Dave Patton: Couchsurfer, CAACer, Roadtripper and Backpacker extraordinaire!

After a few months on the road I discovered that a fellow CAACer was in hot pursuit. Dave, using buses, caught me up and he signed me up for a 9 day hike. He is a pretty nifty photographer and it is definately worth checking out his photos here.

1. We recently hiked the Huayhuash trek together. Where did you first hear about this trek?
At one of the weekly Wednesday night Edinburgh couchsurfing group pub meets, a Scottish CSer who´d visited S America highly recommended the hike, saying it was far superior to the Santa Cruz hike. She wasn´t wrong, in my opinion!

2. Which was your favourite day of the trek?
Day 3 - many stunning lakes and mountain vistas; difficult but very rewarding mountain pass with lots of surprises. At camp (Huayhuash village)... politely asking the locals who lived in a couple of mud brick houses for dinner to break the daily routine of spaghetti and pasta sauce. Result... wonderful cultural experience and insight into mountain life, and delicious homemade dinner and breakfast direct from the farm.

3. Why wash?
Huayhuash? Top hike in the world. Why wash? Bar some hot springs, it´s the longest I´ve gone without washing and shaving! The post hike shower has never felt so good.

4. You make good use of Couchsurfing on your trips. What have been your best
experiences?
I´ve had many great CSing experiences, such as Hawaian surfing and many road trips with the locals to places well off the tourist trail. But my favorite was probably my first, near Perth in Western Australia. My host lent me his bike and snorkel to visit Rottnest Island. He took me to one of his Aussie Rules football sessions so I could "give it a go". He welcomed me on a typical Aussie camping weekend with his pals in Margaret River, experiencing swags, fine wines and chocolate tasting. Plus a bedroom to myself in his family home and home cooking were delightful after months of hostels!

5. How many countries have you visited now? Which are your top 5?
46 I think, hope to make it to 100 one day! Top 5, tough question; I like to think of the top 5 places I´d most like to return to.

New Zealand - for people who love the great outdoors.
Thailand - beaches and tasty food at low prices.
Bolivia - adventure travel in a nutshell and very cheap.
South Africa - many natural delights and wild safari.
Italy - it almost has it all; great history, cities, coast, mountains, lakes and food.

(Check out how you are doing against the official list of countries here. I only manage a measly 28.)

6. Can you recommend a book?
Nelson Mandela´s autobiography, to learn what the great man has to say.

7. What is the most inspiring travel tale you have heard?
I have probably been most inspired by an Australian fellow who hitch-hiked almost the length of Africa with another guy and girl. That was real adventure and getting off the beaten track, things that I strive for.

Dorothee Fleck Interview

Dorothee is one of a number of RTW cyclists I have met. We bumped into each other briefly in La Serena and then again in La Paz. She's nearing the end of her trip after over two years on the road.

You have nearly cycled all the way around the world. Which countries have been the best for you? Which countries that you have missed this time would you like to visit?
There are around 200 countries on this Earth, so far I covered only a fifth. Even if there are some countries I don't want to cycle in, there are still a lot missing. But first of all all the "-stan" Countries and Iran, and all the African countries (I cycled only in Madagascar). Hopefully I still can cycle when I am 90 years ald to cover all of them.

Can you recommend a book? What is it about?
No, not really. There are so many good books. Perhaps I can recommend you a very good book, after I have written mine :-), it will be about my trip around the world of course, about all the fantastic people I met.

It is a shame I missed making a recording of your flute playing but can you tell me which is your favourite piece to play and if you have a favourite piece to listen to on the road...
If I have a good piano player: Franz Schubert: Die Schoene Muellerin Variations, Cesar Franck Sonate, When I am alone, JSB Bach Solo Suites, and Philip Emanuel Bach Solo Sonata.
On the road on my bike, I don't listen to music, I prefer to listen to the birds, the water in the rivers, the leaves in the wind. What I don't like are barking dogs and whistling men.

What is the best thing for you about travelling by bike?
Everything! You should know about it, I could write a whole book about it, perhaps I will.

When and where will be your next cycle tour be?
At first I have to finish this one, but I think after two years it's time to take off again for a longer time. Hopefully I can visit then the "-stan" countries and Iran.

If you could make an international law to make the world a better place what would it be?
Actually the world is a very nice place, if there wouldn't be just a few people who are destroying it. There are a lot of laws already which are ignored.
But if I could introduce something, which makes it easier to see the world, I would introduce a World Wide Visa for cyclists.

What is the best bit of equipment you carry?
Lucky me I have some good bits of equipments, of course my solid bike, my tent which keeps me dry, my stove for my essential coffee in the morning... I hope they hold out the last months

best of luck with the rest of your trip...
Thanks same to you

Mike Hayes Interview

I met mike just outside of a town called Ayaviri as I was heading from Lago Titicaca towards Cusco. We cycled together up to Cusco and for a jaunt around the sacred valley. He started his trip 4 months before in Puerto Montt and he flew home from Cusco this time. Check out his blog and his photography site.

