Dual purpose

I like stuff that works both on the hill & off. The stuff they gave us is pish IMHO. Pictured: limited edition Velez Adventure (Black, non reflective. Stealthy as f**k)

Weather: Changeable

Dear Weather Gods, Make your mind up.

Hail to the Master Chief

He stands on top of the communications bunker and looks out across the shallow valley. It's been half a standard year since he last stood on this very spot. Nothing's changed. Behind the mirrored visor, he smiles.


The crackle of small arms fire carries on the breeze but he hears a different song, an ancient one, of times long since past. "Good times".

Living easy, livin' free, Season ticket, on a one - way ride.

Reaching down, he pulls the turret gun from its' mount. "Time to go to work".

Asking nothing, leave me be. Taking everything in my stride.

Jumping down, he stalks forward. The weight of the gun slows him but there's no rush, he's savouring the moment. A pencil-thin beam flickers across his chest. He ducks behind a low rise as the full charge of the Spartan Laser blasts a shallow crater in the earth. "Missed, ya fucker".

Don't need reason, don't need rhyme Ain't nothing I'd rather do.

Moving from cover, he closes in. The big gun's triple barrel's stutter and become a roar as they spin up to full speed. The enemy begin to fall in ones and two's.

Going down, party time My friends are gonna be there too.

He's grinning now. This is why he comes here. This is who he is. As he falls upon them, his battle cry causes all to fall briefly silent; "'moan then, ya fannies!!!!"

I'm on the highway to hell. On the Highway to hell.

Rain stops play

Supplies arrived just in time, along with some pish weather. They'll keep.

We have a winner

I declare Apricot & Sultana to be the tastiest of the varieties available round here. I'll take a box, thanks.

Radio Silence

The keen-eyed amongst you may have noticed the lack of activity here over the last month. Nothing sinister, simply taking a wee break from the Web outside of work hours. Not a complete break, just a lessening of online time.

Business as usual in the real world with the recent arrival of some new "shinies". My self-imposed "Sell something to buy something" rule is working well. It's all gone a bit Swap Shop here. It's keeping the gear mountain in check at any rate.

Nothing terribly exciting, a 1 Litre Nalgene HDPE Bottle, waste water for the disposal of. Handy for all sorts of occasions.

Spurred on by the success of the SL2 and favourable reviews over at ptc's, a Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1 plus footprint. I'd been swithering for the best part of a year but, now that I've seen it in the flesh so to speak, I'm kicking myself for waiting so long. The Boy and me are heading out in the next couple of weeks so I'll be taking this instead of the Laserlite.

There's a Haglofs LIM 55 and a Snow Peak Mini Solo cookset there that'll be coming along for the ride.

We're looking forward to it :o)

Hard as.......

Nails. Titanium nails. 6 of them. And 6 of the more traditional "shepherds crook" type pegs. That's what arrived this week by way of those nice people at ultralightoutdoorgear. I reckon I'm now good to go for pitching on anything up to, and including, concrete.

While I was shopping for pegs, I picked up another OMM Duomat. The one I've already got makes a fine sit-mat or, opened out, a loafing-mat. I used it under my Thermarest "three quarters" last time out as a wee bit of extra insulation from the ground, Two will be handy for those times I use a full length mat.

All 3 of my OMM bags are designed with carrying an extra Duo in mind so it'll be interesting to actually try it. Both fit neatly in the Jirishanca and there's no significant loss of available volume. I'll try it with the other 2 when I get a minute.

I can imagine getting away with using just the Duo's on their own somewhere soft and grassy but I seriously doubt I'm hardcore enough to do it anywhere else :o)

Innov8 Roclite 390 GTX

It's a difficult thing, finding boots that fit. Like many others, I have one "odd" foot. I think it's the left one but it could be the right. One of them's a bit out of kilter with the other at any rate. So I'm well used to playing around with the fit;adjusting laces, one sock or two and so on.

The 390's need very little in the way of adjustment and that's a minor miracle in itself. I've been wearing them at work over the last week and they've been fine. At times, I forgot I was wearing them and that's always a good sign.

I've got high hopes for these over the coming months but I'll reserve judgement until I've put some serious miles on them. Anyway, Chris Townsend likes them so they can't be that bad :o)

Windy-Pops

It's breezy out. Almost Gale Force at times. I had half-a-mind to head out this weekend, not far, just somewhere local. My mental checklist (mental as in, the one in my head) always includes a windproof and has done for at least the last 8 or 9 years.

