Thanks to those of you who pointed out that these files idn’t work. Lazy coding!

All now works!

In a fit of ego and vanity I have added some audio files to the 2010 Trail Journal. Here you can here expanding on the joys of walking through places such as the Monadliath and the Balmacaan.

TGO 2010 Trail Journal

Version 1.0 of the Trail Journal for this year’s TGO Challenge is now online. There are a few additions to be made but as the code is driving me nuts I though I’d put it up anyway.

Hope you enjoy it. If you feature in the text — don’t deny it/ It’s all true !!!

2010 TGO Challenge, from Dornie to Montrose.

For those who keep asking, I think we are not too far off. Bob’s editing seems to be getting towards the end

Maybe there’s always been an strong association between the TGO Challenge and meat pies but if so I’ve only discovered it this year.

When the Challenge journal is finally produced (sometime soon) you’ll be introduced to Phil Turner’s culinary pleasures — on the trail at least. Pies, sausages and all kinds of what Phil calls ‘indeterminable meat products’ feature prominently on the menu. There were times when Phil seemed driven on by the desire to get to a meat pie shop!

Phil’s route vetter (I shall keep him anonymous) seemed to have tipped Phil off about the availability of pies as he strolled across Scotland — the kind of information not shared with me when this same individual vetted my first route. But to be fair, there’s a section on the route forms for questions. I wouldn’t put it past Phil to have asked ‘where can I buy my pies’?

I met this same vetter on this year’s route. I was strolling towards Ballater and we shared a rest stop together. I’d not been to Ballater before. “Nice village” came the comment. “I prefer it to Braemar”.

“There’s a good pie shop” at Ballater he volunteered. His partner looked distressed. “Don’t tell everyone” she said (or words to that effect).” Everyone will want to go there”. When I finally made it into the campsite at Ballater I switched on my mobile to find a message from Phil confirming that the pies here were, indeed, fine. For reference, the pie shop is in the first stretch of shops encountered as you enter Ballater from the bridge end.

Fast forward to now. I’m engaged in my usual quest to determine a start point for next year’s Challenge. For me this is always the hardest part of route planning. I have a kind of check-list of things I’m considering. No early road walking please. A nice place to stay the night before. Easy access by bus or train. But perhaps the main influencing factor is the recommendation of others made at the end of the Challenge. I tend to mention to those who’ve done a fair few where I’ve started in the past and ask them to recommend a favourite start. This year I bumped Peter Molenaar at Montrose campsite. He’d started at Archaracle; he made it sound nice. That’ll do I thought.

A few days ago I put a note on the Challenge notice board asking for ideas and information about Archaracle. I’ve received a few helpful comments and emails. Each one of them mentions the pie shop in Archaracle. You can sense the build up of saliva as they type.

This year I realised I was becoming an old Challenge codger, hobbling around with a bad back and so on. When I was in France a week ago I realised I still had by TGO Challenge badge fixed to my Tilly Hat. I fear there is no way back now. I might as well settle back and plan my route by Pie Shop.

To those who keep asking, I’m nearly there with the TGO Trail report. most of the html pages are set now. I just have to fine tune the templates and finalise my new feature for this year!

Not long now! You sad bunch!

And another thing …

… Everyone now seems to be thinking about routes for next year’s TGO Challenge, I suppose as we’re getting near to the October Challenge issue of TGO.

I think it might be a more southerly crossing for me next year otherwise I will be re-tracing past tracks at some point too early on. Currently considering Acharacle as a start. Anyone walked this way?

Bob and I have started one of our occasional conversations about how we could develop our OS programming and what we might look at for a programme over the next twelve months.

We’re interested in feedback about the TGO Podcasts — this year’s will be available for download shortly.

It has become increasingly difficult to run the podcasts as we have. everyone knows who we are now and many people simply run a mile when they see us coming! In this year’s contributions you’ll find a series of longer interviews with people who were happy to talk to us on that basis. This includes people like Cameron MacNeish, Henry Shires, Phil Werner (US Hiker) and a number of newer and younger hikers and trekkers.

The things we’re wondering about are:

Should we be doing them at all? Are we just covering the same ground? Should we have a year off? Are these past their sell-by date?

Do our personal diary pieces work for you?

Should we seek to integrate the TGO contributions into other OS podcasts or should we stick we doing something that is specifically dedicated to the Challenge and to Scotland?

And — as ever — any other ideas for subject matter are welcome.

Increasingly these days outdoor celebs are more difficult to pin down. However, we know there are many of you planning new challenges or tackling new challenges. If this includes you then get in touch. we’d love to hear from you!

The Bingos are — of course — accompanied on their sing along tracks by a number of very enthusiastic Challengers.

So, here are Bingo Wings and the TGO Chorus !!!

The song is Dandy Warhol’s “Bohemian Like You’

 

 Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

Regular readers will no all about Bingo Wings — Bramear’s greatest Rock and Roll band. The Bingos were with us again on this year’s Challenge and — if it can be humanely possible — were even better.

Chatting to ‘Bingo Andy’ before the gig he told me that Braemar’s winter had lasted 6 months last year, much of which had seen the village buried in snow. How else to pass the long winter nights other than to practice your guitar solos!

Your intrepid reporter was there of course, recording machine in hand. I see from my site stats that people are still listening to last year’s sounds every day! So, for all you anonymous fans out there — here’s some of this year’s stuff.

 

First up —Bingo Wings and their version of The Strokes’ ‘Last Night’

 

 Bingo-1: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download