if I get rained in to the tent. Now that this just subliminal advertising from Amazon, as they sent me a message about cheap mp3 players yesterday. Gads, the power of advertising, eh?
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alt.UOBC2007
Alan Reaches 10% of Britain
Monday, 12 March 2007
Rathad Iericho
If I haven't said it before, I'll say it here, "Scrubs" is a great TV series. I've never seen a programme do comedy and pathos so brilliantly. I can't think of a series that can slip into despair as well. Great writing, direction and acting. Tonight had the transplant episode. I won't spoil it by giving things away.
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And then there was "Castaway". It lasted maybe 6 minutes. 4 of them was when I was in the kitchen catching some of it as the kettle boiled. 2 minutes of people voting on who was the laziest, and that had something to do with the issue of toilet rolls.
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Discovered, Backpacker magazine editor, Steve Howe's, phone-reports on the Sierra High Route as he looks back on the day's hike. The first one I caught, about day 10, he had feasted on crisps and beer. My sort of hiker. Available through iTunes under "Backpacker Trail Tours".
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Looked in to some things for the SUW, batted some ideas off Simon. Laminating some AktoCards and noting things to take on trip.
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Sheila at work suggested I do the SUW as a charity trek. I wasn't going to as people already sponsored me on the WHW. Thoughts so far, and in order of my mangled thoughts:
- Gurkha Welfare Trust - for a couple of reasons - the book, and the fact that the British government not backdating the full pension to the old timers (BBC News).
- Galloway MRT - for helping Kate out recently. But I can't find a charity number on Justgiving. No doubt an email could fix that.
- The RNLI - because I was raised on an island.
- Cancer Research UK - as people did already on my WHW trek.
Any other suggestions, or preferences folks?
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Last of lucozade gone. Toddy and tabs to get a good night's sleep (hopefully), see what tomorrow brings.
An Teid Thu Leam a Mhairi?
10th Annual Web Awards Finalists listed here.
A couple of BBC programs in there, so not all US-centred.
I couldn't find much to write home about, but did find this shocking news. Why? Bcz ur wrth it.
I thought it was a joke, but here's the NY Times article.
Link to the CK online community, WhatAreYouIn2, going active on the 21st. Gosh, can't wait (yawn). Anyway, shouldn't that be WotRUn2, or it that too minimalist?
Once that had died down (or it could just have been the flu drugs kicking in or sugar rush from the Lucozade, dude), I was left with www.vodpod.com
"Show your friends videos you like. See what your friends are watching".
Don't get me wrong, but, someone must make the video content in the first place, so is this just rehashing things rather than promoting new content. Ah, no, they have new content too, as well as linking in from vids from other sources.
Well, the quality looks better than YouTube, for example, this one on GeoCaching.
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BBC tech blog using Google Maps.
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Dug out the BMC insurance, and it was annual rather than seasonal. So my cover's up-to-date.
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Geoff's comment on an earlier question looks to be solving my irks about comments, the solution being www.cocomment.com. As well as pointing out the Thoreau Blog.
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Added blog to the www.britblog.com blog directory site. Ranks are based on the technoranki service. Well done to Walkabout in the UK as the only hiking blog listed in the top 300 chart.
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Look, yes, Teine is the name of the band, not the track title. But even "Sam Ceilidh/Basil the Retriever" is too obscure even for me. They'll be playing the Hebridean Celtic Festival.
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Keeping to a musical theme, ever wondered what happened to ZZ Top? Well, click here.
Teine
Lighthiker asks: Should blogger limit themselves to two or three entries a week? Any thoughts?
My reply:
Personally, I open the Windows Live Writer after work as I'm working on the PC doing personal paperwork or projects.
I use Google Reader to keep tabs on blogs rather than my blogroll. They are (almost) identical anyway, plus a few non-outdoors blogs. As a browser, FireFox seems to hold all the tabs quite well, and I rarely need to open extra tabs. My thoughts are picking up about the up-and-coming SUW trek, and I'm starting to get nervous about it. When I get nervous, I talk more, or talk less. I find the blog helps me concentrate and focus on outdoors things, as I only (normally) write about outdoors-related matters. The fact that I don't get out for overnight trips as often as I want probably takes me into the majority of trekkers, rather than the minority.
Blogs as a media format can be used in many different ways and to do many different things. Some people create product reports, or old-media tie-ins, or keep a diary. I see my usage as a journal rather than a daily diary.
Listing what I did, or have to do, or what I found. A scrap-book, if you will. If I have nothing to say, I say nothing.
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Sad news from Norway. (BBC News)
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http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/gps/ - I like the windchimes. But the GoogleEarth 1790 edition just looks sooooooo pretty. Yup, I'm a cartophile, and I don't care.
Most are eyecandy, but the North America 1733 map has lots of detail.
The England/Wales map of 1790 is in the style of John Speed. You know, I haven’t coughed/wheezed in 5 minutes now.
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Stuart's Munro listings, his index to some great photos. He also has an interactive map, where you can click to view photos (where available).
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The astute amongst you will have noticed the change in track titles. I've swapped albums to "B2B: Isles FM", by Isles FM to raise money so that they could improve their transmission range to cover the whole of the Western Isles, from the Butt of Lewis down to Barra. (if, like me, you don't have The Gaelic, you may find this helpful)
AktoCard
AktoCard - accepted in no good shops on the high-street or Web.
The first real world one went in with my TGO subscription, a poor exchange for a Colin Prior print.
I've a few printed for real world meets. Eventually they will replace money.
Thoreau
The chivalric and heroic spirit which once belonged to the Rider seems now to reside in, or perchance to have subsided into, the Walker,—not the Knight, but Walker, Errant. He is a sort of fourth estate, outside of Church and State and People.
- The Thoreau Reader.
- About Henry David Thoreau at the Thoreau Society.
- At Project Gutenberg.
- At "Transcenentalists".
- Walden Pond State Reservation.
- "The Forester" - Alcott's tribute to a dying Thoreau.
