This is it, my final post before the ascent. In 9 hours time, we'll all be gathering and preparing to begin the long minibus ride up to Fort William.
How do I feel? I'm not sure. I think I'm in a happy little rut somewhere between apprehensive and focussed, and I'll probably stay that way until we're clear of the top of the five-finger gully on the way back down.
Anyway, to you all I bid a very good evening and, all being well, I shall wrap things up in a few days time.
Wednesday 28 April 2010
Monday 26 April 2010
N Minus 3 days...
Well, the time is almost upon us now.
Over the next few days I intend to do as little as possible to make sure I'm ready for the climb on Friday. (And indeed the drive up on Thursday!) I really don't know how I'll feel when I get up there. If past experience (of excursions rather than mountain climbing) is anything to go by, the good money would be on me focussing so hard on what needs to be done that I forget to enjoy it. I hope that isn't the case this time.
In the meantime, there are just one or two more things to tie up - Hopefully I'll be getting another radio interview over the next couple of days, this time with other party members as back up, so no pressure on clamming up! Apart from that, I could do with an equipment check - To make a list and ensure I'm organised.
Oh, and I have to make a tape of really bad music for the minibus as well. Basically, if it ends up on the hard shoulder of the M6 after my travelling companions decide they can't take any more, then that'll be a job well done...
Over the next few days I intend to do as little as possible to make sure I'm ready for the climb on Friday. (And indeed the drive up on Thursday!) I really don't know how I'll feel when I get up there. If past experience (of excursions rather than mountain climbing) is anything to go by, the good money would be on me focussing so hard on what needs to be done that I forget to enjoy it. I hope that isn't the case this time.
In the meantime, there are just one or two more things to tie up - Hopefully I'll be getting another radio interview over the next couple of days, this time with other party members as back up, so no pressure on clamming up! Apart from that, I could do with an equipment check - To make a list and ensure I'm organised.
Oh, and I have to make a tape of really bad music for the minibus as well. Basically, if it ends up on the hard shoulder of the M6 after my travelling companions decide they can't take any more, then that'll be a job well done...
Sunday 18 April 2010
Beacon Hill
Ok, first of all an apology: I know that I have been neglecting my blogging responsibilities recently! I'm sorry. But things have happened since my last post that will hopefully be of interest!
First of all, we have lost people from the hike: Glen suffering from injuries and Joey being forced to work. We have also had good and bad news with transportation: The good news being that we now have a minibus confirmed that we can drive up in, the bad news being that we only had one person in the party that could drive it (Steve).
How are these things connected? Well, fortunately Steve has come through for us by persuading his cousin to come up with us and help out with the driving! She won't be doing the climb itself (at least I don't think she will) but this gets us out of a hole and I'm very grateful. After all, the alternative was to take a few cars up and get out temporary insurance to secure two drivers for each car; not ideal for us and taking away from the minibus atmosphere!
Panic apart, a few of us took part in another training session today, the focal point of which was Beacon Hill, located a few miles southwest of Loughborough. To make things harder/more challenging, we parked in Loughborough itself and walked there, going around in a circle. We stopped for lunch at the top of Beacon Hill (complete with ice-cream van) and I took the opportunity to take a couple of photos. (See below.)
Overall, a good day with good chat and the opportunity to walk the legs off a 2 year old dog called Murphy, who probably lasted better than the rest of us. But also a rather stark (albeit brief) reminder of some of the steep hills that we're going to be ascending doing Ben Nevis; certainly they opened my eyes a little and demonstrated that it will require genuine willpower and determination to reach our summit in... 12 days time. Where does the time go...?
First of all, we have lost people from the hike: Glen suffering from injuries and Joey being forced to work. We have also had good and bad news with transportation: The good news being that we now have a minibus confirmed that we can drive up in, the bad news being that we only had one person in the party that could drive it (Steve).