It was Chris Townsend's idea. I was reading TGO one day and he'd done a test on windproofs. They were, and I'm paraphrasing here, "One of the most useful & versatile items you can carry". That caught my attention and, the very next Saturday, I was off up to Summits to see what they had.

CT had recommended the Karrimor Vector Run and so that was the one I had to have. I couldn't see it on the racks. "Looking for anything in particular?" said Andy from behind the counter. "Karrimor Vector Run", says I. "What size?" says he. "Large, I think". "Two ticks", and off he went up the back stairs. After a bit of thumping from above, he trots back down bearing a tiny package. I was beaming. He even knocked a tenner off on account of me being a regular.

From L to R, Karrimor Vector, Paramo Fuera, Rab Quantum Windshhirt

I took it out the next day. And every other hill day for years after. That wee blue bundle's been over more hills than I can count. A constant companion no less. Even though others have come along since, it's never been fully put away. That flash of blue is there every time the door to the gear cupboard opens. It was however, put away dirty. There's still evidence of its' last outing. Some TLC is in order. And maybe a wee re-living of the old times when I was a full-on Hill Monster and not the procrastinating, any-excuse-to-stay-home lazy bastard I've turned into.

"Sorry it's late but.......Happy Birthday!!!"

I knew I'd forgotten something but I couldn't think what. It came to me when I was looking for something, down in the depths of my inane ramblings; my wee blog is 2. And a bit.

I was close with that last post but it slipped past, unnoticed, like a midget submarine in a Norwegian Fjord.

Never mind. Better late than never, that's what I say.

Keeping Bad Company

The real world outside the window is all grey, wet and miserable.

To a virtual one then. A couple of hours blowin' shit up should do it.

I hope he had insurance on that thing.

We're Oscar Mike. Husker, Out.

The Joy Of Parcels

Nothing starts a Tuesday off like a wee trip to the Sorting Office. And when the package carries the mark of the US Postal Service the joy is palpable. Big packages or small, it's all good.

I don't buy from The States very often but when the stuff you seek can't be found here then it's over The Pond we go.

The contents were eagerly anticipated. The substance therein, my own personal Opium.

I tested a sample when I got to work. Pure, Grade A Caffiene. This stuff's the shit, man.

It kicks the arse of that Nescafe pish that I took with me last time out. I'm popping a few packets in the grub bag and then I'm away to check the MWIS.

Credit to John Manning & Darren for the enlightenment. Bless you.

Update : It occurred to me that, apart from a photie and a brief mention in the comments, folk might not know what the hell I'm talking about. It is, of course, Java Juice. And I should also point out that they're rubbish at answering emails. Rubbish in the sense that they don't. At all.

OFFS!

Why is the Blogger editor so shite? I mean, seriously. Look at the state of that last post. That looked great in Live Writer and then Blogger mangled it. Why? Why does it do these things? Cause it's free, that's why so just STFU and get on wi' it.

F***ers.

Terra Nova Moonlite Bag Cover

I love my wee Laserlite, I really do, but a couple of things bother me; it's a tad cramped for a big lanky like myself and it's prone to a fair bit of condensation. Combine these things and you end up with a damp sleeping bag on account of me constantly coming in to contact with the inner, particularly at the foot end.

So, I'd been thinking of some kind of water-resistant cover. The Rab Survival Zone is a bit OTT so when I saw the Moonlite I thought, "That's the boy for me".*

First impressions: It's light. Very light for what it is and packs up small, much smaller than the SZ. And it's simple, just a drawcord at the top that pulls the "hood" in nice & snug. There's enough room to let my Rab Quantum bag loft fully and it's long enough for me at 6'4".

Moonlite (Top) vs Survival Zone (Bottom)

So, looking good then. All I need to do now is make the time to get some serious Zeds in it.

*Credit to Matt by way of ptc's place for bringing it to my, and others, attention.

Pies and Vapour-Rise

Back to Pitlochry for some much-needed downtime. We ate well, mooched around the local gear shop (where I managed to not buy a Haglofs LIM Down Vest. Yaaay for me!!!) and then ate some more. It was braw.

We took a wander up to the wee loch at the top of the hill, just up from the hotel. The ducks were still there; they looked sad. The loch was all froze and everything. We went back this morning with some toast, snaffled from our breakfast and shared it out. That seemed to make them happy. We resolved to stock up on duck food before our next visit.

