WEEKLY BLOG EPISODE 126 | CARFEST

Happy Thursday! Isn’t it tired? And isn’t it hot?! Apparently, we are having a quick blast of summer after the rain-soaked July and August we’ve experienced here in the UK. Very well done to anyone who had booked this week off work to get some outdoors fun in as soon as the Schools went back – you absolutely lucked out with the weather (even if it was by accident). I’m only a little bit jealous; I am working all week, but two of those days will be down in Dorset for my annual excursion to Comms Unplugged, so it’s not all bad.  

Keeping up with Myself

It’s been a fun ten days or so since I last shared a weekly blog episode. The weekends are busy at the moment, full of fun things which make me happy, but on the other hand aren’t particularly restful – and so I’m consciously spending my after-dinner time doing a little less than I might like to. Wanting to do all the things is a real problem sometimes (a lot of the time). My two selves – the determined and adventurous one, and the unmotivated and lethargic one – have been having quite a few arguments this year.

I spent the August Bank Holiday weekend over near Basingstoke for Chris Evans’ CarFest with my friends from Ordnance Survey, and then the more recent weekend in Lincolnshire spending time with family. As I mentioned, later this week (probably as you are reading this weekly blog episode) and into the weekend, I will be down in Dorset for Comms Unplugged, an outdoors-based, technology free, development conference for communications professionals. And then next weekend, I’m booked on a group motorcycle ride down to the Mendips. All good fun, but it’s causing me to not keep up with myself somewhat!

Thanks for the Messages

If you’ve been worried since reading my last weekly blog episode, anxious for an update (and I have genuinely had a couple of messages about it, so thanks for that), you’ll be pleased to know the remaining two of the three issues I moaned about have been sorted. My boiler and bike are up and running more-or-less as they should be. Phew, on both counts. Adulting has been very stressful these last few weeks, and I’m now hoping for at least a handful days of less bothersome tasks to tackle. One can hope.

I have also had a couple of people ask about my broken toe. It’s getting there. Most of the time I am completely pain free, so it must have healed, just about. But every now and again, and any time I wear particularly supportive shoes (such as my hiking boots), it still hurts. I’m able to do my morning squats and lunges without any problems, which is great. I’ve not run on it yet, though, something my lazy half has rather enjoyed but definitely knows the excuse has expired – I intend to get out for some jogs very soon. Anyway, thanks for worrying about me.

I’ll pick up the bike stuff and my Lincolnshire trip in my next weekly blog, as in this one I want to chat about the fun time I had down at CarFest, preview National GetOutside Day, share a couple of mini audiobook reviews, and highlight two exciting parcels I received in the mail.

CarFest

If there was one word to describe my weekend at CarFest, it would be ‘fun’. I have heard myself use it a lot, too much, it’s become a bit of a cliché. To be honest, it didn’t start out terribly fun. And the campsite part of it wasn’t the best. But everything else was. In the daytime I was repping Ordnance Survey, but I certainly made the most of the festival ticket after hours.

Camping and Ablutions

I think it’s okay to say I’m not really a fan of festival camping. And camping at CarFest reminded me of that fact. I was in the exhibitor campsite (blue), where I felt there were too many tents, too many people, and the toilets and washing facilities were inadequate.

I mean, I don’t expect laid out pitches with acres of space between tents, or brick-built ablutions blocks with flushing toilets and hot taps over ceramic basins. But I do rather enjoy having somewhere clean to do my necessary business, and to not queue for an age to do it. There just weren’t enough toilets, just nine for the whole of the campsite I was on, compounded by them not being emptied anywhere near enough (double would have still been too little). Honestly, they were yucky.

Of course, I managed. I have experienced worse, and have been wild camping, so after the initial stress and worry of what I was facing I settled into festival life and made the most of my set up. I guess I just much prefer the peace and quiet of small and spread-out campsites when sleeping outdoors. And the community feel you get in smaller, more specialist festivals.