How are these things connected? Well, fortunately Steve has come through for us by persuading his cousin to come up with us and help out with the driving! She won't be doing the climb itself (at least I don't think she will) but this gets us out of a hole and I'm very grateful. After all, the alternative was to take a few cars up and get out temporary insurance to secure two drivers for each car; not ideal for us and taking away from the minibus atmosphere!
Panic apart, a few of us took part in another training session today, the focal point of which was Beacon Hill, located a few miles southwest of Loughborough. To make things harder/more challenging, we parked in Loughborough itself and walked there, going around in a circle. We stopped for lunch at the top of Beacon Hill (complete with ice-cream van) and I took the opportunity to take a couple of photos. (See below.)
Overall, a good day with good chat and the opportunity to walk the legs off a 2 year old dog called Murphy, who probably lasted better than the rest of us. But also a rather stark (albeit brief) reminder of some of the steep hills that we're going to be ascending doing Ben Nevis; certainly they opened my eyes a little and demonstrated that it will require genuine willpower and determination to reach our summit in... 12 days time. Where does the time go...?
(Left to Right: Tom R, Rob, Ross, Murphy)
Monday 5 April 2010
Rutland Water
Thanks to Rob, a group of us headed off to Rutland Water on Saturday to do a long walk in training for the Nevis hike.
I say "thanks" to Rob. Perhaps, "due" would be a better word...
No, I jest! Genuine thanks to Rob for sorting this out as it was a lot of fun, even if it did take a long time and leave us all pretty tired. Besides, since the event itself will require great stamina from us, this made for a good exercise. However, I felt that my shoes rubbed on the balls of my feet that day for some reason, and this wasn't simply a matter of distance because it was happening after just a couple of miles. I'm not quite sure why that happened, but hopefully I can test them out a few more times between now and the end of April to help solve the problem. Anyone who can offer any suggestions, please do!
The walk took us around the edge of Rutland Water in a counterclockwise ring. It was about 19 miles in length, although the walk itself can be stretched into the peninsula in the middle of the reservoir and as such extended by around 7 miles. We didn't do this. Partly because 19 miles was enough and partly because I was paranoid about getting back to the car park by 7:30!
Even so, the weather mostly held off and it turned out to be an excellent technical and social experience - Plus a bit of a confidence boost. After all, this is further horizontally than we would walk doing Nevis itself. Now we just have to work on the vertical bit...
I did take photos of the trip, but unfortunately many turned out poor, and even more unfortunately, the aesthetically rubbish ones were among the ones that turned out well. Such is life. Even so, I present to you below the ones that did actually focus properly, plus one stolen from Steve's camera of the 5 climbers that did the walk.
(Left to right: Tom R, Tom C, Steve, Me, Rob.)
I say "thanks" to Rob. Perhaps, "due" would be a better word...
No, I jest! Genuine thanks to Rob for sorting this out as it was a lot of fun, even if it did take a long time and leave us all pretty tired. Besides, since the event itself will require great stamina from us, this made for a good exercise. However, I felt that my shoes rubbed on the balls of my feet that day for some reason, and this wasn't simply a matter of distance because it was happening after just a couple of miles. I'm not quite sure why that happened, but hopefully I can test them out a few more times between now and the end of April to help solve the problem. Anyone who can offer any suggestions, please do!
The walk took us around the edge of Rutland Water in a counterclockwise ring. It was about 19 miles in length, although the walk itself can be stretched into the peninsula in the middle of the reservoir and as such extended by around 7 miles. We didn't do this. Partly because 19 miles was enough and partly because I was paranoid about getting back to the car park by 7:30!
Even so, the weather mostly held off and it turned out to be an excellent technical and social experience - Plus a bit of a confidence boost. After all, this is further horizontally than we would walk doing Nevis itself. Now we just have to work on the vertical bit...
I did take photos of the trip, but unfortunately many turned out poor, and even more unfortunately, the aesthetically rubbish ones were among the ones that turned out well. Such is life. Even so, I present to you below the ones that did actually focus properly, plus one stolen from Steve's camera of the 5 climbers that did the walk.
(Left to right: Tom R, Tom C, Steve, Me, Rob.)
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