The Boys of Baraka

The Boys of Baraka: This is another film I've had for a while but never watched, I must be in the mood for documentaries.

Its about a group of 12-13 year old boys from Baltimore who get the opportunity to go to school in Kenya for 2 years. The only thing they have to look forward to in Baltimore is prison. It does change them because it allows the boys to be kids with no TV.

Another good documentary but not as good as the last two, I gave it 7 out of 10.

Masters Football

I have just booked 2 tickets for the Masters football in June at the Metro Radio Arena. The tickets are for me and Tony, he mentioned about going a while ago and I had already been thinking about.

I owed him £16 from when I sold his Kasabian ticket so paying for this covered that :-)

Deerstalker Entered

I have just booked 3 places in the Deerstalker for me, Mandy and Helen. Its a 5K adventure race in Traquair on the Scottish Borders, maybe next year we will tackle the Mighty Deerstalker (10K version with last 5K in the dark).

The run is on Saturday the 31st March, I'm looking forward to it, although I need to start doing some serious training. Although its only 5K it sounds very hilly and difficult.

My Playlist

Above is a flash player that lets you listen to a playlist I am creating on Last.Fm. Unfortunately it only lets you hear clips of the songs but should give you an idea of the huge range of songs I listen to. Many have special meaning to me, I will be constantly adding to the playlist and will try to add it to the header of this site (too big for sidebar).

If you get sick of listening to the clips I chose, click the Change Station button and type an artist you like it will then play similar music.

House Work

I decided to have a day doing to house work today or to be more specific IRONING. I hate doing it because my back kills me standing still, so decided I would try ironing sitting down while watching the TV. It worked and I have ironed most of my stuff, will have some more tomorrow when its dried but after that it shouldn't be too bad as long as I don't leave everything again.

I didn't get out of bed until about 11 when I decided I better get up because my shopping was being delivered between 12 and 2. I had made some big changes to my original order after watching 2 films and a program last night. The 2 films are mentioned in previous posts "An Inconvenient Truth" and "Super Size Me", the program was "Grow Your Own Veg". I guess the first film didn't have too much to do with me making changes to my shopping but I ended up taking out most processed stuff other than soups, that's most my shopping!

Super Size Me

Super Size Me: I finally got around the watching this last night after An Inconvenient Truth. I was obviously in the mood for this type of movie.

Most people will know what this is about but if you don't. A guy spends a month eating nothing but McDonalds and shows how bad it is for him. Well worth watching and will hopefully stop people from eating Fast Food all the time.

I gave it 8 out of 10 and it did manage to make me change the food I'd ordered to be delivered and think about what I actually eat.

An Inconvenient Truth

An Inconvenient Truth: This is a fantastic film/documentary. It presented by Al Gore the former next president of the America. He tells the story of climate change and global warming through presentations he has given thousands of times. Yet it really hits home probably because he is such a good speaker. How the hell did Bush beat him, oh yeah he didn't it came down to Florida even though more people voted for Gore.

Anyway the movie presents facts in a clear way and it is very interesting, it should make anyone who watches this think!

I gave it a 9, watch it.

Weardale Way: White Kirkley to Westgate

Distance: 15.3 miles
Time: 5 hours 30 (moving)

This is the penultimate leg of the Weardale Way walk, this is also probably the longest day of the journey. I'm not going to write too much this time, it's a bit late. For the first time we actually stopped in a pub or to me more accurate we sat outside and drank a pint of lager. By the time we got half way down the pint we decided it was a bad idea because we were freezing. We stopped at the pub in Rookhope, we could of gone inside but we were muddy and didn't want to drag it in.

It was very windy on the top walking from Rookhope to Westgate and was good we eventually came down from the top and got out of the wind.

The very last part we went wrong, the actual path must of cut up across a field but we walked along the road. That would be my fault for not looking at the GPS, the map of the instructions when so close to the finish of the day.

I barely took any pictures again because my gloves stayed on much of the time but here's a couple but they're not very exciting.

(Above) From Hill End looking down the valley

(Above) on the way up to Rookhope

Expensive Kit

I started to make a list of stuff I need/want for wildcamping and especially for the West Highland Way. It wasn't an extensive list just the stuff off the top of my head and then I did a quick tot up of how much in my head. It will be over £700 with the stuff I want, probably a lot more because often all the little "cheaper" things suddenly add up.

The Tent alone is about £290. I could buy a lot cheaper stuff but my idea is to buy decent stuff in the first place that is going to last years, not cheap stuff that will drop to bits after a couple of uses.

I will make a proper list over the weekend then start looking around for suitable stuff and the cheapest places to buy them. Not that I have the money now but can do the research for buying them at the end of February.

