My brain hurts: This has been a challenge all in itself.
I blame Louise. She started it, Miss! Well, she started the spreadsheet / weight thing. I had read about this on twitter for ages and always thought i would NEVER EVER go there. And then Andy Walker and Andy Howell did lists and before i knew it, my brain was hurting.
Oh dear. Oh dearie, dearie me. In the past, a few minutes before the taxi came to take me to the station, I would step on the scales without the rucksack and then again, wearing the rucksack. Subtract one from t’other and Robert’s your Aunty: The weight of your pack is determined. However, this does not satisfy Bloggers and Twitterers. So: In their real world, my rucksack will be weighing 12.14 kg, plus half a dozen cheese rolls to be bought in Glasgow.
That’s 26 lbs 11oz in real money (plus the cheese rolls!)
However, these chaps on the interweb bang on about “base weight” and apparently this does not include food or gas or whisky but quite how you would get across Scotland without any of those vital resources beats me! And so, apparently. my base weight is 9.2 kg which is 20lbs 4 oz in real money.
The trouble is, I have now been suckered in and I have started cutting straps off my rucksack. If you see a chap with gear spilling out of his rucksack because it can’t be done up properly, stumbling across Scotland. that’ll be me.
This time tomorrow night, I’ll be in the “Bree Louise” at Euston, sampling the first of their 17 real ales with Andy Walker. That’s when the proper training starts and all the above nonsense will be a distant memory.
Cheers!
Alan, well done dear boy. Well done - it is an absolute necessity for anyone packing a bag to have a xls for it. You've just been living in denial for too long.
ReplyDeleteYou should see the list for my caravan holidays - MEGABYTES!!!!
See you soon, maybe....
It's the shame I can't cope with... If Phil ever sees this he won't speak to me again.
DeleteWell thought out kit list. let the drink....I mean hiking start.
ReplyDeleteExactly my thoughts, Martin!
DeleteAt least I had the common decency not to weigh mine.
ReplyDeleteOnce you start counting the squares of chocolate you are doomed.
I know you... By the time we meet up tomorrow evening, you'll know how much each bit weighs. you won't be able to help yourself.
DeleteYou can blame Louise too, when we are in Braemar.
:-)
I had a dream well, a plan really....lay out all my kit on the bed, carefully open each stuff bag, take a photo, list and weigh each item, THEN I thought - b***** that - so I just stuffed all the bags into the rucksack!
ReplyDeleteSorted! (Mind you I've had to re-do it several times as I couldn't get it all in.............)
Then I tried to lift it on one of those bag-weigher spring things - and nearly broke my arm...
Time for a cup of tea, I think...see you soon!
Those have been my thoughts every year as well. It's all Louise's fault... She'll have you at it soon. Mark my words!
DeleteBlame me? You'll be thanking me Alan, and you Andrew. Organised is Good! Easy Calc is a revelation and makes packing so easy! Blame indeed, it'll cost you ;-D See you soon boys!
ReplyDeleteIt *is* a thing of beauty, now that the work is done. And, I suppose it will be easy to keep up-to-date when new kit eventually takes the place of old...
DeleteBut this way lies madness!
AAAAGGGGGHHH!
There's nowt wrong wi a list.
DeleteIt's weighing it on bloody scales.
I mean, you need it, you take it.
Job done.
This is the man who sent home kit he didn't want to carry ON THE MORNING WE WERE TO SET OFF FROM STRATHCARRON....
Delete:-)
But at least I did not have too little !
DeleteAnyway, I am packing mine NOW!
DeleteDo I need to run the items via the scales, or just pack it in.
I know which version of those I am doing.
BTW: I have sent a parcel to Morar (pre paid), so I can send stuff back.
Now, where's my coat :)
Have a great trip Alan, I'm sure you'll soon forget that Microsoft induced trauma!
ReplyDeleteThat's the plan. We are meeting up with a Challenger from Barbados in the pub. Spreadsheets will be a distant memory with all those beers.
Delete:-)
Alan, I can't believe that a Leg End such as yourself didn't have a spreadsheet. How on Earth have you managed? Also, I don't get the "Base weight" thing, either. I suppose Base Weight is "The weight of all my gear if I stayed at home and didn't go anywhere", which seems a bit daft to me! Have a great crossing; see you in Montrose.
ReplyDelete(PS Am having trouble commenting to certain Blogger/Blogspot blogs, so sorry if I am Anonymous.)
Hi Judith
DeleteYou seem to have commented with your usual link. :-) Blogger is playing up a bit lately.
Nope - the spreadsheet is a new compulsion. It's strange how I have got across all these years without one. How on earth did I manage?
I have never, nor will I ever weigh myself, my pack worry about different base weight algorithms or any of the other seemingly countless things I am told I must do before hiking lol.
ReplyDeleteHave hiked for over 30 years and experience has taught me never to worry about weight. Comfort yes, weight no.
My Berghaus pack unloaded is twice the weight of some UL packs, yet when laden with my essentials (those things that 3 decades of hiking have shown I require for each type of hike), sits comfortably and the weight is distributed properly.
I am not disputing the fact that saving weight is important - my kit list is minimal, but once I start down the road of spreadsheets, gram counting, cutting labels from under pants etc I think I will give up hiking lol.
Great post as always Alan :)
Ah... Now I have been weighing myself all these years it has to be admitted... Fighting weight, rarely achieved, is 11 stone 11 lbs. And, miraculously this year I am under for the first time in years!
DeleteGive it time, Chris... You'll break, I'm sure.
