Well once more this excellent radio program has produced a program that I think folks will find of interest. As they say on the BBC website:

“John McCarthy explores wild Scotland in the company of writers Andrew Greig and Sara Maitland, who live in remote places, and talks to them about how the landscape has affected their writing.”

So you can either download the show or listen to it on the iplayer. Either way you have just 7 days to listen to this show.

The two writers in the show have contributed to a new book that has come out called A Wilder Vein. The book “…is a new collection of literary non-fiction which examines and celebrates the relationship between people and the wild places of Britain and Ireland. … Robert MacFarlane wrote the foreword…”

The book does sound interesting and is probably something we may want to add to our Christmas pressie lists.

Thanks for taking the time to answer.

In my regularly readings of the geek/tech/gadget scene (of which I have posted the odd ‘look at this story’ in the past on here) I came across the following story on Gizmodo “The Folding Titanium Spork Is the Ultimate Portable Eating Utensil”. When I read the head line I thought well that’s not a news story we have had folding sporks for a while. In fact most companies have their version of the spork and a folding spork (those Chinese are great at reselling the same thing multiple times with a diff brand name on). So I had to have a look to see why this was a current story on Gizmodo.

The TAD Gear Folding Titanium Spork v2.0 looks like one of those cheap stainless steel penknife type cutlery sets you can get from places like Millets. Except in this case it is made from titanium only has a spork and in this model also has a slip joint combo bottle cap lifter and can opener. Which makes it look and sound like a very stripped down swiss army knife.

So what has this got to do with my opening question on how old is the spork? Well in the Gizmodo story that I was talking about above is a link to another Gizmodo article “The Captivating History Of The Spork”. I bet you didn’t think that the idea of the spork goes back as far as 1874 when a patent was filed by Samuel W. Francis. So my rough and ready calculations make the spork about 135 years old!!! That is amazing when you think about it.

When I went to the link on Wikipedia in the article (see bottom of post for link) there is a picture of a spork that I grew up with. I’ve never thought of it as a spork before, I had always known it as a chinese fork (thats what my folks called it, and it was always used when we had a chinese take away).

Above: An early out of date photo of my eating implements collection, with the a folding spork on the far left and a stainless steel spork that I grew up with on the far right.

But thinking about it, they are right it is a spork. A stainless steel spork in fact. So I was using that in the 70’s as a young lad. So my guess for the age of the spork would of been the 70’s if pushed for an answer. So to find out that it is at least 1874 is kind of mind blowing.

That Gizmodo article also links to a new object of desire for my spork collection. Yes you read that correctly. I have a spork collection, don’t we all? Now I do not know how this got past me, else I would of definitely have blogged about it at the time. Oh what is the new object of desire? “Star Trek Spock…I Mean Spork” Yes you read that right. There is a Star Trek branded spork.

I missed the limited edition version of this. But they have bought out a new not limited edition of the Star Trek spork.

Over on ThinkGeek they also on the product page have a Customer Action Shot section (click here to view). I like the Trouble You For A Tribble photo.

I’m sorry I’m not apologising for being a geek, and this does appeal to that geek side so so much. Besides what would you prefer a rebranded spork from which ever gear manufacturer or a rebranded spork with the Star Trek logo on it? Star Trek wins it every time for me.

You can read more about the spork on Wikipedia at the following link Spork.

Aron if you are not familiar with his story is the guy that had to amputate his arm after getting it trapped under a large boulder while out on a solo climbing trip in Utah (IIRC, can’t be bothered to Google it) in 2003.

I bet when you read the book you thought this would make a great movie, if done correctly. Maybe like Touching The Void, or Cliffhanger (only joking with that one).

The BBC (and other places) are reporting Danny Boyle ‘to make mountaineer epic’. That’s right it is going to be reset in the slums of India with plague infested zombies fighting it out with drugged up Glaswegians. No only kidding. It is being reported that the movie will be called 127 hours, no casting has been mentioned yet.

But Boyle does come with a good movie track record, having done such movies as Trainspotting, 28 Days Later and his big Oscar winner Slumdog Millionaire. So with that track record, and one or two of those movies being favourites of mine, my expectations and of others will be high indeed for this movie.

