I don’t care though. I’m at home, I’m not even dressed yet, the kettle’s on and I’m enjoying watching those bruises on my chins change colour.
It’s all very quiet today.
I don’t care though. I’m at home, I’m not even dressed yet, the kettle’s on and I’m enjoying watching those bruises on my chins change colour.
It’s all very quiet today.
Not over at OM I see ;-)
Anyway, I enjoyed the ‘trip’ from the comfort of my keyboard and will be most interested in the debrief.
I went and had a wee look :o)
It comes with the territory, there’s always a mix of folk who think wee adventures and the like are fun and those that think you’re reaching for their wallet.
It serves me right for standing so high above the parapet and shouting!
You could even suggest some want their name in lights without putting in the ‘leg work’ behind the scenes and on the day…
As for me, I’m just interested in new ways of looking at stuff and if a different approach might bring benefits etc. Oh and gear of course!
Anyway, here’s to more fun adventures of all shapes and sizes for all who want them.
Anything that takes a person out of their usual envelope of comfort is always an adventure – never a bad thing. Can’t wait to hear what Craig thought to all that distance with not a lot of actual running for training and as for the write-up of the Smartwool legwarmers…
I had the pleasure of an eight hour round trip to Wales in my van and a lovely scramble up Tryfan and Bristly Ridge in between. No adventure for me but everyone else who came up there with me had no experience of scrambling, one lad was celebrating his 13th birthday with his dad, I just loved the fact they were all smiles and joy at the top.
Relax, heal, and then enlighten us with photos and good stories. I’m looking forward to it.
Adventure
noun
1. an exciting or very unusual experience.
2. participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises: the spirit of adventure.
3. a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.
4. a commercial or financial speculation of any kind; venture.
5. Obsolete. a. peril; danger; risk.
b. chance; fortune; luck.
–verb (used with object)
6. to risk or hazard.
7. to take the chance of; dare.
8. to venture to say or utter: to adventure an opinion.
–verb (used without object)
9. to take the risk involved.
10. to venture; hazard.
I suppose the severity of the above is defined by one’s self?
I like the fact that my adventuring is rather lame in the scheme of things.
I hate exclusivity and elitism, it’s like a blanket of negativety.
I love the idea that while folk might never break a record, it’s well within their reach to push themselves just a little bit further and make themselves some memories that they’ll be proud of and smile at, of doing something that seemed unlikely at best.
Hendrik, I missed you there!
I’m feeling good. The ride was harder than last years walk, but I’m in much better condition after it. I have a cold now though!
The photies are edited down to 550 pixels and the words are coming soon. The runners are sending in a piece as well.
All the good and the bad will up soon.
Just read a few comments on OM. There are some really miserable twats on that site who seem to take an immense pleasure in dissecting posts and slagging people off. Good effort fellas anyway, where next then?
Fantastic stuff and well done. Looking forward to more photos and the write up.
Ach, it’s the nature of it coops.
I know the whole thing went pretty much tits-up from the original plan (in more ways than I can tell you), from my point of view I’m really happy. I wanted to do the WHW again and I did, and I didn’t spend any more time away from the girls than I had to :o)
Next? Mountains and tents. I’ve got a deadline for a Trail Route which will have me up the north west as soon as I can get a couple of clear days. Then snow hopefully …
Hey Martin, cheers.
It was a real task trying to do photies for this. Muddy bike gloves, misted glasses, trying to breathe at the top of the climb etc
I’m sure there’s smiles in there though!
And grit in the camera.
After reading some comments above I wandered over to a place i never really go to other than out of nosiness. I was reminded why I don’t visit such sites!
Isn’t the internet a wonderful thing though!?! Allows people to communicate and voice opinions and talk..sh… about stuff. Brilliant! (Sorry I probably shouldn’t have used such adjectives like wonderful or brilliant in the previous sentences for fear of being accused of overhyping!)…
From personal experience there are always gonna be doubters, (even if you’re taking part in adventures for charity!) but hey, at least you’s were out there doing it and surely that was the point.
Never mind, when you hit submit on the story I’m sure there’ll be plenty folks on here to check it out – even the doubters!
It was a fantastic, brilliant adventure to have taken part in.
Oh and there’s still a wee boy kicking about here talking about the boys on their bikes and the big mountains! :o)
Anyway, i’ll leave you with this (one of my favourite quotes):
What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?
What a bunch of miserable sods at the OM forum.
You had a good laugh which is the only metric that really counts. Grumpy boys are just jealous.
How do you get to write Trail routes? Can you just send one in on spec or do they commission them?
Hey, I’m not a miserable sod on the OM forum!
And I’M the only metric that really counts!!!
Yes there does appear to be a whole bunch of smug charmless tossbags on OM, who have to end almost everything they write with winking or gurning smilies. It’s enough to make you want to stab them repeatedly in the eye with a plastic spoon.
