A special squad of highly strained Challenge assassins has been despatched to deal with this Pete "Tracksterman" Jones chappie … as soon as they've recovered from their knee operations. They'll be travelling under disguise, using "bus passes", their mission being to bludgeon some sense into him using a specially weighted rack of Pacerpoles…

Ach, the guy's welcome to apply any time, to sample some real sociability and discover just how many of our marvellous folks actually walk to Montrose… should that be "how few"?

The fact that the Challenge is oversubscribed every year says more about the event than the opinion of one blogger

Pete Jones is just your typical Englishman, having to put up with endless and
remorseless "digs" as to his alliegence whilst working on the "rigs".His workmates often being from North of the Border have obviously tickled a nerve
somewhere, because he had to cycle all the way to Outer Mongolia to get away from it all. It obviously didn't do the trick because he came home and chopped his Henry Shires Tarptent Moment into bits.

I must admire his endeavour. http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/tracksterman.


tracksterman
hanging on in quiet desperation is the english way
May 27, 2011
Challenging times

Non-competitive mass outdoor events, increasingly common, have always been a bit of a mystery to me. Mountain biking mass rides I kind of understand. Contemporary mountain bikers are generally overweight, unfit gear obsessives lacking in navigation skills. They can’t compete at any realistic level, and get lost when they’re not following coloured waymarkers or GPS arrows. There’s an obvious appeal in a marshalled event when people tell them where to go, and they can gather round in the evenings and **** off over each other’s bikes.

The TGO Challenge is more of a puzzle to me, though. I’m not denigrating it, I just don’t get it. I don’t know why people would choose to go, en masse, to areas where solitude and isolation are the key attractions. If it was a race, a test of one’s speed, navigation and endurance - yeah, that I could go with, but this jolly ‘just taking part’ nonsense has me scratching my head in bemusement.

Most critically in the case of the TGOC: why would people with limited time off work bet on the vaguaries of the Scottish climate, committing themselves months in advance to an event that could be an utter washout…? The weather this last two weeks, while I’ve been south of t’border, has been a nightmare, and I suspect the 2011 TGOC will go down in folklore. However, after a brief diversion striding along the high ground of the North Pennine watershed, I’m now back in my natural element, typing this into my dumbphone, reclining in my tent in woodland near Aviemore. Tracksterman has returned to the Highlands, and the sun must surely be following close behind…
Or This.
May 22, 2012
TGOzzzzz

The most challenging aspect of the TGOC is wading through the mind****ingly tedious blog posts it seems to generate.

And what is it with the more anal participants posting all their own food ahead? I know the Scottish diet is a bit lacking, but this breathless advocacy favours an approach that contributes nothing to local economies except a fortnight’s worth of faeces (derived from calories purchased elsewhere). Tourism taken to its logical endpoint, good one.

I have to say, he is a prolific opinionated **** isn't he.
Doesn't really like debate though.
Just likes his own opinion.
He should go into politics.

Now, now, girls, calm down. As my auld granny used to say "it takes aw types"- and she was on the very first Challenge. Not everyone sees the point of the Challenge, even some who have done it. Which, of course, is all good; just think of the standby list if the event appealed to the lesser sort. Anyone is welcome to walk across Scotland at any time-and the advantage is that your supply of Islay Peatmagic goes further when you have no friends.

Having said all that.
His Blog post is always extremely good, and I enjoy reading it.
It is also full of some fantastic photos.
Much that I admire
So if he could just stop with the sniping eh!

Football Sandy...Don't get me started, they should have Equity cards!!!

It's the first time I've looked at his blog (he must be laughing tears into his couscous at the sudden spike in visitors!) and have really enjoyed what I've seen. For all his digs at the TGOC, he's practically the epitome of a generic Challenger!* He even has his own tedious, gear-obsessed blog to wade through… My guess is his off-shore work is what's prevented him from taking part thus far… he'll deny it of course!

… which brings to mind the line in the movie "Yes, we're all different!"
* No offence folks, no offence…!

I'm glad you said that, Andrew, as I really enjoy reading Tracksterman's blog. Yes, he seems to have a negative view of the Challenge but some of his criticisms do make me think. For example, the (in my view) excessive use of food parcels has always seemed a little strange to me. And I hope I will follow his example of always carrying other people's rubbish out of bothies.

I'd love to have the time to enjoy the long bothy and camping trips that he blogs about but, unfortunately for me, time is limited so the Challenge gives me a good compromise of solitude, wilderness and occasional company.

"For example, the (in my view) excessive use of food parcels has always seemed a little strange to me."



I guess it depends on where your route takes you, how much money you have available for the trip, how much weight you're happy carrying, and what your dietary requirements are, and whether you are good friends with Ray Mears or Bear Grylls!!

I guess everyone approaches the trip in different ways ..... and that's one of the things I find interesting when chatting to people about it! I love the variety....,

Hope to catch up with you en route

What if ... the shop is closed/doesn't exist anymore/is out of stock/doesn't have what I need, etc.,etc..
Sending a parcel may make the trip less adventureous but possibly safer. Ahum, my parcels didn't arrive at all or not in time last year. (I suspect a conspiracy of Scottish shopkeepers )

Theo

In defence of parcels, Scott used them.

Although come to think of it, that didn't end well

Er, yes, but he couldn't exactly nip to the Co-op and see what they had.

Steady on Stormin, he might be English as if that matters, but he aint typical !! any more than any of us are 'typical'

Does it really matter what non supporters of the TGOC say.

Not everybody wants to do it.

I don't like watching football but I am quite happy for others to do it as it makes more room in the outdoors.

Live and let live.

Met the man last easter in a bothy in the North West- he spent a day going to the town for a shower & to buy coal and wood - we took an axe & collected 4 rucksacks of fallen wood for free! he was also the guy whose rucksack fell off the bus & got runover - whoops.... But would agree he can think what he wants & wander alone. Good luck to all you challengers this year - I'm sitting out - needed at home for exam support....

My Grandad took part in the first challenge in 1923. This was getting back home from the Red Lion after a huge win at the bookies. Three doors! Three doors! And he was carrying crisps and lemonade for the wife...

Tracksters, though - ideal for those with an impressive profile (if you catch my drift...) but he'd be ideal on the chally - grumpy, gear obsessed, self possessed, tight trousers.... he just needs to learn to booze a bit more. Somebody go and have a word with him to get him to apply (then put him on the reserve list at 193) arf..