Yay, it's cheery Friday.

[RIP]

Congratulations to Dave and sympathies to Helen

[Bearbonesnorm]

I've just watched a short film about a bloke who makes prosthetic limbs for animals - very cheery it was.

[Cheeky Monkey]

Congratulations Dave. Is swearing the secret to a long and happy marriage / togetherness then?

[Boab]

Spare part from my coffee grinder turned up yesterday, so it was nice not to have to hand grind this morning for a change. Bought some coffee beans while on holiday, should last a few days.

[RIP]

Hedgerow freebies. Apples from the garden. Crumble beckons perhaps.

[Dave Barter]

Congratulations Dave. Is swearing the secret to a long and happy marriage / togetherness then?

I learnt it all from Helen swearing at me

[thenorthwind]

Congrats Dave, and moreover, Helen

Cheery start here - up early and out on the bike for a quick coffee at the top of a hill (slag heap) in the early sun. Then out again again with the dog since my girlfriend hadn't slept well, again (she suffers with restless legs).

During which excursions I spotted and got permission to take another plasterboard pallet (having got one from my neighbours across the road yesterday). For those that aren't connoisseurs of shipping timber, the plasterboard pallet is, IMHO, the grand prize. Easy to break apart without splitting; thick, wide 8 foot slats; useful 4 foot 2x3 stringers. Ideal if you're using the timber for cladding, which I am.

Oh, and I found £15. Granted, it was my £15, but I had no idea it was in the old wallet that I got out of a drawer to put some cash in from something I sold the other day.

Small wins

[darbeze]

Nearly getting squashed by an open top bus while on my bread delivery ride was not a nice way to start the day...

Complaint logged with Stagecoach and enquiries made about bike cameras...

[Bearlegged]

I'm in Edale. It's sunny. I have a picnic table, a beer, and a short wait for a pizza. Things are good.

[Verena]

I'm in Edale. It's sunny. I have a picnic table, a beer, and a short wait for a pizza. Things are good.

Nice

I hope it's sourdough??

[fatbikephil]

Congratulations Dave. Is swearing the secret to a long and happy marriage / togetherness then?

I learnt it all from Helen swearing at me

I guess a few of us on here have read your books so gained an insight into what Helen has to put up with (which I suspect is a lot better than many spouses) so well done!

[Bearlegged]

I hope it's sourdough??

Not sure, but it was very welcome. Locally sourced craft ale, so I'm still well up on hipster points.

[voodoo_simon]

Try doing this with a touring setup …
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CgxAggAp ... MyMTA2M2Y=

[Bearbonesnorm]

In truth, that's probably not giving the bike / luggage a very hard time at all as the transitions make it very smooth. Bike would likely have a much harder time down an average Lakes or N Wales stone track I'm still impressed mind.

[fatbikephil]

I've done jumps like that loaded up at Tarland trail centre (well the jump was a bit smaller*) and a very loud bang/crack came from something when I landed - possibly from me as the bike seemed fine....



*quite a lot smaller

[RIP]

Just had a bit of an epiphany. I've been doing it wrong[ly] all these years. Instead of trying to have a minimal open-minded plan for a jape because I believe that allows for lots of diversions, 'I wonder what is over there?'s, taking up offers from random strangers etc etc; what I should have been doing is the complete opposite - a rigid, massively detailed, fixed route and timing plan. Because of the extreme rigidity it would be absolutely guaranteed to go horribly 'wrong' (ie. 'right' in Reg's book) at almost every turn, whereas unplanned stuff generally just floats along dreamily. So paradoxically a total lack of flexibility would result in more strange occurrences and funny moments not fewer. Hmm. More thought required on this bombshell.

[Bearbonesnorm]

My 3 week old great nephew has spent nearly 2 of his 3 weeks in hospital on ICU but yesterday he underwent a 4 hour operation at Great Ormond St and I heard late last night that they believe it to be a success ... so that's cheery. However, I will temper that with 'it's just started raining'.

[whitestone]

My 3 week old great nephew has spent nearly 2 of his 3 weeks in hospital on ICU but yesterday he underwent a 4 hour operation at Great Ormond St and I heard late last night that they believe it to be a success ... so that's cheery.

