Today I am feeling as if I’m spoiled rotten. As I explained in the last post, the hostel I stayed in last time I was here in Pitlochry didn’t allow me to book it. On further investigation, I see it may no longer exist. I’m hoping they’ll have some less expensive options here in the future. But this IS a nice bed and breakfast that I’ve settled into. It was so nice this morning when I was woken up by chirping birds and not snoring roommates!
21:19
When I was in town earlier, I did manage to find the hidden hostel. I was looking in the wrong place. Still, I don’t think they were available for me to stay there. So many hostels like to rent out their rooms more long-term during the off-season. In Scotland, I’m learning that this time ends at about Easter.
After breakfast, I went for a long and awesome walk! Pitlochry is located very close to Loch Faskally, a beautiful loch that has a hydro-electric dam and fish ladder. It was such a breath of fresh air (literally) to be out there! I took my time and spent what felt like about 3 hours walking through the dam and around the loch.
I really enjoyed two out of three of my hostel mates last night. One was the guy I already talked about, the Ukrainian who lives in Greece, the second one is a guy who joined us just yesterday. He’s from Germany but is staying and working in York at the moment. Both of these guys are in great shape. I’m almost inspired… almost. I’m in better shape than I used to be, but I still have a lot of work to do.
The third hostel mate was a girl from Taiwan. She more or less kept to herself. I tried to strike up a conversation, and even though I could tell she spoke good English, she just wasn’t having it for some reason. I would blame America but she wouldn’t really talk to the Ukrainian or the German either. I love it when it’s not personal.
I’m now on my way to my next stop, which is Pitlochry. I love this little town! This will be my second visit here. The first time I visited was simply because I’d remember seeing it from the train, heading north to Inverness. I wondered what it was all about… when I did finally stay in Pitlochry, I discovered that like most places in Scotland, it was great!
The hostel I stayed in last time I was in Pitlochry is either full or not open for the tourist season just yet. Since I couldn’t find any accommodation when I was booking, I had to use AirBnB and had to fork out some extra money. The good news is that it’s already paid for- so they aren’t going to charge my card. So many of the places I stay only take 5% down and the rest when you arrive. I don’t appreciate this because it’s so much nicer to pay for everything in advance.
03.17.16 | Pitlochry B&B | 07:18
Pitlochry is as lovely as I remember. It is a dinky little village but so much beauty all around! I look forward to the next two days! For dinner, I walked around town, looking for something promising. Since it was just before 17:00, so many restaurants weren’t open yet. I hadn’t had anything for lunch, so by this point, I was searching hard. I finally found a pub/restaurant that seemed to have great food, even if the service was horrible.
I ordered a steak pie. I’m looking forward to having a REAL steak pie, that is baked in a crust. So far, however, it’s only been steak pies that are in the pot, and they lay some puff pastry over top. That’s cheating. The last real steak pie I had was in 2014 in Brisbane, Australia. Still, this one was a tasty fake- steak pie!
Just before I went to bed last night, the receptionist announced that there had been an infestation of bedbugs, so my room had recently been “de-bugged”. Luckily, It appears that I was not bitten in the night! Also, a sleep report: I did sleep incredibly well, even though I ended up with three roommates. Now I’m sitting in bed, getting ready to have a shower. I hope this place still has hot water left!
Earlier, I was looking at pictures on Instagram, and I spaced the fact that yesterday was National Pie Day! I guess it’s ok since I don’t know where I can buy a pie in Stirling yet. I have seen meat pies here but don’t know this area. If I see one when I’m out and about, I probably need to buy it.
08:56
Breakfast was right around the corner. I forget the name of the pub, but I ordered eggs with smoked salmon. It was so delicious! I’m not sure what they seasoned the eggs with, but there was some creme in them.
I just tried to get into the Old Town Jail, but there was a sign on the front to let me know that it wouldn’t be open again until June. This is a classic example of “off-season traveler prejudice.” Yes- that’s a real thing, and it’s way too familiar! It’s my entire platform when I run for POTUS against Kanye. I’ve chosen the slogan, “Make America Sexy Again!”
21:08
I continued up the street, looking for Stirling Castle, and I came across an ancient and very medieval-looking church. I wished it was open to going see inside, but nobody was there on a Tuesday morning. Next to the church was, of course, a cemetery. This piqued my interest as they tend to do. I spend the next 30 minutes or so walking around reading the names.