1. Can you quickly describe your cycle tours, your bike and your philosophy. Don't go on and on!!! ha ha
Oh heck, philosophy is something I don't think about... just like riding and experiencing the 'places & people in between' that you don't get to see any other way. There needs to be mountains though... "as for describe my tours without going on and on".. ya ok, short and concise then I've bike toured in India, Ladakh, Kashmir, Pakistan, China, Morocco, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Croatia, Bosnia, Spain, France... raced in a bunch of countries and travelled a whole bunch of other countries too. short enough?I like journeys that represent something of a challenge...
Oops, forgot my bike,... for wild and woolly stuff I have a Mk1 Thorn Nomad now in it's 7th year and showing a nice patina of wear :-) for lighter road tours I have a Salsa Casseroll built up with some classic components... The Nomad appeared on my blog in 2007 here (minus marathon tyres) and my Casseroll is here.

2. Can you recommend a good kayak trip in Cornwall, please.
The whole of cornwall is good, if looking for a good day out though then launch at Sennen, paddle around Lands End to Porthgwarra or Porthcurno, and return - perhaps with a detour out to the Longships reef is good.. lots of caves and rock arches to explore if not too rough, tidal races to play in, seals, dolphins and in summer enormous (8m) basking sharks to see

3. What is the your favourite phrase in Spanish?
Es la lucha... it's the fight.. used in same way as english folk use c'est la vie/that's life

4. Do you have a cycle touring tip?
no... wait, yes actually I do... stick a rolled up copy of your passport inside your handlebars, that way if bike is nicked and recovered it's easy to prove ownership. Inside your bars is also a handy place to keep spare spokes.

5. Can you recommend a book? What is it about?
hey what is this.. Radio 4? but seeing as you asked yes I think I can....it's called The Art of Looking Sideways, it's like a posh scrapbook about turning ideas upside down, looking at the world differently... something I like doing :-) It's not a book to read all at once, heck it's 4 inches thick, but rather one to pick up and open at a random page when you need some inspiration or have an idle moment.

6. You are a bit of a nifty photographer...Can you give me advice on taking a good shot on tour...What was the best photo of your trip this time
Ah thank you very much :-) advice, oh that's difficult, I tend to shoot on instinct but perhaps one good piece of advice is always to pay attention to the edges of your viewfinder.. so many photos get trashed by random 'things' appearing at the edges that distract from the point of the picture itself. Don't listen to all the bollocks people say about a photo telling a story, it doesn't have to... a picture can be completely abstract with no subject or point at all beyond colour or pattern. It helps as well before you pick up your camera to think about what you were about to photograph... look with your eyes before picking up the camera... I'm not articulating very well but that's best I can explain, you have to be receptive to seeing a picture before the camera gets in the way... and don't be a slave to the camera, you don't have to take a picture of everything :-)

Very difficult to pick a best photo from this trip, one of my favourites tho is this one... it's in Cafayate and I like it because it's just perfect (for me) instinctive street photography.. it's simple, graphic, captures a moment in time and manages to give a feel for the places well. I'm a 'lazy' photographer in that I don't pre-plan or premeditate or anything. I just go for a walk with my camera and see what catches my eye or what situations I react to.

If I have a favourite photo of all time I think it's this one... tribesmen on the Pakistan/Afghan border in 2000.


7. What is the best thing for you about travelling by bike?
Oh that's easy... absolute, unbounded freedom (and extreme coolness... haha)

8. you could make an international law to make the world a better place what would it be?
Yep, that would be to make greed and selfishness a criminal offence punishable by community service... or something. Shit, I sound like Miss World...

9. What is the best bit of equipment you carry?
My Rab sleeping bag... oh, and a big knife :-)

Recordings

Ok, I've not posted many of my recordings for a while so I thought I would upload a bumper issue. Firstly a snippet from a long, rambling and highly amusing interview I made with the very wonderful Seth and Kirsten. I first contacted them through Warmshowers looking for somewhere to stay in Santiago. They have a blog at thespokenword.blogspot.com. The whole interview is both too long to put on here and also in several parts as I ran out of batteries halfway through. Another problem is that instead of choosing a set of questions to ask them I tried to "freestyle" and frankly the results were somewhat mixed. If you don't know what a Bob trailer is look here. Here is the recording: Seth and Kirsten talking about trailers and long hair


Next up. Here is a nice little charango piece from Nicolas de Penna who I met in Chaiten. The recording was made in the back of his mini-bus. The song is called Dos Palomas (two doves).


Next more interviews with fellow cyclists.
Michael from Switzerland Michael, Brett, Monika, Thorsten and I all shared a great Christmas together in Coyhaique. This interview with "Iron Mike" was made beside a fire in the campsite beside Lago O'Higgins. He mentions the song Love is Shield (slightly dubious euro pop...)


Brett from South Africa Sorry, it was a bit windy and I forgot to use the windshield... Made in the campsite in Cochrane. Brett is a lively character with lots of stories up his sleeve.


Monika and Thorsten from Germany Thorsten and Moni are a very friendly and generous couple who played leap-frog with me for a while. We camped in El Blanco at the confluence of two rivers, 30km before Coyhaique. Thorsten is a journalist who writes for cycling magazines about his tours. He takes fantastic photgraphs.