Whilst looking for his essay "Walking", I found this gem on the WGBH website. A 41 minute video programme with Richard Smith as Thoreau, including readings from "Walking". I love the Internet!
Kettle's boiled, off to get my medicine.
Oh, if you want a cross-over, "The Essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson Podcast" can be found, free, at LearnOutLoud.com
Sunday, 11 March 2007
End of an Era
Bob Cartwright's latest podcast is entitled "The End of Our Podcast Series". The king is dead, long live the king.
He discusses new media with Cameron McNeish, and the use of technology by the outdoors market.
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Found the Southern Upland Way Accommodation Guide pdf free here. It's a bit out of date.
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Off to dope myself up to try and get some sleep tonight.
SUW Planning 2
Been feeding in bothy gridrefs for Southern Scotland. Finding some good sites along the way. Including:
A free 64-page booklet entitled "Short walks on the Eastern Section of the Southern Upland Way" [pdf file]. One up on the Scottish Border council for that, the western section by Dumfries & Galloway council is free for the price of postage [link].
TrailFAQs.com has some travel photos of the SUW here.
CyberHiker's trail log (trog?) is here.
Bothy listings at the DumGal (isn't that a "Little Britain" character?) here. I notice that there are more than the MBA list. Sweet.
Pulling Teeth
After a flash of inspiration last night, I tried the K750 battery in the K800, but no joy. Still, I found the usb charger cable hidden in a drysack in my rucksack (from 3 weekends back).
Added the North of England bothies to Memory Map. Hmm, I should have done the ones on the SUW first, ach well, I'll come back to that. Found this site when looking for info on a bothy: Northumberland University Mountaineering Club, and their worst night ever. Waking up with my face in an asthtray...sorry, must be hiking related.
Not horrendously bad, but the most uncomfortable pitch was this one above Bridge of Orchy. Not ideal, steep slope, on heather, in wet. But, hey, that's life. Or was the midge-one at Geldie Lodge worse? Hmm, I think I was annoyed to be caught out be the wee horrors, but nothing dangerous.
Back to working on the Secret Project.
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Useful site discovered after trying to use 'symbols' in the previous entry: http://www.foxinternet.co.uk/bloggerkeyboard.html
I can now be so passé about it. And thus it begins, from the α to the Θ
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BBC's "Click" tv prog talked to David Braben, co-creator of "Elite", the first 3d computer game. Ah, takes me back.
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Shout-outs on FrapprMap up to 23. So far only Chris is smiling - maybe it is because it is sunny in his photo.
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Been reading up on americanbushman.blogspot.com as he learns new outdoors skills and takes the reader along on his journey. To start at the beginning of his blog, click here.
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Downloaded the beta of Audacity 1.3 to see if it will clean up audio any better.
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Found this very early blog from Birmingham.
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Programme on Channel 4 just now about "The Last Slave". A descendant of the last slave transported from Africa by British slavers searches through his ancestor's life. The gent asks honest questions and is coping with the honest answers.
I had my eyes opened when I worked in Hull, and visited Wilberforce House. Also some of the writings of Frederick Douglass (who has a cameo re-creation in "Glory"). Man's inhumanity to their fellow man in the sake of making money. 1838 before slavery itself was abolished, it was just some of the trading that was abolished in 1807.
Comments on Comments
Still getting frustrated by comments on blogs.
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They aren't a means of 'chatting', as they do not show up on the poster's email, only in the blogger's.
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So the poster must remember to check back to read if there have been any follow-ups.
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Many readers also frequent sites with active forums, the main one for me being OutdoorsMagic, (also UK.Rec.Walking, and TrailTalk as part of CountryWalking for now) but miss out on discussions based in comments (e.g. blogging being the new rock and roll).
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WeirdDarren has an opportunity to summarize in his weekly round-up of blogs, maybe cut'n'paste the discussions (or have) the discussions on the forums.
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But that detracts from the blogger that raised the question in the first place.
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One solution could be to have a forum attached to the blog. But that detracts from the forum that people frequent, eg OutdoorsMagic.
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So, does blogging detract from open discussion?
Welcome to Paradise
By the time I crawled out of my sickbed after 9 hrs fairly decent sleep, the world had changed. The thieving bint had disregarded some of the papers that had no resale value in bins near work, and they had been retrieved by the search party. The Frappr map had received 12 new faces, with Chris Cowell's beaming happy face taking pride of Welsh place. And lo, was it not that blogger begat content which begat blogger.
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Broke the www.transportdirect.info site trying to plan a route using public transport from Aberdeen to Bellingham at the end of April. Offered my brother a free lift down if he can get the time off work.
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Nice when people tell you off for being on the computer late. Look, I was/am ill and couldn't sleep. What should I do, watch tv instead? Instead, adding content to blog, and plotting north of England bothies into Memory Map.
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Emma's Trail Fitness Academy Blog is cheering me up, as I disappear for a coughing fit.SUW Planning
Seeing as I can't sleep, thought I'd look at getting to Portpatrick and back from Cockburnspath, on the SUW. After looking at a few sites, and jotting down notes, I found this place: www.travelinescotland.com. Right, I'm off to my bed then, now that all the planning's been done to the trailheads. Count 2 days for travelling to/from trail, that leaves 16 days. 212miles/16 = 13.25 miles on beans and hay.
George Tod's got a detailed website on his SUW trek in 2003.
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Happy birthday, FJ, in case my email didn't get through.
Frappr Map
Dearest reader, from where-ever you are in the world, you can add information about yourself to the Frappr map below:
Saturday, 10 March 2007
LongView
Well, I should be happy. New phone to play with, "Soul Man" playing on the radio (by Sam & Dave). BUT...Snot is running down my nose. Head is grotty. One of my erstwhile trailmates had her bag stolen with her Uni stuff in it today. I was dozing off on the sofa watching tv wrapped in my bivvy bag. Even the joy of finding that the K800 has image stabilisation that can be added to the twilight or landscape scenes doesn't lift my spirits.
Nabbed the Southern Upland Way guidebook from my desk today in case I don't make it in on Monday.