Comfortable in my Green Cone

After some confusion at the check-in tent about where I should be, I pitched my Green Cone at the end of a row of 6m x 6m plots, each designed for a group. I was fully expecting to have a friend or two within the white painted line the following morning, but actually ended up with it to myself all weekend. Well, I say ‘to myself’; I was still practically on top of the next tent, but I was at the end of a row, had room to peg out all my guy lines, and so it felt like I had it all compared to some others.

I slept well enough, choosing to rise at my normal at-home time each day to make the most of the quiet mornings before things got noisy and busy. The sunrises over the site were beautiful, and I very much enjoyed sipping on a cup (or two) of chai tea latte (a camping favourite as it comes in powdered form), before I had to get myself sorted each morning. Getting up early also meant I could jump in the shower to freshen up before seeing the queue and not bothering!

My Robens Green Cone continues to be an absolutely fantastic tent for my needs, and I am very at home in my cosy sleep set up, including my Rumpl blanket, which passed its first real-life outdoor test with flying colours. I just know that camping – including at festivals – can be so much better. I’m thinking back to the camping and ablutions facilities at ABR Festival last year, and just how good they were. It can be done, CarFest.

Ordnance Survey Champions Unite

All that aside, and much more importantly, I went to CarFest as part of my role as an OS Champion, to volunteer on their stand and chat with festival goers about how they love to spend time outdoors. The best such conversations were when people wanted to talk about their favourite views, road trips or hikes – and then wanted to hear mine.

Being a festival at which people were spending the whole weekend, it felt like a lot of people were happy to hang around for a while. There were no Ordnance Survey talks this time (my last CarFest experience involved being on the speaker list), but the bright pink dome still attracted a lot of attention, especially on Saturday, and had me hearing all kinds of ‘why I love maps’ stories. Although the lady who said she should buy an OS Maps towel in order to wipe her bum on her ex-husband’s house has to be the top comment of the weekend!

It was especially lovely to finally meet fellow OS Champion Jo Bradshaw, who I spent most of the weekend with. She’s such an inspiring lady; an expedition leader, she’s summited Everest, is on her way to climbing the highest mountain on each of the seven continents, and casually spent a couple of months earlier this year leading a field team in Antarctica. What a lady!

Adventure Motivation Cup

I honestly find it so surreal I get to meet people like Jo, and I will forever be grateful to Ordnance Survey for providing the opportunities to do so, as I know without having the GetOutside campaign in common, I would unlikely make friends with such inspiring and motivating individuals. Our paths would simply never cross.

Just like when I came home from the OS Maps bootcamp with a full adventure motivation cup, I came away from CarFest raring to ‘be more Jo’. Clearly, as you’ve read at the top of this post, I’ve not exactly put my effort where my heart is quite yet, but it’s coming, I can feel it coming…!! I feel very fortunate that I am part of this incredible group, even if I don’t feel I fit in most of the time.

Oh, and if you remember Emily from my post about the OS Maps bootcamp back in July – I mentioned she went out on a training run in the terrible rain on the Friday morning? Well, she’s currently running the famous Dragon’s Back Race. I’ve been enjoying dot watching since Monday (she’s participant 292), and might even break my tech-free pact to check in on her when I’m at Comms Unplugged for the rest of the week. Go Emily!

The Live Music

Despite getting to spend my days chatting all things outdoors, the best thing about CarFest was enjoying the live music. I really (really) love music; time spent listening to talented people perform is never time wasted. And it’s even better when it’s outdoors. I didn’t partake in the evening entertainment back in 2019 when I was at CarFest North because I was stopping in a hotel close by having gone straight from a two-week road trip in Spain; I got off the ferry in the morning and was at the festival by mid-afternoon. It was a bit much!

Camping on site meant I was going to hear the music wherever I happened to be, so I might as well be by the main stage. I’m the complete opposite to a night owl, I mean, I’m sat writing this blog looking at the 9pm time on the clock thinking I should probably stop and get ready for bed soon… and I’m not joking. Encouraged by the OS team and especially Jo, I went all in, and had a blast.

I looked at the line up and wondered if it was going to be any good (apart from Texas, who I was very much looking forward to on Sunday night), but I needn’t have worried. It was honestly so much fun.

