Alan Lodge's Blog

Hitchcock Quote

“I’m not against the police;

I’m just afraid of them”

Alfred Hitchcock

I dunno!, I think this is probably where i’m coming from 🙂

Countryside Alliance Party Invite!

As you see from posts from last few days, have just got down from mountains in Snowdonia. Lovely, want to move there….. Except, would have to compete with all the second home-rs there ……. Quite tired, and a swollen knee, but all worth it.

However, on getting back to my computer, discover an invitation to go to London, night before ‘countryside alliance’ march, for some wild entertainment! Gosh!!

LIBERTY NIGHT … worth partying for! http://www.inneventive.co.uk/liberty_night.htm

The pre-march extravaganza offers:

• Wild entertainment

• Some of the cheapest bar prices in London

• Choice of food from stalls from famous Borough Farmers’ Market stalls

• Bands and live music to keep everyone dancing

• Fun attractions such as ‘Darts with a Difference’, shots competitions, treasure hunts, games and prize draws, fashion shows, circus performers, celebrities, cabarets and loads, loads more …

3,000 tickets go on sale today for only £20. Your ticket includes great British food, a free drink on arrival, the cheapest bar prices in London and plenty of entertainment.

Sounds splendid eh? one for GuilFIN listings ……. Have just told em, for the giggle….

Bloody heck. I’m quite interested in going to the countryside over the weekend, while there’re at it in London, me thinks, many have the same idea.

Snowdonia ‘Live’ Webcams

http://www.fhc.co.uk/weather/live/

These web cameras provide the first high level mountain panaromas in Wales. They offer you a year round window on the high mountains of Snowdonia, updated every minute. Quite amazing really.

Met Office Info for the area.

I could not use these services, while on the Glyders, [see earlier note about o2 signal]. However, I tell you all about it, dear readers, ‘cos to know about the weather locally, is very important for safety. This is a wicked service however, giving a localised 6 hour report. Just what the average walker in these parts would require. This is a national service, however, based on location, or postcode.

Mountain area forecasts: http://www.meto.govt.uk/services/phone/prphonemo.html

Snowdonia: 09068 500 449

Forcast by WAP: http://www.mymetoffice.com/main.wml

Forcast by SMS: [send text message, of the form described, forcast then returned].

An example using a postcode: wthr4 bn25uf

or using a UK city, town or village name: wthr4 brighton

BT Cellnet, send to: 2638

Vodafone, send to: 8638

Mobile text forecasts http://www.meto.govt.uk/services/wxtext2.html

“I’m not against the police;

I’m just afraid of them”

Alfred Hitchcock

Mountain Itinerary

Back in Nottingham now. Have been about within the Snowdonia National Park. However, since my last post, via my WAP phone, on friday, I’ve not been able to raise a signal. I am an o2 [Cellnet] customer. However, both down in the village, and on the slops of the mountains, I could see and hear other folks using there mobiles. Had asked a few people what company they were with. Some said Vodaphone, but many on o2.

So, I ask you, how do they get a signal, and not me? I don’t think that signal is particular to a sim card, or, particular device. Will be phoning o2 customer services for advice. If I can get through.

Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end.

Edward Whymper, “Scrambles amongst the Alps”

Cambridge University Hill and Walking Club: Fell and Mountain Guidelines

http://www.cam.ac.uk/societies/cuhwc/info/guidelines.html

Met Office page on Mountain Safety: http://www.meto.govt.uk/loutdoor/mountainsafety/index.html

Sunday 15 Sept

Glyder Fawr 999m Sheet 115 642580

A wander around, below the ‘Devils Kitchen’. Can see Snowdon [1085m] although, looks level with me I’d say, and only 3 to 4 miles SW, but haze a bit grim, for a quality picture. Much photography of the mountain I’m on though. Just not much cop, for the distance. Bit of a splash in lake at LlynClyd to cool! 634583 To the NE Carnedd Dafydd at 1044meters. This will be climbed on next trip here, I’ve just thought……

Leave slops at 3pm, Return to Nottingham 8.00pm. [148 miles]

Saturday 14 Sept

Glyder Fach on map at: Sheet 115 657583

994m This being nearly 3500 feet, I think this place is really dramatic. Sheer rock faces all around. Wet rocks on the shady bits. The odd climber hanging off above me as I climb. Noticed some of these folks, have lugged a tent an kit, half way up here, I expect, with a view to starting climbs early tomorrow. Between the peak and the saddle to Glyder Fawr, sheer rocks in a curve, called the ‘Devils Kitchen’ I think.

Stayed at Bryn Tyrch Hotel, at Capel Curig. http://www.bryntyrch-hotel.co.uk Many climber and walking ‘types’. Gorgeous food, although, you could starve to death, waiting …… Have to go back! Anyone coming with me?

Friday 13 Sept

Llyn Cowlyd

sheet 115 730620

Lost my sunglasses here yesterday, after banging head on rock! Have returned, by an expert bit of navigation. from the southern approach. Leaving the A5, and striking north, past Tal-y-Waun Farm. [Had another search for glasses, since it was getting dark and had to give up last night]. Whole valley much in shadow yesterday, today, could be another place entirely, with the sun in different position. Didn’t find them.