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Bear Grylls was manic again tonight. "Is it worth getting yourself killed to make a tv program?" He's doing good stuff, great tv presence and delivery, but the question came to mind as he threw himself into a crevice with some para-cord and a deadweight to save him. I hate voyeuristic tv, and I feel that some of his work is crossing that line. I hope they do a "making of" special so I can see all his training and the crew that get such great shots. Anyone podcasting him?
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Just watching the old timer, Sam Moore on YouTube just now - classic. Who needs lemsips and hot toddies. Just a bit of soul, man.
Chump
Darren (of the clan McWeird) started his 'weekly roundup' slots on OM yesterday. Podcasts and blogs. Poor WD forgets that it was his good self who found the link to the US Army's review in the first place.
If you are short of something to read, Aktoman has reviewed the April issue of Trail here. There's also a fantastic link to a very in depth look at dry bags, and a link to a US Army review of commercial water purifiers.
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Got as far as Bruce Miller's before starting to feel like a zombie. Stopped in at work and did some simple marking before going home. Played with camera from work. The daffs were too dark, but I wanted to see the quality of the shots. Phone camera takes them as 2048x1536pixels, saving to 640kb. Shrunk down for posting to 580x435pixels, at 132kb.
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Hillwalk Scotland found a good YouTube video mimicking the "Mountains of Scotland" helicopter shots by using pan/tilt (as found in MS PhotoStory, amongst others), and set to music. I'll not raise the issue of copyright if you don't. The shot of the loch did look like the water was rippling. (Links: YouTube, Rewind Studio).
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Demo of video blogging (last post) straight from phone seems to work in IE, but not FireFox. So I had to dust off the old MS browser to view (AMR/3gp format). Sorry for the inconvenience. I also note that the O2 media hosting is short-term.
Also noticed that the title = text, that should read "indigenous people's music". Opening sequence from one of Michael Kickingbear's video podcasts, giving a glimpse of the work of Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida. The full clip is from the Nammys 2006, with the Soul Splitting Band playing. (link to full clip).
Hey, Kickingbear's on Youtube too. Good show.
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Summertime soon. Dates to remember. Mother's Day too. Plus birthdays.
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I'm So Dave is on the WHW section of his Land's End to John O' Groats adventure. No he's not, his blog has reached there, but his body has reached Inverness. Well done, Dave.
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Hmm, randomly chosen album, and the Green Day/Dookie song titles just seem to be stirring things up.
Demo video off video podcast from indige
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Phone test 3
This time with pic rotated through 90'. That's the Avid shaving system from BPL. And the sweeties too.
Test photo blog
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First glimpse: SE K800
Shiny. New K800 arrived by courier. Oh, how the world mocks me, "I didn't expect to find anyone in on a day like today?" I make excuses, cold/flu, and waiting for phone. I omit the phrase "my precious" as he might get edgy.
It is bigger than my K750, but the connections are the same. Great. So the usb charger for the trek will work as it did on the WHW. No memory stick, hey ho, ordered a gig one from Play.com, is it uses the Sony Micro M2 MS system. The fact that no-one else does means the price is higher, but how many do you need? For me it is a one-off purchase.
A USB data cable allows me to back up files via the included connectivity software.
Swapped out SIM card. Called myself from landline. All worked fine. Just noticed RSS reader (hmm...)
Oops. Conflict in ftp mode. And the install was going so well too. Looks like same issue I had with com ports rears its ugly head again. Ach well, that's only in FTP mode, data transfer okay in phone mode
Hmm. Just noticed that the sync only sunc what was in the phone's memory, and didn't touch the memory card. Transferring files now. 67meg on the phone, and no memory card just now...looks like essential files only i.e. ring tones.
Reinstalled sync software, so off to restart system as the usb connection has been lost to the phone. Ah, the wonderful world of technology.
Having a Blast
Cold/flu got to me in the night. Not a good night, despite the Lemsip tabs. Been cutting interviews for work on Audacity. Think a pre-amp would make life better, or remembering to switch on the microphone boost. Hmm, wonder if the old 'handbag' iMac would work better for recording.
Post brings the subscription offer from TGO. I couldn't recall subscribing to TGO, when the mags appeared 6 months ago. Turns out it was through my NTS membership. Which was nice. I didn't like to ask in case it turned out to be a clerical error. Nice offer of a Colin Prior print too.
Someone at work was asking about the screensaver I have on the works laptop, as he likes landscapes. It is from Colin Prior's site [link].
OM having problems loading.
Other packet from the Mountain Bothies Association. With a glossy newsletter too. Also, two bothy report cards. And...[sfx]..the Members' Handbook with the grid refs for all the bothies, and not just in Scotland, but England and Wales too. I was not expecting that extra detail. Good work people. I'll plug the list into Memory Map (which also covers the North of England, woohoo).
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News from yesterday night...photos from Alan Sloman's trek have now been posted to his website (for example), with the help of John Hee.
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Added a 'listen again' feature in the sidebar. Off to the left, no, left, and down a wee bit. Just fired up "Out of Doors" on Radio Scotland from this morning. Competition.. height of Cairngorm in feet or metres to win an Osprey card ('card', not bag); and a kids competition to win a fluffy puffin.
Talking about lack of snow in Cairngorm, and "climate proofing" Cairngorm Mountain.
Also, taking someone up their first Munro, and a kit-trip to Tiso's (how is it pronounced? "Teeso-s", rather than "Tie-soe-s")
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Any suggestion that I've not got man-flu, and am sulking cos I got a knockback on my promotion can be taken up with my HR department, Betty.
Friday, 9 March 2007
Burnout
Noticed on GoogleAnalysis that I've my first visitor from New Zealand. It is unconfirmed, as the red dot has not appeared on the ClustrMap yet. Listed as Palmerston North. If that's "Southern Paul", who I was in hall's with, then "Hi, mate". if not, please have a look at the photos, and see if you recognise him. He used to cycle in race meets and came to Scotland to study physiotherapy. The North Island is a small place, someone's bound to know him.