It's no' easy being a duck.

Vrackie looking all snowy and rugged.

I nearly went home empty-handed but saw the light just in time and popped back into Escape Route for another wee nosey. The brightly coloured Optimus display had caught my eye yesterday so it would've been rude not to at least buy something.

Then, just to satisfy my curiosity like, I tried on a Rab VR Trail Stretch Top. I'd never worn one before and wondered about the fit. Glove-like, was the answer. The sleeves are nice and long too. And its' price reduced to not-very-much-at-all. It was all a no-brainer really.

Naturally enough, we also brought home a MacDonald's Steak Pie, so that's tea sorted.

Heavy Weather

There's some cold weather on the way. It is, according to the Beeb, coming all the way from Russia. Nobody's mentioned where in Russia but you can tell they're thinking Siberia. Maybe they don't want to panic the population just yet?

Such weather has of course never happened before. England and Wales are to be the worst affected with accumulations of up to 10 cm expected. 10 CMS!!!! The Welsh will be OK. Their thick skins, developed over the years as protection from the endless slagging by their neighbours, will save them. Our English cousins however, are fucked.

I can't bear to watch so I'll be sticking to the more obscure satellite channels until the glaciers retreat. Probably Thursday. Friday latest.

Stakeout

Important things, pegs. The recent banter over at ptc*s place got me think about my own, admittedly small, collection. I keep meaning to add a couple of really long ones to anchor the ends of the Laserlite in really dodgy conditions but never seem to get around to it. I may purchase more this weekend.

From left to right: Vaude(V), Vango(V), Alpkit(V), Big Agnes(X), Clamcleats(Y)*, Golite(Y) & Terra Nova(r?)

Some of those are ripe for a bit of a drilling and some cordage. Sounds like a rainy day project to me.

*Tip o' the hat to Bigbanafeet for bringing these up by way of Petesy's place.

Talk of the town

I'm no' sure I believed her but when the waitress at the Little Chef in Spean Bridge told us we were the talk of Fort William, it had a certain air of plausability. Four days previously, we were effectively marooned by a Landie which decided that it didn't really fancy the long drive to Skye after all.

We sat in the Little Chef and considered our options; we could press on and risk catastrophic car failure in the middle of God knows where, call out recovery and go home or phone a garage and try and get it fixed.

These options were further limited by the fact that this was after lunchtime on Hogmanay and most of Scotland was effectively shut.

Praise be then to the wonderful folk who live up that way. Crissy the waitress offered to call out her man who was a mechanic & the manager of the LC gave us the numbers of a couple of local garages.

Charlie of Heathercroft Motor Engineers came to the rescue. He took the car for a quick spin and came back looking rather sad. It was, he said, "sick" and advised us to go no further. He could take us on to our destination but couldn't promise that the insurance company would pay to get us all the way home again, or he could just take us home.

Perhaps prompted by our sad wee faces, he then suggested a hire car. The place was shut but he knew the owner and might be able to persuade them to lend us something. It wasn't a long phone call but but it felt like an age. There was a glimmer of hope; the lassie in charge lived across the road from the showroom and was willing to meet us there. So I hopped in the van and Charlie gave me a hurl doon the road to Fort William. Holly of Ben Nevis Motors turned up shortly after Charlie had dropped me off and headed off to rescue some other poor unfortunate.

A quick DVLA check, a cash transaction and I had the keys to a shiny Ford Focus. Result! Back to Spean Bridge to pick up The Future Mrs D & The Boy and we were back on the road. 90 minutes later, and about 4 hours after we'd hoped to be there, we pulled up ootside our wee home for the next 4 days. It was awfy stressful and more than a tad expensive but ultimately worth it and everybody had a grand time.



Let's hear it for the nice folk who go that extra yard when they really don't have to.

Thanks people.

A Guid New Year to ane an' a'

I f****n' hate New Year. All that false bonhomie and pished folk. Blame it on living in Edinburgh for years. Street Party? My arse!

However, that won't stop me from wishing you all a happy, safe and prosperous 2009.

As for us, we're away to Skye to hide out in a wee hoose at the end of a single track "road". You'll recognise it; it's the one with the "Get tae f**k!" sign on the gate. :o)

See yooz in a bit.

Good Grief!

The Boy's 15 today. 15!!! Where the hell did the years go?

Happy Birthday, wee man.

LOL and indeed, ROFL! :O)