Green light for this Weekend!

Plan is to travel up Friday. No Support available this weekend so I'll have to manage. Should take about 4 hours to collect the Panda from Shap though and deliver it to StBees before returning to the site at Stonethwaite in Borrowdale. So, travel up, site van (not sure which site it is...), next morning - early start - drive to Shap in Panda. Walk/run back to van (28-30m). Once back at van - after a nice cup of tea :) - set off for Panda as above and return to site.
Early doors Sunday set off on foot once again for StBees (30m). There are two variations on the route of the 2006 attempt: Saturday - from Grisdale Tarn pass N. side for Dunmail Raise, Steel Fell rejoining original route for Greenup Edge. Sunday, keep on tramway from Slate quarry and head for Haystacks - from Scarth Gap a feint path cuts down to rejoin the main track. Hoping to arrive in St.Bees around 6pm - may stay on site and travel back Monday.

Bloomin' thing

Well, the reassembled 'A'frame wouldn't fit the 4x4 yesterday. Had to give up on it as I needed to get a run in (7m - 1.12) and were going out for a family meal.
Anyway it fits now so it's a step nearer - found the Hunka bivvy bag too - not that I'll need it for the recce mind...

Birthday Weekend

Today I'm reassembling the newly painted A frame...
58 tomorrow... I passed someone when doing a 3m morning run this week who shouted out 'you look too old for that job.' People seem to delight in shouting out to runners - I was up at Edale Cross a few years back and as I headed up on to Brown Knoll I heard 'You shouldn't be doing that at your age.' Again a few years back doing the CalDerLime (Cal-Der-Went Walk linked to the Limestone Way) a walker coming the other way offered: 'Are you late?'
Thanks to customers these last few weeks (inc. Louise, Glynis, Candy and Andy) I'm getting closer to reaching my target for CP.
Spent Friday night on the back lawn trying out the bivvy bag again (this 1st since last June and that awful night on Sneaton Low Moor) - was a starry night and not too cold, though I couldn't find my new Alpkit Hunka bivvy bag and used the Rab Survival Zone bag. Since found the new one which looks as if it will be more easily adjustable with a toggle at each side with an additional sleeve sewn on for the draw string - looks a good well thought out piece of kit, though won't know how breathable it will be till I try it in the rain...

Getting close!

Well, for the next recce anyway... needs to be as soon as - no later than May Day w/end me thinks. Electrics now sorted on support car - currently giving the A-frame promised coat of paint. This is dismantled and each painted section hangs from the garage roof supports. Had to spend an hour this morning freeing one of the brake calipers that was sticking on yesterday though (why didn't I buy that pair on eBay for £20..? - long gone now...) The other Pandas have never suffered from seizing calipers - anyway seems sorted now...
Getting near to running 3-5milers at 10 m/m pace now which proves that the training is paying off - other than a few niggly aches now and again all seems well, so thumbs are UP!

Towing Eyes...

Fitted bracket to the other side without incident this Sunday. Borrowed the actual 'eyes' from the other Panda, so now we got something to tow for the up-coming recce weekend. Finished in time to get an 8m run in as well this week. Looking good.
The 'A' frame has been stood in the cat pen since new years day (as it came back with the 4x4 -ie. with the arms and chains that attatch to the front suspension underneath the car) and as it's rusty a coat of paint is called for... then there's the electrics to sort on the car so there's no need for the towing board... getting there though...
Felt a bit tired since the Sunday run (was pushing all way round) but otherwise no injuries.
I'm preferring the Stonethwaite site and with no hook-up here I might just have to 'go it alone'...

Blood shed...

Spent yesterday afternoon fixing the first bracket for the towing eyes on the 4x4. Definitely more difficult to fit with the sump guard in place and managed to nip the end of my finger trying to lever it back into position - ouch! A plastic bush on the tie rod kept popping back out making the job a tad frustrating. She's back on now though complete with bracket to accept one of the eyes and at least the hole in the end of my finger looks clean. With all the surface skin gone I was worried it might get infected as hands were black and oily at the time.
Missed planned 8m long run yesterday too as the job took longer than anticipated.

With the weather unsuitable for work today spent the afternoon preparing 2nd bracket for attachment to the other side and once the towing eyes are in position she'll be ready to tow once the electrics are sorted to work the car's lights (though I can always use the towing board)

Plans are under way now for the next two days Lakes recce. Claire has offered to support, but will want a site with electric hook-up. My preferred site (on route) at Stonethwaite has no hook-up and can be noisy, apparently. The CC Borrowdale site is fully booked so it looks like being a CL somewhere also off route.
MayDay weekend is a possibility - but I'm keen to get there a bit sooner...

Getting back on track...

Having caught a cold sometime before Christmas, and suffering a lingering chesty cough I'd let fitness slip a bit but a few short runs this week seem to be giving the green light to start building up again - so there's hope on the horizon. Hopefully I'll be fit enough to get longer routes in as the weather warms up - when it does begin to warm up a bit that is. After a lay-off it's always better to start as a beginner again to avoid injury, but 4 weeks on now and all seems well. Fingers crossed!