Blog 3 - Equipment, Grammar and a Small Personal Insult

 Equipment. Some people love equipment, some people are indifferent and some are bored by the subject. If you find yourself thinking, "I am definitely one of the third group", then you may wish to scroll down the page to the Grammar and Small Personal Insult section.

For those who have remained with me at the top of the page, the excitement is just about to begin. Some people don't know what they are missing.

Lightweight Paramo

Mid weight Berghaus

 Jackets. I have three. My lightweight Paramo is my favourite, because if I'm wearing it then it means that the weather is pretty good. I slip this on to keep out the wind and it weighs practically nothing. But it is as good as a sieve when it comes to rain. 

So, I have my old Berghaus jacket which is fraying at the sleeves and has been re-waterproofed lots of times is great, unless it is cold. 

Heavy duty Paramo

 The jacket that I least enjoy wearing is my heavy weight Paramo, because it has to be extremely nasty for it to be necessary. If I'm dressed in green then the chances are that I am being accompanied by a rustling sound, because I will also have my waterproof over-trousers on. I have spent far too much time peering through the vision letterbox which results from being battened down in the hood of this jacket. 

I know that I will wear all three of the jackets at some time or other on the walk. Ideally I will have times when, in the words of the renowned jazz/rock drummer Phil Collins (Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order) there will be "No Jacket Required".

35 Litre Berghaus

25 Litre Lowe Alpine day pack

Rucksacks. 

I'm taking two. I've got one more monster sized bag, but my knees buckle and my legs bow if I'm wearing it, so it can stay at home.
I can just about get all of my wild camping kit in the one on the left. As for the day pack on the right - it's a day pack. 

Both bags are very comfortable, but I'd rather not be wearing either.

Walking poles. Some people hate them, others love them. I find them extremely necessary. I will be walking with mine for most of the way and I'll be using them too. 

Soon after I bought them I drilled a hole in the top of each and fixed in a metal rod. I had the idea that they would double up as tent poles for a bivvy, which has worked well. 

One day I was scrambling down a scree slope and I went flying. By the time I had stopped tumbling and the dust settled, I noticed that I was bleeding from my cheek, just below my eye. The metal rod from one of the poles had pierced my cheek. I was very lucky that it wasn't my eye. Some clever chap suggested that I put corks on the rods. As you can see, this works a treat and blends in beautifully with the cork handles. I believe that it is very important not to let my aesthetic standards drop and I think I have achieved this with style.

                And here is the bivvy.

This is my tent. It is a Terra Nova Competition 1 tent. It weighs less than a kilo. I have used it many times and after a long walk with many nights in the claustrophobic space, I am glad to see the back of it and put it back in the cupboard where it belongs.

Having said that, I must add that the tent is brilliant. I have been camped out on the top of a cliff area in a gale and although I didn't get a lot of sleep, I was dry and warm.

And, it was bloody expensive!

And finally - my whistle.

What a beautiful whistle

Grammar. 
When Jennie read my last two blogs, she made a comment that, in her opinion, I do like to use "speech marks" quite often. I believe that she does have a point. So I will try to limit their use in future.

Small personal insult. 
Jennie also said that I looked "like a frog" in my profile picture for these blogs. I have looked again at the photo and I think that most of you would agree that I do not look like a frog.
In the interest of marital harmony, I have selected another photo which I am told is a "rather sexy" image and it is now in place.

Take it easy.

Rob "walker".

ps. Jennie has now read this blog and is "unhappy" that people may think that she said that I looked "rather sexy". I can confirm that it was not her, but another admirer.


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