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A busy week so far.. I have found out that taking my mum shopping for walking gear is dangerous - she loves kit as much as me, I've remembered just how wet walking in cloud really is, had my first urge to just keep going indefinitely and gone for a wander to stave off boredom...
Firstly the shopping.. I went to Sheffield CCC to get my mum some boots, after over an hour we left with a new pair of boots, a new waterproof jacket, a sit mat, a couple of books on local walks, a 25l pack and a small sigg flask.. I managed to (only) get some cleaner and re-proofer for my jacket (a really well timed purchase).
On Tuesday we went to Derwent and walked from the car park, past the dam and up toward Margery hill.. We got to the peak of the hill in sideways rain, that was very fine but so persistent it was like walking toward someone with a hose set to 'mist' . I looked toward lost lad and I just wanted to keep going. The view sucked me in and said, why not? I'm sure you've got time, just keep going and enjoy. Again I had to be back to pick up my boy, so with reluctance and frustration we turned and went back down, leaving time to eat at the bottom. I had also brought my new tarp to test and we threw it over one of the benches in the car park. We were a real hit, (though one poor fella got an ear-bashing from the missus, "if we had one of those, we could sit outside too!". I have a small stove and we made pasta, tea and coffee, sat under the tarp in the dry and watched the world for a little while while we digested. The tarp is great. I would recommend one to everyone, They are handy and anyone who has put up a tent a couple of times can erect one very quickly (snigger).... as we left the dams, I tempted fate a little too much. As we were approaching the A57, I said "we've had a really cheap day out.. just petrol, parking and 68p packet and sauce pasta from Morrison's.
Then some one turned on the LOUD switch on my car BBBRRRRRUUUUMMM!!!
The exhaust fell off.. I had to drive through the peace and quiet i loved, then through the centre of Sheffield, then through Rotherham and then pick up my boy from school, all the time sounding like a boy racer..... Not fun.. AT ALL.
Today I went to get the car fixed and a job that should have taken 20 mins took hours, due to parts that didn't fit (apparently my car has an odd-ball exhaust bore)..
Thankfully I had left my boots in the car and so I went for a walk up through Canklow woods, I set a new time, but didn't have a pack. It's nice to know I'm finally getting a little fitter..
P.S. Hi Shani!.. you wanted a mention and so here it is. I love you Wifey lady. x
