Our timing was way too ambitious. Actually, our timing was ridiculous! We bailed, but we had to. A really enjoyable day and amazing scenery - until the dark, the rain and the pain kicked in. Ian is a great walking companion (even cleaned my boots on Sunday morning before I got the train back!). And his lovely Missus made me feel ever so welcome - at least, she didn't laugh at the state of me afterwards as much as she laughed at Ian!
2 October 2010: A 112km walk in aid of Arcubus, the City of London Social Investment Fund.
Raising £1m for microfinance programmes in Africa.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Hip injury
My one and only contribution to the blog and it's all about pain and hobbling like a crazy lady! Off to the emergency clinic at my docs this afternoon to get checked out - I ultimately don't have time to avail myself of surgery or several months of physio on my healthcare plan with less than two weeks left in the UK, but I hope that someone will tell me that it's all fine.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Post-mortem, regrets etc.
Looking at the weather outside tonight it is easy to justify our decision to give up. Let's be clear though; we did give up. 50k is a good walk but it isn't what we set out to do, so to everyone who has already sponsored us; we're very sorry. We do hope you'll think the achievement worthwhile all the same. For us, it has really brought home just how hard it must be for those who have to walk,and walk, and walk in search of life's essentials. Not for them the luxury of calling someone to drive them home if they are in trouble.
Even with four separate light sources it was impossible to see our way across the last field before we called it a day, such was the intensity of the rainfall. Wendy had slipped and fallen in the mud early in the day and, athough she (and I!) laughed it off at the time, by evening she was limping. Given that she is soon to depart for the Dominican Republic to work as a microfinance volunteer, for me the decision about whether or not to continue was not that hard. In the village of Easton, achingly near our destination, while Wendy busied herself with a comfort break and in spite of her determination to get to Winchester, I phoned home.
So now we're shuffling around the kitchen, going "ow!" a lot but at least feeling that we have achieved something. I read that the recommended period for completing Saint Swithun's Way in one direction is 3 days. But for 4k we did it in 1 day, so if you'll forgive us we will allow ourselves a very tiny, very quiet, high five. Thank you!
Even with four separate light sources it was impossible to see our way across the last field before we called it a day, such was the intensity of the rainfall. Wendy had slipped and fallen in the mud early in the day and, athough she (and I!) laughed it off at the time, by evening she was limping. Given that she is soon to depart for the Dominican Republic to work as a microfinance volunteer, for me the decision about whether or not to continue was not that hard. In the village of Easton, achingly near our destination, while Wendy busied herself with a comfort break and in spite of her determination to get to Winchester, I phoned home.
So now we're shuffling around the kitchen, going "ow!" a lot but at least feeling that we have achieved something. I read that the recommended period for completing Saint Swithun's Way in one direction is 3 days. But for 4k we did it in 1 day, so if you'll forgive us we will allow ourselves a very tiny, very quiet, high five. Thank you!
The Finish: 62k short?!
Well, we have walked into the dark and the pouring rain and it has become apparent pretty quickly that it is too risky to carry on. Will post more details when I'm somewhere with wi-fi (home probably; rescue car on its way!).
36k. Feet? What feet?
Total numbness in the plates of meat, is the order of the day. At Caracoli in Alresford, really glad of the opportunity to take the weight off. We made a 2k detour from St Swithun's Way, along The Wayfarer's Walk, to be here and boy was it worth it!
12k-ish to Winchester and then the turnaround to do the whole thing again. Yummy.
Please SPONSOR US NOW!
12k-ish to Winchester and then the turnaround to do the whole thing again. Yummy.
Please SPONSOR US NOW!
15k and first coffee - saved!
Amazingly beautiful morning; as the mist burned away revealing blue sky and sunshine. Feet just starting to complain but that's probably because we're on road through Alton. Can't be anything more worrying, can it?!
15 down, 97 to go!
Please SPONSOR US NOW!
15 down, 97 to go!
Please SPONSOR US NOW!
Friday, October 1, 2010
Follow us!
If you have nothing better to do than track our progress (or otherwise) tomorrow (update: today!), there's an app for that!
Go to http://www.viewranger.com/buddybeacon and enter "ibl" as the username and "1234" as the pin. Viewranger will broadcast our position every hour and you'll be able to see where we are on the map. Please bring chocolate.
If not chocolate, money is almost as good and can be deposited at http:/j.mp/Arcubus_donations.
Thank you!
Go to http://www.viewranger.com/buddybeacon and enter "ibl" as the username and "1234" as the pin. Viewranger will broadcast our position every hour and you'll be able to see where we are on the map. Please bring chocolate.
If not chocolate, money is almost as good and can be deposited at http:/j.mp/Arcubus_donations.
Thank you!
8 hours to go.
I was at the autumn conference of Five Talents, one of the Arcubus partners, today and missed my chance to do "1 day to go.". So, a final briefing this evening, some good food and a little wine and time to sleep!
The rain has stopped, but judging by the size of the puddles outside we shall squelch rather than walk our way to Winchester tomorrow. More rain is forecast for Saturday night. Wish us luck! Or, better yet, please SPONSOR US NOW!
The rain has stopped, but judging by the size of the puddles outside we shall squelch rather than walk our way to Winchester tomorrow. More rain is forecast for Saturday night. Wish us luck! Or, better yet, please SPONSOR US NOW!
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