and now for a messages from our sponsor

Mt Bloody Windy

Of course, no company is daft enough to give free kit to a tail end of the mid pack runner like me for their running prowess. However, I am really made up with the kit that we got as helpers for the Dragons Back race. Mr. Berghaus gave us the works. Full set of light weight Gore-tex waterproofs, rucksack, warm jacket, 2 base layers, trousers and race T-shirt.

Total value = lots

So, as I have no other medium to say it

Thank you Mr Berghaus. I very much appreciate getting the kit, it is unbelievably light and keeps out horizontal rain coming at you at 70 mph. Thank you for your support of the race.

Mount Clay

So I find myself with a free weekend in Boston in the North East U.S. I had stuffed the Goretex jacket[I think it is one of these] and the insulated jacket [similar to this] and a base layer [Like this but with a zip ] along with shirts, running shoes and the other rubbish a work trip needs. Previously unaware that New Hampshire had mountains (not been to these parts before), I cobbled enough kits from what I had with me, bought a 1:100,000 trail map and headed to the White Mountains to walk/run a loop of Mt's Washington, Jefferson, Clay and Munro. Mt Washington had a bit of the feel of Snowdon with a train running to the top and people wondering round shivering in T-Shirts as they run between the train and the visitors centre.

Mt Jefferson with random dog

Mt Washington is without doubt the most windy place I have ever been. I understand it was an average day and the winds were 70 mph with horizontal driving rain.  The wind only really got up in the last 50 vertical meters which was odd.

A very good day out, but here is the rub, at home I have kit to deal with such conditions, but as I also had to pack shirts and other work related rubbish for the week which is not light, unless I had known I was going to have a free weekend near mountains, I would not have bothered to pack any of outdoor gear, so would not have made the trip. I had no idea that mountain quality kit could be made so light.

The kit I had with me yesterday was light enough and took up so little room in my luggage, that I just packed it anyway. I would not have made this off the cuff trip in the wilds of New Hampshire without the kind sponsorship by Berghaus of the Dragon's Back and the quality  of kit they gave out to the race helpers.