So, where were we ?

Last time we had one of our little chats, I believe, I was trying to cut through the cornice at the top of Central Gully on Ben Lui.

No ?

Aaah right.

Little 27 year time slip there – must be the codeine.

It's all coming back now. After a pretty shitty end to 2011, I had started off January with high hopes, and was going well with daily walks building up to a good day topping out Myreton Hill.

Then, once more, I was faxxed by the fickle finger of fate.

I lost a month. Bastard.

Today I made it up to the Coop and back with several stops.

“Aw naw,” I hear you say “That means we're in for more anti-photographs of the University campus and these fuckin' swans on the reservoir.”

'Fraid so.This must be the sixth time in 2 years that I've started the "fitness" programme. Still.............

For little "Simon Smith"

Courage mon brave

Good choice with the knickers !

A Public Information Notice

For reasons I won't elaborate on in case any of you are having your tea, I won't be out and about for a few weeks.

All together now........

Oh dear, what a shame, never mind.

This, of course is an ideal opportunity for you to book a short winter break, have your computer serviced, or nail yourself into your bedroom with some tins of soup.
The choice is yours.

Just giving it a bit of a turn over

In this cold weather, you blog can freeze up if you leave it out, so I thought I'd just start it up for a wee while.. No snow here, thanks to these big fans which our government has installed on every hilltop, to blow bad weather down south, but a bit parky.

Actually, I am rather busy with pearlcasting this week and next, so it'll have to be a quickie

Just in case you were thinking about cancelling your subscription due to a perceived intellectualising of the blog...........

"When these shoes were new............."

Those of you who have been taking your medication will remember that  some time ago I blogged about these Karrimor Meridian shoes.

The post under advisement, incidentally has gradually made its way to the upper echelons of the OSS Page View Hall of Fame, eclipsing on it's way several exquisitely crafted nuggets of wit, erudition and high adventure in wild places. So it goes.


I noted that they were comfortable, well made, waterproof with a very grippy Vibram sole, and seemed to me to represent excellent value. Unfortunately these shits at Karrimor marketing department failed to take the hint, and I have been confronted by the need to reach under the mattress again to replace them. As you can see they are still in remarkably good nick, but the sole is less aggressive than it was ( probably since I took them to the vet !) and, crucially, they are no longer waterproof.


Decisions decisions.
Should I stick with the tried and tested, or should I be  a bit more adventurous ? I once barrel rolled a MB and walked away unscratched with everyone saying I;d have been dead in a cheaper car. A strange superstition/loyalty then resulted in me driving a series of boring E320s for the next few years when a more exotic motor would have better suited my celebrity lifestyle.


Well I firstly decided that I didn't want a pair of these trendy cardboard shoes that fall apart after 100 miles or so, however innovative they might be.. I was quite keen on the Targhee for a while, but couldn't find them at less than £100, and didn't think I'd get that past the children's Inheritance Budget Committee.
So the winner is (drumroll)

Yup. Same old , same old. And very comfortable they are too.


............................Honey, take me out drinking tonight "

 

That's certainly been my experience, anyway.

Myreton Hill

Yes. That's right - Hill. As in "uppy bit"


If you look at the Ochils escarpment from the South, Myreton Hill is the third one from the left after Castle Law and Dumyat. 387 Eurometres above Menstrie
A watery sun kept trying to come out. There was a cold breeze. It felt good. Very good.
The jury is still out on the effect on the tootsies, but otherwise everything seemed to function as well as could be expected.
I met  a couple of old codgers ( one who had done all the UK 3000s) and we talked about places and people we had known. Until the snell wind started to take it's toll on malfunctioning circulatory systems..

A cross between a style and a cattle grid ?

Dumyat across Menstrie Glen

Looking East from the cairn

My new flask. Four squid off eBay.

It was that kind of day.

Keep Fit

A cursory scan of the blogosphere shows that Fitness is a topic which is currently "trending" ( is this right ?)

Naturally, I've been doing my bit.

No, don't laugh. This week I have been following a programme specially devised for me by top-style scientists at the Institute of Studies. Instead of weekly or thereabouts splurge-type walks followed by several days recovery, I have been persuaded of the merits of doing shorter walks, but every day.

(A  Sports Scientist writes .. This is utter shite)

And....... it seems to be working for me.

( A Sports Scientist writes .. Actually, opinion is divided on this one)

Since Monday, at least 3 miles every day. Total of 32 miles for the week and about 2000ft of up.
Today's little spin was about 5 miles and 500 ft. Some observations

A few flowers on the gorse

At this point I got the binoculars out and was able to ascertain that, in my absence, the lazy bitch had put the heating on. Why does she think I gave her a scarf for Christmas ?

"Go ask Alice "

At his point I entered a rocky raccoon.
 Wait. I'll just check that on Google. As you were. At this point I entered a rocky ravine

Anyway, Whats that ?
Enough of this rubbish ?
You want what ? A man in a silly hat playing the slow blues on an old Fender ?

Ok. I'll have a look in the cupboard.

Would this do ?