Three reasons for this Blogpost...first two resulting from comments received...last reason makes it three...the perfect number. ☺️
Counting Sleeps (referring to Aug 24th blogpost)
"And...have I failed to inform you (or did you just ignore me?) about how to count down sleeps? You don't count tonight because it's virtually over if the sun has already set, and you certainly don't count the night before you leave, because you'll be so excited you won't sleep a wink...so you're closer to leaving than you thought...”
Ok hope I have this right...leave Sep 14th...blog published Sep 12th evening (so doesn’t count)...Sep 13th (night before leaving doesn’t count)...zero sleeps.
Not identifying who made this comment...doing my best to ensure my future “drop in visit privileges if I ever get to New Zealand” are maintained. 😉
Get a Grip on Blogging Guy (referring to Aug 24th blogpost)
Received a well intentioned, fair but direct WhatsApp message...”Too many words, details, pictures, diversions, stories etc etc etc...should not have more than 100 words”. This was in the first 15 seconds or so of the 54 second WhatsApp message...way too long a message to listen to so I skipped the rest...it’s possible some of the concerns expressed here are mine 😳! Yes I have heard of “a taste of your own medicine”. I think there is also a saying about a pot and a black kettle.☺️
Not identifying who made this comment...doing my best to ensure I have a longstanding walking partner for the 2024 Sept Camino/Other Walk 😉
Everything in the message was 100% bang on....except maybe “no more than 100 words”.
Word counts 🥲
Aug 24th Blogpost - Wainwright’s Coast to Coast Walk 5,378 words
Jul 2nd Blogpost - Ageing & A Few Updates 3,490 words
PEI Island Walk 20 Blogposts daily averages 1,135 words
This blogpost 964 words 😅
Guilty as charged! I admit to having an overactive imagination...often simply off in la la land, which is ok if I keep it to myself however when the blogging filter is turned off well...
What's the right blogpost length? Has to be much much much shorter than recent blogposts. My focus will however remain on the fun, odd, challenging, interesting, people stuff that captures my interest...that’s what I remember most.
Roles and Responsibilities on Coast to Coast Walk
Greg - Anything IT related (especially SIM card related) and the 6 minute train transfer in Lancaster on our way to St. Bees...run Greg...run!!! Sure Senior 60 - 64 World Record in 4x800m relay was nice BUT this is what you have been training for Greg!
Couple of examples of SIM card snafus in the past...
Portugal Day 1
Primitivo Day 12
Me - Duties as self assigned ☺️...ensuring Greg realizes this is a long walk and not an Ultra Marathon Sprint. Also midge protection...considering mosquito disaster on PEI Island walk...
Dangerous Animals
Midges - keep hearing about these nasty creatures...follow @toughgirlchallenges on Instagram...young woman who has completed amazing walks...recently walking Wainwright’s Coast to Coast and mentioned midges in one of her posts. Sooo...I commented “what do you use to protect yourself against midges?”...nice reply received recommending @thesmidgeforecast. Voila order made... two spray bottles of Smidge should be waiting for us in St. Bees at our first accommodation. Sure they may not arrive in time...even better Smidge may not work however “what an incredible product name!!!”
Shared - Route finding...especially through the Lake District 😂 If when we get lost…Greg/Guy remember shared responsibility! Also daily route choices between high/low or green/blue/red.
Terrain
Joined a Facebook group on the Coast to Coast walk...rained buckets in July 2023...a fellow posted that on our Day 7 - Kirby Stephen to Keld described as “A day walking across bleak and inhospitable moors” he strayed somewhat from the path and he was suddenly thigh deep in a bog!
Hmmm 🤔 let’s say both Greg and I stray from the path...who is in bigger trouble...based on body mass ratios best guess...Greg is over his ankles...I am in to my armpits! Must stick to the path...it will all be good...it will all be good! Hmmm 🤔 I have snowshoes...snow or bog...shouldn’t the same principle of walking over snow without sinking too far be the same as walking over a bog? Intriguing...would make for fun conversation with fellow walkers and could well be a first for the C2C ☺️
Weather
Do I really need to take rain gear? Is this incessant talk of rain a little exaggerated? So here’s a look at the first 9 walking days rain forecast (which of course is never wrong)...