Graham from Cumbria in the UK Graham is riding a Dawes Audax, a fast tourer, with very minimal equipment tucked into 2 panniers. He's cycled from Prudhoe Bay in Alaska. We met on new year's eve and shared a few drinks in a bus shelter not far from La Junta.

Raphael and Bettina

Met a great cycling couple from Switzerland at the campsite. They have cycled from Ecuador and were kind enough to answer some of my daft questions. Here is a mini interview with them I recorded. Listen to find out a great tip to get more from your cycling tour and to find out how fast dogs run.




Also I spent the day checking out the amazing Perito Moreno Glacier.

Mark Rodgers aka CAHM

My friend Mark Rodgers has just released an EP which he's put up on a website www.cahm.co.uk. I thought it was rather good. Here's a few questions I put to him.

Where does the name CAHM come from?
Originally when I first got round to writing songs I was working different factory/crappy jobs and spent time working in a hospital as grounds/porter. All of these jobs seem to have an attitude of discouraging free thought or any ideas outside of a tabloid newspaper, the hospital being the worst culprit.
This institution spawned one of the first songs 'the working warrior', a musical call to arms against people who want to kick down people's dreams to maintain the status quo. The second was a reflection on being let down by people (usual token whiny melancholy song!) friends and figures of affection.
The conclusion was that all these feelings and actions although not always physical but were in fact Crimes Against Human Minds. This first collection of demo acoustic and trip hop tracks under this new name were lovingly locked away under the ep title of 'Fighting Denial'.
These days just having the name as CAHM amuses me as I kinda see it as calm spelt badly.

Whats the best lyric you've written?
"The cloak that keeps us warm, is the one that hides the daggers." From Survive In Distrust

Who was your favourite band aged 15?
Nirvana, I just religiously listened to bleach and nevermind and regularly cited it as world changing stuff if only people would reeeeally listen to. Such a classic teenager!

What song do you wish you'd written?
Toooooooooooooooooooooo many for too many reasons! For saying a lot with only a couple of chords id go for John Lennon's 'Working Class Hero'. For passion and aggression Refused's 'New Noise'. For thinking in so many directions Radiohead's 'Paranoid Android' and for the love noise Nirvana's 'Scentless Apprentice'

What book has influenced you more than any other?
Its prob going to be close run race between my sociology text book 'Haralambos' from my A-levels and 'Introduction to Buddhism' by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. The first for giving me an interest in how the world works and the second for how everything works.

Any genre of music you genuinely hate?
Anything generated from a fucking tv show! Usual boy/girl bands generic pop groups in general. Straight simple house music, I didn’t really get the simple beat its painfully dull and doesn’t ever go anywhere. Girls can wriggle to anything and look normal but it just makes guys do a semi strut dance whilst pointing the fingers to the same beat for 4 hours! Modern R&B its either "my boyfriend is a twat" or "baby do you want to see my dong?"

If you were the master of the universe, what would you change?
I'd consider making cows blind…all they do is stare at you whilst plotting something. Failing that everyone's mind, literally people don’t often think about what they are thinking.

If you had to describe your music, without using adjectives, could you?
The result of a life of paying attention to people.

You are a Buddhist, right? Does your religion pervade your music? Does it help you in any day-to-day way?
I think I'm always going to be my own worst contradiction. The music that has often inspired me has been born of anger, fury and all the other negative emotions to the point that I've never even written a positive love song which most people do at some point. The only positive song I've created was a trip hop spoken word thing. I used a speech made by Ghandi on the divine and some samples of the Muslim Adhan, hopefully this wont be taken as blasphemy. Essentially I wanted to create something reflecting the positive influence of practising religious people and remind people of the power of non-violence
In the real world I like to think I am a lot more compassionate and patient than I used to be and I don’t really fear anything anymore. So in reality being a Buddhist has brought more balance and has removed a lot of old self-destructive tendencies I used to have. I think my music is the last place I have where I get to be a grumpy git throwing the dinner at the tv kinda guy!

You are also into Free Running (AKA Parkour) too. What's your favourite move?
I was always quite content with a nice kong vault with a bit of drop, mostly because it always felt like an all or nothing move and everyone loves the feeling of flying.

Who are your parkour heroes?
David Belle…just watch District 13. And a dude named Forrest who I met at a training thing in London, he was a prime example of someone who has managed to have rid himself of an ego whilst being a professional.

Do you have a favourite piece of gym apparatus?
Theses days I'm kinda limited to the floor and to walking around on my hands as my foot is pretty ruined after a semi-successful gymnastic trick (I landed the trick but it busted the wrong part of my foot and ankle). One of my friends at the gym has been trying to teach me capoeria much to everyone's amusement!

Any plans for performing live?
At the moment this is a strong maybe! I've finished with the band Todays Eden now so I wont be performing with a band for some time. However my friend Nick Parton of Fine Excuses fame (www.fineexcuses.co.uk) thinks an open mic night is calling so it may be time to look foolish for my friends some point soon. This is of course if Nick agrees to perform too!

If you could travel back in time and pass on a piece of advice to yourself as a child, what would it be?
Something along the lines of "if you don’t want to go to school mass then refuse as they cant make you!"