DVRS Meeting

I went to the DVRS meeting at County Hall. I wasn't looking forward to it to be honest but when I got there I spoke to Deborah the volunteer co-ordinator, who was different to what I expected, yet I recognised her from somewhere. I got talking to someone next to me about walking and stuff.

I actually enjoyed the meeting and the conversations I had with people. I did have a few questions but decided to keep them for the next meeting which is for Adopt-A-Path and will probably be answered there anyway.

Car

Picked up my car tonight after having the brake pipes and suspension ball joint changed. It passed its MOT afterwards. I started the car and could hear a noise but decided to pull away to see if it went off. It didn't so turned around and went back to the garage. They had a look and the it was the front right brake pipe catching something. They sorted it in a couple of minutes!

away

i can hear the hail hitting against my bedroom window, but i'm snug in
my bed under a duvet and an opened out sleeping bag. this is the first
time in weeks i have blogged using my phone.

i was very pissed off earlier about my pay and i still am but i'm
trying to let my mind wander to other things but it does keep coming
back to it.

i think i need to plan some things for the next month, i have hardly
added anything to my calendar for february other than some wainwright
walks but haven't specified which ones yet. then hopefully i can look
forward to some things to try to take my mind away from the shite at
work until crunch time.

i used to wonder why people would go for walks especially when i was
struggling up some hill in the lakes but there is something special
when you get to the top and can see for miles. even when the fog is in
and you can see nothing it still feels special but can't describe you
need to experience it. even on monday when we were walking along the
moors towards the elephant trees and you couldn't see another person
except for me and my dad, it felt good to be away from everything :-)

Artificial Intelligence: A.I.

Artificial Intelligence: A.I. This is a strange film which is very much what I expected of it and have put off watching for some time. In the end I did enjoy it and Haley Joel Osment gave a good performance but I think Teddy was the star of the movie, lol.

If you like Sci-Fi films and Kubrick films, which this was originally developed by you should enjoy this. Kubrick asked Spielberg to make the movie. I gave it 7 out of 10.

Pissed Off With Work

After receiving my payslip today with supposedly my new pay on and back dated I don't want to go back to work again. I have been told since November that I am now at the same level as my colleague and presumably paid the same. Today my payslip showed a difference of £3,500 between our gross pay. Even with back dated pay on it was over £200 less this month than my colleague.

Do they seriously expect me to sit there taking shit all day with that much difference. I have sent an email today asking if this is a HR error or if "I am equal but not entirely equal" or something along those lines.

I am so pissed off I would refuse to do any extra work, other than the bare minimum, but its not fair on my colleague. From the look of this I will be leaving at the end of February, I have had nothing but hassle since July last year, but this is the final straw. There are other colleagues in the unit who are also being fucked about and don't know where they stand and it's just not acceptable.

Need a Challenge!!!

I'm sat here thinking before trying sleeping on the couch as mentioned in my previous post. I'm still trying to think of some special challenge I can do this year, even though I posted a list of activities I wanted to do. None of them feel like the one big challenge I need for this year. Yes I want to bungee jump, run a few races, wildcamp for a week in Scotland and many more but I want something more. I just don't know what?

I watched Jack Osbournes Adrenaline Junkie II this morning (recorded it). I think I mentioned before I would love to do some of the stuff he is doing in the show but the small matter of money and having to go to work stops me. Maybe I should befriend him so I can join him in the third series, lol.

Today

From looking down my blog you may be able to see that I have spent quite a lot of the day blogging. I just thought it was time I posted some stuff, so I can look back and see where I have walked and what I've done the last few days. It's weird how sometimes I have come to rely on the blog the help me remember what I was doing at a certain time or when I did a certain walk. I find it annoying when it was before I started blogging, lol.

I don't care if it's totally boring for anyone else to read. This was created for me, by me and it has served it purpose well. Not only as a reminder but more as a way for me to write how I have felt at times. The problem with other people reading it is I can rarely write what I really feel knowing people I know would know my deepest thoughts. Now and again I do write what I think and some have been disturbing for me to read back never mind other people knowing how low or pissed off I've been.

I've diverted from today probably because I've done nowt interesting. Tonight I went down my parents, my dad asked me to help him figure out how to convert a PowerPoint presentation to a DVD movie. It was quite straight forward but he had missed some settings. I got looking through the Suttons Seed catalogue at the vegetables and started thinking about what I want to grow this year. I have borrowed the catalogue but have also ordered my own from their website. I fancy some peas, carrots, lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, strawberries and probably some other stuff but will have a proper look over the next few nights. When I came back out of my parents house after about an hour there was a covering of snow. We could do with a few inches :-)

I am thinking about sleeping on the couch tonight, its nice and warm in the living room with the fire on and the music playing. Upstairs it is freezing, the heating went off 3 hours ago and it hadn't warmed the bedroom up anyway. I haven't made the bed yet either after putting the sheets in the wash. Sleeping bag on the couch is sounding good, might go and try it!

