Nov 3 (Su) Dovedale Dash: R Tressider
Nov 9 (Sa) Annual Dinner
Nov 16-17 Heathy Lea: D Pike
Dec. 7-8 Bullstones: B West
Rusty and I have no recollection of it actually raining during a race, so this is clearly an event blessed by ye gods. Be there early and help avoid the rush near the start. Gives more time for all those hundreds of old friends you haven't seen since ...er... this time last year! Tactics: most of you will already know what works best for you. On one previous occasion I followed the advice of the then President and ran as fast as my legs would carry me to the Stepping Stones. From then on I had the dispiriting experience of passing no-one and being overtaken by about one third of the whole field. Robin Sedgwick takes the opposite view and starts at or near the back and is passed by no-one. Chris Radcliffe has sometimes kept to the left of the wall: I'm sure that's out of bounds Chris and anyway big fellas like you and me should be mixing it with the best in the bottom of Lindale!
There is usually some sort of adjournment after the race at The George in Alstonefield, now rather harder to get served since they abandoned the bar in the barn. Probably as well to get shot of your excuses early on in the drinking while you can still remember what they are.
This is to be held at The Green Man Hotel, Ashbourne, Derbyshire.
The price is £16 per person. Please make cheques payable to the Oread MC and send [to Shirley] with your completed menu form [enclosed]. Anyone with any food allergies please let me know. Please say who you wish to sit near, and we will try to arrange this.
Accommodation at the Hotel is £55 per double room and £35 per single (discount price for Saturday night only). Members contact The Green Man directly themselves.
Parking at the hotel is limited, but I understand from last year that members parked in the market place or otherwise the supermarket car park at the back of The Green Man.
This year, one of the guest speakers is George Sutton, whom many of you will remember from the 50th dinner. George was one of the few who 'Started it All'. Also Alan Squires and his friends are making music for you to dance to. I need all cheques and bookings by w/e 2nd November.
The event will commence at 7.30 on the dot!
The year is moving on and there is just time to squeeze another meet onto the calendar. Previous meets of this kind have proved popular in the last year or so, so here is another where you can combine a good day's walking or climbing, with a good blow out in the evening. The modus operandi for these meets is that the participants provide a variety of "Dishes" starters, main courses and puddings, which are then laid out and then everybody then helps themselves. It's a bit like a buffet. To make this work would all those members who wish to come on this meet please let me know in advance what they intend to provide for the meal so that I can arrange a balanced menu.
I anticipate starting the meet on Friday night in the Robin Hood, Saturday's activities will depend on the weather as usual. Preparations for the evenings repast will commence around 'six-ish' after our return from the pub. Sunday can be spent sleeping it off or for the keen more walking and climbing.
Bullstones 86-knocked down and out by a very cross Cross Fell - cars scouring Tyne Head roads picking up wind-fallen Oreads-Sunday on the smelling salts, punch-drunk. Now for the re-match. No fixed plan this time. Older and wiser, we shall hit Cross Fell whilst still fresh. Friday night, when the closing bell rings, we shall come out fighting. Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!
Friday night rendezvous is the Shepherds Inn, Melmerby NY615373, on the A686 Penrith -Alston road. Saturday night I have booked Garrigill Village Hall NY745414 £7pppn. Any interested non-combatants are very welcome to stay the night
Nov 5: Paul Ramsden of the Gritstone MC is going to run a triple bill covering climbing new big walls in Oman, rigging stunts and pyrotechnics on the new Bond film in Iceland and lastly climbing a big hard route in China on Siguniang with Mick Fowler. This promises to be an excellent evening's entertainment. Don't miss!
Dec 3: Gordon Gadsby will give an illustrated talk entitled "Himalayan Journey: from the Kanga Valley to the Valley of the Gods". This is Gordon's account of a trip in northern India he made in, I think, 1999. Will Roo be there at the start? Who are these gods? Hindu or maybe some famous Oreads? If you want a good seat you'd better be there early!