Return the Favour

William Sichel

I asked Richie Cunningham if he could think of anyone else I could have a go at interviewing and he suggested William Sichel. William's ultra running achievements are incredible. He is currently unbeaten in all events longer than 48 hours and holds six ultra distance records at World, British and Scottish level.

I read on your website that you live on the Isle of Sanday, in the Orkneys. What influence on your character has this had? Anything that helps your running?
I think yes. I moved here because I wanted a bit of an 'edge' to life. I had a very hard life for my first 10 years here, before I took up running again .
Even now I often train in harsh conditions and I think that keeps me strong.

At what point did you realise you were interested in running ultra long races? Was there a turning point when you decided to ramp up your training?
When I mentioned to a running shoe shop owner that my marathon time seemed to stay the same (2hrs 38mins) and yet I wasn't exhausted at the finish!
He suggested I try an ultra. I ran in the Scottish 100km Championships in 1994 and won it at my first attempt.
An ultra runner was born.

Do you have a favorite part of Scotland? Why is it special for you?
It has to be Orkney of course. I fell for the place in May 1982, the Isle of Sanday in particular and have now spent almost half my life here.
I married here and raised a family of two girls.
I discovered ultra running whilst living here which started a whole new life for me.
Is that enough!

What has been the most rewarding running experience you have had?
Hmmm difficult one. Maybe the Hamm 6 Day race last year. I had gone there to race head-to-head with the great German runner Wolfgang Schwerk.
He pulled out after only about 24 hours and I had to completely re-focus on what became almost a solo time trial.
I did it and recorded a PB and won the race (see below).

Which ultra-endurance races have you competed in? Which were the most important for you?
Rather a lot now as I have been involved in the sport since 1994. Did about eighteen 100km races with a best of 7hrs 7mins. Have done the classics - the Spartathlon and Badwater which helped in my development and my move to longer races than 24 hours. The debut victory in the Monaco 6 Day race in 2006 with the best distance for the year was highly significant for me.
It demonstrated that my ultimate strength would be in multiday events and was a huge confidence boost being ranked as World No1.

What are the longest time you have ever run for, I hear you have run for 6 days!!! What is the longest distance?
Last year in Hamm, Germany I covered 532.6 miles in the 6 days to maintain my unbeaten record and set a Scottish track record and British age-group track record. That is still my PB!

Recovering from testicular cancer to continue running competitively sounds like a story to match Lance Armstrong. Has it made you a stronger runner? How would you say it has changed you?
It was a huge shock at the time as I had only just stepped off the podium (with a team bronze medal) at the European 100km Championships in Italy (1997).
My deep down confidence was badly knocked.
I feel now that it has made me a stronger runner, because it has given me powerful emotions to draw on when the chips are really down.

How many miles would you estimate you run each year? And how many races?
I haven't counted miles for many a long year. I have tried many different ways of training.
Nowadays, my training is a very balanced programme of general fitness training and running - this has produced the best race performances for me.
A mileage figure is a poor representation of my training load.
Much of the running is done with a weight vest. This extra training stress isn't reflected in a simple mileage figure.
Training time is a better guide to my overall training - approx 16 hours a week.
I do about 5 ultras a year - suitably spaced, to be able to run well at all of them.
Every year I have to make very difficult decisions regarding my races. Frequently I have to turn down races and invitations as I don't do races that are too close together.

Do you enjoy suffering? How do you cope with the psychological aspects of these races?
I never think of it as 'suffering' or 'pain'. I enjoy the satisfaction of making a supreme effort in order to achieve something that I consider worth doing.
Currently I am working with a sports psychologist who is helping me develop skills to get that "extra 5%".

What has been the most challenging moment of your running career?
Probably my first race back after my cancer diagnosis and surgery in September 1997. The team manager selected me from my own training reports and my own judgement that I was ready even though the surgery had been in July!
I ran 7hrs 27mins in the World 100km Championships in Holland - I was back!

Any training tips for us mere mortals?
Train for the marathon and race at ultras.
Don't neglect speed - it is always the fastest average speed that wins the race whatever the distance!

Do you ever listen to music when running? Which song would you put on when you need motivating?
This is something I have just started to do on occasion in multiday races. I have a wide selction of very different tracks. Super Tramp and 'Breakfast in America' will always get me going.

What ambitions and plans do you have for the future?
To finish the 1000 Mile World Cup race in Athens next March within the 16 day time limit.
To break Scotland's oldest athletic record - 567 miles in 6 days set in 1882 on an indoor track.
To break records at 48 hours and other 6 day records.
So plenty to keep me going!

Patrick Winterton

Patrick Winterton and Mick Berwick

There are those who say that all the great challenges have been done and all that is left now are obscure adventures in obscure places. Earlier this year Patrick Winterton and his friend Mick Berwick became the first people ever to sea kayak to the Faroe Islands from Scotland. This astonishing and inspirational sea voyage confirms that significant adventures are still up for grabs, even locally. The crossing fitted into a longer journey Patrick made from Wales and via south-west Ireland. Patrick and Mick used their trip to raise money for the RNLI and you can donate on their Justgiving page. I asked Patrick a few questions and here are his replies.

