Fuel Test: Firestarter Matches v2

As the flame from the Firestarter match (test one) wasn't high enough to use on the woodburning stove, I thought I'd try my only other suitable stove. This was the White Box Stove (previous test). As this is a meths (alcohol) stove, the ventilation is different, so the flame died in a couple of minutes.

Set up

Burning merrily.

Lack of ventilation - doh!

I re-used the unburnt blocks with the hex burner- I'd snapped the match into 3 sections to fit into the stove.  These caught light with one 'normal' match.

Enough hot water for breakfast as I listened to Radio Scotland's "Out of Doors" and last Monday's TOS Podzine - before facing the washing up. Wishing I'd spent the week on something more productive than a doze of man-flu. that Cateran Trail is sounding shiny. I'd spoken to one of the chaps at the Outdoors Show - nice to hear the importance of tourism to the economy (yup, multi-day hikers are tourists too). Not being wealthy, I would of course be wild camping. For the same reason, I won't be walking St Oswald's Way until wildcampism ends.

TOS PodZine

Bob got his PodZine from the Outdoors Show up on to iTunes on Sunday night. That's a rapid turnaround! Interview with AlpKit (their CoLab competition). As well as Rose's voxpops from the floor, diary and summary chat with Andy Howell.

The Podzine 17/3/08

Download MP3 File

Wild Camping ePetition

After non-Scots were handing out leaflets at The Outdoors Show, and some stands were carrying the pro-wild camping leaflets, the petition has jumped through the 800 level to 811 (at time of posting).

Official site and ePetition

We had the meeting yesterday as arranged, and we'll be following up developments over the next weeks.

Bloggers Met Yesterday

Yesterday I met (in alphabetical blog order): Alan Sloman, Bearded Git!, Doodlecat (Phil),  Gyrovagus (Chasrles), LondonBackPackers (George), Mick & Gayle, Must be This Way (Andy Howell), Postcard from Timperley (PhreeRunner & Nallo Lady), Sally in Norfolk and Geoff, Walkabout in the UK (John Hee), Weird Darren. Others seen, Bob and Rose (shop and The Outdoors Station) and Graham Thompson (on stage).

Wild Camping ePetition

Just over 10 weeks left to go in the "legalise wild camping" ePetition (link to sign, link to main site).

It currently has 775 'signatures' on it.

It started about 7 weeks ago, then if all things were equal, the 1350 signatures target (that I set earlier) would be reached. But life isn't like that. Saturation points get reached, people ignore something that drags on, and people get tired of the politicians saying "no chance, we've more important things to do". Life goes on.

Sleep well in your illegal wild camp, draw a breath and think - "wouldn't it be nice if this was legal". Leave no trace, damage no plants, set no open fires - in fact, all the things that real wild campers do already. But, anyway. Some of us are going to have a chat about our strategy and tactics this Saturday at The Outdoors Show. Someone's threatened to go commando on the commando slide. Fathers for wild camping, I think he quipped.

In the meantime, here's the opposing view.

Yes, both of the last 2 were jokes. Just in case some balloons read this.

OSOS08

I've just booked flights too/from Birmingham for The Ordnance Survey Outdoors Show 2008. Others had too much fun there in 07 for me to miss it in 08. I must make sure not to upset Bear the Ded Git! until then.

Although seeing his latest post, commenting on comments from Scots, maybe I'll just take the bivvy bag and rough it under a hedge.

Exhibitors to date for my interests:

• Visit Scotland
• Angus Council
• East Perthshire Tourist Association
• Fat Face
• Wilderness Intervention
• Cicerone
• London Camera Exchange
• Nikwax
• Buffera
• Bridgedale
• OS Shop
• Navigation Camp
• Memory Map
• GPS Training
• Fugawi
• Silva
• Garmin
• Alpkit
• Paramo
• Montane
• Planet Fear
• DMM
• Seal Skinz
• The Aussie Shop

PDF link of current exhibitors. It'll be useful get some kit for my Easter08 long distance walk.