Yes the blog has been way too quiet!
And with so much going on in the background its about time I updated our progress on the planning and reequiping that's been happening in preparation for our jogle starting in August!
The route has been finalised for a few months now clocking in a total distance of 1004.9 miles to be walked!. The maps are all printed including a backup set and a small fortune has been spent updating and adding gear to mine and Alfie's kit lists!
The latest addition being dog boots!, this is in reaction to Alfie getting sore paws on the north west pathage walk last year, really don't want him to have to be rescued on this trek! As you can see in the picture they have vibram soles! Very professional! Though it's a huge learning curve for him getting used to boots!. Sleeping arrangements for Alfie have changed instead of his little sleeping bag I'm packing a warm coat for him to wear at night, far more practical!.
Other new gear for me being a new berghaus jacket and berghaus trail light boots, hooded windproof cycling jacket for mid layer, two new pairs of socks and a two litre water filter bag to prevent the build of peat I found in my platypus after lejog!
I've cut down on the quantity of gadgets I'll be carrying, with the improvement in smartphone camera technology, I've invested in a Sony xperia z1 compact with its 20 mega pixel camera, great battery life and speedy GPS. also being waterproof, I no longer need to carry the combination of phone, GPS and camera. I just have to carry a lager rechargable battery to keep the phone topped up all week when away from socket outlets.
With regards to the planning side of things I've nearly established how much money the walk should cost me, and I'll be keeping track of finances on this walk as others planning a trek like this may find the final cost as interesting as me.... We'll see in October!
The next stage of planning is the charity, I've not yet notified the chosen charity, but at the back of my mind I've started working on simple money raising schemes, most notably is getting business type cards printed with the just giving page that's going to be in existence and and the blog so I can hand these out or leave them around at work or enroute! Or just giving to strangers in passing, this was an idea I felt would have been useful on lejog as I really don't want to collect money as I walk along!
Other than that I think just more training walks in the build up to August...
Think that's enough of an update!