Next, I climbed the hill to visit Stirling Castle. I lucked out by getting there just as a free tour was starting. The tour lasted just under an hour, and it was so cool to hear all the stories that the tour guide shared. I wish I could go back in time, as a shadow, unseen, to witness these people and events first-hand! I don’t want to be visible, though- I’m sure I’d get myself killed.
After walking for quite a while, I made my way back to the hostel and tried to take a nap. If I did fall asleep, I don’t remember, and it wasn’t very long. I think I had too much on my mind to relax. For dinner, I found an Italian restaurant called Mama Mia. It was excellent food! I got there just after 17:00 when they first opened the doors, so I was the first one there. The gentleman showed me up a flight of stairs to the dining room, and I had the entire place to myself. It was kind of nice.
As you can see, today was a great day- I probably put in a few miles of walking. I look forward to getting a great night’s rest tonight, and even though I have to leave Stirling tomorrow, at least I’m off to my next stop tomorrow.
As I was leaving the Glasgow hostel this morning, I noticed it was remarkably sunny outside. I cold tell that it was going to be a perfect day. When my train arrived in Stirling, it was still just as sunny. Not a cloud in the sky. Today was indeed perfect!
The hostel is only about a five-minute walk from the train station and seems to be smack in the middle of this small city. My room is pretty small but they somehow managed to fit three bunk beds in it. So far I’ve met two roommates, one is an older gentleman who is from Dumfries in the south of Scotland. He is here to attend a lecture at Stirling University tomorrow morning. The other one is a man who is originally from Ukraine but has since moved to Greece. I don’t know what industry he works in, but that is how he has ended up in Stirling for the time. Both roommates seem to be really nice.
After getting settled in, I needed to walk and see The National Wallace Monument. This is something I’ve wanted to see for so many years! By the time I got there, I was regretting wearing a coat and scarf. Scotland is funny, especially this time of year. Always be prepared for at least three different seasons.
A very old bridge. This isn’t the original bridge in Stirling (where a famous battle involving William Wallace was fought). That bridge was wooden, and located about 25 meters upstream.
The National Wallace Monument
Looking Up From The Base
The stairway leading up to the top is very narrow!
This is the actual sword of William Wallace!
I have always loved stained-glass windows!
The beautiful view from the top of the tower. The dark spot you can see is Stirling Castle.
After walking back to the hostel, I needed to rest for a few minutes. That hike was a hefty one, thanks to all the steps in the monument. I think there are just under 300 steps!
I have the surname ‘Wallace’ in my ancestry. They came from Scotland. Though there’s no record of William Wallace ever having children, I like to think that there’s a connection. What with my valiant and brave spirit and all.
I just did laundry. I kept putting it off, and since I only brought seven days worth of clothes, it was time. The washers here are a bit funky. I went downstairs to ask if they had laundry soap available, and they said that the machine would automatically dispense the detergent when I started the load. Is this even possible? Are we living in the time of The Jetsons?
I did check on my load a few times while it was going, and I never did see any soap bubbles. Maybe it’s some futuristic kind of detergent as well- like that Wen shampoo (according to the late-night infomercials, Wen doesn’t get all bubbly because that robs your hair of much needed- blah blah blah). I’m surprised that you didn’t know that.
09:41
I have to be checked out by 10:30. I’m staying here tonight but have upgraded my last night to a private room. Just a bit too much snoring in the room last night and the night before. I got fairly decent sleep, but I think getting a full night’s worth is in order. The problem is that they aren’t going to let me check back in until after 15:00.
03.13.16 | 08:20
Later in the afternoon, I made my way back to the restaurant again, and when I walked in the front doors, one of the servers recognized me right away and told me she’s glad that I came back. I just smiled and said to her that the fact that I forget everything is quite normal. She ran into a back room and grabbed my CD.
Last night was an incredibly awesome concert at the SECC Clyde Auditorium (at least I think that’s what the building is called). This was an incredibly life-changing experience. When I first booked the tickets months ago, I saw that the headliner was Eric Church- since I had already added “Attend An Eric Church Concert” to my bucket list, this was a no-brainer. Here’s what’s cool- I didn’t even know that Chris Stapleton was one of the openers for him, who is also on the list! How cool is that?
