Rab up warm dear

A Rab Photon belay jacket lives by our back door. Two in fact, Mrs sbrt also has one.  To use the current marketing w*nk word, its my 'go to jacket'.

Rab are based just up the road from me and although they manufacture abroad, they still fill  the down  kit,  in house. In my mind this makes them, sort of local. All of their kit that I have used, has been well designed and more than fit for purpose. I have had a couple of  minor quality control issues but as I said, I like their stuff and would recommend it. On top of that they sponsor the Rab Mountain Marathon. Tks fellas.

What's worrying me is the spread of Rabys. No, not hydrophobia. Its worse than that, far worse. Respected hardcore outdoor brands are becoming mainstream. Chavs, middle-aged shoppers, newsreaders and Countryfile presenters, can be seen wearing R Carringtons finest.

Rab Photon hoody being used for what was designed for.
Skimming stones.

It may already be too late for; Boghause, North farce, Lard Rover and  Mange Rover. Lets do what we can, to save Rab from this sad demise. Join Colonel mintcake and myself, in the campaign to get gear dirty. Its our only hope of keeping our outdoorsy cred.

Whatever next? Wet suits for swimming with dogs

Well it was October

Chewing the cud

 Our second bite at the New Chew fell race, one of team Ibuprofens highlights of last year.
 Organised by Saddleworth Runners, this event is a real gem. A choice of; long score, short score and scoreless(line) courses, Varied terrain, great views and challenging Nav. All for £8 but the reason this race stands out is the hospitality of the Saddleworth Runners. 

Not the most runnable terrain 

The Glossopdale and Pennine massive 

Many thanks to all who made it happen.

See you next year.

Hebog fail

Moel Hebog(hill of the hawk) taken on a clearer day

It looked simple on the map. From the cottage, up to Craig Isallt, follow the rights of way to access  land below Hebog, then up to the top to admire the views.

 It was not to be. Down in the valley tussocks, snow drifts, marshy ground and fenced off rights of way made progress slow.

100m from the top I turned round. I had set myself  a cut off time to make sure I got back before dark and gone 5 min past it. Cloud had rolled in and it was snowing. That will teach me to start out so late in the day.

Back down again, across the tussocks, drifts and marshland. Feet up and a cuppa tea in front of the wood burner. The Hill of the Hawk would have to wait for another day.

The view

findus frozen hill ponys

Reasons to be cheerful (S.A.D.) part 3

W+D-d\Tq
   MNa         =  The 21th January, blue Monday or the most depressing day of the year. Yeah! Sez who?

For the second year running we were in Wales, for the S.A.D.est day of the year. This time time the venue was Cwm Pennant. One of, if not the most beautiful valleys in Wales. So beautiful that Eifion Wyn wrote the poem Cwm Pennant.

On top of that it was SNOWING.

The softer side of  Moel Hebog

Fawr, Photo taken from Bach

The weekly shopping Cwm Pennant style

Only another 1/2 a mile to go

Happy or sad, dark or white, yin or yang you choose.

Mladic by God  speed you black emperor( a bit dark)  vs  Paul Oakenfold's Starry eyed suprise (happy choon)

What were you expecting Ian Dury or New Order?  Cool tunes but a bit too obvious. 

                                       

                                                          

Mawl

Billy checks out his new xmas lightsabre. He has not been quite the same since we bought him a red collar and he watched the Phantom Menace. 

In a far away universe a long time ago (1977), queuing up, to see the first Star wars film. It blew my 10 year old mind. A swashbuckling adventure with added spaceships and stormtroopers. Wow! Skywalker was a bit wet but Vader, he was a supercool sheriff of Nottingham x10. 

Fast forward to the phantom menace. Rose tinted glasses had made me forget these are cheesy kids films. I was disappointed. It was worth the trip to the pictures though, Ray Parks was stunning as Darth Mawl, truly menacing with some top wushu moves. This guy knows his Chinese martial arts. 

Vitamin D

The sky is clear and there has been a light frost. In the pre dawn glow I can see mist in the valley. Time for a breakfast run, fortified with vitamin D.

Billy and I wern't the only ones tempted up Bunkers Hill by the sunrise

E-Dallying

1st snow of the season

Dark & White Mini MM

Edale 16/ 12/2012

After  Dove dallying around the White Peak, earlier on this year. It was time for some E-Dallying, up in the Dark Peak.
The last Dark & White  Mini Mountain Marathon of the year and another top event. This was a four hour score event and again, like the Coniston  Mini MM, we were allowed off piste. The mapping this time was by Ordnance Survey, as we were in the Peak district this was probably a good thing. Much as I like Harveys maps, O.S. do show access land better.

There was one other difference. Ray, the other half of team Ibuprofen could not come out to play. I was entered as a 'Billy no mates' solo. 

'Mmmm'. Martin G checks the map Rich can't bear to look

I wasn't totally alone.  Martin G, Richard P and I travelled Northwards together (this was Martin and Rich's first MMstyle event). Up in Edale there were a few other familiar faces, and a couple of new ones to meet.

 The Dark & White course planner, obviously knows this area well and scattered the 27 controls over 35 square km. In a way that gave us few easy options. Making it tough but fun.

All went well for me. Almost perfect weather and no nav mistakes. Even with hindsight and without faffing with the camera, I don't think I could have picked up many more points. Yeh! If I was a bit fitter and faster, I could have got more points but I finished in the top half of the results table and had a cracking four hours mucking about on Kinder.

Heading for the first control  of the day

Cheesy grins

I even caught this fella smiling for the camera, apparently a rare event.
 Good to meet again.

Good to meet you Mr Speed

And back up again

The run in. Via Grindsbrook

Best mince pie of the year. Thanks Eva!

Other Highlights and randoms

• More photos here check out the number of smiley faces.
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• Adam's Red and yellow Walshes. Good to meet you fella.
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• Karma. Telling the guy in front his rucsac was unzipped, then minutes later being told my bumbag was open.
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• Meeting Matt, Excellent result Matt.
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• The heather was very trip-upable.
• 
  
• The heather was soft to land on.
• 
  
• Catching up with  Russ from the White Peak Fell Runners.
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• Crisp shortcrust pastry and a tangy filling. Mince pie of the year award goes to Eva.
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• waterfalls
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• Place name of the day. A tie between Dunge Clough and The Madwoman's Stones.

As always,  a big thank you to all who made it happen

                                         

Obviously I was far too young, to turn out a punk