[Cheeky Monkey]

Fingers crossed and best wishes to him and all the family Stu

[fatbikephil]

Best wishes to him Stu.
Cheery here as I'm sat on the couch listening to the proms on the wireless whilst drinking beer and typing rubbish on here. True I'm having to dismantle a motorbike engine (again!) but I'm wise enough to know that's all part of the fun.

[Verena]

Good news Stu, hope the little one keeps doing well.

Reg, interesting epiphany, let us know how it all works out.

I'm a little late for CF, but still... currently sitting at Strensham Services charging the car, after a few hours kip in my hammock and a very early start to head over to Lincoln before the 45% I believe of the UK population that is expected to be travelling this weekend hit the motorway...

Looking forward to a long weekend doing burger all except eat too much, drink too much, and generally catching up with my girlie bestie of forty years...

Oh, and going for a swim at this place which is just down the road....https://oceanwalkeracademy.com/

[thenorthwind]

Best wishes to your nephew Stu... Hope it's stopped raining too

I'm even later for CF but it was a cheery week and since it's BH weekend I'm relaxing the rules...
I spent Tuesday evening - Friday morning in Wasdale working on my Wainwright mission. I'd been putting it off trying to find a few clear days (time and weather wise) to get round there since it's a bit of a trek round via Carlisle and Whitehaven.

I arrived in rain and low cloud, having panic-bought beer and chocolate on the way in anticipation of having to bail to a camping barn, but pressed on with my plan to bivvy on a short round of 3 fells (Buckbarrow, Seatallan, Middle Fell). Saw sod all from the first two, but was rewarded with some clearer moments lower down and a scenic bivvy spot.

Rain overnight, so was glad of the tarp. Also got to test out my midge net addition to the bivvy bag in the evening when the wind dropped - worked pretty well, particularly with the "lifter" attached to the tarp (think there's a MYOG thread from way back, but can post a picture if anyone's interested).

Drove to Wasdale Head in the morning, hid in the car eating breakfast and drinking coffee while it cleared up, and then set off on a 16 mile tour of the fells to the north. Had a pint at the pub and did some last minute Sca Fell route research, then camped. Off early up Sca Fell and the Pike, with 3 other Wainwrights in the group. Back down early afternoon, by which time it was sunny and quite hot. Bit of a rest and packed my bag for another high bivvy between Illgill Head and Whin Rigg, the last two fells on the list in the dale. Found a nice grassy hollow sheltered from the stiff breeze, and had a bottle of stout watching the sun go down over Haycock (...and Sellafield, but let's not talk about that ). TBH didn't sleep that well, again, but never mind. Down to Nether Wasdale in the morning and hitched a lift back up to the pub for the car.

Exit through the bakery in Gosforth (highly recommended), and a quick run round Grike, Crag Fell and Lank Rigg on the way home means I've now been up everything south of Ennerdale in the western fells.

Despite being a solo mission, what made it really cheery was the people (and dogs) I met. The guy parked next to me who turned out to live a couple of miles from me - we might do some hills together in the future. The Polish couple who gave me a lift up the valley. The 10 year old lurcher putting mine to shame walking up Sca Fell. The guy who was keen for some company between Grike and Crag Fell. And plenty of others who just stopped for a quick chat about the weather and appreciation of the hills.

Glad to head back home on Friday though, particularly given the solid stream of caravans, campervans, and roof boxes heading west over the A69

Now at my mum's with my girlfriend and the dog, and off to a pub later where they've been roasting pork in wood ovens overnight, and Deya are bringing the beers
Hope everyone else is enjoying the last of the summer/the first signs of autumn.

[RIP]

Nice little read that, 'Wind. Yep, sorry, would indeed be interested to see a pic of the myog lifter pls

[thenorthwind]

Cheers Reg This is the MYOG thread viewtopic.php?f=13&t=17863 I'll post an action pic, but it's on another device which is at home.

[RIP]

Ah right, yah, I remember now. And the rag rug too!

My next experiment is the stick across the Gatewood vent/neck hole with lines down to the lifter points ploy. This might not work if the hood's flopped forwards over the hole for rain protection of course so will need a bit of tinkering.

Same ploy would work with flat tarp in 'A frame' mode although the stick would rest on the ridgeline, so I dunno. Although the usual vertical external stick(s)/pole(s) method is obviously much more sensible probably . But where's the fun in sensible eh?