Sunday

I have dotted around the last few days with the posts I have made today but I have missed out Sunday. On Sunday I went looking for real wood flooring with a friend and we must of covered a few miles. Although I wasn't driving so it didn't matter, the place she ordered it from in the end we only found by chance after eventually finding how to get to floors2go. I can't remember the name of the place but it was just opposite floors to go at Gateshead (think we were that side of the river).

We then popped into Tesco and then I had a nice roast pork dinner cooked for me. Hell of a lot better than what I would of cooked myself. I even tried a sweet, can't remember what it was called but surprisingly I ate it. Think it had cake, cream and some sort of toffee it was very sweet.

It made a change having a Sunday dinner with someone and just having a chat rather than sat on my own or most likely walking for the next few weeks.

Saw III

Saw III: I just watched this tonight. This has upped the gore and the horror even more than the second and explores the main characters more than the others.

If you liked the first 2 you will like this, some people may find it a bit too gory.

I gave it 7 out of 10.

Deerstalker

While browsing the internet I saw an advert for the mighty deerstalker which is described as a "big, muddy romp" through the countryside, forests and hills around the famous Borders village of Innerleithen.

There are 2 runs a 5K and a 10K but these are no normal races and are described as "adventure races". Here's the description from the website of the 5K:

"A loop of approx 5km starting and finishing at the event village, involving some steep ascent, some forest trails and some water to cross. We'll give you obstacles to test your nerve and there will be plenty of gradient to test you resolve. However, you're never far from home and when you return to the rapturous applause of your supporters in the event village, you'll feel a great sense of achievement from having run the gauntlet of the inaugural Deerstalker. This distance will suit those interested in a short distance sprint challenge or to those new to off-road running who may want to "test the water" with this type of challenge. The Deerstalker will commence at 1600 on 31st March 2007 and run duration will be between 30 mins and 60 mins depending on fitness."

The 10K continues on after the 5K and does another 5K (obviously) but by this time it is dark and you need a head torch. the second 5K is a lot more difficult even besides for it being dark.

I really fancy doing the 5K, because this is totally different from the normal runs with some obstacles as well as water and mud thrown in. Just to make things even more fun they want people to dress up and at least wear a deerstalker hat.

The race is on the 31st March certainly looks interesting. I haven't entered the Redcar half-marathon yet after deciding I would make the decision at the end of January. I have barely done any running and 13.1 miles with under 2 months training wont be easy. What am I talking about that's about how long I was training before the Great North Run last year. I will make the decision at the end of the month but I really like the idea of the Deerstalker :-)

Xbox arrived and sorted

My Xbox turned up on Saturday while I was walking, luckily the postman left it in my parents coal house. He is used to all my parcels now :-)

When I got home I unpacked it and had the software modified in less than 10 minutes. Then copied over Xbox Media Center and configured it which took about 15 minutes. So I had my Xbox totally modified and connected up to the network streaming my movies and music in under 30 minutes.

Why anyone would pay for any of these other various other media players from Netgear, Linksys etc is beyond me. This cost me £51 including the £10 delivery and can play any audio or video format you can throw at it.

I have watched a few films and TV shows from the comfort of my bed and I am listening to music playing from it now rather than tying up the computer.

Todays Walk Off

The reason I've been blogging loads today and catching up with stuff I've missed is because my dad rang me last night and said he wasn't going today. We were supposed to be walking from White Kirkley to Westgate but he said he wasn't feeling very good, he was knackered. I said I would put off the walk so he could do it. Then I put down the phone and thought why did I say that, I took the days off especially to do the Weardale Way. Then after a bit more thinking I can see why he is tired he walked Saturday with me, Sunday with his friend then Monday with me. He will then be walking again tomorrow with his mate. So I suppose if he had walked today it would of been 5 days of continuous walking probably all over 10 miles. Wish I could do that rather than go to work, I feel fit and healthy and raring to go...

I wrote a list of stuff I was going to do today before I went to bed, then when I got up this morning after a lie in I thought I'm not doing house work on a days holiday. So have done a little bit of house work then just listened to music and surfed the internet (several hours writing blog posts).

I will walk the section from White Kirkley to Westgate on Saturday, which is when I had hoped to be completing the whole walk. I am now not going to make my target of completing it all in January because my dad can't walk Sundays with me, grrr.

My New Phone?

After sending back the Nokia N73 to 3 in December not because of the phone itself but because the extra applications from 3 and the coverage didn't work as advertised and promised. Since then I found the best Nokia smartphone I liked was the N80 but it seemed that only 3 were doing now (no way). So I had decided that I was going to have to get an N73 again but on Orange or O2. Orange are out of stock so have been waiting for them to resupply before calling.