Hopefully Boyle will be able to continue the recent trend (that started with Touching The Void) of producing some very high quality mountaineering movies that appeal to a mass market.

While Bud was going through the first stage of becoming a cyborg or “robodog” as I call him (not been able to find the mini Gatling gun attachment yet), Podcast Bob very kindly sent me a new thing available in his store to test,review and write about.

So what is this goodie that I was sent? It’s the new Walking Pole Extender that Podcast Bob has designed and had manufactured.

If you follow the link to the Walking Pole Extender you will get all the details about it. There are two versions of the Walking Pole Extender an alloy version and a carbon version. I’ve been sent the carbon version.

You may be asking why would I want to use this? For those of you that remember on my first successful TGO Challenge I took with me a Hex 3. Now this uses a custom alloy (I assume it is that material) extendable pole. Which is not light (approx 410g). I would of liked to have used my trekking poles with it, but as Go-lite refreshed their range of shelters, which included new colours and renaming the range, they stopped manufacturing and selling an adaptor that would allow you to use your trekking poles.

Sadly I wasn’t able to get my hands on one. I did look around and there were these harness systems that strapped the poles together. But they looked like they had more to do with a fetish bondage thing that with providing a stable, rigid support for the Hex 3. So I never parted with my hard earned pennies to get any.

When I heard Podcast Bob had come up with his own design I was very keen to get my hands on one (when they were ready). Basically the advantage for me will be that when out with the Hex3 the total weight will drop by 380g (ie the weight of the pole). I always have trekking poles with me when out, so to be able to double up with their use (as I do when using a tarp) is very attractive to me.

Anyway I’ll be rehashing the above and more when I cover the Walking Pole Extender in more detail after I have used it in anger.

You’ll also notice when you visit Backpackilight.co.uk that they are the UK exclusive source for the StickPic. I was sent one of these earlier in the year by the manufacturer and have a review of it go up at some point. Sneak peek on the review I like it

There is also a chance to get your hands on “a special pre-release of the eagerly anticipated 2010 unisex lightweight 40 Litre Peak rucksack” over on the site as well. So if you are in the market for a new lightweight pack, then this just might be the thing for you.

This morning dropping Bud off at the vets was very emotional. In fact my eyes sprung several leaks.

Mid day I called the vets to find out how the operation had gone. When I called he had just come out from the surgery. It had gone well, he was coming round, and all being well I could pick him up later. So a time was set for me to pick Bud up.

Kate and I went to pick Bud up. The car park was full so I had to block some-one in. Which just happened to be the first person leaving the vets as we walked in. So after nabbing the parking space, we only had to wait 10 minutes before being taken into one of the consulting room to see the nurse. The Vet himself didn’t feel he needed to see us because the operation had no complications. Well that is what we heard from the hall way before being shown in to the consulting room when the receptionist spoke to him.

(Above: Nathan nursing Bud.) Anyway the very nice nurse gave us the instructions for the painkillers/anti-inflammatory pills, and then the instructions for the anti-biotic pills.  We were also given three tins of dog food to use with Bud as well. The nurse then went and fetched Bud. Bud seemed pretty good considering. Apparently he hadn’t adjusted to cocking his leg yet! Well der. Anyway Bud seemed pretty keen to get out of the place. Not surprised really. Considering visits to the vets have cost him his gonads and now a leg.

A follow up appointment was made to see the nurse on Thursday, just to check that the leg was healing fine. The nurse then saw Bud out to the car and even lifted him on to the back seat. See they look after you well at these vet places. Well for £260 I would hope so.

Picking Nath up from school, Nath was a bit apprehensive about seeing Bud. Not knowing what to expect. I said the leg had been replaced with a pump action shotgun.

There is the initial shock value at the moment. But that is soon over come. Plus once the hair has grown back it won’t look as bad.

So glad he has got through this first hurdle. Now to make sure his recovery goes smoothly.

Some of the younger readers out there may be wondering about the title of this post. It’s a reference to a classic comedy sketch by Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. I hope you enjoy the clip I found on Youtube of the routine.