Still at least they showed admirable skills at missing the point and assembling straw dogs to tear down and make themselves feel better.
Anyway, enough of that, well done on what sounds like a cracking little adventure, I look forward to reading about the details.
Sorry am I missing something but you released a press statement, got free gear, and publicised a 100 mile, two day bike ride?? The roadies failed to show, and the runners DNF. Can’t help but see the miserable sods POV, I thought you were riding it in one hit.
I really wouldn’t worry about any of the stuff folks.
DNF, you’re going to make me give way the plot aren’t you?
The deal was the six folks, in the different methods over the two days. Two days? So the roadies wouldn’t be finished before the rest of us had got to Kinlochleven and we could compare notes at dinner on the Saturday night do a photocall etc. We even had an elaborate route with ferries and allsorts so we could all keep meeting up.
To that end, accomodation, dinner and transport was booked, arranged and paid for.
The roadies pulled out on Thursday night and with that all the press stuff immediately went out of the window as what we were left with was a rather unimpressive event from a publicity point of view for either a running or an mtb title.
So faced with a choice of staying at home and losing money, trying for a 24hr trip and losing money, or sticking to the plan and making the best of it and losing much less money as we’d use most of the facilities, despite actually wanting to stay at home and hope that it would all go away, we went for the option that would garner the least loss.
Even on Saturday night, I was saying “This is pointless, will we just go home?”. But Phil was going on whatever, and after nearly talking Craig into joining me on the Trail over Sunday breakfast, I had to chase after Phil to try and catch him.
So what have I learned?
Do nothing with a team more than two, every time it goes wrong.
Do not trust an “agreement in principle” when you’re a freelancer.
Just get on with it, as hard as it might be to regain your enthusiasm and focus, you can, and then it’s all worth it.
It was a brilliant weekend.
As many have said before, too many twats on OM who are more intent on having a go at people for whatevere reason, but I shall channel my negative energy into other outlets than lowering myself to their level.
Once more, thanks for showing us what fun and adventure can be had.
Keep it coming :-)
Another not so miserable sod from OM here – please don’t tar us all with the same brush! Well done guys, pity it didn’t quite turn out as planned but it was good meeting up in the RFC. And hopefully that last post by ptc will give the knockers some context.
Oh the humanity ! Aye ,blog/forum world can be a concentrated mix of people. There are lots of good people at OM, coincidently a lot post here,kate mattc, that hull bloke above me spring immediately to mind.The last post i looked at in that thread about the guy getting his bike out with his son warmed the cockles. Then theres the others ,bring on the rosy cheeked girls i say – http://www.mikeharding.co.uk/articles/rosy.html
Looking forward to the full tale ptc.
I thought with the images of night riding, you were going for it. Although I was intrigued about the roadies, knowing the distances I can rack up on the road bike compared to the mountain bikes, it’s like racing a Porsche in a proper 4×4.
Everything seems better though once you’re out there!!
“It was a brilliant weekend.”
That’s surely the point?
Blondie and AT, you guys and you Irn Bru six-pack saved me :o)
Adi, nice link!
Forum life is what it is, and that’s both its saviour and its undoing.
DNF, exactly right with the comparison. We had staggered set-off times to compensate for the speed. The runners left at 0700, we left 2 1/2 hours later after a fried breakfast in comfort, and the roadies would have still been in bed.
The idea was meeet at Tyndrum for tea-time.
It would have been interesting had it worked out, a comparison in human powered distance covering, the effect of the participants of doing the same distance in different ways, the training and indeed lack of training.
That’s what it looked interesting to folk as a piece for their magazine (hence the press release, we were asked for something official), you don’t often get a comparison, it’s always grim faced folk excelling at their chosen discipline.
The end was never in doubt, the fresh-faced roadies would have made us look like muppets in Milngavie.
I’m sorry that we didn’t do it as planned, but the way it went? I’m not sorry Phil left and I had to catch him. It was quite a day.
MrChewy, Aye :o)
Glad to be of service ptc* :-)
The danger is that I’ll miss such things on future trips :o)
iI I can get through writing this up, you’ll see that I’m not overplaying that six pack’s role on day two…
LOL – just needs careful planning of the support crewe ;-)
You can never play down the merits of Irn Bru………… that’s why its Scotland’s other national drink :0)
Made in Scotland from girders indeed!
Support crewe?!!! TBW, don’t let Ayrshire Tiger hear you suggesting that!! ;O)
Ooh, I see part one of the adventure is up – that’s something good to read during a dull morning at work :))
lol Matt, yes I remember when we used to play teams like crewe ;-) Mind you the way things are going it might be too long before we’re playing them again!
Ha, I’d missed that!