While I have been waiting I saw an announcement for the N95, which is replacing the N80. This does everything 3G, WiFi, 5MP camera, records 640x480 video and the holy grail GPS. The reason I am wanting a Nokia phone is purely down to ViewRanger. With any of the other phones N80 or N73 I was going to have to buy a bluetooth GPS but with the new N95 its integrated.

Unfortunately it's not out until March, but I can wait 2 months and carry on using my 2 year old SPV 500. The major set back could be the price, I would want a 12 month contract really and not pay more than £35 a month but for this I could have to pay quite a bit for the phone but I will see.

Weardale Way: Witton-le-Wear to White Kirkley

Distance: 13.8 miles
Time: 4:35 hours

I walked this yesterday but we walked a little further than White Kirkley we walked down the bank to Frosterley where my sister was picking us up. This has probably been my favourite section so far, which is much what I expected. I have wanted to walk from Witton and past Harperley and through the woods for ages but never got around to it.

Before we even got to the start of the todays route my parents got a flat tyre in Crook, so me and my dad changed the wheel then my mam continued on to drop us off.

When we set off at 7:50 it was very cold about 1 degress celsius but again the clothed worked well once I set off I was warm enough. The ground was frozen and could see snow in the distance and hail on the ground which had fell a few hours earlier.

I couldn't quite choose a section of this that I liked the most, the best 2 are walking through Black Bank Plantation and walking along the top towards the Elephant trees. We stopped for dinner at Wolsingham Railway station and managed to find the coldest place to sit and the only place not in the sun. I had made my days sandwiches in pitta bread after forgetting to buy any bread or bread buns the day before but they are a good idea.

Again my dad struggled a bit walking up the hills, where as I could of quite happily ran them and probably would of ran some of it if on my own. When we eventually emerged at White Kirkley is started to snow a bit more heavily after threatening a few times earlier. I rang my sister and then headed down to Frosterley to meet her for the lift home.

(Above) Bridge at Harperley

(Above) start of Black Bank Plantation, tree are a lot bigger further on

(Above) Looking down at Wolsingham

(Above) Snow on hills in distance (Carrs Top maybe?)

(Above) Sheep looking inquisitive with Wolsingham in distance

Elephant Trees in distance with tiny bit of snow underfoot :-)

(Above) Started to snow as we reached the end at White Kirkley

Weardale Way: Sunderland Bridge to Witton-le-Wear

Distance: 14.5 miles
Time: 5 hours

I walked this section on Saturday, I had walked a few miles of this a couple of years ago so was very familiar and another section of it I have fished for years. It was very cold when we set off just before 8:30 mainly due to the wind. It was a good test for my wind jacket and base layer, they both worked perfect. It's a shame my face was freezing, I'm thinking I may need to grow a beard for the West Highland Way, lol.

There was a lot of open fields on this section and the first woods we really walk though was just after Bishop viaduct heading towards Escomb (oldest Saxon church in England, still standing anyway). It was muddy and there were loads of thorn bushes through this section. I managed to catch my nice new jacket a couple of times and put tiny holes in (bollocks!). The nicest part of this section was a very short section near Witton Castle when we walked through a small wood. The worst section was just after this next to a Horse Cross Country section, we had to waddle along the path with our feet apart on the grass either side of the very muddy path. I didn't mind but this took its toll on my dad. Then right near the end there was a flooded field and some steep steps which I ran up but my dad stuggled walking them after 13/14 miles.

I'm not sure about the distance because the comptuer shows 15.4, the GPS itself always shows less I think it was 14.6 and the official distance shows 13.5 but I think that is less than it should be. So I've gone with a happy medium.

I didn't take any photos today because my gloves stayed firmly on and I forgot, oops!

Weardale Way: C-L-S to Sunderland Bridge

Distance: 12.6 miles
Time: ?

It's taken me ages to post this up because my GPS didn't track it correct when walking through Durham, so I have just posted the route as I drew it out. I need to check the route time with my dad who started walking the Weardale Way with me from this section.

I quite a enjoyed this section probably more so than the first, maybe because I knew the area better or more likely its just a lot cleaner and more to look at.

I will add some more to this post once I've checked the timings from my dad's GPS. Oh yeah click the image to the left to see the map in a more readable size.

Below are a couple of pictures I took along the route.

Footbridge over to Finchale Priory

Looking over the field to Newton Hall and can just see footbridge over the railway that I run over on a dinner time.

Little Miss Sunshine

Little Miss Sunshine: This is another movie I intended to see at the cinema but again missed it. There has been a lot of mention about it being tipped for an Oscar and some other award it just won, so thought I'd watch it.

It is very good and makes a change from the normal big Hollywood movies, the story is quite good about family doing a cross country trip to get their daughter to a beauty pageant and their lives falling apart along the way.

I only gave it 7 but it is one of those movies you need to be in the right mood for, I may watch it again and rate it a bit higher. Definitely worth watching though.

