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Tuesday 8 May 2012

TGO Optimism

 lochcallater lodge sign
Quite a few people are about to launch themselves on a journey,  and many of those are blogging (and probably tweeting, twittering and, possibly, wittering) about their forthcoming attempt to walk a couple of hundred miles or so across the middle, relatively wild bit of Scotland. Readers of blogs who aren’t about to set off on this particular trip may well be excused for the glazing of their eyes at the constant stream of lists of equipment and what it weighs and so on and so on.

TGO challengers, particularly those chosen few who’s privilege it is to make their first attempt can be empathised with if they have the odd qualm or even the occasional butterfly about it. (If they haven’t then they’re idiots, frankly and probably won’t be at Montrose at the end)

Those of us who are about to make yet another attempt – in my case, my eleven-and-a –halfth (sic) – may also be aware that the outcome is in doubt.

But we set off with nervous optimism. We are optimistic about the weather. We are optimistic that if the weather is dire, that we’ll cope well enough. We’re optimistic that when we meet other challengers on the way, somewhere, perhaps in a remote and unlikely spot, that the meeting will be friendly and positive and that new, cherishable memories will be formed.

And we’re optimistic that our puny, or otherwise fat and failing bodies will be cajoled into carrying us and our listed gear over all those tussocks and across those difficult streams.

It’s good to be optimistic.

It’s a bit late for Beltane, but here’s a short late-spring bit of optimism (maybe a bit too fast for traditionalists – but at least it’s cheerful) I’ve done my packing. The pack is resting now, waiting for the addition of a few forgotten items, suddenly remembered at random times.

Here’s my best wishes for everybody about to set off on the TGO Challenge, and also for those friends doing something else.

10 comments:

Louise said...

Thanks Mike, beautifully put I might say! I'm optimistic I'll see you, if not en route to Strathcarron, then maybe in the bar. I'm optimistic I might happen upon you (at not too inconvenient a moment) in Glen Mazeran! Hopefully, I'll catch up with you at the bar in The Park. Have a great crossing and see you soon.

Laura said...

OK Mike - see you in Montrose - or maybe before?.......

Tony Bennett said...

Yes indeed, that about sums it up. See you in Strathcarron - at least I'm confident about getting that far this year! Mine's a red Cuillen by the way :-)

Alan Sloman said...

Well said, Sir!

Let's hope we all get across again with no mis-haps and lots of smiley memories at the end of it.
:-)

Les Silkowski said...

Have a good crossing Mike. See you on route
Les & Issy

John J said...

It is indeed A Good Thing to be optimistic.

Me? I'm optimistic that we might have some cold nights so I've packed my warm sleeping bag.

See y'all en-route, be it Dornie, Strathcarron, Cannich, Glen Mazer-thingy.... Oh, and Bill & Stan's!

JJ

Jules said...

Methinks the blogosphere will be a bit quiet with so many opting to hack over the hills in the rain with heavy bags instead of remaining warmly inside, blogging and keeping the rest of us entertained. What's the world coming to?

Have a great time, and I hope you get a few sunny spells - at least enough so that you can see what you're passing! - as a reward for your undoubted hard work.

Andrew W said...

Good one Mike.

See you at Callater (if not before).

One of the things about callater is that you cannot knock down the power cables.
Ok that wasn't you.

See you soon .... ish

Mike Knipe said...

Thanks everybody - at least those that are still here and not wending their way Northwards.
I won't be anywhere near Callater as it happens JJ and Andrew, though. I'm doing a more Northerly route.

If I get that far....

Andy said...

Hi Mike - Andy here (I said a quick hello at The Park last Thursday). Great choice of music from one of my favourite bands, from one of their best albums. Liam on drums is brilliant!

Andy