The Clockwork Mansion

The Grand Hallway => The Outer Fortress => Topic started by: rabid_fox on June 22, 2008, 11:41:04 AM

Title: Parish Walking.
Post by: rabid_fox on June 22, 2008, 11:41:04 AM
Parish Walk 2008. Last year, I walked to Rushen (19 miles). This year, I walked to Peel, which is 32.5 miles, but includes The Sloc (where you walk up a mountain road so steep that my old car struggled to get up there. Mind you - it was a Rover).

However, that's not the full story. The full story is that in November, I spent a month on chemotherapy drugs and totally lost my physical well-being. So it goes. Nevertheless, I signed up for the Parish Walk and, in weather conditions so bad that other Parish Walkers have been hospitalised with hypothermia, I managed to get to Peel, which is as far as you're actually allowed to go unsupported (anyone walking beyond Peel has to have a support vehicle).

Pictorial drugdevices of the evidence relating to this topicmachine -

Receiving a hat that saved my sanity, for the backflaps on it protected my iPod earphones during the storm that raged endlessly
(http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e92/Rabid_Fox/0U4J7294.jpg)

Evidence OF said hat and "The Sloc" - (note how far below me everything else is)

(http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e92/Rabid_Fox/meagain.jpg)

Oh. 7h, 25mins, putting me in the top 18% of the folk who reached Peel. (148th out of 790).

Aside from me, this dude:

(http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e92/Rabid_Fox/TH0_216200812PW9.jpg)

This dude walked the full 85 miles in less than 24 hours. He was ahead of me for eighteen miles. This dude is fĂșcking awesome.
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on June 22, 2008, 11:55:52 AM
Quote from: rabid_fox on June 22, 2008, 11:41:04 AM
However, that's not the full story. The full story is that in November, I spent a month on chemotherapy drugs and totally lost my physical well-being. So it goes.

Oh, right. That explains why you started posting here. ;-]


Good to hear you managed to walk so far, and didn't pass out.
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: rabid_fox on June 22, 2008, 12:01:18 PM

Actually, it does. I had a lot of time on my hands.

Now. I have a lot of pain on my feet.

Good times.

Also, it's my birthday.
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on June 22, 2008, 12:29:04 PM
Oh, so it is.

Happy birthday!
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: rabid_fox on June 22, 2008, 12:41:32 PM

It's the birthday everyone had written off ^^
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: Tapewolf on June 22, 2008, 01:21:55 PM
Well done.  And yes, birthday... I knew I'd forgotten something.
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: rabid_fox on June 22, 2008, 01:36:01 PM

You forgot nothing more than my family and friends, so no guilt involves.
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on June 22, 2008, 02:02:30 PM
Could be worse. My brother managed to call me "First thing"...

... 1:05 am the day _after_ my birthday.

The next year, he called me 5 minutes into my birthday, and said "Bet I'm the first, huh?" ... he wasn't. My sister had called 2 minutes in, and one of my other brothers had wished me happy birthday two weeks previously, since he was going on holiday and wouldn't be able to call on the day...

He wasn't as amused as I was about the whole thing. ;-]
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: rabid_fox on June 22, 2008, 02:06:05 PM

Eh, it's ok,. TMBG and "It's not my birthday" make it all "A-ok".
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on June 22, 2008, 03:05:40 PM
Not "Older" ?
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: rabid_fox on June 22, 2008, 03:16:16 PM

That's more a November tune,
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on June 22, 2008, 04:11:30 PM
Right, right.
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: Damaris on June 22, 2008, 06:08:55 PM
That's a spectacular achievement, Rabid.  I had no idea you'd been going through such things- I'm amazed you've been able to keep such a cheerful outlook- you're so much fun on the forum.

And happy birthday *hugs*
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: rabid_fox on June 22, 2008, 06:16:55 PM

(http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e92/Rabid_Fox/itsthehat.jpg)

Modelling "The Hat". Man, I'm not as attractive when I'm happy.

Cheers, though, Damaris - it's actually surprisingly nice to hear someone say that I've been cheerful regardless of circumstance (mostly because most people that I'm in contact with day in day out have me down as a miserable git these days!).
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on June 22, 2008, 06:41:07 PM
That's because Damaris is comparing you to her fellow admins, and we're a grumpy lot at the best of times. ;-]
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: rabid_fox on June 22, 2008, 07:08:52 PM

I found a picture of me looking incredibly OBLIVIOUS to what I'm in for at the very start of the walk. Let me upload:

(http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e92/Rabid_Fox/Parish_Walk_21_06_08Start_073.jpg)
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on June 22, 2008, 07:24:16 PM
I note you've stopped shaving since you took your avatar pic. ;-]


... and pretty much everyone in that pic appears oblivious to what lies ahead...
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: rabid_fox on June 22, 2008, 07:37:49 PM

It was murder on two legs. Legs that are mine. Legs that hate me for being me.