Highlights included Rob Brydon doing Elvis, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, a surprise performance from Beverly Knight, Rick Astley (we were right at the front, it was nuts!), and, of course, the legend that is Tony Christie. It was so fun to be in a crowd singing along to covers of Beastie Boys and Eminem songs, The Feeling really showed themselves off to be an amazing band with a real breadth of musicality – loved them.

The Village People and Texas

There were also some questionable performances, a category in which I include The Village People. Yes, that’s right, I went to an actual Village People gig, but only because I was waiting for Texas to come on! It was embarrassing; they were half an hour late on stage, and when they did eventually play it was exactly like you might imagine it to be – watching some old guys in fancy dress singing weird songs with slightly inappropriate dance moves. Of it’s time.

The best musical moment of the weekend was probably right at the end of Friday night, when The Feeling closed with Queen’s Fat Bottom Girls. My favourite set of the weekend was, by far, Texas –I knew it would be. They closed the festival on Sunday night, playing a bunch of their hits plus a couple of covers. It was such a great show, the band were on form and the crowd (especially Jo and I) absolutely loved it. I still want to be Sharleen Spiteri when I grow up. What an absolute rocker.

Next Year?

I didn’t pay to go to CarFest this year, as my exhibitor-camping ticket was courtesy of Ordnance Survey as a thank you for working for them for the three days. I looked at the prices for next year when they were released on Instagram this week, and I have to admit they shocked me a bit.

That, plus the terrible facilities provided, means I will likely stick to smaller, more niche and community-focused festivals from now on. Certainly when I’m going just for me, anyway. I’ve booked tickets to Adventure Bike Rider Festival for next year, and was a bit sad to learn that I missed the last ever Overland Festival just last weekend. Jo said how good the Armchair Adventure Festival is, so maybe I’ll look at that one, too.

National GetOutside Day 2023

Where is your favourite local place to spend One Hour Outside?

Ordnance Survey have launched this year’s National GetOutside Day (#GetOutsideDay). Taking place on 24 September, this year we are invited to celebrate it by spending time in an outdoor place that is precious to us.

Whether it’s a cup of tea in your garden, a walk, run or cycle ride in your local greenspace, or visiting your favourite hilltop viewpoint (however you get there!), it’s an opportunity to get out and enjoy the benefits that the outdoors and nature can bring to us. Good for body, mind and soul – even in short bursts.

I’m not sure where I will spend my GetOutside Day this year. Last year I went for a fantastic walk with fellow OS Champion Anna in the Malvern Hills AONB, which was a really fun way to spend my morning. But as the theme is precious places, maybe I should stick with my favourite local spot of Cleeve Hill? It’s has become a very special place to me over the last few years, thanks to its position dominating the landscape above my home and office, and because being there never fails to remind me how big the world is and how much life has to offer.

If you need an excuse to visit your favourite outdoor place, this is it. I’d really love to hear how you are marking the event – let me know in the comments below where you will be visiting.

That’s Entertainment

I predicted in my last weekly blog that it would be a whole-book kind of week, thanks to driving over to CarFest. It actually turned out to be a two-book week… I listened to one fiction and one non-fiction audiobook since my last post, so it’s only right you get two mini book reviews this week.

Audiobook: Keeper of Stories, Sally Page

Okay, so this novel is definitely not a traditional adventure story, which is my normal genre of choice, but it’s such a great listen. It came recommended by a friend who thought I’d enjoy it, and she was right.

Janice is a cleaner who collects stories because she doesn’t feel she has one of her own. At least, not one she can share openly… The book is a coming of age story in some ways; as Janice collects the stories of others, she finds the ability to share her own.

Surely, the moral of the story is – never write anyone off as dull; everyone has a story to tell, even the most unassuming of people (even the cleaner…).

Amazon | Waterstones | Hive

Audiobook: Nowhere for Very Long, Brianna Madia

I loved this tale of Brianna’s travels intro the desert in her old orange van named Bertha. She lives an unconventional life, chaotic and challenging, but manages to stay true to herself, wherever that takes her. It’s wonderful hearing someone talk about getting lost on purpose.

