The plan was to get out and up our distance to 25 miles this weekend, despite being a couple of our team missing. I say the plan, that was up until 0730 this very morning!
Up at 0630 myself to get everything ready for the trip to the New Forest...it would have to be the train today as those local to me couldn't make it. All ready for the leave until I discovered water pouring out of my new camelbak that I bought specifically for Trailwalker. OK, I'm a guy...I don't read instructions really and thought I knew everything about it! Typical schoolboy errors of a) not tightening the screw and b) laying the pack down! So, panic time spent mopping water from the kitchen and rescuing all the food in the pack! Eventually, having sorted all of that and ensuring the second bag (with a change of clothes and towel) was picked up, I started my mile long hike to the station.
Uneventful walk/stride/march although I did say to myself "Do NOT look at your phone to check the time!"...I was very disciplined, but might have been better doing so. As I arrived at the top of the station road, there was the train pulling in. I thought "Run or not" and decided I didn't want to be one of those runners and missers of a train - making myself look foolish in the process! As I got into the station, the guard on the train shouted to me to come to his door as he had held the train for me! Bless him - what a star! I sat down for the 5 minutes it takes to get to Eastleigh (where I was to change) and gathered myself for the next leg!
Off at Eastleigh and another schoolboy error - check everything before you go! If I HAD checked my phone I would have been a little more clued up. Sent Phil a text to say all on track and I then bought my ticket for the journey from the ticket office (as a good boy that I am!).
There was the reply from Phil saying everyone else had dropped out! Ah, decisions...just spent money on the ticket, but the weather had been closing in and, currently, the rain was coming in horizontal and the wind whipping up. Gave Phil a quick call, had a chat and decided to follow the rest in postponing today...ultimately a VERY good idea.
I'm sat here now watching the rugby and sipping on a cuppa (beer for the game later) having walked back from Hedge End station and getting incredibly soaked. The rain (and sleet even) cut through me and soaked me to the skin - that was just one mile...what would 24 others have done to me?
OK, I now feel guilty as I have friends competing in the Reading or Kerry Half Marathons, some of you are walking the South Downs Way AND it's even turned sunny outside. I could get out and do a little walk, but the good news is I am off just before Easter for a few days, so I will just have to make up for it then. I might even test out the next planned walk....have a look at it here.
So...any learning to share from this experience? Well, if you're walking with pals, make sure you give them your mobile number, make sure you look at your mobile before setting off and always read the instructions!!!!
Trailwalker Practice 3 (Part II) will be live once we've completed! In the meantime, once again, could we encourage you to donate to our cause on Trekkers-R-Us JustGiving Site.
Keep Trekking everyone!!! :)
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