Of course, it could be someone checking to see why I didn't bother with "Castaway".
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I must tidy my computer desk. On one side there's ski goggles (not worn in anger), and a bivvy bag on the right-hand side, beside the fold-shut razor and Bob'n'Rose's jelly babies. Plus a VC-50p piece blu-tacked to the upper section, and a WHW book too. From October.
Ugh. Parents visiting on Friday. Must tidy the place.
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Colleague at work backed away from me as I told her I had to name my ice-axe, and it was called 'Betty' now. I don't know why 'Betty'. I suppose it was because Jayne had 'Vera', that I had to choose a plain ladies name.
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Titles now being taken from Green Day's "Dookie" album.
Dancing Squaws
Nipped out at lunchtime to the shops (a rare occasion), and bought Neil Griffiths' "Gurkha Reiver: Walking the Southern Upland Way" and the Pocket Mountains book "Southern Uplands" [pdf]. Many thanks to the young lady in Waterstones who went and got the Reiver book for me, as I couldn't find it.
Fopp were selling Macross Plus boxed set for 7 quid. Movie plus the 4 episodes of the TV series. It came 8th in the SFX Anime Top 25.
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Call from Rose to make sure I'd received the package from BPL okay. I haven't eaten the jelly babies yet. Think I'll stow them somewhere secure for a trek.
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Clare Balding rambled on the West Highland Way for her 100th programme of "Ramblings" on Radio 4. Section hiking from Bridge of Orchy to Forest Lodge, with Jimmie MacGregor discussing the history and environment. There is a 'listen again' feature. [Thanks for pointing that out, Simon]
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TV on Saturday: "Born Survivor: Bear Grylls" 7:20pm - 8:20pm Channel 4.
Grylls parachutes into the French Alps and shows us how to survive.
TV on Sunday: "Countryfile" 10:45am - 11:30am BBC1 Scotland, includes:
Juliet Morris reports on the complexities of animal reintroduction, asking what the British countryside would be like if it was once again home to wolves, beavers, brown bears and even walruses.
source: Radio Times
Oh, and "Castaway" starts on the BBC, but I really can't be @rsed. As if to annoy me even more, a trailer for it bleeps out at 9.02pm on BBC2 to tell me that the program starts at 9.00pm on BBC1. I wish they'd get their clocks sorted. Radio stations can do it, but not the TV stations. Hey ho.
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Watching the docu-drama about the "Gunfight at the OK Corral" on BBC2. I like old photos. Some of them have the 'ghosts' in them. It is people who were moving across a photo as it is being taken.
I think it is because it reminds me of the ghosts that we are in other peoples' lives as we walk by them in the street. The npcs, the extras, if you will.
Harkens back to a "Sapphire and Steel" episode I saw as a kid.
Oh, Liam Cunningham, who's playing Wyatt Earp in the BBC2 prog, is in the new "Dog Soldiers" movie.
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Throat getting worse, coughing, and eyes streaming.
Hungry Dog
Up and out to the PO sorting office. What would it be? Saw the BPL logo and went "ooh". Counter-man suggested he might keep it if I didn't want it. Wee pack contained Rab Survival Zone bivvy, Avid 4 shaving system (why does everything have to be a "system" these days?), pack of mini-jelly babies [sfx] and a new CD.
Crawled inside the bivvy on the carpet floor, pulled the hood up over me and then closed the gap, rolled onto my stomach as if it was raining, and almost fell asleep. The dangers of doing these things before going in to work! Oops, carpet needs cleaning, too much Benn' mud from last night's boots.
Bob's new complementary CD includes a promo about Podcast Nation [link]. "Don't just see the media, be the media". I could 'do a JH' and delve deep into that thought, but I'll leave it for when the little grey cells need something new to think about to keep themselves ticking over.
The CD is split into
- Backpackinglight.co.uk - 8 selected pods on varying topics.
- Gapyearlight.co.uk - 4 pods from a site I haven't visited (yet)
- TheOutdoorsStation.co.uk - 8 pods including some TGO Shows and the Book Club.
Throat is still sore. Croaking a bit yesterday. Ominous.
Davy Crockett
Further to John's comments across at Walkabout/UK:
There's Atkoman continually stretching the bounds within his weblog trying out new ideas and fiddling with a variety of media and ideas. Checking the route out.
I couldn't resist tampering with a photo of mine, as I do like the old ILN style from the 19th century, and woodcuts are just the bees knees.
So, never one to let the moss grow under my feet, and as it is more difficult to hit a moving target, here is a very poor introduction to me trying out the new microphone. I now know what I have to fix (e.g. my delivery), so the next one should be better.
Manuscript available here.
Nothing serious, I just want to add another string to my bow. Or 'trailblaze' if you will.
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Almost forgot. Got a 50p piece in my change today with a VC stamped on the reverse. I was quite taken aback, and my mind was cast back to the heroes who have received the real one. [there is a website about 50p's]
It was also good news today for the Gurkhas serving in the British Army [BBC News]. They secured a pension deal that puts them on a comparable basis with the other units fighting and training alongside them. But the good news doesn't apply to those who retired before 1997.
Thursday, 8 March 2007
Harvest Dreams
Out to Bennachie again for the regular - can I class it as regular if this was only the 2nd weekly climb? Accompanied this week by Paul/Oot. Caught the sun on the way back. Talk turned to dSLRs as we both got our wee cameras out.
And we turn to say a fond fairwell to Bennachie. Will we ever see its like again?
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Getting to hear "Open Country" on Radio 4 on my drive back from Peterhead on Thursdays. Good program. Random parts of the country, so you never know where, or what the outdoor theme would be. Today's was about Assynt, and included memories of the training of the mini-subs that would go after the Tirpitz in WW2. You must have seen the movie!
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Rapal on BBC2 Alba featured "Our Small Capital" tonight. Links here to their MySpace page which includes music, blog and much much more.
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Darren's creating the news and calling them "scoops" - he'll go far in journalism. And over to Darren in the studio.
