Who remembers the NES?

So what happened today? Well there was that WW2 type military plane flying around again this time it looked like it had been rescued by the aviation equivalent of the RAC. There was a little orange plane flying in front of it. Very strange. I did try to take a picture but in my haste i missed it completely. I could put the picture of the blank sky on here and you can have a game of spot the plane.

I must say it was very windy today. Walking against it must do you some good because it makes everything twice as bloody hard. Of course had i gone in the other direction it would have been pushing me along which would have been far nicer.

There was a duck asleep on the river bank, well it was until it noticed me. There does seem to be an awful lot about at the minute. Three flew across the sky and i had a flashback to playing Duck Hunt on the NES all those years ago. Ah memories. You can tell your getting old when you start to reminisce.

In other news my dictaphone was rendered useless by the wind and a chinook flew over.

Total so far: 213490
Total left to go: 786510

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Bloody weather

So today was delightful sunshine or it was until i was part way through my walk. I had got about 1.7 miles into it when all of a sudden there was a growl of thunder befitting of one of those sky emptying of all its contents moments. As a result i quickly got a move on. By the time i was nearing the village i was heading for it was spitting. Rain and plaster casts do not mix. It was at this point i turned my walk into a run. I got to the shop an not long after it started to bucket down. Fortunately despite my protests i got a lift home which saved me a soaking, thanks Gill. Now that i am home guess what? It's fine again. Bloody weather.

On my travels i decided to take a bag because the amount of things i am needing to carry appears to be increasing. It has its positives but i find because i'm not carrying my water i'm not drinking it as much. Also it's a bit cumbersome whilst trying to sprint from the rain clouds.

I was thinking whilst i was walking, once upon a time i would have got in my car to go to the shop. It's only 2.5 miles away (5 mile round trip) which isn't really that far. Some days it feels like it's a million miles away but in reality it's just across a few fields. Shows how lazy i was before i started this walking.

So in conclusion i didn't walk very far today which i am very disappointed about but i guess every little helps.

Total so far: 208190
Total left to go: 791810

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200,000 metres!

Yay! I've reached 200,000 metres or just over 124 miles. That's 1/5th of the total. It saonds a lot better than 1/10th which was my last milestone. Even better will be 250,000 which will be 1/4 of the total. Gradually the number i have left to walk is coming down. Big cheesy grin :-D

When i go for my walks i always have a bottle of water with me and into that water goes some Berocca. Don't ask me why but that's what i do. Well i was wondering today, does it actually do me any good? Would i be better with just water? Answers on a postcard.

Why in some fields are there trees randomly plonked in the middle? When you look most fields are clear of anything but there are the odd ones that have a tree just stood righ in the middle. Why don't the farmers chop them down? Surely it would make sense because they would have a tiny bit more land and they wouldn't have to go around them. I have never understood this.

I was walking down the road and all of a sudden from the grass verge came a sound like a Gordon the Gopher puppet. I kid ye not. Whatever it was there were two of them which were brown and they chased each other up the grass verge. Gordon the Gopher now that takes me back.

There are some horses in a field near me and today they decided to come and investigate. One was a little aprehensive and didn't come too close the other came right up to the gate. I presume it was going to put it's head over the gate but knocked it's chin right on top of it which scared it away. I do love the smell of horses, no idea why.

As i got to the railway bridge a tiny two carriage train came along so i stood on the top and waited for it to go under. As it got closer i waved to the driver and he waved back. Which was nice.

Total so far: 203850
Toatl left to go: 796150

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Unlike Kate Bush i walk up the hill

So i went for one of my long walks today which inevitably lead to me hobbling home with feet full of blisters. I have tried several different types of footwear and it didn't make any difference. Today i just wore my normal shoes and put tape around the parts of my feet that are usually affected. Amazing, i got home and not a blister in sight. Something so simple which begs the question why didn't i think of it before?

I have added another bird to my noisy bastard list. The woodpecker. The noise is not as harsh as the pheasant and crow but it is persistent. I can imagine listening to that for too long would get really annoying hence it is on my list.

It was a bit of a weird day today. The temperature felt really warm, that muggy horrible type but it was foggy. I thought it was going to be cold. There was a nice breeze which was refreshing.

I had the most bizarre experience ever. Whilst i was walking along i disturbed a kestrel which flew up onto the hedge. It can't have been more than a few metres away from me. Anyway it obviously felt that was too close for comfort so flew off across the road but the came straight at me. The kestrel was flying straight for my head, it was like a bizarre game of chicken. I just stood there transfixed and it must have got to about five or six feet away before it turned sharply away to it's left. It's moments like that when you wish you could plug your brain into the tv and replay it for eveyone to see.