Miami Vice

Miami Vice: I intended to see this at the picture but for some reason never got around to seeing it and eventually watched it last week. The trailers all looked good but thought it may not be that fantastic. I normally like Michael Mann films but this isn't as good as some of his other movies.

It's worth watching and makes a change from normal cop buddy movies but I only gave it 6.

MOT Failed

My car failed the MOT, I knew it would I had a feeling it was going to cost me. It failed on the Brake pipes to each brake. They can't do the work until Wednesday at the earliest, I've booked it in for Wednesday but then realised my dad is out walking all day so can't take me to work. Hopefully I can get it changed to Thursday. It's just as well I took the car in very early before the MOT expired. It also needed a ball joint replacing at the bottom of the suspension.

The whole lot will cost £115 plus the cost of the MOT so £150 total :-(

Walking

My last post turned into thinking about walking, I need to stop thinking and actually get out there. I will be over the next 4 days:
Saturday - Sunderland Bridge - Witton-le-wear
Sunday - Wolsingham Adopt-a-path walk
Monday - Witton-le-wear - White Kirkley
Tuesday - White Kirkley - Westgate

Sunday I'm not walking the Weardale way because my dad is walking with a friend and he wants to walk it with me, so I'm going to do my Adopt-a-path walk in Wolsingham. I had thought about walking along the cliffs by Scarborough but its supposed to be windy and I could do with saving the petrol money. I will complete the Weardale Way the following Saturday from Westgate to Killhope.

After the Weardale Way I am going to start on the Wainrights, for anyone reading this and wondering what the hell a Wainright is. Alfred Wainwright wrote several books covering the fells/hills of the lake district (214). They have become known as the Wainwrights after him. This year is the Centenary of Alfred Wainwrights birth and I think it would be good to walk all 214 this year, I have already walked some of them, but probably only about 20-30 if that. I bought a book that breaks them down into 30 odd walks but I wont just follow those because they are generally day walks and I am hoping to do several weekend wildcamps which should save me money on petrol and give a much better experience sleeping among them.

I will have to go some though to complete them this year with everything else I'm doing. There are several other walks I would like to do this year. I am already planning the West Highland Way in May possibly ending it by walking Ben Nevis via the CMD Arete. I am also doing the North Yorkshire 3 Peaks, need to do Snowdon and Buachaille Etive More (gorgeous mountain) and I have a Northumberland Coastal Walk in my calendar.

Besides for the stuff I have already planned there are lots of others I have long term:
Every mountain over 2000 feet in England and Wales
Welsh Three Thousanders in 24 hours
The Mamores
Great Glen Way
Rob Roy Way
Wainwrights Coast to Coast
Pennine Way
Cleveland Way
Hadrians Wall Path
Offa Dyke Trail

There are loads more but I think I need to retire now to give me the time. I have many long distance walks I would like to create and complete besides for names routes.

A few days off and thinking

I have a few days off, which are certainly needed after the last few days. I am sat on the sofa with a jumper and a coat on, have just come back in and its cold. Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton - Islands in the stream is playing, I've just set away Country Gold playing (good album).

My MOT is at 4 this afternoon, I had to buy 2 new tyres for the car this morning. Sat waiting for this postman to turn up, hopefully my new Xbox should be turning up that I bought from Ebay last Sunday. After an email asking where it was, the lady sent a response apologising about problems at work and home and said she would send it yesterday and I would get it today.

I am totally skint, think I might have to pray that there is nothing wrong with the car or it's gonna have to go on the Credit Card which already has far too much on it.

Over the next few days (Saturday, Monday and Tuesday) I will be walking more of the Weardale Way which should take me as far as Westgate. The I will do the final leg the following Saturday from Westgate to Killhope. Then I will plan where I am walking after that probably the Lakes to try and complete the Wainwrights this year (centenary of Wainwrights birth). I would like to walk all 214 this year, even though I have already done quite a few.

Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold is now playing this song always makes me think, which I do plenty of anyway. This year there are so many things I would like to do but I know its impossible to do them all while having to go to work. I used to think of things I'd do if I won the lottery, I still constantly think about this although I know it will never happen. Why I mentioned it is to highlight how much my thinking has changed. If I won tomorrow I would go out and buy more equipment to walk the mountains of the UK and go on climbing and winter skills courses. Then head off to walk as much of the UK as possible. This wouldn't actually cost very much at all, with camping where ever possible and staying in Youth Hostels and bothys. I would still like to do many other things but this would be what I would want to do more than anything else. Most people always want to go to exotic places all over the world and I too would like to see lots of places but I know how beautiful the British Isles are. I have far too many things racing through my mind mostly places I would like to walk and see. I need to stop looking at books and magazines until I have completed some of the challenges I have already thought of. I got a book out of the library last night The Big Walks, its from 1980, the title is certainly correct. Many of the walks in it are over 30 miles some 40 and are intended to be done in one day. They aren't on flat land they are over some of the highest mountains in the UK. It's going to take me some time to be able to do walks like that, many of them I could happily split into 2 days and wildcamp :-)

I think I should do a new post about the walking...

