Over on Andy's site he retells a story from a recent visit to Snowdonia entitled "The Hobo Of The Hills". Which is a thoroughly entertaining story. And then Andy writes a bit at the end that hits home. Upto that point I'm thinking that the person is "hardcore" (whatever that means), but they are normal. It's nothing to do with Andy and the issues are all mine. But as soon as Andy suggested that maybe the person in the story "...had some kind of learning difficulties", it hit home, the whole piece took on a different meaning. Suddenly my insecurities about Nathan and his future came to the surface. What if that "Hobo" was Nathan? Now the man seemed alone, and people avoiding him because he was different. I know Andy said "it was clear that he was perfectly happy in his style of travelling", but it doesn't mean he wasn't lonely.

I can tell you how many times Nathan has been invited to a "friends" birthday party, or invited round to play since starting school, it's not many. I don't know if Nathan feels lonely. I'm scared to raise it with him incase it makes him aware of it.

I don't know where this is going, but I do know I love Nathan to bits and want the best for him. And there is that little bit of hurt that you know people treat him differently because he has "learning difficulties", which ultimately may mean that in his later years he will be that "Hobo Of The Hills" with just a radio/ipod as his only company.

 

Over at Backpackinglight.com they have the announcement that Big Agnes are launching a "Three Wire Bivy sack" which is apparently aimed at competing with the Integral Designs Unishelter (http://www.integraldesigns.com/product_detail.cfm?id=689) or Black Diamond Lightsabre (http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/gear/lightsabre.php).
What strikes me with these designs is how they are more elaborate versions of the hooped bivi.
Backpackinglight.co.uk actually have a product that will work with ANY bivi bag and does a similar job, it's their Micro Tarp (http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product157.asp). If for arguments sake you used a Rab Survival Zone along with the Micro Tarp you would be paying out in the region of £95 (based on prices taken from Backpackinglight.co.uk), which is approx £40 cheaper than the Integral Designs Unishelter ($270), approx £50 cheaper than the The Big Agnes "Three Wire Bivy Sack" ($299). And then you have the other advantages of overall weight and flexibiity. With the bivi/micro tarp combo being less than the other three in weight (granted not if you decide to use a heavier bag) including pegs and cord (not including trekking poles as I'd be using these regardless of which option selected).
So my question is this WHY would you go for the Lightsabre,"Three Wire Bivy sack" or the Unishelter over the bivi/micro tarp combo?

Well surprise surprise the garage was unable to find anything wrong with the car, at least  they were honest and wanted to avoid starting bits to see if they solved it. But now I'm left with a car that I have no faith in to get me from A to B when I need to go away for a weekend T_T

 

Apart from Nathan playing up this evening hasn't been a bad one, Liverpool secure another 3 points and I've played a bit of Zelda:Twilight Princess. One annoying thing is that the Sky+ box we have seems to regularly at the moment have problems with the channels, which means it failed to record the new CSI in Five. Which means I now will have to wait for repeats or forget this season and buy it on dvd :(

 

BackpackingLight.com release another podcast as well, so they are sure coming in fast at the moment, almost too fast to be able to keep up.

 

In the month ahead I need to start dehydrating my meals for the Challenge.

I'm also thinking that I will certainly use 2 food drops on the Challenge. Once the route has been approved I will then arrange with the two places I have in mind to allow me send packages to them.

I'm also going to have to book accomodation and train tickets soon as well.

Incase you missed my posting on OM announcing to the world the following:

New stuff from Podcast Bob available:
Gapyear Light:
The Gambia - Career Break
Gap Year Show - Pt Four

Backpackinglight.co.uk:
3 Peaks Africa - Exclusive Interview
The Human Skeleton - Maintenance
Whatever Happened To Trailcast?

And of course all available via itunes or your favourite podcast software.

 

I'll be listening to the Trailcast one first as I'd love to know what happened there, as they were not bad podcasts. You kept that one quiet Bob. But you can make it up by letting me be there  for the Annabelle Bond interview when you do it ;)

 

I'll keep posting on OM about new podcasts as and when they become available, but do people find this of use?

 

well after spending the day up in hell or I think it is more commonly known as London, I've not had chance to do anything at all.

The car has been dropped off so that the local garage can quote for raping me.

Over at Backpackinglight.com it looks like 99% of the coverage of the Outdoor Retailer Winter market 2007 coverage is members only! Sorry folks I thought they would of had more available to the whole world.

Which reminds me I need to order some more of that Jolt gum. I do like this caffeine gum, and it will definitely be added to my list of essentials for the Challenge.

And as I type Bud is at my feet snoring away ^_^, and what a warm feeling that gives me. Shucks I'm welling up here folks, excuse me I've got something in my eye. Sorry about that folks, I know that Bud is 10 years old, and so may not have many years left, and moments like this will be ones I remember. Oh and that he knows how to snuggle up to you at night.

Back on topic, and on my way up to London I finished the Backpackinglight.com magazine. And I have to say I REALLY enjoyed reading it. I found the articles interesting and informative. Can't remember when I last thought that about a UK Outdoors magazine.

John Hee of walkaboutuk blog fame (yes the comment spammer ^_^) has come across another new UK Outdoors Blog.