The concert was fantastic! The first one up was a guy named Andrew [something-er-rather]. He was good, but two things bugged me:
His bass was way too loud and overpowering. I couldn’t even hear his lyrics, and I’m all about the lyrics.
He would never smile. He looked as if he didn’t want to be there. He also kept looking down at his feet. The poor boy suffers from a low self-image or something. He sounded good, though. Still, I don’t think I’ll be buying his album anytime soon.
Next up was Chris Stapleton- imagine me screaming like a wee school girl. It was a bit like that- only it was me, not the tiny school girl. The next one to take the stage was Kasey Musgraves. I’ve never paid too much attention to her songs, only the big one that everyone knows- Follow Your Arrow. I found out that I do like her songwriting style. She is very gifted, and her delivery was spot-on. As a result, I had to buy one of her CDs afterward.
FINALLY, Eric Church comes out! Do you know how people typically stand up at concerts for the excellent and energetic songs and sit down for the slower ones? Well, NOBODY sat for his entire set! It was stinkin’ awesome! He is one of those artists who sounds every bit as good live as he does on a studio album.
It’s good to be back in the city! Not that the smaller cities and villages have been bad, but I do enjoy the change of pace. It’s like when I’m at home, it’s nice, quiet and country but often times for my work I end up in the bigger cities. It’s all good, as long as I never have to live in a big city again.
When I arrived in Glasgow yesterday afternoon, it was raining hard, just like Oban had been. I made my way from the Queen Street Station to the hostel, only getting lost twice. The good news is that I didn’t have to ask for directions, OR turn on my phone- I’m stubborn AND I saved money! 😀
After check-in, I was on a mission to find Will Young’s CD that came out last year. Sadly it’s not available in the U.S. iTunes store and I need a U.K. address in order to have access to that store. I went out to HMV and found it- yay!
I went to find an early dinner. All I know is that I needed something remotely healthy. All these chippies and IRN BRUs aren’t very good for my body. I found a lovely steak salad and had a good sit.
Last night I went back to the cinema and watched the new Allegiant film. I was hoping this, the third of the Divergent series would offer some closure. Nope. It was a fun film, but no closure, really. It’s horrible!
07:24
When I woke this morning, I realized that I had left my Will Young CD (that I had just purchased yesterday) at the restaurant where I had my steak salad last night. I know I would forget my head if it wasn’t securely attached… but I sometimes wonder if it is attached at all. My first task will be to go try to find the restaurant and see if they have my CD. I remember the inside of the dining room, but don’t recall the name. It was good… and it was some kind of Italian fusion food. Wish me luck!
11:41
I was able to locate the restaurant where I think I left my CD. They aren’t open for breakfast, however. Unfortunately, I was unable to see if it was there. I’ll head back after getting some things done at the hostel. I found breakfast at a little cafe. I ordered the “breakfast haddie”, which is just an excuse to serve a smoked haddock fish with poached eggs. The fish was good- a bit odd for breakfast, but good still. It needs to be said that I have mixed feelings about poached eggs. Sometimes they’re really good and other times, not-so-much. This was one of the not-so-much times.
I had a really cool conversation with Michael last night. Apparently his chosen major of Marine Sciences is a good one. It pretty much guarantees him a job once he graduates and there are about a million places he can take it. I also found out that he is a certified dive instructor and worked for about 6 months doing that off the coast of some island. He decided after high school he would take 2 ½ years off and “find himself”.
I guess I’ve never understood the rules. There are so many people from Europe who I’ve met that have similar thinking. They take off and travel as a way of discovering who they are. Discovering who I am is a constant and daily thing. It dawned on me, years ago, that every single morning when I wake up, I get to decide the person I want to be.
09:34 | Oban ScotRail Station
My train doesn’t leave until just after noon, and I was going to hang out at the hostel, but I realized I was out of Emergen-C and thought it would be best if I hit Boots on my way over. So now I sit here waiting.
My walk from the flat back to the Colonsay Airfield started before the sun rose. I had booked the 09:00 flight and didn’t want to be late. After all, the plane only comes and goes to and from the island twice a day. Also, I wanted to plan extra walk time because of the heavy pack on my back. Nothing burns calories like 4.2 miles with a heavy pack!