Total so far: 198480
Total left to go: 801520

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When bumblebees attack

Nice day again. Anyone would think it was spring. I've noticed lots of butterflies around. The weather must be getting better. I think i'm going to have to start taking some hayfever remedies because i really suffered today. Is it the thing where everyone must suffer from hayfever at some point in their life because i never used to.

One thing that did annoy me today was when i looked over the river bridge somebody had thrown their rubbish in there. What is wrong with people?! If you don't need it put it in the bin or take it to the tip. Don't toss it on the side of the road it's just bloody lazy.

Following on from a comment i made yesturday about the noisy crows it would appear pheasants are just as bad if not worse. Also because the grass is growing you can see where the wildlife have little footpaths of their own. Well trodden animal paths through fields, up verges and through hedges. You never see anything using them though.

One of my dictaphone entries was: Dickhead boy racer. I needn't say anymore.

Near the end of my walk i was minding my own when i started being harrassed by a rather large bumblebee. Now my question to it was, do i look like a flower? I ran away from said bumblebee and initially thought i had been successful in my attepmt. That was until i realised it had hitched a lift on my back.

In other news, road kill seems to be on the increase.

Total so far: 188720
Total left to go: 811280

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I have a new toy

Well i purchased a little gadget the other day and it arrived today in the post. Normally i go for my walks and i have to remember things to write on my blog. Not any more because i have a dictaphone. So today i shall transcribe what i said on my wander. I apologise in advance for the bad language.

By the way it was a lovely day, clear skies and really rather warm. Anyway my thoughts:

1. Wearing a white t-shirt is really not good because i'm getting covered in bugs.

2. There's an inhaler in the field. I hope nobody needs it.

3. Walking along talking to a dictaphone i suppose doesn't look as worryingly mental as walking along just chatting to myself.

4. Watching some sort of bird of prey trying to unsuccessfully catch some thermals. (laughs) Shouldn't laugh really. If i were a bird i couldn't do it.

5.(laughing a lot) I just waved a somebody because i thought it was somebody i knew. (laughs a lot more) Oh dear. I bet that confused him, well the look on his face was confused. (laughing) Note from now on i won't wave at people.

6. There's a male and female duck on the river. I wonder if one day i'm gonna come done and there'll be little baby ducks?

7. Are planes like motorbikes? When there's good weather there's loads of them about because there seems to be load of planes.

8. I think somebodies WD40'd the gate because it seems rather easy to open. Unlike the rest of the times i've gone through it.

9. Crows are noisy bastards aren't they.

10. Watching a bird of prey catch some thermals. Bit more successful than the other one unless it's the same one. It's actually quite impressive. It's quite a big bird of prey, i don't know what it is. It's not a kite i know that. I wonder if it's a buzzard? I don't know but watching that in the clear sky, f***ing bugs, erm, it looks quite amazing really.

11. Bumped into a lady well i kind of passed her on the beginning of my walk and we've crossed paths again. Just stood chatting for a while, it was kinda nice and she asked about why i'm doing my walk. It's nice that somebodies showing an interest. Listening to the skylarks, oh, and she told me that the birds catching the thermals are buzzards. I was right, yay. Nice little chat really. She thought i was, she saw me in the distance and thought i was a noticeboard. Well i am walking around with this t-shirt on, advertising CRY. Bloody hot.

12. Just noticed i haven't been stalked by the err RAF helicopter today. Bit disappointed.

13. WTF! There are like corn on the cobs all over the place. Is somebody going for a walk and having a munch at the same time? They're along here, they're up the road. What? I don't understand. Is there some sort of corn related shenanigans going on that i don't know about? Bizarre.

14. Do you know some people are just f***ing ignorant. How hard is it to move over a tiny little bit like onto your side of the f***ing road? Rather than aiming at me. Aw pisses me off. It's not even as though you can't see me either with my white t-shirt on. I'm hardly camouflaged. F***ing people, i'm not saying i'm perfect when i'm driving but i don't aim at people walking.

15. There be a chinook coming towards me. F*** me that's loud. Awww i knew the RAF would stalk me before the end of my walk. They're big buggers aren't they. I don't feel quite so disappointed now. I wonder if they're doing manouv....God it's bloody loud. I think he is doing manouvers. It's that low you can see the windows. That is what you get with living here. I don't know what it's got to do with here. They seem to like playing around in the fields. Oh it's going over towards 'Call Me Dave's'. I don't know what's in that direction.

16. Just got really close to a bloody pheasant and a car came and scared the bastard off.

17. Road kill No. 3 - A worm.

So you get an idea of how much i actually talk to myself when i'm off on my wanders. My language became increasingly worse as i got closer to home. The problem with writing it down is you don't get to here the actual expressions in my voice which add to it.