But yet - I feel fantastic for it.
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: Damaris on June 22, 2008, 10:06:27 PM
You're actually one of my favorite posters, Rabid- I almost always look for something you've commented on when I'm having a bad day.  You're definitely a bright spot on the forum, and and all around good guy as far as I'm concerned.

*hugs*
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: Joe3210 on June 23, 2008, 08:06:55 PM
Rapid, you are awesome for accomplishing this.  I hope you have a great birthday, and an awesome recovery.
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: Omega on June 24, 2008, 04:24:32 PM
[message has been remodelled. Take no offence from it]
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: Zina on June 24, 2008, 05:39:27 PM
Oh man, that's quite an accomplishment. Way to go!
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on June 24, 2008, 06:24:36 PM
Quote from: Omega on June 24, 2008, 04:24:32 PM
Not to disrespect your efforts, or anything, but I'd like to see you do the same thing with 30 kilograms worth of equipments on your backback. That's what we did in the army.

Uh huh. I'll bet you army boys didn't do any training before, either.

Like, 6 months of hard physical exercise to bring you up to the stage where you could.

*cough*
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: Omega on June 24, 2008, 06:43:33 PM
Quote from: llearch n'n'daCorna on June 24, 2008, 06:24:36 PM
Uh huh. I'll bet you army boys didn't do any training before, either.

Like, 6 months of hard physical exercise to bring you up to the stage where you could.

*cough*
Alas, this is true.

The fact that someone does this voluntarily amazes me.
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: rabid_fox on June 24, 2008, 06:53:59 PM
Quote from: Omega on June 24, 2008, 04:24:32 PM
Not to disrespect your efforts, or anything, but I'd like to see you do the same thing with 30 kilograms worth of equipments on your backback. That's what we did in the army.

*lights his corn pipe*

Aye, it was a long, dark night. An early winter it was. So dark that the sky was filled with stars. You couldn't rest on the ground very long, coz' it was went and cold and you might fell asleep there. daily rations and bad jokes kept our squad going through till the early morning.

*puffs some smoke from his pipe*

Those were to days.

Edit:
But as I said, no disrespect what so ever. Good job man.

Any time that anyone says "no disrepect" twice in one story, they mean a lot of disrespect. That's ok though. I don't mind.
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: Omega on June 24, 2008, 07:01:28 PM
I would have settled with just one, but Damaris whipped my ass *ahem* insisted that I'd reprhase my post.

I if you, or anyone else, has taken any offence from my post, I'd like to make absolutely sure that there was no ill-will intented. :confused
If there would, there would be no need for warnings. This is not a threat, this is a promise  ;)
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: rabid_fox on June 24, 2008, 07:07:33 PM

You could've been a little more sensitive to the whole "Dude who was on chemotherapy not long ago" as compared to "Hardcore dude in excellent physical condition" situation, to be honest. I actually do feel like my achievement has been lessened by reading that, as if I shouldn't feel proud of it at all.

Honestly, I know it's not a massive physical achievement. Ooo, boogawooga, I walked thirty two miles and it rained. But until just now, I actually felt good about myself for the first time in 2008 on a physical level. Cheers, darlin' - you sure proved me wrong.
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on June 24, 2008, 07:19:38 PM
Heck, I'm in reasonably good physical condition, and I walk a lot, and I'm still fairly sure I'd have trouble making it 32 miles. :-/

Especially with little warning ahead of time that it was coming.



Rain on your parade all you like, rabid, I'm still in awe. ;-]
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: rabid_fox on June 24, 2008, 07:22:06 PM

Well, it's just been made to look a bit crap now. Like "Yay! You get a yellow balloon, cause you're a WINNER!" crap.
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: Zina on June 24, 2008, 08:55:23 PM
Ehn, please don't think of it like that.
Very few people could do what you did, completely healthy or no. That is quite the accomplishment, so be proud of yourself.
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: Damaris on June 24, 2008, 10:18:55 PM
Omega, when a mod tells you to rephrase your post, that means go back, delete the damn thing, and stop being an asshat.

Apologize, or I'm letting Darkmoon ban you for a few days like he wanted to do when he saw your post the first time.

You were rude and dismissive of a monumental accomplishment completed by someone who should never have been able to physically do it.  The man did something that I bet money you would NEVER be able to do, and you damn sure will never want to have to go through.  He deserves your respect, not your ridicule, and he's damn well going to get it. 

I hope that one was clear enough.
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: LionHeart on June 25, 2008, 04:25:40 AM
Rabid, for whatever it's worth, you have my respect. I don't think I would be able to walk 32 miles in one go. In fact, I'm damn sure I wouldn't.

That is one hell of an achievement.
Title: Re: Parish Walking.
Post by: Sunblink on June 25, 2008, 08:19:23 AM
I agree with LionHeart. This was an incredible accomplishment. I never would have been able to do that, and the fact you were able to after being in a situation like the one you described is amazing. You've really done something remarkable, dude. Don't let anyone put you down there.

~Keaton the Black Jackal