January:Es Tresidder
February:Keith Gregson and Tony Howard
Finally a word about the entrance fees! There was some "mock, shock horror" at the increase first made last month. The fees have not gone up since long before I took over as evening meets organiser. My first three years I managed easily to balance the books, but last year as a result of being a little more ambitious, I made a small loss. Entrance is still less than the price of a pint. A bargain at £1.50 (£2 for non-members). Rob Tresidder
I have booked the Church Hall in Coniston for the weekend. The cost will be £3.50 pppn. You will need to bring a Thermo-rest or Karrimat to sleep on. The plan is to have a communal meal, which could be in the Church Hall, preceded by Gluwein, or in a local hostelry. I'm still trying to determine our options. The Lake District is superb at this time of year and offers excellent walking and mountain biking, and might also provide good rock climbing or snow & ice! I'll provide more information next month.
Please note that Colin will be away on holiday from Nov 3rd - 10th. All hut enquiries to Chuck Hooley. This list is only correct at time of going to press. Members are advised to check availability with the hut booking secretary Colin Hobday (or Chuck) before going to either hut. Note that hut booking dates refer to nights (e.g. Fri/Sat for a weekend), whereas meet dates refer to the days e.g. Sat/Sun).
Dennis writes; my book of verse, 'Poems from the Edge' is published at the end of this month. They are all with a mountain/climbing theme, some serious, some not so. If any Oread wants one, they can get a copy from me for three pounds including p&p.
With Ernie Phillips as my guest I am attending the World Federation of Mountaineering and Climbing Associations General Assembly where I am presenting a paper as president of the Access and Conservation Commission of the UIAA (I am the BMC representative to the UIAA). Ernie spent the day with Des Hadlum who met us at Denver airport, where we were also guests at the Centennial Dinner of the American Alpine Club last Saturday. We plan to return to the wilds of Derbyshire on 7th October. Then I shall pick up Stan Moore and Johnny Welbourne to fly to India on 10th October to attempt a crossing of the Tentu La (Bruce's Pass) 16,000 ft., between Kangra and Kulu; then on to the fleshpots of Simla where I hope Welbourne can resist the allure of the Memsahibs! Ernie and I wish to send regards to Colin Hobday and express the hope that his operation was completely successful. Regards to all other Oreads!
Pettigrew Pahari Sahib and Ernest Phillips Bodh Sahib. Flagstaff Arizona, 3rd October 2002.
The following is a complete list of the meets remaining for this year:
A gold wedding ring was found at Heathy Lea in mid-October. If it's you think it might be yours, or you think you know who has lost it, please contact Colin Hobday.
Last month I proposed to set up a "Register of Members' Activities". This would enable others to develop new ideas on places to go, and could provide a contact within the club, for the 'low down' on what to do, & how to do it!
I have now received responses from six members, who have demonstrated the breadth of their travel to be very considerable. Entries include walking & clubbing in Ibiza by Jack & Janet Ashcroft, The Falklands & Antarctica by Bing & Jean, Kazakstan by Richard & Dawn, Pakistan & China by Pete Scott & Judy, and a whole host of locations in the USA by Julia Gale (Neé Stowell) & Andy. The full list, as it stands so far, will be sent out electronically as an attachment with this newsletter. I will distribute a full paper copy in the next month or so. However, before I do so, I am still hoping to hear from several other members, whom I know have been to some very enticing locations. Graham will also put it onto the website. In the meantime, here is a highly truncated version of the entries received:
I would like to hear from more of you who have interesting places to tell the rest of us about. I propose to award a prize for the 'best' entry. This will either be named after the Venetian mountain explorer Edmundo Polo, or the Irish adventurer Edmund O'Polo.
Please ensure that material for the next newsletter reaches me before Thurs 21st November. I would like to hear from Rob Tresidder (Black Rocks).