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Wrapping up my PacerPole section to send back to the hosPOLEtil to get fixed. Boom tish.
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Mike's been blogging about the new movie. They've been killing Grubbit in weird and wonderful ways.
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Two-Heel Drive's blog raises the Bill Bryson movie project again. It'd be good to see, but I think I'd prefer a documentary (or Second Life version?).
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Picked up a microphone, stand and pop filters from Maplins today on the way out to the Benn'. For a secret project.
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From Indian Queens to heading up Brown Willy, Alan Sloman's now reached Launceston. On the subject of camp humour, sad to hear that John Inman died in hospital today.
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That's the "Native American Legends" album almost finished. I'm talking requests for the next genre?
Wednesday, 7 March 2007
Trail: April 2007
April's "Trail" magazine came through a tear in the space-time continuum back to March.
- Sad article about people escaping from Tibet, and the reports on the plight of exiles mentioned in the International Campaign for Tibet's "Dangerous Crossings" 2006 update (available soon).
- The 6 of the Best..Sleep Mats has fun "get it/snub it" comments. Thought the price of the ME Fusion looked too good to be true at £6. Out by a factor of 10.
- As ever, the sense of recognition is a good thing. So enjoyed reading the "Hill Zen: The distance check".
- The main article is "The Trail 100. The finest UK mountains, the best ranges, one list." Well, I'm at 3% just now. Ben Macdui, Lochnagar, Ben Hope.
- The knowledge - as ever, this has lots of information .
- "My inspiration" is an inspired article and should get people thinking of their own heroes and people who inspired/inspire us. And you can view some of the interviews on YouTube too.
- Gear reviews are on footwear. 3-season boots; multi-activity shoes; trail-running shoes; kids' boots; sandals.
- Fitness academy is on scrambling this month. I'll read this in detail later, as Trail's given me good information in the past about overcoming "confidence demons".
- Range guide: Langdale Giants. Routes: wild walks.
- Mountain connections: I've yet to find one I'm interested in. IMHO, bring back the 15 Things, or something better.
Link to magazine site; forum; YouTube.
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Off phone with nice lady from the mobile phone company. Free upgrade to the k800i - 3.2mp camera. Oh, and all the other bits and pieces. Not been worth trying photo-blogging on the k750i as 'only' 2mp. But will be worth giving it a go for the SUW. Also, the old phone's battery has not been lasting as long as before.
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Getting tempted seriously tempted by the "The Backpackers Club AGM & TGO Ultralight Fest" in late April. I'll need to look into accommodation and getting there and back again. With more traders going, it looks like a fun gearfest. If the worst comes to the worst, I could drive down, wildcamp, head into town, tab it round some nice terrain, reive some cattle and head back north. Sorry, I was born in Dumfries, and some traditions are hard to break.
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Good call, WeirdDarren. He found that the US Army had been testing water filter systems. Reported here by the "US Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine"
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And if you though WD's article on plastic bags was detailed, then read this by Jim Wood on keeping your gear dry. I've written less words in degree submissions! Cracking stuff.
I Love it When a Plan Comes Together
So, Weird Darren's got his press pass. Well done.
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Spent my lunch break with my investigating feet on, planning the most difficult parts of the SUW. Getting to Portpatrick, and back from Cockburnspath.
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Got a request in for a condensor mike from out wonderful Multimedia Support team. Bob's given me a plan. A plan so cunning that you could stick a tail on it and call it a fox.
Tuesday, 6 March 2007
Monday, 5 March 2007
Like A Snake
Darren's hit a snag with his press pass in to TOS and asked for help.
[sfx]
If you cannot get something from Cameron or Bob, or one of the old/new media folks on OM, then perhaps AktoMan Press Baron could help out? Though I note the following from the MCC's regulations, which may be similar (or a tad more stringent) to that for the TOS:
For freelancers, MCC may request in support of your application a letter of assignment on official letterhead of the media organisation for which you will be working. In addition, you may be asked to submit two recently published articles (print media), recordings of two recent reports (radio and TV media), a letter from a broadcast organization which intends to air your work (independent TV production companies), original tear sheets and photos with credits of the issuing organisation (photographers), or three recently published articles with your byline (online media). Please be prepared to provide the required materials to MCC's Press & Public Affairs Officer in advance of your pass being issued.
Let me know if there's anything I can do to help, WD. Getting bloggers in is the quickest way to hear about the new shiny gear.
Cry For Rain
Outdoors shop, Blacks, is closing stores in the UK. Profit drops warning as sales were quoted as 6% down at the end of 2006 [Source: BBC News] The majority of stores being closed will be those trading as Millets, reports The Scotsman. People are reporting sales in such stores. Maybe that was how I got the 50% discount on the Columbia jacket and trousers two Thursdays ago.
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BBC re-showing "The Trees That Made Britain". Then the excellent "Nation on Film". Channel 4 has a programme called "Greenwash" about the statistics and 'facts' being given out. IMHO: any reasonable project that cuts down our reliance on non-renewables is worth serious consideration.
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Wind's getting up.
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Added http://www.freezerbagcooking.com/myblog.htm to my blog-roll. I think the blog is mainly Sarah Svien's work, as there's no mention of Kirk. I first heard of Sarah's book on a PracticalBackpacking Podcast (episode 3) which I had on my mobile phone at Geldie Lodge in the Cairngorms NP.
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Alan Sloman's made it to Truro.
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Gulp - got a comment from Cameron McNeish! I feel like I should be kowtowing. Wow. Having perused the magazine, I'm back at the stage of reading articles in detail. I'm at the stage of fighting intuition. My intuition just wants to roll back onto the safety of the couch and watch re-runs of Star Trek. My intuition says, rain is cold and wet, the car is warm and dry.
I like the philosophical take, but I don't know enough beyond the pop culture. I have Rousseau's "Social Contract" at work but haven't read it; and Hobbes "Leviathan" is kicking around somewhere.