The walk was beautiful! I’ve come to the realization that many of the sheep on this island are pretty much free range sheep- if that’s a thing. Some are in fences but there were so many that just walking down the road or in their owner’s front yard. It was kind of cool to see this.
There were six passengers on the first leg but only two of us on the second leg, myself and a lady named Flora. Every three weeks, Flora takes a train from Inverness, her home, to Oban. From there she takes a ferry down to Colonsay where her aging parents live. Both parents’ are in their ‘90s now and need constant care.
Flora stays with them for three weeks and then goes back home for three weeks. Durning her three weeks at home, her sister, who also lives near Inverness, takes her place and stays with their parents for the next three weeks. She says that often, she sees her sister boarding the ferry in Oban, that Flora just left.
I told her that must be difficult- she said it is, but both of her parents’ grew up on Colonsay and this is where they want to be. She says she is very grateful that both Flora and her sister have loving husbands who understand this need and support them in their constant travels back and forth to Colonsay.
Flora and I shared a cab back to Oban because neither of us fancied waiting very long for the bus to get there. When we got there, we said our goodbyes and then went our separate ways. She had business to do and I wanted to go drop off my heavy pack at the hostel.
14:07
Lunch was a really great chippy just down the street. It is incredible how good a fresh fish n’ chips is! Even though it’s fried, it’s part of experiencing Scotland. I’ve only found a couple places in the states that do it right. They throw the fries in the bottom of the box, then put the fried fish on top. That’s it. Drizzle the top of the fish with vinegar and salt… done! EAT!
18:59
Tonight I went to see The Finest Hour. Good flick but very, very predictable… I am grateful that Disney didn’t put a whole lot of crap in it. It’s one of those films that you can take the whole family to and you won’t be embarrassed.
Just met one of my roommates. His name is Michael and he is from Switzerland, here looking at a University, deciding if he wants to move to Oban and attend. He plans on going into the field of marine sciences. I wonder what jobs that will yield… working in an aquarium? Or commanding a ferry? Hopefully, he wants to talk a bit later and explain it to me. I find it interesting.
I tried to sleep in this morning. When my body was fully awake, I read a bit in bed. Nope, not being lazy. As much as I want to go wander, I need to make sure I’m wandering in the right direction. My wanderings need to involve food, and I don’t want to take off in the wrong direction. I’ve learned to not rely on Google maps as much as I once had.
Buyer beware: This is a nice little apartment on the third floor (or the second floor if you’re from the UK) which is very clean. The kicker: I have no internet access (!). Also, there is no shower, not that I mind taking a bath. I thought it may be great and relaxing to soak in the tub for a few minutes. The hot water happened to run out before the the tub was even a quarter of the way full. So I did a puddle bath if that’s a thing. That’s where you sit in a puddle naked and slosh the water up on yourself. I may be inventing a new term now.
I’m crossing my fingers that the office here opens at 08:00 and not 09:00 so they can point me in the right direction. I need to pick up some food. Even though I did have hot chocolate and herbal tea for dinner last night, I need something that is going to stick with me a little better. I can’t wait to get out and take some pictures. I’ll head down there in a few minutes, as soon as my breakfast has been sipped.
12:00
I walked downstairs to find out about the internet situation. The lady told me that there is a connection but it’s very week in the flats. I guess it doesn’t help that I’m up on the third floor either. I ran back up to grab my laptop. She let me sit at a table in the office so that I could check my email, etc. Next, I set out to find the local shop to get some food. By this point, I was feeling pretty week. Herbal tea doesn’t really provide the needed nutrients energy. I took a few pictures on the walk to prove that Colonsay does indeed have vegetation.
A sheep-selfie or “sheepie” for short.
I wasn’t on the road very long when a nice man pulled up behind me and offered me a ride. He happened to be going to the general store as well. He had to be 85 years old! His name is Walter. I asked him if he was originally from the island and he told that he wasn’t, but so far, he’s been here for 58 years! He used to be a cattle farmer but when his wife passed away 6 years ago, he decided to simplify his life and he got rid off all the cattle. Now it’s just him and his dog. He has two grown kids who come to visit him from time to time.
I spent about 15 pounds at the store. Things are much more expensive here- even for Scotland. I guess you can get away with that when you’re the only store on the entire island! I just ate a couple sandwiches and I think I’m going to nap for a bit.
This is downtown Colonsay. Not really a thriving metropolis.
