Given two observations about human nature, first that no economic trend can be reversed, and second that pride is politically the strongest emotion: we don't have much time left, if 'we' means civilisation as we know it.
Humanity has the potential but not the capability to save itself. Most of humanity will die in the coming extinction, and wealth will be the only differentiation. I've not enough faith in the wealthy to pronounce favourably upon the human race's post-global warming history.
Most of us are condemned. This puts us pretty much where everyone except the rich have been in history: damned.
Tuesday 27 November 2007
Saturday 17 November 2007
A Big Walk
I walked 21km or 14 miles on Wednesday - I started at 7:15am, and managed to get up to Holt Fleet bridge via Bevere and a big detour around the old canal at Hawford, then back down the other side of the river through Holt and Grimley, over the Sabrina bridge and up to Shrub Hill by exactly 1:30pm (the time I'm due there).
more photos
My feet hurt like fuck after, but they seemed to recuperate pretty well. I didn't get any lasting aches - which I was worried about, given my fairly twisted lower skeleton - so perhaps I might be able to pull off this whole wandering thing after all.
I think the reason for the pain was my usual fast walking pace - I'll need to slow down a little if I'm to carry on day after day - I sped up somewhat on the 'home stretch' , and got a bit of an endorphin rush out of slogging hard. On the whole though, pain sets in after about 7 miles and stays pretty constant after that - with more rest and without pushing myself so hard, it should be possible to walk further without inordinate discomfort.
I measured the distance (using pins stuck in the map along the route, and a thread wound around them) and time by periodical checks on my mobile phone, and calculated my average speed at about 2.5 miles per hour, which is OK considering the amount of time I spent fannying around lost in the vicinity of Hawford, and rests (I didn't take a proper rest except for 10 mins at Holt Fleet and another 10 at Holt).
This was the furthest I've ever walked in one day in my life, so I shouldn't be too annoyed about how knackered I was at the end. I'm not, because aerobically I was completely fine - if my legs and feet weren't aching like bastards I could have gone on walking till I dropped.
Another important thing is that I've worked out the whole breathable fabric/sweat/heat/chill economy thing. Helly Hansen Pro-wool base layer and Gore-Tex shell meant that I was cooled just enough by sweat - after a while, you get to an equilibrium whereby the fabric keeps you just warm enough, and your sweat keeps you just cool enough before evaporating. The windproof Gore-Tex meant that I didn't instantly chill when stopping to rest, but it was advisable to put on another insulating layer before the warmth generated by walking conducted and convected away.
The golden rules I've found when dealing with sweat under clothes in a cold environment, are a) wear breathable fabrics, and b) it's better to be warm and clammy than cold and clammy. Wind will instantly chill all the moisture clinging to your body if you expose it - you want that moisture to be warm, so it will evaporate away.
more photos
My feet hurt like fuck after, but they seemed to recuperate pretty well. I didn't get any lasting aches - which I was worried about, given my fairly twisted lower skeleton - so perhaps I might be able to pull off this whole wandering thing after all.
I think the reason for the pain was my usual fast walking pace - I'll need to slow down a little if I'm to carry on day after day - I sped up somewhat on the 'home stretch' , and got a bit of an endorphin rush out of slogging hard. On the whole though, pain sets in after about 7 miles and stays pretty constant after that - with more rest and without pushing myself so hard, it should be possible to walk further without inordinate discomfort.
I measured the distance (using pins stuck in the map along the route, and a thread wound around them) and time by periodical checks on my mobile phone, and calculated my average speed at about 2.5 miles per hour, which is OK considering the amount of time I spent fannying around lost in the vicinity of Hawford, and rests (I didn't take a proper rest except for 10 mins at Holt Fleet and another 10 at Holt).
This was the furthest I've ever walked in one day in my life, so I shouldn't be too annoyed about how knackered I was at the end. I'm not, because aerobically I was completely fine - if my legs and feet weren't aching like bastards I could have gone on walking till I dropped.
Another important thing is that I've worked out the whole breathable fabric/sweat/heat/chill economy thing. Helly Hansen Pro-wool base layer and Gore-Tex shell meant that I was cooled just enough by sweat - after a while, you get to an equilibrium whereby the fabric keeps you just warm enough, and your sweat keeps you just cool enough before evaporating. The windproof Gore-Tex meant that I didn't instantly chill when stopping to rest, but it was advisable to put on another insulating layer before the warmth generated by walking conducted and convected away.
The golden rules I've found when dealing with sweat under clothes in a cold environment, are a) wear breathable fabrics, and b) it's better to be warm and clammy than cold and clammy. Wind will instantly chill all the moisture clinging to your body if you expose it - you want that moisture to be warm, so it will evaporate away.
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