Succesfull Bid

I have been trying to get an Xbox off Ebay for the last day or so, since I managed to put XBMC on one for my dad. It took all of about 10 minutes to modify it to enable me to do this. When I first did it 5 years ago or however long ago it was it took me hours. I had to hex edit files and risked bricking my new Xbox but now its very simple.

I wanted a second one for my bedroom but have been reluctant to buy one until I first did the one for my dad. It lets me stream my films, music and recorded TV to my TV. This is what I already do in my living room but wanted to be able to do the same in the bedroom.

Val recommended I try using AuctionSniper to bid on Ebay. It let me add a load of different Xbox's in and set my bid limit for each. Then it would bid in the last few seconds of an auction, as long as it didn't go over my limit. It would only bid on an Xbox if I hadn't already won one. I tried yesterday but they all went for more than I was willing to pay, so last night I added loads in and left it. This afternoon finally it got me one for £41 plus £10 postage costs. I got the Xbox, a controller, DVD remote and 7 games :-)

I haven't had an aerial plugged into my TV for a couple of months since I hooked my TV Recorder card up. So now I will be able to watch TV as I record it from Bed and watch any films I fancy :-)

Update

I haven't posted anything much this week up until the last post. There's hasn't been too much happening in my world. I've been busy at work, with new staff appointed although I have been told by 2 Peterlee staff this weekend that 1 of them has turned it down. They were told this by a middle manager, so not sure if it's correct or not because I was in Middlesbrough on Friday. I knew one was gonna have a delayed start?

I can't remember much else from the week other than modyfying an Xbox so my dad can run XBMC on it on Thursday night. Then yesterday I walked the second leg of the Weardale Way from Chester-le-Street to Sunderland Bridge, this time I walked it with my dad which was canny knackered afterwards I think. I will post the route and a couple of pictures tomorrow.

Today I eventually got out of bed at 11:30 and this afternoon went to a mates house to help move some furniture before their walls are plastered. They have offered me a tumble drier but we both forgot about it when I was there, oops.

Not too much else has happened though, I don't think.

Calendar for Year (Version 1)

Below is version 1 of my calendar but have left some spare weekends and may have to move stuff as things crop up. I have gone as far as October and I don't have much booked in further in year because you never know whats gonna happen in the time up until then. Not really any concerts booked either because not much about yet.

January
Weardale Way
MOT


February
Paintball
Climbing
Wainwright walking (day)
Ten Pin Bowling
Blood Brothers (Sunderland Empire)

March
Outdoors Show
Keane
Faithless
Redcar Half Marathon
Dentist
Buena Vista Social Club
Filey to Scarborough Walk
Wainwright Walking Wildcamping


April
Northumbria Coastal Walk
Le Grand Cirque
Wainwright Walking (Wild camping)

May
Frosterley ME Walk
West Highland Way
Raby 10K Run


June
Masters Football
Blaydon Race
INXS
Bungee Jump
North Yorkshire 3 Peaks
Beamish Tram Challenge


July
Canada
Wainwright Walking (Wild camping)


August
Leeds Festival? (Not going for weekend)
The Mamores & Fort William
Scarborough Day out
Wainwright Walking (Wild camping)
Cycle Coast to Coast

September
Great North Run
Buachaille Etive More (Munro)
Wainwright Walking (Wild camping)


October
Wainwright Walking (wild camping)
London
Edinburgh Film Festival


November
Kendal Mountain Film Festival


December
War of the Worlds
Las Vegas?

Employee of the Month

Employee of the Month: I saw the trailer for this a few times over Christmas and really fancied going to the pictures to see it. I never made it, but watched it on import from America.

It looked really funny but unfortunately there was only few times where I laughed, which is a shame it had suck potential. Probably the best part was looking at Jessica Simpson :-)

I gave it 5 out of 10.

Paintball

Still searching for stuff and found somewhere close by and cheap for Paintball near Houghton-le-Spring (Massive Attack Paintball). It costs £10 for 100 paintballs or £30 for 500 and can buy extra @ 100 for £5 I think it was.

I wonder if I can persuade a couple of mates to have a go, surely they will think its better than hanging about around the house.

Bungee?

I can't sleep, my head is buzzing with things to do. I had a quick search and found a bungee jump from the transporter bridge in Middlesbrough on 25th March but I had planned to go wildcamping that weekend (probably my first). There is also one on the 20th May but will be coming home from West Highland Way that day.