As you can see, today’s chocolate offering is a bit larger. This is because I have been hiking around so far with so much weight on my back. I deserve this!
Part of me hates to waste the little time I have on Colonsay because it’s so short. On yesterday’s walk I did get a bit of a blister on the back of my foot. Think I’ll have a quick nap. Hopefully this food will give me some energy and I’ll be able to go hike around. Walter told me I should hike to… somewhere north of here. To be honest, I couldn’t really understand most of the words he said with is deep accent. I’ll go for a walk and see what I can see.
16:40
I took my nap and I know I was out for at least an hour- maybe and hour-and-a-half. When I awoke, it seems that the power was out. It didn’t matter which switch I would try to turn on, there was no reaction. On my way to go for a walk, I mentioned this to the managers and they told me that they had to limit the power because some people would leave their heaters on all day, with the window open and this would end up costing them so much money.
I get that, but what about those of us who left the heater on on purpose because the apartment is so cold upon arrival that I can see my own breath? So one of the guys had to come up to reset the electricity and now I get to go downstairs and pay them some more money. What would make this work would be if I could see the actual use and know when it was going to run out or expire. So then I could decide for myself if I wanted to leave the heater on, pay the extra money, and not freeze to death in the night.
My walk was only about a half an hour and I was on Kiloran Beach. Beautiful! And beautiful cows too! I stayed on the beach for about 20 minutes and then the rain was starting again. I could tell it was going to pour down, so I started back to the flat.
Today is a rainy day in Oban. I’m pretty sure Oban knows I’m leaving today so it’s weeping. It’s just a theory and I’m no meteorologist, but God is definitely sad about this. I just walked down to Abbie’s Cafe for one more breakfast. This time it was pancakes, bacon and I had the throw on two fried eggs. It was delicious, as I knew it would be.
Last night I had a conversation for a few minutes with my hostel mate. I found out his name is Peter. Peter is in Oban tonight to for a multi-denominational choir that he is asked to sing in each year. I told him I wish I was still in town tonight but sadly I’ll be off at my next destination. That is something I would really love to witness!
He is a very kind man who lives on the Isle of Harris. We chatted about singing and choirs we’ve been a part of. Also about places we have traveled to and places we’d like to see. He told me he envies my coming to a land of my forefathers and wishes that he had a similar drive. He’s in his 60s and tells me that he hasn’t done much of seeking out his family or his people. While I was out, he left a message on my bag:
10:54
Since I’m leaving today, the hostel receptionist wanted me to be all checked out by 10:30. I packed all my stuff this morning and came upstairs. They told me I could leave my bags while I ventured out. This is great, since I don’t have to actually leave Oban for another hour to travel to my next destination.
I walked back down to the Oban Chocolate Company one more time for another cup of hot chocolate. This time, the mix was “Ghana” which is about 40% cocoa. I liked the last of this much more than “Cuba”, which was 70% cocoa. Thank goodness I’m doing tons of walking! My constant chocolate intake isn’t the most healthy choice I’ve ever made.
17:20 | Colonsay Flat
My taxi dropped me off at the Oban Airport about two hours before I actually had to be there. The receptionist asked me to put my bag on a large scale and informed me that it was far over the recommended weight. She told me that the only reason she was going to let me take it was because I was the only passenger on the first leg to Islay. This made me feel special as if I had a private pilot or something.
For the next hour-and-a-half, I walked around the airport and took a few pictures. At this point, I was getting extremely excited. The trick is to not let them see your excitement. Try to send out a vibe that reads, “I charter tiny planes and hop over to small British Islands all the time”.
The plane was a cute 10-seater and my pilot was a gal named Julie. She was incredibly nice and told me about living in the states for 6 years where she got her pilot’s license. She remembers flying all around Utah and Arizona. Her favorite airport happens to be St. George, Utah- and she loved to fly over Bryce Canyon.
On the way up, I shot some video and made this little thing. Feel free to take a look… I don’t claim to be a great producer, but this was a fun little montage of flying down the coast of Scotland. Make sure your volume is up, after the first shot of the airport in Oban, then the music starts. Music credit goes to Mary Chapin Carpenter. Enjoy the coastline!
We finally land on Colonsay. I’m laughing to myself because the Colonsay Airport is more like a tool shed, next to a runway. It is pretty spectacular! As I was stepping away, Linda asked me if I knew where I was staying. I told her I did and preceded to make my way down the dirt and rock road that lead from the tool shed.