Overall - 60 to 80mm of rain over 9 days
- Sep 17 - 19 Days 1- 3 30 to 40mm
- Sep 20 - 22 Days 4 - 6 5 to 10mm
- Sep 24 - 26 Days 8 - 10 25 to 30mm
Not sure what to do 🤣...probably it only rains at night? ☺️
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| Frog may be reflective of my French Canadian heritage! |
Both above images of the fine looking chap courtesy Bitmoji app...daughter Jeanne and daughter-in-law Pri must rue the day they mentioned this app to me ☺️.
Absurd
Mac’s Adventures provides “turn by turn directions” for all days...however we will be using their GPS app. Past experience in pouring rain...iPhone does screwy things when wet soooo...the obvious solution is to print 17 pages double sided AND get them laminated at friendly Staples. Only need to lug 1 or 2 sheets each day...rest can go in the Sherpa Van carry bag. I have a looonnng history of laminating things 😳
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| Go ahead and laugh 😂 I would! |
That’s it...off for a classic long walk…an epic adventure...swapping embellished walking stories with fellow walkers...embrace whatever weather/terrain Mother Nature sends our way…getting lost…finding the right path…fish and chips…a few beers 🍺 😊
You’re still invited to NZ!
ReplyDeleteAND I’m going to give you an English lesson for free!
A “blog” is the whole thing you create (think: book). A blogpost (or even post for short) is each individual entry (think: chapter) It’s one of my pet peeves, which I cannot allow you to continue with (although, given the prevalence of the usage of blog for blogpost, I may need to accept this is an example of language shift in action… you must understand if you continue to use it, that it will identify you as over 35 and anyone under 35 will roll their eyes at your ignorance when you say it - but if you haven’t got your glasses on at that moment you won’t notice, so all would be well….except that now that I have enlightened you, you would know…but only if you remember, so all may still be well! Buen Camino.
🤣😂 Many thanks Rachael! The MailChimp email will be sent at 4:00am EST so no one will ever know that I kept making the blog vs blogpost mistake! I think I have changed all the relevant references in this blogpost however I am still referring to blogging as being the action of creating a blogpost. I simply cannot bring myself to saying blogposting...Thanks for the ongoing corrections 😉...I will do my best to go forward with blogpost however as my wife Dawn would say “not going to happen...you will forget!" Hope you’re planning for 2024 long Camino is going well! Buen Camino however in my current situation it might be more appropriate to say Buen Coast to Coast!
DeleteOops should have said “your planning for 2024 long Camino..."
DeleteOops forgot to change my name. Again.
ReplyDelete"-1" or is it "-2" sleeps for me, since I leave tomorrow (September 13th) for Toronto?
ReplyDeleteI have Guy's packing spreadsheet, which I totally ignored and packed way to much. Snickers bars are taking up most of the packing space.
After this blog-post I now have to get some more big plastic Garbage bags for Rain protection!
I have been practising for this walk and I think I got up to about 10Km or so walking. Then I got tired of walking so I went for about an 8Km run. So volume-wise I am getting close to the 23.4Km average daily walking distance (per another one of Guy's Spreadsheets).
Apparently Guy will also be responsible for directions, as I usually go for out and back runs or I run around in circles! We may end up back at our stating location if I take this on. But wait we have laminated walking instructions! All will be good (and wet apparently)!
Looking forward to this new adventure ... people are already starting to question my sanity!
Greg...have no fear I have always found my way...often after being lost for a bit of time! You are REALLY tempting a wicked reply by writing “blog-post” with a hyphen...will see if that is noticed and corrected ☺️. I have more stuff than ever given the baggage carry. I feel why not take advantage of this and try out a few things. Laugh now but the laminated walking instructions could well save an overnight emergency sleep in the wilds!
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