That blog is Skunkbag (http://www.skunkbag.co.uk/blog/index.php) it's also been added to the Outdoors blog section on this page as well.

Also Mike Pitt has a blog under way at http://mikepitt23.spaces.live.com/, Mike is a chef by trade and does a bit of dehydrating so may be worth asking a question of two in that front.

Now watch the ripple effect take place as this starts to pop up across the other blogs out there ^_^

Why not pop over and say hi.

Fantastic article with audio and video on Backpackinglight.com (http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/02741.html) about "Lightweight Backcountry Winter Gear Shouldn't Skimp on Safety".

Backpackinglight.com are doing daily coverage from the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2007

 

If you are a member you will be able to see pictures of the new Inov-8 lightweight boot called the Roclite 390 GTX which weighs in at 390gms. I bet this will be of a lot of interest to TGO Challengers and lighweighters in general.

 

They also have a podcast from there that will be of interest to women, which is an interview with Inov8 about design considerations in shoe design for women.

 

Update: Also you can download an mp3 that seems not be on their podcast area http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/day_playing_snow_bcb

Wow, Bob is having a massive sale on at the moment (https://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/page43.asp), there are some real bargains to be had. And one or two would make excellent additions to folks gear for the TGO Challenge.

Just finished packing my pack for the trip to Dartmoor tomorrow, so I thought I'll weigh it (as the only difference between now and the Challenge is the amount of food and a waterproof) - 8 kilos folks!!! I'm gobsmacked I really am. I'll do a gear list and review what I used when I get back.

What a way to end the day really, first it started off well, I got my Zelda: Twilight Princess for the Gamecube (from Canada), it went down hill having to spend the day in London at a clients site. But now I've ended it well. I'm happy again ^_^ 

Although exact details are sketchy as to exactly what has happened. We are looking forward to Cara retelling the story in her unique style. Extremely glad that Cara and Steve will be around to tell the tale.

Read all about it here:http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/news/article/mps/UAN/4387/v/1/sp/

Spent sometime getting ready for the weekends training trip this evening. Which basically means doing the long overdue seam sealing on the lifter points on the "Bob" Tarp, and also cutting a long length of cord into appropriate lengths to be used with the tarp.

I really need to be more organised than this.

Had an email from Alpkit this morning after I contacted them yesterday about the Bivi bag, and they said they were hoping the final version that goes on sale is close to the Rab Survival Zone in weight, it will be available sometime in March (I've heard elsewhere the OutdoorsShow). But for me the big killer about this is the price, they are aiming for the £25 mark!

At that price they will be selling out fast. And I'd expect more people to be out wild camping, although they could also be just kept for emergency situations.

Maybe more people will move to the combo of tarp and bivi bag when these are introduced?

Just got home and my package from Backpackinglight.com has arrived. So now I have the final plastic bag, my Jolt caffeine energy gum and Backpackinglight.com magazine.

Quickly skimming through the magazine, it looks good, and will definitely be reading the article on coffee. It's also an A5 size so handy for throwing in the pack for trips.

 

The last three days have been written and the whole lot is now with Dave for review before sending off to the route assessors.

Phew so glad this bit is over.

 

UPDATE: Dave is happy with it, so have emailed the route to Roger Smith for review.

Well what can I say still no sign of TGO in my local newsagents or supermarket. Even after bringing this to the attention of the TGO staff (a couple of months ago), nothing seems to of happened. Well that is a lie, Cameron made the comment at the end of the last TGO Magazine podcast that people should subscribe. Only if you like having the magazine arrive later than in the shops.
There are one or two things that I find hard to accept with subscriptions. There has to be an incentive for you to pony up hard cash in advance from the publisher. As this is money they have quaranteed sitting in their bank earning them interest. Usually the incentive is you get a cheaper rate, and the magazine arrives a day or so early.
If a publisher sells a subscription then it has to be there with the subscribers before or on the day the magazine hits the news stand. Also especially with TGO they sell an electronic copy as well, which is made available even earlier. So the electronic subscribers pay less and get the magazine earlier than the paper subscribers. So exactly why should you subscribe to TGO again? Ok there is the benefit you actually get a copy of the magazine, but for me this advantage is greatly outweighed by the other disadvantages.
Now one of TGO's main rivals has mastered the incentive to subscribe, by offering subscription gifts, and resubscribers get the same deal as new subscribers. Now I'll repeat that for those who had trouble reading that, resubscribers get the same deal as new subscribers. This is an alien concept to TGO and Cameron. Needless to say Cameron doesn't think resubscribers should get the same deal as new subscribers, and I disagree. I've debated this with Cameron in the past, and we will never agree on this point.
Trail has also had late deliveries whilst I subscribed to them, but that was the rarity not the norm as with TGO.
So after 8 years of buying TGO I miss my first issue in that time, and really can't see myself buying any more (except the TGO Challenge Application issue).

Alpkit are developing a bivi bag (http://www.alpkit.com/colab/develop/a-wet-summer-nights-dream/), which sounds very promising.

Alpkit produce good value kit at a price that people can afford. There is no price mentioned as it is still in development, but it looks like competition to the Rab Survival Zone.

It will be interesting to compare it with my Rab Survival Zone. Which going on current specs is lighter at 350g, compared to the 450g of the Alpkit one (at the moment).