Total so far: 183390
Total left to go: 816610

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Who can you trust?

I was walking along next to a field full of sheep and i noticed one staring at me with it's beady eyes. This sheep was laid on the ground eating. How hard is a sheeps life that it has to lie down to eat?

There was a pheasant strolling along which i didn't see until i saw a blur out of the corner of my eye. Seriously this pheasant was fast and it went in just the one direction in a straight line. Which begs the question, why when they run out into the road do they walk at a snails pace and can't make up their mind which way to turn? Clearly they are capable of running at pace so bloody do it rather than ended up as a cloud of feathers.

I was just about to walk down a bridlepath when a bloke emerged from the other side of the road and started to walk rather slowly the way i was going to go. Now i thought not a chance and carried on up the road. He was probably minding his own business on a wander as i was but i just didn't trust him. I don't particularly want to end up as another statistic and because of that i am not going to take any chances. It is sad that you can't go for a walk without being suspicious of people. Especially as i think of how i roamed about as a child without a second thought. Is the media to blame for making us more aware of 'disappearances'?

In other news i swallowed what must have been my own body weight in bugs. They were everywhere and i even had a little fan club following me for a while. Also an old WW2 type aircraft flew over, i couldn't tell you what it was but it was going so slow i thought it might fall out of the sky. Finally i came across my second roadkill. It looked like a flattered piece of horse dung but on closer inspection was a toad/frog. It was hard to tell.

Total so far: 177980
Total left to go: 822020

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I'm back

Well it has been a wee while since i last wrote anything which means it's been a wee while since i went for a walk. The reason being i went back to work. Not a brilliant excuse but having not done any proper work for a while because of my poorly wrist it was a shock to the system. Anyway it didn't work out (apparently) so i am off again. Which is not what i want at all but at least i can crack on with my walking. You have to look for positives. Plus i was letting my huge blister heal. I had more blister than foot which was becoming quite painful.

The walk wasn't that great what with my mood being a bit down and the overcast weather. My music couldn't drown out my thoughts and there was a severe lack of singing. I shall endeavour to rectify that on my next walk. I'll have to stick some ABBA on, that'll get me going.

Nothing interesting happened really. The RAF helicopter was stalking me again or as they probably refer to it, doing maneuvers. The badger has gone. I presume it's either been eaten or removed by someone.

Total so far: 171990
Total left to go: 828010

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X marks the spot

I nearly didn't go for a walk today but as ever i dragged my bum out of the door. It was a nice sunny day with clear skies except an X left behind by a couple of planes. When i came back it had all but gone.

The more i walk the more my legs hurt. I don't mean when i go for a walk i mean just in general. Part of me is slightly concerned i may be wearing my knees out. I have never known them to clunk and click so much. Today i thought this challenge is either going to be completed with great success or it is going to kill me. Maybe i will complete it (that is my intention!) but will be in a sorry state for it. I hope not.

I saw a couple of ducks on the river and passed a few walkers. Other than that it was a mostly uneventful stroll. I didn't even talk to myself that much. That makes me sound a bit crazy, nevermind.

Total so far: 166680
Total left to go: 833320

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First sign of madness

What a lovely day it was today. The sun was out and the birds were chirping. In fact such a lovely day i went for a walk. Again.

My pace today was pretty good. I did the first two miles in 35 minutes which i was impressed with as most of that is up a bloody great hill. Although the more i walk the more i find these huge hills seem to flatten themselves out. Seriously it is almost as though i'm getting fitter with every day that passes. I don't want to believe it myself in case it's just a figment of my imagination. Anyway i walked 6.04 miles in 1 hour 46 mins which i think is bloody good going for a mere amateur like myself.

I listen to my iPod as i'm walking. There's nothing like singing at the top of your voice and then realising that there is someone walking behind you. It has happened! As well as listening to music i have found that i talk to myself. First sign of madness many may say. Too late i lost my marbles a long time ago. I think in some instances i do it to give myself encouragement if i'm struggling sometimes i must just fancy a one sided conversation. What would be more embarrassing, singing to your self or talking to yourself? I don't care to be honest. Maybe one day i will record one of my walks on camera.

Other things that happened. I stood on two railway bridges and two trains went under now that is what i call timing. Not at the same time obviously that's just laughable. I saw a few ramblers sitting in a field eating their packed lunches. I now have a blister upon a blister upon a blister which really hurts. Oh and the badger didn't smell quite as rancid.

Total so far: 161090
Total left to go: 838910

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The stench of death

The badger was still there, a little duller than the last time. It wasn't until i got closer that you could not only see it but smell its presence. That stayed with me for the rest of my walk, like it was chasing me through the fields.