I gather that your journey was inspired by a route taken by Irish monks. Can you tell me how you came across their story and what it was that inspired you to attempt it in sea kayaks.
I think it is fair to say that the expedition was inspired by Dan and Karen Trotter who attempted the crossing in 1995. They failed by a mere 80km before climbing aboard their support vessel. We have debated the possibility of doing it unsupported since then. I read around the subject of links between UK/Ireland and the Faroes and came across St Brendan and hence the plan to follow his route from SW Ireland to the North.

How many days did you spend at sea on the crossing to the Faroes? Did you get much sleep?
The 360 km crossing itself from North Rona to Suduroy took just over 74 hours and we spent 3 nights at sea. Clocking up 5 hours sleep in total. the last 36 hours was non stop due to incoming northerly winds. We designed a kayak tent that could cope with force 4+ and is just like an emergency shelter. Would put this up every time we stopped and made a huge difference to temperature. Neither of us got cold at any stage. The weather was very calm for the first 4o hours, so calm that we heard an saw whales and dolphins a long time before we saw them. (Finn whales and minkhe). Despite their size these creatures have a calming effect and give a massive boost to the paddling.

How hard was the physical aspect of the crossing? Did you do any specific training? How well did you and Mick Berwick get along? How did you resolve disagreements?
Physically we were fine apart from sores around our hips and backsides. Mick and I had both clocked up 1000's of km's in preparation. We also did some big crossings/night crossings/ 24 hour max dist sessions to prepare. We benefited massively from all the mistakes we made along the way. Fatigue was a major problem but increasing winds and an urgent push to beat the weather showed what a wonder drug adrenaline is. Mick and I had fairly distinct roles on the crossing. He monitored progress, called the stops, I did the comms and made tactical/route decisions. We both shared the lead which caused a few problems as our compasses never agreed. 1-2 degrees makes a big difference over 20 mins. We paddled at pretty much the same speed and had no irritations on that front. Mick has 2 bad ears and never heard anything first time. I got over this frustration by insulting him first and when he said 'what' I'd ask the question. We get on best when times are hard and both seem to be very positive when it is looking marginal.

Can you recommend a journey in Scotland for someone new to sea kayaking? What was your first sea kayaking experience and how old were you?
I lived in Norway when young and was let lose at the age of eleven to paddle solo around the fjords. managed to pick up 6 sea kayaks from Raleigh International when I moved to Scotland in 1994 and started with a circumnavigation of Jura, an eyeopener of a trip with sound of Islay and Corryvrecken, which I still rate as one of Scotland's best. I go for the remotest parts and nothing can beat Mingulay for a long weekend or North Rona. Part of the attraction is that you can't guarantee to get there. For a first time trip it is as much about choosing the weather as the location. Avoid areas exposed to the Atlantic and those with big tide races, Island of Bute, Lismore or Summer Isles.

What type of food do you like to eat on your kayak trips? Do you have a favourite camp stove recipe?
Food is all about weight on a long trip. Spaghetti fits nicely into the bow, dried soups and dehydrated meals weigh nothing and even taste good after a long day out. If on a weekend paddle the emphasis is on catching/finding food. Scallops with wine take some beating.

What are the things you look for when choosing a campsite on kayak tours?
I generally go for solitude when choosing a site. Somewhere where I can play my whistle without being heard. A view from the tent door is also essential, I'd rather haul the boat up a steep rock than drag it miles up a beach and try and ensure there is a handy alternative for launching again in case the wind changes.

What is your favourite travel or adventure book? Which explorers and adventurers have inspired you?
The stories of Douglas Mawson's survival in Antarctica are a lesson for all and worth remembering when things get unpleasant. I envy and admire early explorers who had places to discover, in particular John Rae who discovered the north west passage.

What is the most extreme weather you've experienced? How did you cope?
Mick and I have been out in force 7/8 without too much trouble but very slow, or rapid, progress depending on direction. Tide races such as Rhinns of Islay can become unmanageable in force 5/6 as we discovered last month. It is essential that you are fitted to a boat and have secure spraydecks if you are to survive extreme conditions.

What are your plans and ambitions for the future?
Mick wants to continue to Iceland. I'm keen to combine skiing and paddling as well as exploring the Faroes. We meet this week to decide.

If you enjoyed reading this (and I know I certainly did) you might be interested in some of the other interviews I have done recently.

Richie Cunningham ~ Ultra runner extraordinaire.

Russ Haines ~ Dirtbagger.

Randy Fay ~ Hobobiker and webmaster of warmshowers.org.
Alan Kimber ~ Expert mountian guide explains snow holes.

Sleep in a Snow Hole

Winter will be upon us soon and with it the season for winter climbing and walking. I asked Alan Kimber, of West Coast Mountain Guides, to explain how to go about sleeping in a snow hole.

Can you explain why mountaineers would use snow holes when climbing as opposed to using a tent or a bivvy bag?
More shelter from the wind.

Is building a snow hole an advisable way to shelter for the night in Scotland's hills in winter?
Yes, but depends on situation and location and conditions.

