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Re: What to do now?

Judith is right on the money. But also consider dehydrating all your gear - starting with items like your boots/trail-shoes before going for the bulkier stuff like tent, pack and so forth. This will dramatically reduce your carry-weight.

Once de-hydrated, you can move on to more esoteric procedures. For example, vacuum pack everything. Now carefully weigh each item, and also measure the volume. Create a spreadsheet. Now re-hydrate, weigh and measure once again, and enter the new values. This may take some time . . .

Re: What to do now?

Have you booked your flights yet? Flying to / from Scotland is cheaper than the train, but only if you book in advance. And you can book up to 12 months in advance with the airlines but only three months in advance on the railway (sleeper trains excepted).

Also, check your route again. Can you alter it to visit any of the following:

Mining remains
Scheduled monuments
Nature reserves
Viewpoints
Derelict castles / forts / crofts
Unusual bus routes
Interesting tidal patterns

.....the list is endless!

Re: What to do now?

Humphrey Weightman
consider dehydrating all your gear - starting with items like your boots/trail-shoes before going for the bulkier stuff like tent, pack and so forth.


I tried dehydrating my waterproofs, Humphrey, but the blessed things just won't STAY dehydrated ... particularly when I wear them.

Any suggestions to help with that one??

Re: What to do now?

The problem is that all you lightweight connoisseurs are are sending the wrong type of message to first timers,
its about the walk, adventure, and not worrying about if your head band or boot laces are to heavy, just take what you need and don't worry, its not as if your all doing high level routes now is it!!!!

Re: What to do now?

What is this base weight thing.
Is that like wot it weighs before you put anything in it that makes life lovely. And what are these kilowhatsits. I know not whate thy speeketh with thine Deveels mesures. Tis thye darke side to be sure.
My pack will be 26.9lb being the weight I pick up with all my ***t in it. My tiny brain doth not undertandeth this pack weight which is not what you carry.

Ok.. I'm off to file the nails in my boots.

Re: What to do now?

Andy - it was a few years back, but you may recall that I couldn't resist a gentle lampoon of the avid "weight watcher" ... and, for balance, those of a more traditional outlook.

Outdoor Stereotypes

Numbers 5 & 2. Enjoy

Re: What to do now?

I would suggest beginning your search for the perfect dram to take on your challenge - there's many a whisky to sample & it'll be a quest that'll take some considerable time. It's also a welcome addition to these long, dark, wintery evenings.....

Vicky

Re: What to do now?

Andre,

It is now time to plan another adventure. I've just bought a bear canister tonight and, no, it is not for the challenge.

Alternatively, do what many of us surely do. Lay out plans for future challenges. I could this and then I could do that.....so many choices, especially if you stretch yourself beyond the usual routes.

See you in May!

Re: What to do now?

This is wonderful, thanks all!
There is hope yet..... And I will be checking my gear over the next few weeks, that will keep me quite busy (figuring out how to find the money for a new Suunto watch). Also, places to visit... check! Dehydrating food is not for me, I'm taking biscuits with raisins in, Tortellini and a Baton pur porc (French dry sausage). Now that I am reading this... these three items are dehydrated already :-).

The long search for the perfect dram is a great one. A long time ago I walked into a pub in Killin and asked for a Malt Whisky. The man behind the bar: "why not drink Grouse, that's what we drink!". And I did :-). Something similar has happend again a few visits to Scotland later, near Shiel Bridge. So... I'm a great Lagavulin man, but only at home. In Scotland it's the Famous Grouse for me!

Getting fit obviously is important. Presently I'm putting in about 8 hours of walking each week (spread out over the days, luckily I can walk to and from work after a train journey), and three sessions of an hour fitness (1,5 hours rowing machine, 1,5 hours strength). Next Saturday my wife and I are going on a night hike through the dunes (20k), and we'll be going on long walks each weekend from now on. That might just do it.

Losing weight is hard for me, but the hills provide a great new urgency in this matter. My route includes 5 Munro's. Not much, but quite enough I believe...

Seriously, I'm so happy that I'm accepted in the Challenge. The children have left home, some difficult moments have come and gone. At 60 I will return to my great Northern love, Scotland!

Thanks again, hope to meet you on the Challenge,
All the best from the Low Countries!

Andre Hilhorst

Re: What to do now?

Andre

Bad news I'm afraid.

It would appear that you showing the early signs of Challengitis stage 3 ! (e.g..... a new Suunto watch)

Regrettably further symptoms will appear in the New Year when other poor afflicted souls will publish, on the obligatory spreadsheet, a list of their equipment and the carry weight.

You will read through their list muttering uncontrollably that their tent,sleeping bag, cook system, clothing, GPS, etc, etc (delete as applicable) is lighter / better than yours.

You will then spend countless hours scanning the world wide web looking for alternative more colourful, better, lighter more technically advanced gear. The expense will fade into insignificance.

As a long term sufferer the only advice I can offer is (a) keep away from excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages (b) cancel/ suspend your Paypal account (c) return your credit cards to the bank (d) seal up your box post so that any items are returned to the sender and finally take up an all absorbing hobby ( mine was researching the family history of the Pango Pango tribe of the Lower Congo )

Despite all this I have still spent the whole of 2016 researching gear, spending hundreds of pounds and still can not get close to Sabine Zawadzki's phenomenal pack weight of a mere 6.5 Kgs.

I am at 8.9 Kgs but I still have six months to go and there must a store out there I haven't explored. There must be must be......

Nurse Nurse bring my medication quickly it's happening again.....

So best of luck, from a long term addict.

Re: What to do now?

Ray is, perhaps, a particularly advanced case of this affliction.

Provided you can catch it in the early stages, it has been shown that cultivating an interest in classic tractors can provide a certain amount of symptomatic relief, even though it cannot effect a total cure.

Re: What to do now?

Ray, that was 5.632 kgs baseweight
I was prepared to not be comfortable all the time. But luckily the weather was great.
It depends not only on preparation and gear but on your own personal preferences. And I bet there are people with a lighter pack.

Re: What to do now?

Sabine

Only 5.632 kgs !!!!

I have not heard of anybody who has got close to 6.5 kgs.

It means I will have to up the medication........Nurse

Re: What to do now?

Well, that's depressing.... I hope to keep my pack under 20 kgs!

Desperately,
Andre