I still can't get into the 'spiritual' side of things, as Cameron is oft to write about and mentions on his recent podcast. I appreciate the majesty of the surroundings, and the aeons of a geological age, or that our forefathers and fifthmothers lived and worked in these surroundings instead of just surviving. But I fail to achieve the spiritual connection. My loss, perhaps, as I've never smelt lavender in rooms in castles, or had the prickly feeling of a ghostly encounter beyond that of my own lively imagination.
Appreciate: yes. Understand: hopefully. Empathise: ditto. Stare in wonderment at how ancestors achieved such beauty or feats of endurance without power tools or motor transport: heck, yes. But to connect on some esoteric, spiritual level: I'm afraid not. My loss.
Sunday, 4 March 2007
The Caller
After a call from Bob Cartwright, before he was dragged of for his supper, here's some info that came up in the chat.
Blog Stats (from Google Analysis):
For the period 14 February 2007-28 February 2007
- Visits: 998
- Pageviews 1,504 (1,039 for the main page)
- Returning visitors: 59.82%
- New visitors: 40.18%
- Countries outside the UK: 7 (see below for unreliability)
- Average time spent on the main page: 5 minutes 54 seconds.
- Referrers from: other bloggers: 406 (40.68%). OM: 170. Direct: 237. Search engines/other: 185.
Reliability of the figures was mentioned before, and I can see that the geographical analysis is not reliable, as I can see people appear on the map as I go through a daily view, but they do not appear on the monthly summary. Of course, if one set of figures is shown to be unreliable, can the rest be trusted? But I'm not running an ad campaign, so what the heck.
For the last few days in March, there has been 224 visits. So, over the 1,000 mark in less than a month of the site stats being available.
There's a helloes going out to Chandra in India (the first deity to drop by), Eureka in The Transvaal, Fiorito in Argentina. In Canada, Halifax (got to keep the emigre's happy), and Saskatoon. Oops, almost made the faux pas of pushing Sidney down into the USA. Map's not too clear.
In the USA: Seattle on the west coast; Milwaukee, Lansing, Lexington, Canton (sing the song), Greenway, Warwick, Syracuse, New Haven.
In the EU: Sandnes (Norway), Bleiswijk (The Netherlands), Eschweiler, Bad Camberg, Munich/Munchen, Cologne/Koln, Wolfenbüttel, Berlin, Querfurt.
Japan's had a whole section to itself. And I'm still not giving out details of the 7 visits from China.
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Podcasts that I have on my iPod:
- "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" Audiobook
- AllAboutMiniatures Podcast
- APM: A Prairie Home Companion's News from Lake Wobegon
- Backpacker Trail Tours
- Backpacking Light Magazine
- Backpackinglight Audio Interviews
- Civil War Tours
- CS 61C - Spring 2007: Machine Structures
- Digital Photography Tips From The Top Floor
- free buddhist audio
- IDS 110 - Spring 2007: Introduction to Computers
- indigenouspeoples's Podcast
- JapanesePod101.com | Learn Japanese (Audio)
- Learn To Meditate - Meditation Classes
- net@nite
- Photoshop TV
- Plato - The Republic
- Practical Backpacking™ Podcast
- Pulse of the Planet Podcasts!
- Security Now!
- SETT - The Scottish Learning Festival
- Tai Chi For Well-Being
- The Brickfilms.com Podcast
- The Essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson Podcast
- The Outdoors Station - Audio
- The Outdoors Station - Video
- The Philosophy Podcast
- the tartanpodcast
- The WildeBeat
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - A Podiobooks.com production
- this WEEK in LAW
- this WEEK in TECH - MP3 Edition
- TWiT Video
- What's Happening In Tokyo
- Windows Weekly with Paul Thurrott
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I keep forgetting that Radio Scotland has an outdoors show, called "Out of Doors", on a Saturday morning. There's a 'listen again' feature.
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Walkabout/UK's written some more musings on the "UK Walking Blogging & Podcasts" scene. Here's my comment:
--I tend to wimp out on negative reviews. I have sleeping bags that were good at the time, but not the best now I'm travelling lighter and with a smaller pack.
Shame I can't get down to Birmingham to see all that shiny new gear.
As to the new media, heck, look at all the things we humans can do with a sheet of paper. I look forward to seeing what we can do with this huge Internet (which deserves the capital 'I').
And just when I'm about to call it quits for the night, Cameron McNeish has a new podcast available on his blog. Walking in the Cairngorms, including where we were on the winter skills course last weekend.
Black Sheep
Just when you think you've seen everything, there's this. Be afraid, be very afraid. Don't watch it before going wildcamping in Scotland.
As I used to help out with the sheep when I was younger, I know how violent rams can be. I also recall noticing that one of the ewes had escaped, so lifted her back over the fence on my way down to the school bus - only for her to tag me with a dose of the trots down my school trousers.
Sheep aren't stupid, if there was a hole in the fence anywhere on the croft, they'd find it and be out.
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Some fun photos of Inverpolly can be found at Gosney.plus.com - the index has links to other photos too. Canoeing and climbing peaks. I liked the photo of the portage.
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More GITS stuff - found a pile of clips at this tv station.
Ooh, lyrics to the songs too.
TWiT 89
Been listening to the new media discussion at This Week in Tech, TWiT 89: The Future is in Your Hands.
Links mentioned in the podcast are listed on the page above.
Joi Ito was mentioned. Also Second Life, hmm, I wonder if people go Munro-bagging there?
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I resisted the temptation to add this widget to the blog. Also, the label cloud just didn't look useful in the small space available in the sidebar, so I omitted it from this afternoon's revisions.
Lithium Flower
Just updating the site layout to 'layouts' (I hate the smell of XML in the morning, it smells of yet another Tower of Babel). What do I notice, but a visit from Nishinomiya, across in Japan. Another good excuse to play my "Ghost in the Shell" tracks, and congratulate Japan for producing not only the movies but the Stand Alone Complex tv show.
I even ended up buying "Flowers for Algernon" based on seeing one of the Tachikoma reading the book.
Kusanagi is just so...well animated. The picture of her in the closing credits of series 1 could have graced the cover of FHM.