For the first time snow holer what advice would you give?
Find a snow bank not too far from alternative shelter and practice first. If something goes wrong it should be easy enough to travel downhill, straight to safety.

What equipment is it necessary to take with especially?
A good shovel – snow saw - sleeping bag – insulated sleeping mat – stove – food – All the usual hill survival gear and warm clothing.

What considerations are there to choosing a good spot? Where has been your favourite location?
Try to avoid anything in a gully line where avalanches may slide through. Avoid anything with water running beneath. Difficult to be precise with a favourite spot. It will depend largely on the conditions at the time.

What temperature rating does my sleeping bag need to stay warm?
Four Season.

Won't my expensive down sleeping bag get wet?
Possibly. Cover it with a gore-tex bivvy sack.

What are the drawbacks and dangers of sleeping in snow holes?
Suffocation (make sure you have a ventilation hole). Collapse and damp in thaw conditions. They take a lot of effort to construct compared to using a bothy or pitching a tent.

What are the benefits?
Well constructed in good dry and cold conditions they are bombproof, even in a gale of wind, where a tent might be destroyed. They are also much quieter than a tent in windy weather.

In your opinion what is the greatest winter climb in Scotland?
No comment. There are too many to choose from.

Which mountaineer has inspired you?
Riccardo Cassin – Walter Bonatti.

Can you me the most important tips for winter mountaineering.
Be very good at navigation – Use the correct clothing, ice axe and crampons – Understand avalanche hazards and how to avoid them – Take your time to understand and be able to match the challenges of the winter hills to your own ability and experience.

More information is available in this article: www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/outdoors/articles/snowholing/

I've mentioned other ways to sleep out in the hills before as part of my CHEAP SLEEP series. You could opt for a bothy, tent or bivvy bag.

Warm Showers

My experience of using hospitality websites, both hosting and visiting, has been great. I love the randomness of turning up in a stranger's home (and in their life), and it was remarkably good fun to have people stay (and very little effort). Following on from the previous post I wrote about this kind of thing, I got in touch with Randy Fay - the webmaster for the warmshowers.org website. Randy and Nancy have just returned to the USA from a bike tour from the top of Canada to the bottom of South America. Read about their trip on their website http://www.hobobiker.com/. A map of where potential hosts live can be found here. I asked Randy a few questions about Warmshowers.

I am a big fan of sites like your own, globalfreeloaders, couchsurfing and hospitality club. Can you briefly explain how your site works for people who have never used it?
It's really much like all the other hospitality networks. You sign up and then you can search for hospitality or other support using several different search facilities, including a map that locates hosts. Warmshowers.org is a *reciprocal* hospitality network, so you're saying at least "I will host someday" when you sign up. Many members on extended trips or at different points in their lives can't offer hospitality, but in the long term they will.


There is the obvious financial benefit of not having to pay for accommodation but could you describe some of the other benefits to cyclists?
In my experience, it's not really the financial benefits that are as important as the social benefits. You get to meet fantastic and interesting people from all over the world, and share an evening or two with them. Sometimes and some places it's cheaper to camp or get a hotel than it is to stay with a host (and bring some beer, and fix dinner, etc.). But the benefits of meeting somebody local and getting their perspective is amazing.

Are there any drawbacks, problems or dangers? What are you doing to counter these?
It can be a bit of work to spend the whole evening socializing :-) Sometimes it's exhausting, although so valuable.We haven't had any reports of security issues, although we've had a couple of annoying or odd members. There's a writeup on personal security at http://www.warmshowers.org/content/member-security

What are your top 5 countries for cycle touring?
Probably Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Guatemala, Canada. Ask most Europeans and they'll tell you the US is a fabulous place to cycle-tour, with enormously friendly and interested people.

What tips would you give cyclists new to touring?
Start out slowly and build up slowly. You can go a long ways a little at a time. Remember that cycle touring is not an athletic event, it's a way to travel and really know the country you're traveling through.

What, would you say, are the best aspects of hosting?
Getting to know all those wonderful and interesting people.

Check out some of my other CHEAP SLEEP posts.
Bothy ~ Scottish shelters that welcome weary walkers.

Tent ~ The ultimate tool for sleeping free.
Car ~ For those too lazy to put their tent up.
Bivvy ~ Soggy misery keeps you lightweight.
Couch ~ Make friends with the Internet.
Airport ~ The largest en-suite bedroom you'll ever stay in (complete with coffee shop).

Van ~ Dirtbagger Russ tells us how its done.

Russ Haines Interview: Tips for Living in a Van

Dirtbaggin'

I wrote a post recently about sleeping in the car. This is something I do on occasions when I have just driven up to the highlands and can't be bothered to put the tent up. My friend Russ Haines has taken the plunge and decided to live in a van. He works offshore with a 5-week-on-5-week-off shift pattern and decided that paying rent for a room (that he's hardly ever in) wasn't worth it. I asked Russ a few questions about his new dirtbag lifestyle.

