First thing, I’ve collected my observations on the NeoAir into a review on the main site - nothing new added really, but encapsulating it all in one place might be useful to future readers thinking of lightening their loads. From now on it will definitely be my mattress of choice outside winter (speaking of which, sunset is already noticeably earlier…).
Martin at Summit and Valley posted about his frustrated ambitions for some good backpacking, me too but for a more obvious reason. The godawful weather has been making the headlines, with pictures of tents pitched in standing water and grimacing campers peeping out from their waterproof hoods and brollies.Meanwhile I half heartedly pan across the country in Memory Map and glumly ponder my portfolio of backpacks that I planned in the dark days of winter, so much to look forward to and so little good opportunity. True, there would have been a few superb photos in the brief sunshine between the dungeonesque spells, I’ve seen some magnificent skies at times from the window here in the last few weeks, but most of the walking would not have been at all pleasant. At the moment I’d settle for a decent 2-day slot. There is time yet but I foresee the backpack stats for this year plummeting to an all time low.Adding to the downers is a sense of internet paranoia that sets in at times - well sort of: perhaps people are pissed off with the weather or suffering from SAD, but I spend most of the time at this screen and the vibes can become quite strong. Of the many forum posts and comments I’ve made on other blogs recently, most have been ignored. No response whatever. I start thinking ‘well that was time well spent wasn’t it?’. Sod it, I’ve given up on some of them altogether, we need to get out!.
Edited 31 Jul 2009 09:37: minor rewording for clarity.
17 Comments
Never mind Geoff there’s still the autumn to look forward to. We often seem to get some nice weather at that time of year.
I myself, and I’m sure plenty of others, certainly appreciate all the hard work you put into the site and blog. Your gear reviews are detailed, practical, and informative. Your trip reports are excellent. I’ve followed a fair few of them and the information is always spot on. Keep up the good work.
regards
Steve
still waiting for my bloody neoair to turn up!!! So quite miffed at the moment. As soo as I have it, I will be away! away! into the hills! tra la la la l……um….sorry
Yes the weather has been bloody awful just lately.For most of the year I have had a nagging ambition to walk the Sandstone Trail from Frodsham to Whitchurch but somehow I never seemed to get around to it.The weekend just passed was my last chance before the annual family holiday but the forecast was mixed to say the least.However,it had to be done,Saturday was quite pleasant but it never seemed to stop raining on the Sunday and I had to really grit my teeth at times to get through the day.Anyway,I have done it and feel so much better that I finally made the effort to undertake the walk and at least I got the chance to test out my waterproof clothing.Let’s hope the rest of the year brings some better weather conditions.
Get on that easyjet to Inverness and get into those hills - the weather up here’s been fine! Bus to Aviemore, bus to ski centre, voila - backpacking wonderland
I too have heard nothing but neo air this, neo air that on the blog-o-net. So it’s a lilo that goes up and doon with the air pressure outside? That’ll enliven many a winter wild camp - it’ll be like sleeping on a rollercoaster. Up doon, up doon, all night long! Someone should do a time lapse film of a night on a neo air as a series of storms cells passes through
Of course, it would take more work to raise the heavier parts of one’s body, like the bonce and upper torso, so one’s feet would rise/sink first as these are lightest and therefore provide least resistance to the lilo expanding. So if you’re lying in your tent reading and your feet start to head for the roof, you’ll know there’s a storm on the way! Brilliant! where do I get one?
Steve,
Summer isn’t my favourite season anyway for several reasons, I find autumn a lot more agreeable generally and I’m hoping for better things. Thank you for the encouraging comments on the sites, most kind. I’ve reworded one sentence to clarify that the reference was to comments I made on other blogs.
Dave,
Another retailer advertising products they haven’t got?. We got ours speedily from Bob at Backpackinglight - bless him, he always includes a gift of sweeties that I can’t eat. I hope the conditions are better for your trip.