:-)
Oh, FFS......
ReplyDeleteLook - pack it, put it on, say "My gawd, that's fckn heavy" take it off again. Take out a brunch bar
Put it on, say "aw, that's much better" and go and make sure you have all your tickets (I expect you've all weighed your tickets, though)
That's how it was always done, Mike. Then at Glasgow we would go out and "top up" the rucksack with pies, beers and whisky. It never did us any harm...
DeleteI'm sure that "base weight" should include essentials like whisky
ReplyDeleteI really don't understand the concept at all... It's stuff you have to carry, so include it!
Delete*shrugs* and takes another slug of the whisky that doesn't fit in the flask...
Hey, my 250 gas cylinder weighs 2 grams more than yours. Quick, give the address of your supplier :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Tony.
DeleteI'll have you know that that weight includes the little plastic cap that prevents grot fouling up the valve. The weighing of that item was done by Robin Evans as I have to get it in Glasgow.
:-)
The point about the base weight thing is that it weighs the items that are carried the whole time. Of course you won't get far without food, gas and whisky but the weight of these items in the pack will be up and down like a bride's nightie depending on how fast they are consumed and how often resupply is possible.
ReplyDeleteHave a good trip!
I always take a ton of toilet tissue, wet wipes and Immodium, remembering one ghastly episode a few years back brought on by the Cadbury's chocolate poisoning fiasco.
DeleteMy First Aid Kit has half a ton of prescription medicines that I have to take, as well.
Hey! I reckon my base weight is getting close to a couple of your earth pounds now!(As the Pieman would say)
:-)
Alan- always seems to be a bit of faff weighing everything but we all seem to do it. Best of luck to you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mark.
DeleteI now have to pack, get cash and get to London to catch the pub, er, train.
:-)
Al, I didnt find a tent nor tarp listed but see you are a cold sleeper with a 970 weight bag!
ReplyDeleteMy BPL is 5kg with Marian carrying stove n fuel 0f 500g approx ( so you cld say correctly I have a 5.5kg bpl) but then I have all food which is 4kg so am starting just under 10 kg for first time ever.
I have always done a spreadsheet with both our loads on but kept my blog simpler.
Hi Mike
Delete:-)
Wanda is indeed listed, at a hefty 1460 grams these days (with extra pegs and a few repairs and extra seam sealant all over her pelvic floor...)
All good clean fun. Well it is for you as you've actually included some toiletries to keep yourself clean, unlike some other Challengers.
ReplyDeleteThis weighing and list thing is a slippery slope. Soon you'll be indulging in some "mine's smaller than yours" rivalry. Your pack weight will be down to 1kg, with only six pairs of underpants in your bag (and possibly a quick-deploy emergency shelter).
I've never ever had a problem with the "mine is smaller than yours" thing. The Almighty wasn't particularly generous in that department... *sighs heavily*
DeleteDoes the weight of internally stored alcohol count?
ReplyDelete(Good luck btw.)
Hi Mark
DeleteThis was a (comparatively) low alcohol Challenge, with occasional lapses (the Cheese & Wine Party and Callater Lodge). The belly started off all but gone and by the end of the walk had entirely disappeared.
I am now a mere shadow of my former self, having lost another 8 lbs on the walk!
I remember Quincy cutting the straps off his sack to lighten it, a year later he was sewing them back on!
ReplyDeleteGrumpy.
PS surprised there is no blog, maybe the weather is blocking the signal!
As you will no doubt recall, Pete, this was always going to be a tough one and indeed it was. When I had the tent up the usual routine was a sleep for an hour before even thinking of cooking.
DeleteBlogging on the go was thankfully never on the radar!
A belated best wishes from me, too!
ReplyDeleteBTW, I notice your jacket is a Berghaus Temperance II. I know you've been cutting back on the beer a bit lately, but isn't that just a wish too far?
Hi Jules
DeleteTemperance, indeed! Far less alcohol was consumed on this trip - partly due to the fact that we seemed to avoid and centres of population where hooch was served...
Hi Alan,
ReplyDeleteYour blog is truly inspirational and your 2007 LEJOG is mind blowing, its an incredible achievement. I wanted to get in touch with you as I work for a digital marketing company in Manchester, UK and wanted to discuss about a possible opportunity for you. Please get in touch with me at gareth.evans@codecomputerlove.com to discuss this further.
Hi Gareth
DeleteI'll be on touch at the beginning of next week.
:-)
Good to see you are alive Mr Sloman sir.
ReplyDeleteIs your phone off?
I tried to call you!
Hello Sir!
DeletePhone gets switched back on tomorrow... Enjoying the peace and afternoon snoozes... Slowly letting the body catch up!
:-)
Phew!.
ReplyDeleteI was moderately worried for a while there mon ami.
All went pear shaped at Kings Cross, and I lost you.
Got my ticket home, came back round, still could not find you.
Wandered about a bit and then had to get train or wait another hour.
Thanks for the last 2 weeks.
It has been fun (well, for me anyway).
I have started my write up, but have only got as far as Day -2.
Done a lot of bloody gardening though!
Just re-read this. For old times sake. I am about to shed several hundred gramms. You seem to manage without cleft sticks so I shall take the risk and leave mine at home.
ReplyDeleteHi David
Delete:-)
I'm taking a different shelter this year (2013), wearing big leather boots and consequently heavier socks, taking spare shoes, a heavier fleece, different hats and base layer, and the base weight comes out at 9.0kg - a massive saving of.... 200grams.
:-)