I know your very keen on mountain biking and kayaking. Did this play a part in your decision to live in a van?
A massive part! I love being out on my bike or in my boat & if I haven't done one of those in a day then I can't help feeling that's a day wasted. On top of that though I'm pretty lazy & easily distracted, the van seemed like the ideal way to remove the distractions of a comfortable home & focus on getting out & riding all the places that I've wanted to for so long.

What kind of van is it? Have you modified it, or do you intend to?
This first trip I decided to use a rental van, just to see how I got on with it & to get a feel for dirtbag living. I hired a Short Wheel Base Vauxhall Vivaro, bunged a mattress in it & stacked all my stuff where ever there was space. This worked pretty well except Wales decided to dump rain on me for the whole of the first week, making keeping my bed dry a bit of a challenge. The only real modification was the complex lattice of string washing lines & fixing points that appeared over the course of the trip. Never underestimate the importance of a ball of string! I'm looking at getting my own van next time I'm home though & this first experience has definitely given me some ideas for how I want to do it. There'll be a wooden platform on one side for the mattress to go on so that there's storage underneath for my gear meaning plenty of drying space. Also mesh pockets on the sides for stowing clothes, book, torch etc. & hooks on opposing corners for my hammock.

What's the best thing about living in a van?
First off being able to wake up at the trail head or some place with a great view in the morning really inspires you to get out & make the most of the day. Being inside the van is pretty boring. It's only really good for sleeping or eating so your only option is to get out of the thing come rain or shine which is the biggest benefit! Get out & ride! The mobility is also a big factor. Finish a day's riding & just look at the map & choose somewhere to be for the next day. The simplicity of it. Wake up, stove on, tea & porridge, RRRRRRRIIIIIIIDDDDDDEEEEEEE, drive to the next place, dinner, book, bed. It's cheap!

Have their been any problems? How did you get round them?
Only real problem was keeping stuff dry. This meant a bit of rearranging before each ride, bed up against the wall & tying everything to one side, to give me as much space as possible to get changed after a ride & to store the bike & hang up all my wet gear. Lots of newspaper on the floor & it'd generally stopped dripping by the time I'd driven to the next spot.

Have you invited girls back to the van? What is the reaction of your friends?
Can honestly say nope. No girls back. Yet! Reaction of friends has been largely jovial but a few know how much I'm on the road anyway & that it's an ideal set up for me & a good money saver. There's been the odd one or two who's eyes light up at the idea which makes me realise how lucky I am to be in a position to be able to do it. A lot of people's reaction is to ask how on earth I keep clean. In this, the Swine flu age, people are far too hung up on personal hygiene!

So, has your personal hygiene suffered?
I don't think it's suffered but maybe diminished slightly! Have to say there's been a few times when finishing a ride & realise that your legs are covered in sheep shit & you feel a bit guilty but a quick rub with a towel to get the worst off & your soon distracted by the prospect of tea & malt loaf. I've had some funny looks around Supermarkets or whatever & later realised it's because my face is spattered with mud or my hair is a mile high! Like anything else though, a shower is far better when you haven't had one in a while. There are opportunities though. Some of the trail centres with showers, most towns have a swimming pool, campsites, service stations, mates or a good old fashioned jump in a river.

Home sweet home. . .

Where was your most beautiful parking spot so far? Is it easy to find a good spot?
Probably Nant Yr Arian just inland from Aberystwyth. The parking spot is right on top of the Cambrian hills & just as I arrived the weather chose to cheer up for the first time in 5 days revealing a stunning landscape under the thick Welsh fog I'd become accustomed to. Think the break in cloud lasted about two hours before it closed back up again in preparation for a monsoon of apocalyptic proportions! Finding spots is extremely easy, particularly along most A roads. There is often lay-bys for truckers which are great as a lot of them are set back separate from the road so you shouldn't be struck by a rallying yobo at 3am plus there are bushes for the morning wizz. I spent a couple of nights just parked on residential streets which were always fun in the morning; opening the back door to wish my new neighbours a pleasant journey to work as I breakfasted in my sleeping bag. To begin with I was a bit paranoid about people interfering with the van whilst I was asleep in it. Something that seemed less likely on a street full of cars, more probable in a remote lay by but had no trouble there either.

What about when you want home comforts?

As fun & random as it is on the road, in bad weather it's difficult to beat the Glyncorrwg Mountain Bike Trail Centre at Afan in south Wales. A spot you can camp with fantastic facilities, an ace bike shop & a cafe that does huge plates of Lasagne & spicy spuds with cold beers & mountain bike movies late into the night. Not to mention when you get up in the morning you've got three great trails on your door step.

What are your van plans, man?
The plan for the next break is southern Scotland's 7 staines trail centres; Dumfries, Kirroughtree, Glentress , Mabie & Ae definitely. If there's time I'd like to push up to Fort William & ultimately Skye although I've probably missed any chance of good weather. We've only got a short 3 week break from work & there's some family stuff on down south so time will be pressed. There are a few maybes that include heading down to Cornwall for some surf & trying out the Quantock hills as well as the new Downhill runs at Gawton in Tavistock on the way. I'm gutted I didn't get to do more of North Wales last time. I managed to get a full descent of Cadair Idris (3 hours up, 10 mins down!) but I didn't get as far as Snowdon which remains on my to do list. Thinking maybe one to do around Christmas.