A well-known instagrammer, Brianna narrates this book herself, and you can really hear the emotion in her voice – both happy and sad. I have to admit the story of the walk through the slot canyon in Utah with her husband and two dogs really did have me worried…!

This almost-accidental adventure story was a little reminder about living my own dreams, and got me looking again at that bucket list of mine. It made for a perfect accompaniment to a long drive, and I’m glad I took a punt on it with one of my Audible credits.

Amazon | Waterstones | Hive

Next up on my listening list is Louise Minchin’s Fearless. I actually know a couple of people featured in this compendium of adventure stories, and was even invited to take part in one of the adventures Louise features (but sadly a clash meant I had to say no). I don’t know if that particular chapter will make me good or the opposite – I’ll let you know next week!

That three-months for £3 offer I mentioned in my last weekly blog is still available (until 10am on 11 September). I think this is excellent value (and can be cancelled any time).

In the Mail

Fresh Travel Toiletries

The lovely people at RINGANA, the Austrian skincare brand who make the natural sunscreen and tinted moisturiser I like (see Currently Loving August 2022 and October 2022), got in touch asking if I wanted to try a couple of their latest products – the natural lipbalm and breeze hydrating spray. Having enjoyed the previous products, I said absolutely yes please, thinking the spray would be especially perfect to help keep my face cool in Morocco.

I was more than a little surprised when all these products arrived in the mail a week later! In addition to the two products we’d chatted about, they also sent me the whole travel kit, which includes a selection of face, body and hair products. I honestly love getting mail so much!!

I’m not going to get all these in my must-pack-light wash kit for Morocco, so I’ve put aside what I’m taking and have already been playing with the other things. So far, I’ve been using the cleanser, which is a gentle milk formula, tonic, which makes my face feel super clean, and cream, which is moisturising but still light. The trial size pouches are lasting really well, I’ve been using them for a few days and I’ve still got some left – they’d be perfect for a long weekend away and might even stretch to a week (for one use a day).

I’m looking forward to trying the rest of the products, especially the two new ones.

Salomon Moon Boots

These Salomon Elixir Mid boots are the most cushioned hikers I have ever had the pleasure to put on my feet. They are honestly cushioned beyond anything I’ve seen before, and not just the sole!

I have been very fortunate to receive a pair of these brand-new Gore-Tex hiking boots to test out, just as they have become available to buy. They are a mid-cut boot designed for long-distance hiking, with padded zones in the collar and tongue for comfort, reverse camber sole geometry for a soft stride, and an ‘energy foam’ midsole. And yes, I copied that from the PR email – I’ll work out what all that means in practice before I write my review so I can describe them in my own words.  

Now, I will happily admit that by wearing these I might be making quite a statement, and I’m not sure if those I might meet on my local walks are quite ready to see a slightly out of shape lady in her early 40’s bouncing along in these amazing looking things. But hey, I have been known to say that Splodz Blogz was here to keep my outdoor shoe collection (addiction…) bang up to date, and you can’t deny that’s happening here!

Joking aside, I think I love them. They are striking and as such stand out – in a good way. I also cannot describe how comfortable they are to wear; they are nice and wide, and that padding is snug without being restrictive. I’ll get them out on a real test in the coming weeks and will let you know what I think when they’re a lot dirtier than they are now. You know they aren’t going to stay cream, not on my watch!

See You Next Time…

That’s where I’ll leave my weekly blog rambles this time around. Next time I’ll let you have an update on my boiler and bike, as well as chat about a visit we made to Belton House in Lincolnshire at the weekend.

In the meantime, do check out the two review posts I published in the last few days, featuring my Petromax fire skillet (I made my own tortilla!) and Paper Bag Co paper backpack, and catch up on my Cotwold Way adventure journal series if you haven’t done so already.

Don’t forget to share where you’ll head to celebrate National GetOutside Day in the comments below – and if you’ve got suggestions for fun small festivals or adventure books I should check out, let me know.

See you next time!

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Buy Me a Cuppa?

If you enjoyed this weekly blog episode and fancy supporting me and my mini adventures this year, you can “buy me a coffee” for £3 (well, a cup of tea, if that’s okay?). Head over to Ko-fi to find out more. Thank you.