Phew! now in B&B in Betws y Coed. Place called Rosehill. Very comfortable. Well, better than I’m used to 🙂 Have been to Llyn Cowlyd, lake with dam at on end. Start of huge pipeline, stretching off, as far as I can see. Mountains either side, and climbed Pen Llithrig y Wrach. sheet 115 715625. Now bloody tired. Bed.

Nite nite, dear readers.

PS. Mountain called Moel Siabod. ht 872m ref: 706547 sheet 115 (Snowdon). now back down in village. bit fucked now. Food then bed. till the next.

Set of at 9am. Got to watch time, getting late now. On way down.

So much for the weather forcast, cloud all over, No, can’t see other mountains for pictures, cant see the bloody path in front of me! No Art pictures today!

Oh so tired! now at summit of Moel Siabod been wandering up here for couple of hours, hoping clouds clear. Not much. So my pix a bit grey and average I’d imagine. Now next to trig station at 847 meters. That about 2700feet, in real money.

EXPECT THAT THIS IS MY HIGHEST BLOG MESSAGE, SO FAR!! more later.

Oh! just wanted to mention the pubs name in Dolwyddelan. its Y Gwydyr. and the mountain i’m going up is Moel Siabod, just NW of the Snowdonia Forest Park, off A470. Sheet 115 706547

Thought I’d tell you. £2.95 for a meal and beer. Well good. Nice little village pub. really friendly, and cheap! just asked barman for spelling. hard for us english 🙂 its Dolwyddelan in Conwy, Snowdonia. Am camped below Llewellan ap Griffith castle at Bryn Teirion. its beautiful here. Art pictures tomorrow.

Well. couple of sunny days, and warm. Summer at last. So have dropped everything and driven 150 miles west! now at campsite at base of Moel Siabod mountain, few miles north of Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynyth. Off to village for a meal. climb 2700 in morning. So, early night. 1st post from Wales.

Cyberbuss, continued and winding up reports from the Burning Man.

http://wrybread.com/gammablablog/featured/cyberbuss.shtml

http://wrybread.com/gammablablog/featured/western-woods.shtml#9-03

Police / entrapment / cyberbuss / bloody hell! Nothing changes, same everywhere……… middle of a desert. You might think the authorities, were needed elsewhere.

http://wrybread.com/gammablablog/featured/cyberbuss.shtml#9-01

audio report, from the front:

http://wrybread.com/gammablablog/featured/endofera.shtml

Check out earlier reports, from the Burning Man, earlier on my blog at:

http://tash_lodge.blogspot.com/2002_08_25_tash_lodge_archive.html#80967433

However, I hear from my spies, that there was much dis-satifaction at this years event. Complaints of commerciallisation!

Well now, where have I heard that before …….. ? Glastonbury and bloody onwards. Calls into question, what is it all about and what’s it for. Me, I’m interested in alternative events. However, the only way of having those now, with a licence, is to sell out to those that would exploit me. Ho hum. Nothing changes, not really!!

Cyberbuss, continued and winding up reports from the Burning Man.

http://wrybread.com/gammablablog/featured/cyberbuss.shtml

http://wrybread.com/gammablablog/featured/western-woods.shtml#9-03

Police / entrapment / cyberbuss / bloody hell! Nothing changes, same everywhere……… middle of a desert. You might think the authorities, were needed elsewhere.

http://wrybread.com/gammablablog/featured/cyberbuss.shtml#9-01

audio report, from the front:

http://wrybread.com/gammablablog/featured/endofera.shtml

Check out earlier reports, from the Burning Man, earlier on my blog at:

http://tash_lodge.blogspot.com/2002_08_25_tash_lodge_archive.html#80967433

However, I hear from my spies, that there was much dis-satifaction at this years event. Complaints of commerciallisation!

Well now, where have I heard that before …….. ? Glastonbury and bloody onwards. Calls into question, what is it all about and what’s it for. Me, I’m interested in alternative events. However, the only way of having those now, with a licence, is to sell out to those that would exploit me. Ho hum. Nothing changes, not really!!

The Gettysburg Address to be ‘re-addressed’

This is the eve of the attacks on America on the the 11th September last year.

I understand that President Bush will give a speech and will be reading The Gettysburg Address. Abraham Lincoln delivered this in the field, on November 19 1863′ during the American Civil War.

Speaking as a ‘part-time’ Anarchist [they wont let me be a full time one!] I feel this is fitting.

The US Library of Congress Exhibition on this document: http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/gadd/

I would like to remind you of its content:

The Gettysburg Address

“Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us–that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion–that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.”

Delivered at Gettysburg Field

Abraham Lincoln

President of the United States

Nov. 19, 1863

“A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind

and won’t change the subject.”

Winston Churchill

ONline Status Icons

Friend just wired to, me introduce this service.

A means of adding ICQ and MSN Messenger ‘status icons’ for my blog and webpages, generally.

To setup and register: http://status.inkiboo.com:8080/

help and info: http://status.webhop.net/

Seems useful to me. Have added to this blog also, about half way down, the left colum of page.