What tips would you give someone considering doing the same?

1. Gloves & pads dry pretty well on the air vents.

2. Get an inverter for charging camera batteries while you drive!

3. Separated milk does not make a good cup of tea.

4. Racing sheep is funny!
5. They may attempt to leap over gates.

6. Sheep can't jump gates.

7. Tie everything down.

8. Less stuff means more space.

9. Do it, It's easy!

Richie Cunningham Interview

Richie Cunningham takes running to extremes. Last December he won the Fuego Y Agua 100km race in Nicaragua. He completed the race, named after an active volcano and a dormant one which must be run up and down, over 2500m of ascent, in 11 hours and 40 minutes. Richie, who lives in Fife and runs for Carnegie Harriers, regularly competes in the 95 mile West Highland Way Race, this year finishing 3rd with a PB of 16 hours 24 minutes. Along with other ultra-marathons and hill races he has entered many 24 hour races where the winner is the person who clocks up the highest mileage.

This year's WHW race is on the Adventure Show, BBC2, Sunday 4th October at 7pm.

What prompted you to begin running and how old were you?
When I was young I used to play a lot of football, sometimes 2 or 3 matches in a day and when I wasn't playing I was training. I used to love pushing myself to exhaustion and then trying to push out a bit more! Then, as a teenager I turned to endurance partying for a few years before walking the West Highland Way a couple of times and then becoming a keen Munro bagger. Hill running was just a continuation of this and my first hill race, Stuc a' Chroin in 1998, seemed a natural progression and from that I moved into ultras.

At what point did you realise you were interested in running really long races?
After the Glen Clova hill race in 1998, which I found really difficult and struggled to finish, I decided I was going to "crack" these long races and entered all the "longs" I could find. When I learnt of the West Highland Way Race I decided to use three races to work towards it, The Paps of Jura, Speyside Way and The Devil O' the Highlands.

Do you have a favorite part of Scotland? Why is it special for you?
I have a lot of memories associated with the West Highland Way so that will always be special. Jura is a fantastic place too because it's so peaceful (when its not blowing a gail and you're not getting eaten alive by midges that is...!)

What has been the most rewarding experience you have had?
In my "running life" I find it really rewarding seeing other peoples successes. At this years UTMB race it was such an emotional experience watching all the finishers after almost 2 days of running continuously winning their personal battles and realising months and often years of training.

Where do you keep your WHW race goblets? Do you have enough for a dinner set yet?
It's terrible, all my goblets are in a box packed away I should really have them on display! I've got a bit of a mixture, 3 goblets and 2 tumblers (for 3rd places in '08 & '09) so another goblet might even it out a bit.

When will you win the WHW race? You were 13 minutes behind the winner this year, presumably thats the sort of difference thats acounted for by an extra bite of pasta. . ..
It was a really exciting race this year with us being so close at the end, the closest I've ever come to winning. For me times are more important than wins, I'd rather have had 16:24 and 3rd than 18:24 and 1st but I'll be back again next year and maybe, just maybe...

What other ultra-endurance races have you competed in? Which were the most memorable?
I've ran 34 ultras since 2004 so lots of different memories. This years West Highland Way Race has got to be the most memorable because I focussed on it for months before and everything came together on the day, and just being part of that amazing finish was a privelidge but also because it was the last race organised by Dario Melaragni before he passed away so, the end of an era.

What is your PB for a 24 hour race?
127 miles 1119 yards on the 400m track at Tooting Bec, London last year. This is a sore point for me at the moment having just competed for Scotland at the Commonwealth Championships in Keswick at 24 hour. I had a very disappointing race for various reasons but I'm now determined to crack this event once and for all.

What are your favorite foods for running?
On the whole I eat a healthy diet packed full of carbs and loads of greens. I don't eat meat only the occasional bit of fish. During heavy periods of training I crave junk food, my favourite is chips and curry sauce and I've been known to eat whole packets of chocolate digestives in one go but I think this is the body telling you what it needs. Also I don't take any food supplements or vitamins and haven't for years ever since I worked in the health food industry and saw what a con it is, a good diet is all you need.

How many miles would you estimate you run each year? And how many races?
I run about 3000 miles a year, last year I raced 858 miles with a total of 141 800 feet of ascent in 25 races, on average 34 miles per race.

Do you enjoy suffering? How do you cope with the psychological aspects of these races?
The nature of ultras means that there is always going to be an element of pain involved. I find that running in beautiful and spectacular scenery is perfect for taking my mind off the pain and reminds me how lucky I am to be doing this. A bit of suffering in a race or a run means you are pushing yourself to the limits so is a positive thing most of the time, also it's a good thing to remember the option to stop is always available unlike some people in this world who have real-life suffering and pain to deal with. When I ran Fuego y Agua in Nicaragua worrying about if there was going to be gels or food at the next aid station seemed crazy when you saw the poverty of the local people, two worlds colliding indeed.

What has been the most challenging moment of your running career?
Last weeks 24 hour race in Keswick, a new challenge awaits!

Any training tips for us mere mortals?
Believe and enjoy.