Clive

Owner and author of Clive's Blog.

Code Test Post

I have just added code to my new WordPress site – www.clivecatton.co.uk – to link it to my Facebook page. As the site/blog is on my server I have to code the link manually – where as my previous blog was linked automatically by WordPress.com.

Sincil Drain

A photo from today’s walk.

Code Test Post Read More »

West Highland Way – Practice Walk

I went out today to get some more practice miles done before the West Highland Way and explored some different paths around Heighington and out to the River Witham and the Sincil Drain.

20110918-160047.jpg

We ended up walking out to the bridge at Fiskerton using a path that ran along the top of the embankment, by the Sincil Drain. One bit of advice, the path is faint and very overgrown in places with thistles and nettles so wear long trousers (photo above), and don’t walk it when it is wet.

20110918-163928.jpg

The screenshot above is from my iPhone 4 using Memory Map.

At the Fiskerton Bridge we stopped for some tea and so a wasp could sting Richard! We then returned following the Water Rail Way back to Washingborough and then up to Heighington.

20110918-164300.jpg

20110918-164325.jpg

West Highland Way – Practice Walk Read More »

“Bring on the Rain” – StarShipSofa

Tony Smith has an excellent show this week – his “extra” story by Josh Roseman, “Bring on the Rain” is an old fashioned space opera story and is excellent. Add to this a fact article, Everything by Morgan Salette about spaceships and as every Tony’s podcast is a winner. Then we have the third part of the main fiction with floating cities on Venus!

You can find the podcast here – or subscribe and get great stories every week.

“Bring on the Rain” – StarShipSofa Read More »

“The Agreement Dissection”

Question

Is “The Big Bang Theory”

a) An explanation about how the universe started
Or
b) Probably the funniest programme on TV

If you have not seen “The Big Bang Theory”, then you should try it. If you know about it, already, then I have just watched the funniest episode so far – “The Agreement Dissection”.

Now to really appreciate it, you do need about ninety episodes of back story but it is worth catching up!

“The Agreement Dissection” Read More »

Walking to Woodhall Spa – Day Two

The weather was good when I was packing up – which was lucky as packing the new Golite Jam 2, did not go as easily as it did when I packed it at home. I had put the tent in the large outside pocket but this was a mistake as that pocket has to be packed before the main bag. Both pockets share the same volume – packing the main pocket reduces the size of the outside pocket. This means the tent needs to be packed first – when actually, when packing up, it is the last thing to go in the bag. This morning, I simply piled my gear up on a small tarp I had with me, took the tent down and then packed, but it was dry and sunny. So I need a new packing plan.

20110911-101116.jpg

20110911-122349.jpg

I ended up meeting both Richards in Bardney – one had had walked there from Lincoln city centre the other drove – and we went for coffee. So that was the end of the walking, we got a lift home.

20110911-160652.jpg

20110911-160727.jpg

20110911-160755.jpg

Walking to Woodhall Spa – Day Two Read More »

At the Campsite

I camped in the same spot as I did a couple of months back – but with no ducks.

20110911-072144.jpg

I have added a wing nut handle to my mug lid – it has proved to awkward to lift the lid off with my Leatherman. The wing nut arrangement means the handle can come off for packing, with the wing nut being stored in the same neoprene case I keep my milk powder, tea bags and lighter in.

20110911-075032.jpg

To save washing up I made my instant custard in the packet, using the mug only to hold it in and to save burning my hands as I ate it.

20110911-074922.jpg

I really like Indian tea, but I like it with plenty of milk in (or better still made with condensed milk) – this means it uses a lot of my limited store of dried milk. Yesterday one of my clients gave me some milk sticks, for use this walk but they have all ended up in the same drink. I make the tea the all in way, milk, cold water, Indian tea bag and two brown sugars all in the mug and bring to the boil – then I take half the tea out to drink top up with more cold water and bring back to the boil. Excellent. However this adds to my washing up as the titanium mug/kettle is a mess when finished and it gets worse if it boils over as it did during my Scotish trip last month.

20110911-075413.jpg

This morning the weather is fine – with a nice sunrise right into my tent as I make some tea.

The bad weather did not materialise here, infect when I woke up there was no wind at all and my tent was perfectly still. However I have asked Diana to check the TV weather and call me.

Breakfast is simple here this morning, plenty of tea and granola bars – many walkers have bars for breakfast so I thought I would try it today.

At the Campsite Read More »