Anyway, on the wiki-write-up on Nishinomya, I notice that sake accounts for 24.3% of food production there. Keep up the good work folks. Especially as I ran out of my last bottle on Friday night. Personally, I blame Stan Sakai for introducing me to sake, that and a great oriental supermarket in Aberdeen.
TOS: The Outdoors Show 2007 Preview
Just listened to the latest BobCast. Don't be put off if, like me, you're not going to The Outdoor Show down in Birmingham later this month. The podcast also includes conversations on women in the outdoors, new gear with built-in electronics (Sprayway's PTT jacket), and a thrilling chat with speaker Baz Roberts including - how he dealt with a polar bear, and advice on trekking in China.
Lets see if my attempt at encoding the MP3 player works (if not, here's the link to TOS):
The OS Outdoors Show
MP3 File
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I'm off to buy a cheap 2nd hand Leatherman Squirt S4 from eBay. Why? Because I'm worth it.
Eye of the Sun
Spent an hour down the beach with Mike snapping shots of the lunar eclipse. GIF animation came out pants, so dropped it into YouTube as an AVI file to see if the compression gives better results.
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Found an online copy of "On The Hill" here. Seems to be a squaddy mountain rescue service newsletter. First I've heard of it. Looks very informative and entertaining. And more info here.
A bit of digging, and I find reference at the home of RAF Mountain Rescue. With a photo gallery, song lyrics, and reports of rescues, this looks like one to add to the list of sites to spend time on rather than browsing.
Their blog can be found at http://rafmountainrescue.blogspot.com/.
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Mike starts filming his new movie on Monday. He's keeping a blog of the production, and making the making of the movie. An alternative take on it can be followed at Grubbit's blog.
LOL - I like the fact that Grubb's already blogged that he failed to find us down the beach taking photos of the eclipse, got cold and went home.
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I was doing some paperwork on Saturday, and realised it is just less than 4 weeks to go until the Easter break. I need to get a move on planning my Southern Upland Way. That's the reason things like a bivvy bag, a seized pole joint, and eating healthily become important. Also getting in a pile of overwork to clear the decks at work. Also getting a list of bothies en route. Next I'll need to open the official guidebook I got a few weeks ago.
I have read Ronald Turnbull's "Across Scotland on Foot", Another fine read from the absurdly romantic Mr Turnbull. 6 trans-Scotland walks in one book (plus a trans-Mull), plus all the background info and advice.
I must admit that this was the first time I visited Ronald's site. It won't be the last time.
Just noticed there's a Gurkha book about the SUW: "Gurkha Reiver: Walking the Southern Upland Way". I got a present of one at Christmas. Excellent read, and a reminder of these hardy young chaps coming to join the British Army. I never did find out if the story I was told about the Gurkha paratroopers was true.
The British army is evaluating the feasibility of creating a Gurkha paratroop unit. So a party of Gurkhas are take up in a Hercules. "So, chaps,", asks the OIC, "what do you think of jumping out of this aircraft?". After some worried looks, and a huddled conversation in Nepali, the WO replies "Sir, if you could just fly a bit nearer the ground, we'll give it a go." The officer then realised that no-one had mentioned parachutes to them.
Anyway, I've just marked the Southern Upland Partnership site for a raid.
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Walkabout/UK's written some more musings on the "UK Walking Blogging & Podcasts" scene. Here's my comment:
I don't do gear tests, and don't review gear (can't afford it, amn't an expert), and certainly don't want manufacturers beating a legal path to my door. Ditto with people.
Even when I do mention (blog or OM) that something works for me, I'm not pushing gear to extremes as I only encounter the conditions that I am walking in, and don't go out of my way to look for some condition to test a product.
I keep a 'weblog', not a magazine or newspaper column. It is a 'log' of my thoughts, and findings, and happenings that affect the outdoors part of my self. I can be honest within the spirit of the law (criminal, civil and employment).
If people read and get something out of the blog, then great. But I do not write to entertain or educate, but to share information. A blog allows people, amongst other things, to release information into the blogosphere.
People have been doing this in one form or another for years. Journals, editorials, etc are nothing new.
As to the format of blogs. Well, "blog your own blog", say I. like any other form of media, blog writers can experiment with different styles, and the blog format allows for a reasonable variety of styles within it.
Personally, I'm enjoying tinkering with the whole new media thing. But that's just me.
So, dear reader, expect more tinkering with formats here.
Saturday, 3 March 2007
Flying Eagle
Further to the comments on Cameron McNeish's blog, and thanks to Simon for pointing out this link: BBC Photos
Looks stunning. I look forward to seeing the whole thing on our screens (or YouTube).
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Alan Sloman's long distance pub crawl ... I mean, walk, continues. LOL. What a guy. I look forward to seeing the photos.
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Total lunar eclipse tonight, starting at 2018GMT, fully visible in the UK (if cloud-free). That's at night, not daytime. BBC info.
Crying Rabbit
Stopped off at Sainsbury's on the way back from the PO Sorting Office this morning. Ostensibly to look for a dehydrator as they stock the Tchibo range. No joy, but found that they have the "Look what we found!" range of ready-real-meals. Sampling the venison sausages for breakfast, I wouldn't class it as a meal. As a large lad, I reckon it is more of a snack.
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Five's "The Gadget Show" tested mp3 covers for iPods. The Otterbox came out well. Details on their page. A bit lost on me, as I don't take my iPod out on the hills. I took the wee stick-mp3 player a couple of times, but prefer the solar-powered radio. Or a book. Or my own thoughts as I look over a stunning view, listening to the local wildlife. If you need to carry in a full opera company, you're not trying hard enough. But each to their own.
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Lower Pacerpole section definitely jammed, so I'll contact them to return for a repair. I don't know my own strength sometimes.
I'm off to crush a grape.
