I am beginning to take this all a little too seriously. I need to step away from the pack and maps for a while. I could also do with a lesson in using my calculator.
I had a minor panic this morning when, after another practice pack (because I now have most of my food) I weighed the pack and myself and calculated 28lbs. 28lbs! Nooo!
So this afternoon I made some minor adjustments, including adding the odd, small item I’d forgotten this morning and removing a spare top, a small amount of food and decanted some foot gel into a smaller pot.
Low and behold, this afternoon my pack is weighing in at a more respectable 22lbs.
But I know I only took out a small amount and actually added one or two small items. I definitely did not remove 6lbs worth.
My conclusion?
My maths is just as rubbish as it’s always been.
Numpty.
Panic over.
I would go and have a lie down in a darkened room, but it’s Brownies tonight. Give me strength…
7 comments:
I can sympathise on the basic mathematical errors (the '2+3=6 incident' is often cited as the prime example of my lapses of ability to do even the simplest of sums).
I'm sure I'll also get to the point where Mick tells me to step away from the maps. He already rolls his eyes every time I tell him that I've tweaked something.
Talking of which, time to for me to go and have another play with our TGOC route.
So glad I'm not the only one! I can see everything about this Challenge could become obsessive. Still, when I get to do it again, I'll have the lists to hand!
(Fifteen weeks...)
I am NOT packing my rucksack at the moment...
1. Because I don't have my rucksack here with me nor much of the stuff I am going to try and shove into it.
2. I have to wait for a suitable weather forecast (that's realistically a couple of days beforehand)and then decide what to wear and what to carry and what to leave behind.
3. I probably haven't bought or tweaked my kit enough yet.
4. I certainly won't be weighing it!
But I have written quite a lot of different lists...........
You are so sensible Laura, I should leave home for a couple of months!
And as for weighing it, it has (finally) occured to me that the weight in figures doesn't actually matter one jot, I have to be able to lift it and carry it on my back for more than a few steps. That should do it!
New pack is getting a trial tomorrow, but in it's 'compressed' state on a girly walk. Can't wait!
Enjoy your walk tomorrow! I'm looking forward to seeing the photos - watch out for ice!!!!
I think you've cracked it with the weight thing...mine's always just about ok until I add the water and food!
Hi Louise
All you need to tweak your load to perfection is a set of those electronic kitchen scales.
I have a little Excel spreadsheet which tots up the weights of everything that I am going to carry - plus a column which allows me to experiment with substitute pieces of kit.
So you can see what effect different choices have on the overall load without the faff of packing everything. All very, very sad, I know - but it really does work. If you want to try it, I'll email it to you (contact me at phil(at)doodlecat.com).
You must promise not to laugh at the amount I still carry though. 22lbs? In my dreams :-)
Thanks for the tip Phil, sadly, I already use electronic kitchen scales and a spreadsheet, (yup, I'm really that sad too!) but I just feel the need to load the pack and see if it works. And then, because it's loaded, I might aswell weigh it. And then I scare myself silly when the maths doesn't work!
I've given myself a good talking to. So long as I can heft the pack and walk a few steps, it'll do.
Maybe.
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