As I make my way down this dirt road I can’t stop laughing at this situation I’m in. I’m carrying an overstuffed backpack on my back, walking down a road. Mind you, when I asked for directions to the place I’m staying, here’s the reply I receive: Walk away from the airport. Turn left when you get to the road. The key will be in the door.
I’m walking and walking and walking. Picture the moon, but with grass. This is how I would describe Colonsay. This pack on my back makes it seem like I have walked so much further than the 2.5 miles, as it was explained to me. I start to second-guess myself and think that I may have passed the place without realizing it. I decide to take my phone out of airplane mode to see if mobile phone towers have made it to this island yet. I get two bars! Life is good. I pull up google maps and sure enough, it tells me that I’ve gone too far and needed to head back in the direction I’ve just come from.
No big deal until it starts to hail. I’m on a strange island and I’m lost and I’m wandering in a hail storm! Now I have an ice-cream headache. The thick clouds overhead are making it seem a lot darker than it is. I’m starting to worry that soon it will be so dark that I won’t be able to see the road. There are no street lights in this land. I am getting nervous and so I say a few prayers.
I decide to go back and knock on someone’s door of the nearest house. An elderly gentleman opens up and sees me dripping wet, and smiles. I ask him if he knows where The Colonsay House is and he tells me that it’s about 2 miles further up the road. So now I know that I didn’t overshoot my housing and that Google maps is a liar.
I continue my trek. Soon a car pulls up behind me. At first, I think the person is trying to get around me so I move to the side of the road. I’m standing now on a damp grassy bank because they apparently didn’t want to spend the extra money and add shoulders to the road. The car stops next to me and the window is rolled down. Another elderly gentleman asks me if I’m lost. I just ask him if I’m headed in the right direction to The Colonsay House and he tells me that I am, indeed. He then asks me if I’d like a ride. I could kiss him.
I toss my pack in the back seat of his little car and sit down in the front passenger seat next to him. Just then, the next round of hail is starting. I feel very blessed that he happened to pull by when he did. About 2 miles further down the road, I found the place I was in search of. All of a sudden, Colonsay is looking more like the mainland. There are trees and houses and signs of life. It’s very beautiful here! I find the apartment called “Drumclach” and sure enough, the key is in the door. I walk in, drop my big ole pack and run to the restroom. I have to pee like a racehorse.
After “settling in” I see a sign saying that the local general store closes in about half an hour so I head down to the reception office and ask if the man can point me in the right way. He tells me that they close early this time of year and I’d have to walk back in the direction I came from. No problem… I ask him where the restaurant is and he tells me that it’s the off-season so the restaurant doesn’t open up again until the spring.
Tonight I’ll be having water for dinner. I feel bad for those who are less fortunate, like myself for instance. Tomorrow I’ll have to hunt for some food somewhere. Surely these Colonsay residents eat food. For now, I’ll just be grateful that I’ve been eating so much chocolate… I can probably afford to miss a meal or two.
Last night was an incredibly awesome concert at the SECC Clyde Auditorium (at least I think that’s what the building is called). This was an incredibly life-changing experience. When I first booked the tickets months ago, I saw that the headliner was Eric Church- since I had already added “Attend An Eric Church Concert” to my bucket list, this was a no-brainer. Here’s what’s cool- I didn’t even know that Chris Stapleton was one of the openers for him, who is also on the list! How cool is that?
I was able to locate the restaurant where I think I left my CD. They aren’t open for breakfast, however. Unfortunately, I was unable to see if it was there. I’ll head back after getting some things done at the hostel. I found breakfast at a little cafe. I ordered the “breakfast haddie”, which is just an excuse to serve a smoked haddock fish with poached eggs. The fish was good- a bit odd for breakfast, but good still. It needs to be said that I have mixed feelings about poached eggs. Sometimes they’re really good and other times, not-so-much. This was one of the not-so-much times.
My walk from the flat back to the Colonsay Airfield started before the sun rose. I had booked the 09:00 flight and didn’t want to be late. After all, the plane only comes and goes to and from the island twice a day. Also, I wanted to plan extra walk time because of the heavy pack on my back. Nothing burns calories like 4.2 miles with a heavy pack!
DavTravels 