Emails are starting to come in regarding my chosen route. I can’t always determine whether these are from people who want to avoid the podcast machine or people who want to meet up!

Vetter comments are not yet back but here goes.

I shall be starting in Dornie after a night in the Dornie Hotel. Anyone else going to be there?

From there I shall stroll into the hills camping at NH 212 217. This should set me up for the high route around Sgurr nan Ceathreamhnan (or below in bad weather) and a slog on to Cougie. I haven’t yet decided whether to try Cougie Lodge yet or to camp at the Loch before it (where a couple of years ago I shared the ground with some magnificent black slugs).

Then it is into the Balmacaan Triangle for a couple of days, hopefully emerging into Drumnadrochit for beer and food. If anyone wants to hold hands through Balmacaan just shout.

An extended meander through the Monaliadth then follows a la Weightman, along the watershed, into Glen Mazaran, camping there for the evening, before turning south into Aviemore over the Burma Road. Mind you, somebody did send me an alternative to the road which I must seek out. I intended to go that way last year until some kind of flu bug struck. I’ll be at Coylumbridge on the evening of the 19th if anyone fancies a beer in the Hilton.

I then have a choice of joining Shirley, who will be walking in the wrong direction in order to find ghouls and ghosts. The vetter route will see me go from Coylumbridge to Glenmore for breakfast (20th) before going Glen Avon, Beinn A Bhuird and Quoich water and strolling into Braemar for breakfast (21st). I’ll be the guy in the red Paramo with arms removed reading the Guardian.

Some of you will know that I was planning to avoid Braemar this year completely. But Ibbotson convinced me that the trip wouldn’t be the same and I changed my mind. And now the blighter has skipped off to Arizona.

So, it’s fish and chips in the Hungry Highlander and Bingo Wings again on Saturday night I guess.

Then Ballater (never been there before) on the 23rd and a hop over Mount Keen to join the gathering of the revisionist Tarfside cell. And then Fettereso to Stonehaven. The Fettereso has been on each of my previous route sheets and I’ve not yet been there. I shall resist the temptation to simply slope into Edzell and the cafe. I will resist, I will.

Not the most original of routes I guess but one that was quickly put together. I worry that it won’t be lonely enough.

Just finished chatting to our Bob on the phone. As always there were lots of completely useless things to talk about, but some interesting ones at that.

First off, backpackinglight.co.uk are improving the website. You can see the first fruits of this online at the moment but the work isn’t finished yet. Apparently much of it is ‘beneath the hood’ but should give us a better service. But the website already looks better.

Secondly, there was a gear angle (of course). Bob was out last night — camping on the hills so that you could have the benefit of his first hand experience. He was very taken by a new tent from Vaude I think it was, a solo tent weighing 1 kilogram which Bob thought was far superior to the Laser Competition. I didn’t quite catch the model name but no doubt Bob will appear to fill out the details.

And then there were the podcasts. I think it is safe to say that we are creaking towards something of a new season and — I believe — the first of the new season approaches. We did discuss various tactics for Challenge podcasting, especially as there might only be me doing it. I think our various tactics mean that will have something to share with you after May — so you can all stop badgering me about it now!

(Of course, if you’re one of the people that run the other way in case I badger you. Sorry, but we have our public you know …)

Back to the voodoo doll tactics — for the last time I promise you!

A Challenge Route vetter — who will remain nameless — obviously clocked my tactics and wrote:

Ah I see, having bumped off all your mates your are now looking for fresh victims for future years!

I did expect you at No 16, I think, on original standby list to eventually get a place, however I did not think you would stoop to such lowly and vicious methods to obtain a place, especially as your friends have born the brunt of your attacks. Such tactics I would expect of Sloman but not of you and a few others.

It is true that our Al can give you advice (for hours on end) as to the tactics to employ when you find yourself on the standby list.

But back to our vetter. He noticed something else in these pages — the podcast machine

Had forgotten you carried that contraption till I popped over to your web site. If i see you first you wont see me!

Obviously a man of taste and distinction

Actually, we’ve never me in the flesh. If we do at Montrose this year, the drams are on me

My ‘Chally’ mates were obviously so keen to help me get a place on this year’s event that they started abandoning their own plans with worrying enthusiasm. The problem is that they haven’t stopped !!!

Latest in the list of retirees is Rob Hausam from the USA, who many of you will know from the podcasts that Bob and I have made over the years. In Colin’s absence Rob was preparing to take on the mantle of the ultralightweight Challenger — in gear terms that is. Rob’s employer was acquired by another company and the transition means that Rob simply can’t find the three weeks needed to tackle the event, which is a real shame. Anyhow he hasn’t lost his sense of humour. Both he and Roger have obviously clocked my voodoo doll tactics. Rob wrote to Roger:

Anyway, I am definitely very disappointed to have to withdraw, but at least it wasn’t Andy Howell that bumped me off !

Perhaps I should re-iterate that my voodoo doll has now been put away although there are still people on the waiting list who would quite like a place !!!)

I hope not too many more people end up being caught in this spell. I do worry that this year’s Challenge will end up being just Sloman, Lord Elpus, HMP3 and me.

Doesn’t really bear thinking about does it!

Email from our leader Roger Smith:

Hi Andy

Roger

Fellow Challengers, ha, you can’t escape. The Podcast machine will be making its way across Scotland yet again !!!

Isn’t life in the networked age exciting?

Colin texts to tell me that he has finally communicated with Challenge Control that he is pulling out. Roger tells Colin “A ha, the place will go to Andy”

Colin is delighted as he now feels his place is going to a good home. But I’ve heard nothing officially …

… so close and yet …

This time it’s Colin Ibbotson! Colin has found himself with a big chunk of time and was wondering where to go. He could have completed the Challenge and then gone on to walk somewhere else. But I saw my chance and suggested the Arizona Trail, knowing that Chris Townsend would complete the deal. And so, Colin is off to Arizona. Must say I’m quite jealous.

The only problem with this voodoo doll trick is that it’s all of my mates who are pulling out. I shall miss them, Still, there will be new friends to make.

Back to Colin, I’m going to see if we can have a podcast chat and stuff about this proposed trip. Sounds exciting to me!

Another email this morning, from reader Chris Yapp telling me that he has had to pull out of the Challenge.

It seems odd but it is my readers that are all pulling out. I have to repeat again that this is entirely co-incidental.

Before anyone wonders whether I’ve been doctoring water bottles again I should point out that Chris has badly torn the ligaments in one ankle.

I did this once as a young man when playing football. It was the the most painful thing I have ever done. In fact, I did it again — twice. Left ankle twice and right ankle once!

I gave up playing football on park pitches after that!

This is Chris before injury! Get well soon and maybe 2011 is the year for the Challenge!

Sadly Darren has had to withdraw from the Challenge. I shall miss both him and his attire! Of course, that pushes me a little closer to the top of the list.

Can I make it clear. There is not truth in the rumour that I am travelling the country and introducing strange substances into people’s water bottles!

Am getting closer to the Challenge draw. Roger the Dodger Smith has obviously following my preparations:

Hi Andy

No, not quite but you are now no 4 on the standby list so as soon as I get a few more withdrawals I will let you know. Meanwhile I am attaching a Challenge Newsletter and goods order form which I hope will be of interest.

Let it be said, Roger is not a man to miss the opportunity to sell a T-Shirt or two