Too Easy Rogaine

[samvara]

Heh, we didn’t find it 'too easy' - we planned the usual challenging route which we subsequently cut down. Challenges included steep hills and thick bush we had to slowly and carefully push our way through - should have bailed earlier and skipped to track walking because by the time we figured that out we were tired and cranky. *grins* we also discovered that Ginny’s very nice new backpack has a strong enough magnet in it to distort her compass readings.

There were some picturesque little streams and lovely wildflowers to admire and we ended up doing some friendly chatting with various teams as we intersected on the course - I love that bit. We also did some catching up back at the hash house where I traded some interesting abuse with the hash team while fetching food for people too sore to walk. Oh salty fried potato, I love you so.

My left leg gave me some stern warnings about overuse (need to do far more steady distance type exercise) and I trialled using a walking stick - it was brilliant on rough terrain, especially going downhill.

Comments

[sara]

What on earth does it have a magnet in it for?

Mmm, salt and potatoes and oil, hard to go wrong with.

[samvara]

Magnetic clip for drinking attachment on chest strap - it seems like a good idea if you're not holding your compass on the same side and height when you're taking a bearing.

It's the BEST FOOD EVER when I'm that tired.

[sara]

Oh, good grief, GPS is ruining everything. *omits grumpy old-school outdoorsy person rant*

[samvara]

Hee, and we're not allowed to use GPS cos the whole point is to prove you can do it with a map, a fried potato some jellybeans and a compass ;)

It would be tempting to take a GPS on the Bibbulmun track next year though... that's more of a stamina challenge than a navigating one.

[sara]

Theoretically my exotic new telephone has a GPS in it, but since it can't generate shape files it ain't much more use than a topographic quad and the same old compass I've been using since grad school.

Back when outdoorspersons were outdoorspersons and magnets were magnets, I remember seeing backpacks specifically advertised as having nonmagnetic zippers.

[samvara]

My iPhone and the 'maps' feature have had a bit of a workout - best application so far is being able to sit on +9km to the speed limit on dark country roads because I know exactly where the turnoff is. *pets glowing blue dot smugly*

Hee, that reminds me I used to have a friend who would say "back when men were men, and women were... grateful" then pose dramatically while we all snickered at him.

I am always on the lookout for the perfect backpack - the current one meets almost all my needs except I feel it should have more pockets - possibly in the hip/waist strapping like this one - mostly I want small, light and mostly full of water.

[sara]

Garrison Keillor says, "Where the women are strong, the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average," which I've always thought was about right. ;>

I had the hardest time last time I bought a backpack, convincing the guy that yeah, I needed something which could accommodate a laptop and had a technical suspension. He kept trying to sell me these "urban" backpacks. With pink flowers on. I am not even kidding. I got pretty growly.

(I ended up with something green, which is a bit of a problem in this climate. The previous backpack, which is down several buckles at this point and has seen a lot of abuse, was bright gold, which was a great color if a person wanted to find the thing again in the woods after setting it down and walking away to have a pee.)

[samvara]

...where all the children are above average? How does that work!

Ugh, I've not tried to get a good one that can hold a laptop, mine is like 3-4 kg max and meant to support me on a single day hike. I take it you get a lot of green? To hide on the ground locally you'd need a dappled, dead-leaf brown one - possibly with ticks painted on it (the reason I rarely put mine down).