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Challenge Rituals

Do you have any little Challenge Rituals which you perform every time?

I always go down to the sea at my start point, with my full pack, and dip a walking pole in the sea to signify the start of my Challenge; and at my finish point I keep my pack on my back until I have dipped a pole in the sea to signify the end of my Challenge. That way I feel I have carried my pack every single step of the way.

What little rituals do you all have?

Re: Challenge Rituals

I always carry a dram all the way across to enjoy on the beach at the end.

Ian C.

Re: Challenge Rituals

A REAL MAN takes his boots off and paddles on both coasts, has a dram at the start and makes sure that he has enough left for a dram at the end. Usually this means having to restock several times along the way.

Cheers and see you all in Montrose

Alan

Re: Challenge Rituals

Mine isn't a ritual as such, more of a guide to life. However it fits what I do on the Challenge every year, rather well.

When choosing a walking companion, choose carefully. Choose someone you like, admire and respect. Then, even when faced with the inevitable horrid times, you'll have companions that help each other and laugh together.

And always get them to carry sloe gin. That's probably the most important bit, really. And whisky. And beers. Yes. They need to carry capacious rucksacks.



Re: Challenge Rituals

When choosing a walking companion, choose carefully. Choose someone you like, admire and respect.


And ridicule in Photos Later??



Re: Challenge Rituals

Blind panic at breakfast before I set off, that seems to be a ritual...
I tend to think more in terms of routine than ritualistic. The way I pack, the way I pitch, the way I lay out my gear inside my tent, it's all routine.

Re: Challenge Rituals

A real woman has a proper swim on the East coast (none of this wussy dunking boots business) before finding her cream tea.

Re: Challenge Rituals

I fear if I were to attempt to prove myself a "real woman" in manner aforesaid, you'd be needing to call the lifeboat out, such is my (lack of) prowess as a swimmer

Re: Challenge Rituals

Are you taking the same kit list as you described on an earlier thread?...

I save weight where I can (don't laugh ... ladies' underwear, in the right size, is perfectly comfortable - if you buy midis - and a lot lighter than the gents' equivalent.

This would mean you could be halfway to becoming a "real woman."

It's good to see you back on board the Challenge, J. That Standby List is a scary place to be.

Re: Challenge Rituals

Did you go searching through the board just to find that post, Mr S?

Or have you kept it book-marked all along, for the last two years??

Either way, I do worry about you sometimes

Re: Challenge Rituals

Good heavens man, your use of ladies shreddies is now an indelible part of Challenge lore, there's no need to bookmark the thread!

JJ

Re: Challenge Rituals

What a lovely thread!

As I only did my first Challenge last year I suppose I can not have rituals yet. However, I guess that anythings I do this year that are the same as last year will, by definition, become rituals. So two things that I never manage in the rest of the year are possibilities: 1) being sociable; and 2) drinking Guinness in pubs.....

Re: Challenge Rituals

Evidence: St Cyrus 2009

Re: Challenge Rituals

Brrr that last one gives me a kind of deja-vu - nuff respect to the full-length proper dipper (ghasp!)... Hennyway, my ritual is to do absolutely nothing the day after arrival at Montrose, apart from eating, snoozing, scoffing a lump of hot smoked salmon, crusty bread, vino collapso, reading couple of "big" newspapers... Although I did have a dip on Montrose beach once, when it was very hot, then more snoozing, mainly for building up strength for a proper afternoon nap, waking up just in time for the speeches at The Park

Re: Challenge Rituals

If Dave has taken Jeremy's advice in 2012, he may well have NOT worn those dreadful cotton Shredders (spelling of that word intentional) and as such saved both his Challenge and his Manhood...

As well as a memory I still want to erase from my mind but cannot.

And that event should NEVER be considered as a RITUAL!



Re: Challenge Rituals

you must recall your reply to my question ,mr. knipe on the campsite at Montrose . please be aware of your acceptance of any help on this years challenge and not mock it . ( should anyone request me to quote for a specific purpose of your reply i can , and will ! ) May your crossing be helpfull to others in some manner or other if you are awake .

Re: Challenge Rituals

Firsttimer here, so no rituals yet.
Planned to take a pebble across, but a dram would suit me too!!
But just one dram at the time......
Cheers.

Hint: blend your straight Scotch with 10% Islay (e.g. Ardbeg 10Yrs),
that's my personal hiking blend.

Re: Challenge Rituals

Mixing the Ardbeg with a blended whisky?!

Shock horror!

In spite of that I still hope you have a good Challenge!

Re: Challenge Rituals

To make the horror bigger, I mix it with Irish Bushmills Black Bush.
Real good, but only on the move....

Re: Challenge Rituals

Re - "Hint: blend your straight Scotch with 10% Islay (e.g. Ardbeg 10Yrs),
that's my personal hiking blend."

Try mixing 50/50 Whisky/Clayva or Whisky/Drambuie.

It makes it last a lot longer but the liqueur sticks to the glass thereby entailing deep tongue licking. A short glass helps.

ps Ardbeg still has lumps of peat in it but I have never been known to pass up an opportunity to be converted.

Re: Challenge Rituals

Try mixing 50/50 Whisky/Clayva or Whisky/Drambuie.


Now, I could do that depending upon the Whisky.
Or add a bit of cool fresh stream water.

BUT to blend a Malt with another Malt??

To each his own...

I will this year however, be avoiding "Rusty Nails" like the plague...

Re: Challenge Rituals

Yes a few rusty nails are a perfect cure for snoring or persistent night coughing-after a few you won't hear a thing.

Re: Challenge Rituals

I am waiting until next year when I'll be able to bring my favorite malt back duty free! Although while on the Challenge my mobile phone calls may cost a bit more as they may be charged as "International"!

Re: Challenge Rituals

Aleistair Crowley lived for a while at Boleskine House (NH 509 221 - just 1.5km SW of Inverfarigaig and handy for any Challengers crossing Loch Ness). I understand that he was definitely the go-to guy for rituals . . .

Re: Challenge Rituals

Aleistair was a serious Alpinist and Himalayan climber, so I don't think a little necromancy and devil-worship should put anyone off; He'd be a grand lad to share a bothy night with; McCook's Cottage springs to mind.

Re: Challenge Rituals

These things are true. There's a great account of Crowley's part in the first attempt to climb K2 in 1902, when he was about 27, which you can take a look at here. They got up to around 6,000m.

Re: Challenge Rituals

A life long ambition of achieving Coroner is a goal quoted by Tom Lehrer . But maybe he wasn't a climber , T. lehrer that is .