As i crossed the railway bridge there were men walking up the line. I assume they were there to do some work or maybe they had finished. It seems to have been abandoned since the snow and every time i have walked passed nothing appears to have changed. Who knows, they may finally be finishing what they started.

It was a dull day today, it didn't really inspire me. I haven't really felt inspired at all lately, having to force myself out of the door. When i started it was all new and fun but that seems to have vanished. Maybe i'm going through a bad phase? I hope it is a phase because i don't fancy doing the rest of this walk feeling obliged to do it. I started of doing it because i wanted to do it and that's how i want to finish it.

Total so far: 151370
Total left to go: 848630

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Motivation (lack of)

Not really a good day today. It took a lot to drag my sorry backside out of the door. My legs are still in protest from the last two days. I think i will have a day off tomorrow and see if that helps.

I saw my first badger today unfortunately it was also my first encounter with road kill. It wasn't squashed or anything it just looked like it was asleep on the side of the road. Looked like it was a young one, i hope it didn't suffer.

In other wildlife news i startled two pheasants which in turn scared the life out of me. They were hiding in the reeds and as i stomped passed they both shot up into the air making that awful shrieking sound pheasants make. My heart nearly came out of my chest at the shock as well as a couple of expletives from my mouth.

Total so far: 146070
Total left to go: 853930

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No pain, no gain.

Wow my legs really suffered today.

Yesturday i went to Oxford and did some exploring which included climbing up and down a tall tower with a very tiny spiral staircase. I think that is what did me in today. I probably shouldn't have done a 6.5 mile walk in hindsight but no pain, no gain.

Today was the first day i got to wear my nice new t-shirt. CRY sent me a pack consisting of sponsor forms, media guide, info leaflets, a pen, wristband and a t-shirt. I already managed to get some sponsors on my sponsor forms. It must be my flashy new t-shirt. I must say thank you to CRY for sending me all of this to help me in my mission to raise money for them.

I really struggled to get home to be honest. My legs were giving up on me towards the end but i still managed to get home in under 2 hours despite stopping several times. Could it be that i'm getting fitter? Am i really achieving my new years resolution?

Total so far: 140780
Total left to go: 859220

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Sunshine!

It's sunny! And guess what it's not cold!

I opted to go without my coat today and just have my shirt and jumper. Well i ended up taking my jumper off i was that hot. Now i don't know if that's because i've got a bit of a cold or if it was genuinely that warm.

To be honest i nearly didn't go out today. Yesturday i felt awful so didn't go anywhere. I must admit i do feel better from the fresh air. Whether it will actually do me any good at the moment is another question.

Nobody got anything done by sitting around on their bum. I have a lot to do if i'm going to walk 1000km.

Both my walking shoes and boots are starting to give me nasty blisters which may be a problem. It's not nice when you feel a blister brewing and you know you have a way to go before you get home.

Total so far: 130370
Total left to go: 869630

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A long stroll

Today i walked the furthest i've walked so far. 6.07 miles is a bloody long way when half of it is uphill.

It was lovely and sunny but quite chilly at times. I was checking my phone whilst gazing across the fields and a lady stopped because she thought i was taking pictures and was going to offer to take one of me. What a kind gesture from a complete stranger.

As i was walking up the road someone i know stopped and asked me if i was on my travels again. Upon my confirmation of this said 'You won't be needing a lift then'.

I popped in the shop to pick up my magazine and a sausage roll. Well it's hungry work all of this walking so i thought i'd treat myself to some unhealthy fuel. The sausage roll was only purchased because there was one there and they are yummy. It looked so lonely sat there on it's own.

At one point on the way home i was nearly at the top of the hill and i could see 7 different villages/hamlets. All scattered amongst green fields. When you look at a view like that it makes me wonder why on earth anyone would want to live in a city?

It was a nice walk albeit painful. I had developed a nasty blister by the time i got home. One thing that does spoil it a little is the amount of rubbish on the sides of the road, mindlessly tossed from a car window or dropped by a pedestrian. It's a shame.

Total so far: 124910
Total left to go: 875090

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Pinch, Punch, 1st of the month

Well we are in March already! This year seems to be going quickly.

I went for a stroll today as it was chucking down with rain yesturday. It was very windy though and deceptively cold.

It's been a few days since i last went for a wander so i did feel it a little going up the hills. That'll teach me for having a break.

There wasn't really anything interesting today. I passed a couple of joggers, not my thing running. There was a massive dog paw print in the mud the size of my hand. I kid you not, it was huge. Well i presume it was a dog, you never know with all these big cat sightings.

I did think it might rain but fortunately it didn't although i did have my trusty carrier bag to stick over my arm if it did. When i got home i discovered that said carrier had holes in it. That would have been interesting.

Total so far: 115140
Total left to go: 884860

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