Night Song
Cameron Mcneish's diary entry about artists and mountains is worthy of a read (as usual). By coincidence, I heard a Radio 4 programme from The Wordsworth Trust library at Dove Cottage. Poems were being read by local lad, Ian McKellen, in the local accent. I caught the BBC series a couple of years back (IIRC) on The Romantics. It blew me away. Revolutionaries.
I used the series with my students. Grab a verse from a poem, and animate it in PowerPoint (or whatever prog we're using). Reactions often change as they read words written 200 years ago that express emotions that they too recognise. "So this kid doesn't want to be in school either?", realised one lad after asking what a "bower" was.
The mountain art on Skye looked atmospheric and reminded me of seeing recordings of Aida being played near the Great Pyramids. I'm not sure that lowering opera singers off the cliffs of St Kilda will be remembered in 200 years time, but each to their own. But is it not cheating if the folk can't get down themselves? No doubt there'll be a series of programmes on BBC4 (or YouTube) about it in future.
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Finally got round to joining the Mountain Bothies Association. Costing all of £15 for the year, it is well worth it for the shelter they provide, and the warm sense of delight that such an association still exists in these days of cynicism and self-centred anarchy.
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I hope this isn't an indication that the sultry-sounding Rose is letting herself go...
"For legs, underarm bikini line etc." [source]
There I was, seeing what else I might 'need' to get from BPL.co.uk, and noticed that 'eat shoots and leaves' moment.
Rab Survival Zone bivvy bag (described as a "sleeping bag cover") and travel-razor ordered.
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Not only was it being sported at the OM Meet last weekend, but Mont-Bell got (another?) mention in TGO this month. I'll need to have a nosie round their site. As I can barely write "Totoro" in kanji, I'll have to use the English version.
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Channel 4 are starting a series today about survival, called "Born Survivor: Bear Grylls". I'll give it a watch and see if it is worth giving up an hour of my life to be educated in surviving in the jungles of Costa Rica. The gent has been in the UK Special Forces, climbed Everest after breaking his back in a parachuting accident, and explored the Arctic. Golly. That's some list of credentials.
BBC1 are starting a new series of "Castaway". In New Zealand this time. I have some painting to watch instead.
Now...why not combine the two, and have a real "castaway" with survival experts. And guns...sorry, Battle Royale slipped in there.
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Bored with reggae, I've switched to "Native American Legends". I note with interest that there is a 3-cd version too.
On my iPod, I have Michael "Kickingbear" Johnson's podcast, "Indigenous Peoples Music". He has a mix of audio and video, and a selection of modern and traditional Native American music and related interviews. Link to Kickingbear's blog. I'd love to see the video he produced of Schemitzun. I'll have to make do with YouTube for now.
Friday, 2 March 2007
Good Thing Going
I caught some of the radio shows by Garrison Keillor on BBC7. Some of his work is now in the form of podcasts "APM: A Prairie Home Companion's News from Lake Wobegon". Excellent stuff about growing up in Minnesota, on the edge of the prairie.
Current news can be found at "A Prairie Home Companion".
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Although I have difficulty telling the difference between morning and evening, I note with interest that my comments recently about old and new media are coming true, as the BBC signs a deal with YouTube.
So, the BBC are spending public money on attracting people to watch Doctor Who? I didn't realise that people who were interested in watching it had missed it.
Or getting more people to watch the antics of Russell Brand. Yup, if you hadn't caught Russell Brand, you can see him on YouTube. Paid for by licence-payers' money. Huzzah!
At the moment, for me, the best clips (and yes, they are 'clips') are the Sir David Attenborough natural programmes. And so, in one bound, the lumbering giant that is the BBC dilutes its quality programmes even more. I say that as I cannot receive BBC4. So, I switch off the tv and work on my PC, or listen to the radio, or read. I often ponder why I pay a licence fee for programmes that I cannot view. When I get round to it, I'll investigate watching programmes via broadband. I cannot be bothered paying even more money to receive a public broadcast.
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Tonight I am mainly looking at bivvi/bivvy/bivy bags.
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Alan Kimber's photos are as gulp-inducing as ever. Wow!
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I was getting worried that Alan hadn't posted today, but there he is now. I'm off to read his trek-log (trog). Thanks, Alan (thalan).
Long Day Ahead
You know it is going to be a long day when I've been insulted twice by the radio before breakfast.
One
Some wind-factory pro-ponent company man on the Today programme (approx 0650AM) saying:
- "lowest approval rate for wind farms ever"
- "stuck in the planning system"
- "tiny minority"
- "very vociferous minority"
- "lucky to have the greatest support of any generation consistently 80% of the public support wind farms"
- "why is this tiny minority dedicating their life and resources to actually opposing wind farms"
- "strongest advocates of wind power are those that live by existing operating wind farms"
- "make the planning system accountable and make it deliver"
Issues are that they need 25% of the plans to be granted in 2007 or else their industry won't meet the government targets for 2010. The chap said that only onshore wind factories can do that.
I've stated my thoughts on this before, so it'll be interesting to see the government change the planning laws to over-rule local objections. Nice to live in a democracy, isn't it?
Two
Some sexist advert on commercial radio for a telephone directory enquiries service asking me to call them and say "help I'm a man, it's mother's day, what do I do?"
Thursday, 1 March 2007
TGO: April 2007
Recording is so much quicker than typing.
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And in other news: Kate got mentioned in the Galloway MRT incident report. Although she reports that she walked out. Either way, glad that she's okay, and I hope the nose doesn't take too long to heal.
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The gremlinz get a mention in another blog.
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New extreme sports centre in Aberdeen doesn't appear to be open yet.
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FJ pointed a blog out to me by a former Mountie in Canada. "The House & other Arctic musings". He runs a B&B in the wonderfully named Arctic Bay.
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Alan Sloman's trek seems to have started as a good food guide. What a guy! If I could spell nonshalaunt, I'd probably use that word.
Bennachie 010307
55 mins to get to trig point from Rowan Tree Car Park.
Too windy to hang around on summit.
Back down to fort to wait for a mate who travelled out from town later than me. Sat and ate gorp and drank water as the hailstones passed, sheltered in the walls of the iron-age fort.
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