This year 450 people liked the sound of walking across Scotland in varied weather conditions so much that they applied to do the TGO Challenge. However even with the total number of participants on the 2010 Challenge raised from 300 to 330 “in order to give as many as possible the chance to take part” there was still the need for a draw for places.

Having made that draw, and taking into account the current postal dispute, the organisers of the TGO Challenge are emailing prospective Challengers to let them know their fate.

So all those that sent in entry forms for the 2010 Challenge should be checking their inbox to find out their fate.

Don’t forget that if you don’t make the initial lucky 330, they put you on a standby list. So you should be given a number of where you are on the standby list. Believe it or not people drop out of the Challenge before it starts for whatever reason. So it is worth hanging in there. Some people as soon as they hear they didn’t make it even drop off the stand by list. Which is cool, as they prefer to go off and do something more interesting ( may I suggest that they consider the Backpackers Club Scottish get together which is usually around the same time as the Challenge). So the odds improve straight away.

So whatever your fate was in that email today remember it could be worse, you could be waking up with a leg missing (ask Bud).

The point of these shows is to show off the products that will be available for the coming year. Which normally starts about March time the following year. It’s also to  get advance orders from distributors and retailers.

If we the public are lucky we get some coverage from the events as they happen, or a couple of pages in the outdoors magazines the following month. But the first time that the public gets to see the stuff is when if they are lucky their local outdoors shop stocks it.

But what if there was an event say March time just as these new products were going to hit the shops, that the public could go along to and see and touch the new stuff.

Hold on there is an event in March open to the public. It’s called The Outdoors Show and it’s sponsored by The Ordnance Survey.

So why aren’t we seeing the new seasons gear on display there? Surely this is the natural event for launching the products to the public.

I have my theories as to why we don’t. For me I think that whatever the reasons the show itself is poorer for it and also is causing some people not to go to the show. I think some people visiting the show for the first time go expecting to be able to see gear and are disappointed when they can’t.

So where the show does well appealing to the “weekend warrior” (a friends term that I liked the sound of) from the big cities. I do feel that the core market with the show has been getting short changed and is starting to turn it’s back on the event.

So by getting the new products at the show, I feel that this would be a start at appealing once more to the core market. Which I think would also appeal to the “weekend warrior”. So a win win situation if you ask me.

But this all depends on convincing the outdoors industry that it is in their interest to actually turn up at the show and show off their wares to the public.

So I’m opening this up to everyone to discuss. What do you think? If you have been to the show in the past and swore not to return, what would it take to get you back? What changes would you make to the show?

The options given to us were a) operate on the leg shave the joint, and use steel plates, and lots of therapy afterwards, and still pain for a large portion of that time, and he might be able to use the leg again. b) the leg goes, and c) euthanasia (they like to avoid the words kill or murder).

The consultant ruled out b and c. He was very kind and knew our situation.

We then went back to the vet who referred Bud to the specialist. Who gave a differing opinion to the specialist. His preference was for option b. His logic went along the lines that he didn’t think the knee joint was repairable, and that it would be Bud in pain for a longer period while he went through the therapy than if the leg went. He also said that considering Buds age (approx 13) even with the op he may never recover use of the leg again anyway.

Two conflicting opinions. What do you do? I dismissed the cost from the equation, I wasn’t going to base my decision on money. I then tried to apply logic to the thought process. Listing the pro’s and cons of both options. Which I think kind of sounded like I was trying to justify to myself the amputation option. Was I trying to justify that option? A lot of soul searching took place. I finally came up with a decision. It’s been a very emotional day. But the driving force behind the decision was what I consider would be best for Bud’s quality of life. That at the end of the day was the over riding factor that I based the decision on.

Well next Tuesday Bud goes under the knife to have his back leg removed. He then has to face Strider and Barney taunting him with names such as hop along, or stumpy. I think Barney has got hold of a stool and is going to stand it next to Bud and ask if Strider can spot the difference between Bud and the stool. You thought it was tough in the playground at school. That was nothing compared to being in a pack.