Jeff,
We are close to the Sandstone Trail too and have walked some of it. It was a long time ago, but as I recall some parts would be a mudbath after rain, well done for the determination to get it done!.
There is a strange appeal to doing named trails, even when they are not really good walking routes. The Salters Way passes very close to where we live but we have never walked it.
Alistair,
The idea of flying has crossed our minds, we live not very far from Manchester airport (I’ve never flown before). Maybe one day.
The NeoAir - the mind boggles!.
Don’t know if they fly that route any more Geoff. It used to be Eastern Airways and you got a glass of champagne on the way! I think they stopped flying to Inverness though. Ireland, now there’s a place I’d like to backpack, although I hear the access is the worst in Europe.
Geoff,
wrote a snotty email to the supplier about my absent-ordered-10-days-ago neoair. They came back very apologetic and agreed to knock money off for the wait. Slightly happier now but still want it to turn up soon!
I thought it was just me. I have been trying to get into backpacking this year. But a mixture of parental illness, and too much work has conspired to stop me. I can’t complain really as it looks like it may not have been the best weather anyway to ramp up my activity. And I feel I have my priorities right for the moment.
Your site is much appreciated, keep it up!
Alistair,
I’ll keep the general idea of flying on a back burner. I’ve only once made a casual enquiry about air travel and that was to find out about flights to the Isle of Man, and it was obvious in seconds that I’d never flown before:- I asked the innocent question ‘what fares are available?’ and the operator paused and said ‘How long have you got?’. In the end it turned out I could fly to America for less.
Ireland doesn’t seem to have an active hillwalking scene to speak of, it’s very hit-and-miss with access I believe. I searched the web recently for walker info on the Ireland OSI mapping and found hardly any references.
Dave - let’s hope your NeoAir is a good one and not one of the old deflators!.
Robert,
Thanks very much. This is the weather for getting other jobs done I think, I’m trying to keep in reasonable shape by training at home with the weights.
Hadnt thought of that Geoff …..
although to be fair, I was assured by the supplier that the reason I hadnt received it yet because he was waiting for new stock
Its going to be sunny this weekend Geoff, get yourself out there! It was meant to be bad waether when I went to the north pennines last weekend and I was pleasantly suprised (rain at night and sun during the day) Some bloggers respond to forum comments, others don’t - I always try to, hope I have not inadvertantly ignored you?
Go to Ireland if you get the chance, it is stunning. Yes the access situation is poor and the OS Ireland maps are a bit rubbish, but you are guaranteed to have the hills to yourself.
Dave,
Good luck with the NeoAir and the delivery. My new one has been flawless.
James,
No worries about the comments, yours are always welcome. Just back from a 3-day backpack that I’ll write up tomorrow, great weather once the early mist had cleared. Another one mostly in the deserted back alleys of mid Wales visiting a raft of 500m Dewey tops.
Geoff,
the Neoair is here……..
light but not as light as claimed! 260g printed on the box, weighed on my uber accurate scales and 292g! does that mean its 10% warmer???
Look forward to reading about deserted mid wales, I love it there.
Hi Geoff,
Clearly everyone is down and in need of a night or two in the hills! Lots of bloggers just biding their time by the looks of things. I’ve not really been checking my blog recently due to work commitments but hope I haven’t missed any of your comments.
I’m in the the latter planning phases of a 6 day backpack in Scotland (Evanton to Ullapool C2C) so its time well spent at least….
Dave - Interesting, ours were both 270g including stuffsack, which is spot-on. I wonder if the weight discrepancy is the old ‘precision vs accuracy’ argument. I have postal weighing scales that are very sensitive indeed, and also some electronic scales, but they give different readings, so how do I verify their accuracy?. I take some items along to the Post Office and weigh them on their super duper scales, I believe they are very accurately calibrated.
James - report uploaded now.
Dude - no problems there, nothing missed. I think we all get a bit edgy climbing the walls and itching for a good backpack. I’ve seen the Evanton to Ullapool route, sounds fantastic and I hope it goes well.