Friday 12 April 2013

Walk and talk

Having arranged a meet with Laura at Tomintoul, I got off to my usual flying start and set off a few minutes late. Never mind, she’d be ready for that. Shame she texted me just as I left town to say she was already there. Oops.

Anyway, after a pause at the car park (she’d just left) to call at the powder room, I eventually rolled up just 10 minutes late. Yey!

After a few minutes greeting and faff, we were off, to have our first pause just a few yards from the cars at Queen Victoria’s Viewpoint. I did listen as Laura read the information board and I took the one and only photograph that I took. Can’t remember what she read to me though. It was about the Queen and a trip.

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The view was perhaps better in the flesh

We walked and we talked for Britain. Mainly about routes and gear and new purchases and snow and that sort of thing. We talked so much that we managed to walk 9.5 miles and 1299 ft total ascent without even noticing. The only thing we really noticed was the missing building at Dalestie (there were two on the map) the missing bridge nearby and the birds of prey which were probably kestrels and buzzards. We also noticed the fresh breeze as we were looking for a lunch spot, but after we’d turned back we found a nice soft, sheltered spot for two along the side of a deep banked stream.

I had a fantastic day, thank you Laura!

Laura gave me a little gift, an MSR Blizzard Stake. (Not to mention the Cadbury’s Caramel Egg, yum yum!) Despite having another migraine today, (not silent but not deadly either) I managed to convert the stake into a rather neat poo trowel.

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Mark I

Then David came along and mentioned some more suitable tape that he had and did this.

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Mark II

At 39g, an improvement on my old trowel, although it wasn’t the weight that was an issue, it was the lack of heather root cutting ability. This will be just the job.

Oh, sorry.

And another little project I managed to complete was a minor modification to my brand new shiny Laser, as suggested by Robin, a door tensioner. I haven’t photographed it as I haven’t pitched it, but it should be good.

And…

Only four weeks to go…

10 comments:

Laura said...

It was a good day! Thank you!

Louise said...

No, thank you! ;-)

Gayle said...

Only 4 weeks to go? OMG!! I really need to start getting my act of together!

Gayle said...

Hmm, also need to construct sentences without superfluous words. Not sure how that 'of' crept in. I blame it on typing on a virtual keyboard.

Louise said...

Yep. Not long. I'm still holding out for a spell of warm weather, a steady thaw and drying out of bog.
Not much hope though...

FellBound said...

I have just bought 2 MSR blizzards, one of which will replace my trowel. Great minds, eh. Hadn't thought of putting tape on to protect my effite English hands. What is the yellow stringy bit for?

FellBound said...

I have just bought 2 MSR blizzards, one of which will replace my trowel. Great minds, eh. Hadn't thought of putting tape on to protect my effite English hands. What is the yellow stringy bit for?

FellBound said...

Sorry for commenting twice. But useful if you read in stereo.

Louise said...

The landyard clips on to the side of my pack (a big clip that I can operate easily with fat, cold, useless fingers...) because I have a paranoia about losing stuff from pockets on the outside of my pack. I prefer as much as I can inside my pack but some stuff has to be firmly fastened in a pocket.

The idea was pinched from Colin Ibbotson, an ex-colleague of David's (if you haven't already, you can find links to his stuff from Andy Howell's blog...which everyone finds somehow!) but he used a cork in the handle and different tape. I used a firm foam that was left over from lining an archery bow box that compresses a little to give a nice handle and the tape is a type
used on squash handle grips I think.

Louise said...

I should apologise for replying from my mobile. I find it very tricky and never quite leave the reply I want to!

And it's early. Not had enough caffiene yet....