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29 June 2014

TGO Challenge 2014: Part 5: Let's stick together




Come on, come on, let's stick together
You know we made a vow not to leave one another, never
 
***
Between us, our little band of brothers have completed nigh on forty Challenges. And with all those Challenges under our belts I’ve learned a few things; Chiefly, I cannot abide walking in tight huddles. Not for me the tightly packed military column of Challengers in perfect step, poles swinging together like metronomes. No Sir! When the mood takes us we can be found together, but more often than not great distances separate us. That way, we experience more curlew, more outdoors and vastly more happiness when trundling along. Other Challengers have commented that they find this strange but to us it's perfectly natural. Besides, it prevents World War III breaking out.

PHIL'S PIC: ME IN MONADH LIATH HEAVEN
PHIL'S PIC: IN MONADHLIATH HEAVEN. BUT SHORTLY THIS ENTIRE VIEW WILL BE THE STRONELAIRG WIND FARM – CLICK TO ENLARGE

We try to keep within eye-shot of each other, which can be tricky with Andy these days, as now he’s lost nigh on eighty pounds, he's a bloody racing snake, and he’s generally an orange speck in the distance. On the whole it works, and if the chap in front does lose contact, it’s good form to hang about to let the others catch up. Just occasionally he might need to retrace his steps in case there’s a problem behind, but this doesn’t happen that often. When it does, he realises that the other two buggers have scarpered and left him. Mates, eh?

LOOKING SW TO THE SPEY
LOOKING S.W. TO THE HEAD OF THE SPEY – CLICK TO ENLARGE

SAME AS ABOVE BUT WITH TWO MEN IN THE WAY
SAME AS ABOVE BUT WITH TWO MEN IN THE WAY – CLICK TO ENLARGE

DISTANT MAD'N'BAD
DISTANT MAD'N'BAD, WAITING FOR THE STRAGGLERS – CLICK TO ENLARGE

TOGETHER
TOGETHER – CLICK TO ENLARGE

GIVE US A SIGN, LORD!
GIVE US A SIGN, LORD!

ANDY'S PICTURE: DAVE MACHIN, PHIL & ME
ANDY'S PICTURE: DAVE MACHIN, PHIL & ME – CLICK TO ENLARGE

ANDY & PHIL, GLEN FESHIE
ANDY & PHIL, GLEN FESHIE – CLICK TO ENLARGE

GLEN FESHIE
GLEN FESHIE – CLICK TO ENLARGE

PHIL'S PICTURE: ME, GLEN FESHIE
PHIL'S PICTURE: ME, GLEN FESHIE – CLICK TO ENLARGE

GLEN FESHIE
GLEN FESHIE – CLICK TO ENLARGE

PHIL, UPPER FESHIE
PHIL, UPPER FESHIE – CLICK TO ENLARGE

ANDY'S PICTURE: RIVER FESHIE
ANDY'S PICTURE: RIVER FESHIE – CLICK TO ENLARGE

UPPER FESHIE
UPPER FESHIE – CLICK TO ENLARGE


MY SLIGHTLY SHAKY VIDEO OF THE EIDART WATERFALL – ANDY IS WALKING TOWARDS BRIDGE AT TOP OF FRAME FOR SCALE

 
GELDIE BURN

GELDIE BURN

 

DAWN, GELDIE BURN

DAWN, GELDIE BURN – CLICK TO ENLARGE


EARLY MORNING COFFEE

EARLY MORNING COFFEE, GELDIE BURN – CLICK TO ENLARGE

 

ANDY'S PICTURE: KKK MEETING @ FIFE ARMS
ANDY'S PICTURE: KKK MEETING @ FIFE ARMS

So, this means you have now caught up with us at Braemar. There will be a short hiatus, as we head for the bar in the Fife Arms for some well-earned rehydration.

18 comments:

  1. Indeed sir.
    If politicians spent far less time together at Lords and in the House of Commons, they would be much happier at running the country instead of taking political bites at each other.
    They could learn a lot from us sir.
    In fact, if they followed us across Scotland and listened to our conversations, we could have told them exactly how to run the country.
    If only the ignorant self centered bastards had been listening.

    Interestingly, the three Amigo's separation is going to get even less for the next 3 days.
    But eventually, true love will win through :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If they spent a little more time at Lord's at least they would enjoy the cricket. But I expect they would still be concentrating on the spin and lobbing full tosses at each other.

      Screw them. I'll disband parliament and we'll run the joint ourselves. You can do the Dark Arts and Phil can do Industry. It will stop him leaning on his bedroom windowsill watching his neighbours setting off off work.

      Delete
  2. Well put Alan!
    Oh, and I'm pleased to read that you regard maintaining a good level of hydration as being very important - as I do.
    In fact I think I'll go have a severe rehydrate right this minute.
    JJ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm only ever thinking about my Brother Dave's kidney, you understand. It's important to keep "Our Kid" properly flushed.

      Delete
  3. pictures are worth a thousand words- well post is well spoken

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great post, Alan, I enjoyed it very much. Phenomenal Brian Ferry number, very apposite..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Adam
      :-)
      He's not too bad for an aged 69, is he? Mind you, his saxophonist and drummer weren't too shabby either!

      Delete
    2. Loved the sax and drum players! Better than the singing on this vid - poor recording? (live is difficult, I guess).

      Delete
    3. As I understand it bands don't get any time to do a sound check - there's about twenty minutes between sets and they just just trust to luck & experience of the stage crews.
      Unfortunately Mr Ferry is now 69 and just doesn't have the range he used to have. But the backing singers are there to give him a bit of cover and oomph.
      He's still the coolest act on the planet.
      :-)

      Delete
  5. One of the best "gigs" (see I am down with the yoof innit) I ever did go to was Roxy Music at the Empire Pool Wembley in about 1981. Ferry was just so cool. And I agree about the saxophonist!

    Another great post old man ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Less of the "old" if you don't mind. I was the youngest of our group on the Challenge. I'm only one year older than the average age of the Challengers on this year's walk. It's all down hill from now.
      And yes - Brian Ferry's voice might not be what it once was, but that man could just stand there and the audience would go wild.

      Delete
  6. To be honest Al, you are even younger. Isn't Dave younger than you, so the average age of your inwards is less than your chronological age.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's true, Dear Heart!
      Perhaps all Challengers should start harvesting their younger siblings' innards. The avaerage age of the Challenge would plummet!
      :-)

      Delete
    2. He called you"dear HEART", Andrew. Could just be a way of speaking of course, but on the other hand ...

      Delete
  7. alan lovede watching bryan ferry but i,ve not long been to the cardiff students union to see five rock bands one which was call "we are the in crowd" with my daughter and no i,ve heard of them either . anyway i,ve been enjoying reading what you,ve writen so far but just how long is a hiatus as nearly everyone whose blogs i,m reading has finished writing thiers with the exception of andy howell but you can,t rush a real genius like him so i can wait a little longer .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Chris
      Yes - there has been a bit of a gap, hasn't there!
      I've a couple of TGO Challenge posts half written, along with one on the Talladh a Bheithe wind farm and a couple of gear review posts in the pipeline as well. So - bear with me, but there will soon be a veritable splurge of posts!

      Yes - I too have often called Andy Howell a 'king genius as well.
      :-)

      Delete
  8. my 17 year old daughter just asked me "whose bryan ferry i,ve never heard of him" kids today know nothing

    ReplyDelete

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