Lessons from the OMM

Last week Pete and I went on our annual pilgrimage to whichever set of rainy mountains the OMM team pick. This year it was the Tweedsmuir Hills in the Scottish Borders, which was an area I had never visited.

We'd entered the "Medium Score" event, which is like a big orienteering event spread over many miles of mountains and moorland. As we crossed the start line we were given our maps, which showed the finish point for the day (and overnight camp) and many control points dotted around the area, with different numbers of points. We had six hours, carrying everything we needed for two days in the hills (tent, sleeping bag, clothes, food...) to get to the overnight camp, collecting as many points as we could manage. And then we'd do it all again the next day, with a new map and a new set of controls.

A short video of our exploits is here (although in reality we walked much more that the video suggests!)

This was our sixth mountain marathon, so you'd think we were getting the hang of it by now, but there is still plenty to learn.  Here's a few thoughts....

Big Bike Thing

For reasons that are lost in the mists of time (from about 4 months ago!) Kath and I are cycling to Plymouth to go to a wedding!

It seemed like a good idea when, sitting in a pub (inevitably!), we came up with the idea.  But then suddenly there was only two months to go and we were nowhere near ready!

I know to many people 200 miles is a good day's jaunt, but we had never cycled more than 20 miles before. So over the last couple of months we have trained (a bit) and got ourselves vaguely ready. This has luckily involved much gear buying, an activity in which I am something of an expert. Acquisitions have included a bike(!), racks, panniers, lights, lycra, locks, inner tubes and socks, and we finally have two road ready bikes to take us on our way.

We are setting off tomorrow to do 55 miles a day for four days, arriving in Plymouth on Friday evening.

Updates on Twitter #BigBikeThing.

Wish us luck.

Tribute to my Osprey Talon 33 - A long term kit review.

I love Osprey rucksacks. I have five of them, all different sizes, ranging from the big Aether 70, through an old rugged Ceres 50, a Talon 44 and down to a lightweight Venom 13.

But the one that I use the most, my favourite and constant mountain companion, is a four year old orange Talon 33. It has been with me everywhere. Mountain marathons. Days out training with DofE teams. Scrambling in Snowdonia. Overnight bivvies. Climbing centres. Weekend hotels. Long training runs. Running the length of Wales on the Big Wales Thing.

I reckon I have probably used it enough now to do a review of it!