The West Highland Way Race
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Murdo McEwan
Apr 20, 08 - 7:07 AM |
Loose wires ~ watch out!
Top be quite clear, I'm not talking about 'loose wires not quite the full shilling' types who may be studying this. No, I'm referring to loose broken fence wires dangling over the trail which I nearly managed to get tangled up in, trip over, and do myself irreperable damage to yesterday. I exaggerate, but only slightly. Location is a bit over 46 miles into the whw from Milngavie, and just past Keilator Farm, on the right hand side of the trail. You will have passed through the wettest bits of cow slurry just up from the farm and have started along the jumbled-rocks-rough-under-foot bit that takes you along to the start of the forest above Crianlarich So, watch out. It would be a pity to come a cropper when so close to hitting the half way point during the whw race; no less so when on the last lap, almost, of the Highland Fling race.  Murdo
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Dave Waterman
 Apr 20th, 2008 - 7:22 AM |
Re: Loose wires ~ watch out!
Thanks Murdo. I thought we'd escaped the problem of looking out for undesirable litter this year when I learned Mike Mason had withdrawn, which in turn led me to strike the pooper scooper of my kit list. Now we've got loose wires to contend with....lordy, lordy, it's becoming more like Battersea every day!! 
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Ian
Apr 20th, 2008 - 11:07 AM |
Re: Loose wires ~ watch out!
Murdo, you might have moved them out the way, instead of tripping over them. Some of us have a race up there next weekend 
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Murdo McEwan
Apr 20th, 2008 - 12:04 PM |
Re: Loose wires ~ watch out!
I thought long and hard about tidying up the loose wires, and also clearing away all the cow slurry, then flattening out the hills and tarmaccing the whole route to make it slightly easier for folk next week. But are these minor vicissitudes not there to be challenged and savoured during the long journey? Welcome distractions to take your mind off the onset of self-pity and negativity that can weaken the strongest resolve at some stage of the ordeal. Is this not the kind of added bonus that makes it all so enjoyable, and why Dario gets so many happy repeat customers each year? The wire is actually quite thin, and (maybe regretably) not of the barbed variety. The trick (as I did) is to unknowingly step on a loose end with one foot, thus securing that end to the ground. The other end (as I was soon to discover) is still attached to the fence post. A loop of wire is thus created, secure at both ends. Move the other foot forward at speed into the aforesaid loop and, hey presto, you go promptly face over t*t splat in an ignominious heap. The cows thereabouts look on inpassively and carry on eating. No sympathy there. At best one is left with a lot of self-pity and loss of self-esteem. Maybe I shouldn't have flagged up this little obstacle at all; but I did so as a kind of bonus to folk who take the time and trouble to peruse this Forum. Those who do not do so will not have the benefit of this insider-knowledge tip, which could spell the difference between triumph and disaster. (John K. came a cropper hereabouts last year, so he'll know the consequences of a tumble hereabouts) Folk who have heeded my warnings will look out closely for the wires, and when they see them will be able to say "Hey, that's what that guy warned us about in his posting that I read closely and took careful note of". Or maybe they won't see them at all 'cos someone has indeed tidied them away. By the time thoughts have moved on elsewhere you will be another half mile closer to journey's end and the distraction will have been a welcome interlude from whatever assorted cocktail of aches and pains will almost certainly have kicked in by this stage of the proceedings. "So endeth the lesson, and thoughts for the day on this particular subject" Murdo
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