So it may be 16th June the day before I do the NY 3 Peaks. It will cost me £60 I should book it this week before I think of an excuse. Two things a few days before my Birthday and if I get in the Beamish Tram Challenge. Then not long after that I'm off to Canada, the year is starting to look good. I just need to fill the next 2 months.

Update: I just tried to book a voucher and received "The site is experiencing heavy traffic, please try again later". Do all nutters book this kind of stuff at 1:10am in the morning?

Things To Do...

I have found one list I made but somewhere I have a much longer list. Here's the short one for now:

• Climbing
• Swimming
• Shooting
• Cycling & Downhill
• Walking (of course)
• Running :-)
• Kayaking
• Ice Skating
• Boxing (dunno if my temperament is good enough)
  
• Fishing
• Kiting (not sure of proper name)
• Go to London
• Go to Scarborough
• White Water Rafting (hopefully in Canada)
• West Highland Way (started organising)
• North Yorkshire 3 Peaks (In calendar for June 17th)
• Cycle Coast to Coast (Need some serious training)
• Horse Riding
• Quad Biking
• Bungee Jump
• Paint Ball
• Read (again)
• Skiing
  
• Snowboarding
• Golf
• Ten Pin Bowling
• Coasteering
• Gorge Walking
• Motorbike lessons (finally I hope)
• Hot Air Ballon
• Grow own veg
  

That's the short list and some normal stuff mixed in among some more extreme. I wish I could do all those and a lot more but unfortunately I'm not rich and have to go to work :-(

The list will be added to when I find the other list and have a bit more think. I could add loads of places I would like to see but many of the above could be possible if I organise well enough (like thats going to happen).

I did also have a short list called To See on the same page:

• Ice Hockey
• Basketball
• Theatre
• Classical Music
• Leeds Festival (is in calendar but depends who's playing)
• Circus de Grande

That's the short list of them too ;-)

Challenge

I've been thinking of a challenge I could do this year that will challenge and excite me. I suppose to a lot of people some of the things I am already doing this year would be a challenge and they are: West Highland Way, Great North Run, North Yorkshire 3 Peaks, hopefully every Wainwright (maybe).

Yet I've already done the Great North Run, the West Highland Way isn't the hardest route in the world although I've never done any wildcamping yet but if things got bad I could sleep in a bothy, Youth Hostel, B & B, etc..

I want something that is going to be a challenge, yet I will really enjoy. I would love to walk every Wainwright in a continuous walk. It would take about 4 weeks to walk all of them but unfortunately I don't have the holiday to do that this year. Then again my only true New Years resolution might happen and I could have plenty of spare time ;-)

I haven't posted my list of things I would like to do (not all this year), if I can find it now I will post it. If anyone has any ideas on what I can do or how to afford to take a month out of work let me know!

Weardale Way: Roker to C-L-S

Distance: 14.6 miles
Time: 5 hours

The route shown above it what I walked today (click it to see a readable size), the GPS said it was 14.6 miles although I'm not sure how accurate that is I think it was probably slightly more. The GPS lost the signal quite a lot of times in woods and by the river bank (due to trees and bank side) when this happens it draws a straight line from the last signal to where it got a signal again. So it may well be up to a mile more but I will go with what it actually recorded.

I suppose I should describe the route a bit. I never found the monument that was supposed to be at the start, I'm guessing it was slightly further up the sea front but I walked as far as it seemed I could go. This kind of sums up the Sunderland side of the walk, it isn't marked at all. There are no signs what so ever and it could probably do with them when it's a built up area.

The first 5 miles were a little boring and I was pleased to get into countryside and away from the roads. My main memory of the Sunderland part of the walk was of rubbish and graffiti which is unfortunate. They do seem to be trying to tidy the area up and there are lots of new developments.

Just over 4 miles in I started walking along the wrong path, it was the correct path according to the map which still shows a dismantled railway line. This is incorrect the Metro line runs along it and I had to back track to walk under it. My written instruction were correct but I was following the map. Once I walked under the A19, the path became a lot more scenic and tidier.

I'm not going to describe the entire route or I will be here all night. After walking next to the golf course and Cox Green the path changed and there were lots of coloured routes as part of James Steel Park Fitness trails. It looked like a nice area to run in if I lived near there. I was looking for somewhere to sit to eat my dinner, I looked at a map on a notice board and it showed a picnic area just before the Victoria Viaduct I never found it, all I could see was bushes and I wasn't going to clamber through them. I kept walking until I got to Mount Pleasant lake where I sat and ate my sandwiches and drank some tea. When I turned up 2 groups of people suddenly started packing their fishing gear up which was strange. One of them must of been there all night, they had a tent and tons of gear. After 10 minutes I set off again.

