Night Hike 2003

From ICCC

People

• Nick (I'll bring my umbrella along to stop it raining)
• Mags (mud is the new black)
• Jo (I've got plenty of port if you want some)
• Emily (I need another wee)
• Richard (I'm doing another 22 mile hike tomorrow)
• Luke (are there lights on the track all the way round?!)

Trip Report

It was a dark and stormy night. The wind howled through the rigging and the waves lashed against the hull. The captain came up onto the deck and he said "Crew, crew, gather round crew. I want to tell you a story". And it went something like this:

Actually it didn't rain at all, but it was a very very dark night when 7 of us got together to walk (or run) 22 miles around Amersham countryside. Harry (big girls blouse) wussed out before we'd even met up for food and Alice had to abstain due to work commitments however, Alice gets a brownie point because she genuinely sounded disappointed at not being able to come.

After stuffing ourselves with pizza we ambled up to the stores to pick up some more provisions for the evening - doughnuts, haribo, chocolate, fruit and nuts were deemed insufficient to last us the whole night so we stocked up on vodka too - well why not?! We also picked up Nick on the way who based on the previous nights activity might have been excused - ask him how he likes his tequilla served..!

We then set off on our epic journey starting with a tube ride - never trust Emily's knowledge of the underground! When we eventually got on a metropolitan line train heading in the right direction we were greeted by a rather mellowing smell and an empty carriage...the games started! Luke by this stage had been introduced to Jo's housemate Richard who was going to run the course with him...by the time we got to Amersham Richard was having second thoughts! Mental note to self: never get Luke and Mags started on how the moon rotates the earth! We have found how to keep Luke occupied though - give him a head torch to fix with a knife and a packet of plasters and he's as quite as a mouse!

We arrived at the start point in good time so thought it only right that we visit a local attraction, a drink or so later, we had waved goodbye to Luke and Richard and started our own hike. Having done the Night Hike a couple of years ago I was quietly confident that we would do OK, afterall we reached our first checkpoint in less than 4 hours despite an initial wrong turn and Emily and Jo needing toilet breaks! We were practically flying!

We got a bit distracted when I managed to drop the bit of paper with lots of important information on - like where the next checkpoint was (somebody rang and I get flustered easily!)... this was soon remedied when we spotted another team and I ran after them to get the checkpoint clues. They were very helpful after the initial "That was a bit stupid wasn't it" remark.

We got going again only to be told by a pub landlord to keep the noise down...honestly what does he expect at 3 in the moring in the middle of the countryside! Back on track, we deposited Jo and Emily - they opted to be markers so as we could find the entrance to the next forest when we came back ... very kind of them! Mags, myself and Nick made a hard trek up a sheer cliff face dodging wild dogs to secure the next marker ;) we came back to find them slumped by a fencepost with the vodka supply dented! Then it was time for another forest - none of us like forests after going round in a circle in the previous one but we thought we'd be brave...

Nick led the way with his umbrella and we hold him entirely responsible for our wrong left turn! ...though we didn't realise the mistake until we'd come out the other (wrong) side of the forest and were in a small little village. Along the way Mags thought she could do with a new look and fell face first into a large puddle of mud much to our amusemant - especially mine!

By this time it was 5 in the morning and I'd told the next manned checkpoint we weren't far off more than 2 hours previously! They were a little concerned and kept in contact until we finally reached them at about 6!

Relieved to see anyone other than ourselves we stopped for a chat, earlier plans of bribing them with a naked calendar to adjust our times were thwarted by the fact that we'd missed out 2 other checkpoints by mistake and so weren't really in the competition anymore!

Mags was enthusiastic to keep on going back to base, however by this stage Emily had stopped for a fag break and didn't look like she was going to be able to move much further. I was almost tempted to go back with her but the bus arrived to take us back before we had time to sort oursleves out.

Nearly 8 hours of walking later and back at base to find our running duo Luke and Richard in a messy heap - they had managed 22 miles in 6 hours! This is notable as Richard had managed 6 hours alone with Luke without wounding him! Only joking Luke - we were all very sorry not to have your banter on the way round...! 3 other fools had run it in just over 3 hours including Gareth (also in the canoe club) so by default I think we should clame a club victory ... no other club had as many people entered in the long route...possibly because they're not that stupid!

There will be photos of the whole evening when I've finished the film however, in my infinite wisdom I brought a disposable waterproof camera without a flash on a night hike... we did our best with authentic torch lighting but I'm not sure how good they'll be!

[It turns out they weren't very good]

I want to thank those below for coming and having a really good laugh - I've now recovered after about 16 hours of sleep yesterday!! Anyone fancy it next year? I want to make it 3rd time lucky and if it is in Amersham again I should actually know my way round next time! ;)