I then walked along towards Penshaw Bridge and it was a really nice place or at least I really liked the street straight after the bridge. On the opposite bank to this street were 3 pubs with the Lambton Worm hill straight behind. There just a nice feel about the straight :-)

Next the path meets the Washington Highway and to me this was the worst part of the whole route. The path runs parallel to the road for just under half a mile but I was pleased when the path turned right away from the road and past Biddick Hall not that you can see it for trees. Somewhere around here the path must enter County Durham because suddenly signs appear marked Weardale Way and the path is then well marked and maintained.

Once past Bournemoor and the edge of Fencehouses the rest of the path is nearly all woods which all look very similar except for a short walk along the road to Castle Dene. It was very muddy in Lumley Park wood. It was nice to reach the golf course and I knew I was nearly at the finish for the day.

I had rang my parents to pick me up when I was walking towards Castle Dene, so when I got to the car park my parents were there waiting. I was pleased to be at the finish, it was my first walk since November, my legs were starting to tell me so!









I will add some description to the pictures when I get chance.

Quick Update

I haven't posted for a few days and wanted to do a very quick update, I will write more probably tomorrow night.

Today my 2 coats and trousers arrived, unfortunately the base layer didn't, which sort of messes up the coats as neither are hugely warm. Anyway at least the coats are here and I will be testing them out tomorrow walking the first 14.5 miles of the Weardale Way from Roker (Sunderland) to Chester-le-Street.

That's it for this post, I need to try to sleep tonight!

More Walking Gear

I have now just ordered my base layer from The Mountain Factor which seems a smaller store but who cares as long as it turns up. They haven't charged me anything for delivery either I just hope that isn't a mistake.

Icebreaker Mondo - This came second in TGO magazine for base layers. I can't find the winner anywhere, it was dearer anyway. The actual one reviewed was the Oasis Crewe which is the version without a zip and it was said thats what it was missing. so hopefully this should do the job. It costs £45, which sounds expensive and I guess is but its made of Merino wool which is generally more expensive.

That's it for my shopping probably until next pay day, unless I see an MSR Pocket Rocket cheap.

Walking Gear Puchases

I have started to order some walking gear that I am gradually going to acquire over the next couple of months. I have been in desperate need of a new coat after reading lots and listening to podcasts. I decided I was gonna go with 2, the first a windproof jacket that is light and I would wear 90% of the time, then the second for when its raining and need a proper waterproof. I wanted a very light waterproof. I'm trying to buy light equipment. Below are the 2 coats I ordered a few minutes ago.


Montane Lite-Speed - This is the windproof jacket that is very light and I will wear on its own 90% of the time. It has excellent reviews and is very cheap at £37.99. To be honest I didn't buy it because it's cheap, just because it's highly recommended and light.



Montane Event Quickfire - I decided on this after reading an article in Trail magazine. It came third in the lightweight waterproof jacket test. I didn't buy the number 1 jacket because RRP it was £30 dearer at £200 and it didn't sound like it wasn't as hard wearing and hard to find it anywhere. The second place jacket was just too heavy compared to this. This is a new jacket so can't find any reviews on the internet of it yet. Just hope I've made the correct choice. I got this for a bargain price of £139.99, £30 less than most places. It may sound expensive to those not used to buying good waterproofs but my mam bought one a couple of weeks ago and paid £180 and I don't think its as good as this.

Lastly I have ordered some walking trousers/pants, again I ordered some Montane clothing, this time the Terra Pants. These again came highly recommended in places like OutdoorsMagic and similar sites. They are quite expensive for trousers, I have been wearing tracksuit bottoms for the last few months but they are rubbish in the cold and wet. The Terra Pants cost £51.99.

All of the above clothes were ordered from Outdoormania, again its somewhere that was mentioned on Outdoorsmagic and I'm pleased it was mentioned or I would of probably bought most of this from Field & Trek and cost me a lot more. Unfortunately they don't have some of the other items I need/want. I will hopefully buy a base layer either tonight or tomorrow if I can find the one I want.

New Years

I went out last night with a few mates, Jay, Kev, Wayne and Mick. We ended up down Crook first and about 9:30 me, Wayne and Mick got a taxi to Billy Row because we had bought tickets the other day for the George. For some reason they had decided to put a strict limit of 65 tickets and no one else could get in. There certainly wasn't 65 people there, we ate some of the food then decided after an hour to go back down Crook again.

We met up with Kevin again in Bar 56 but never saw Jay again. We saw the New Year in there but I can't really remember anyone saying it was new year or anything but can remember sending texts saying happy new year straight afterwards.

Then I said we could go to mine if they wanted but we decided to go to Wayne's instead. It ended up being a laugh and can remember being forced to dance to some dance DVD with Shannon (Wayne's daughter). I can remember chasing her around the house as well and think I knocked a door off its hinges oops, I don't think I imagined that.

It was a good night anyway but probably my last night out for a while drinking. I am going to do some serious walking over the next month. I will be starting the Weardale Way on Saturday from Sunderland.