The Lemonfool my pic of the day thread

[scotia]

The missus took a walk down to the beach for the 22.18 sunset. Personally, I was enjoying a cheeky red far too much to get off my ass.

Anyway, she took a photo or 2 so I didn't miss out on anything.

From this showing I think you may have become one of the unemployed

[scotia]

i would call that a design fault .

And there was apparently another design fault in the Airspeed Oxford with a far from elegant "solution". It was almost impossible to recover from a spin - so baling out was required pdq. But centripetal force prevented the occupants from reaching the door - so a knotted rope was installed to allow them to drag themselves to the exit. (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airspeed_Oxford - and learn of the exploits of the boffins who came up with the knotted rope solution)

[tjh290633]

i would call that a design fault .

And there was apparently another design fault in the Airspeed Oxford with a far from elegant "solution". It was almost impossible to recover from a spin - so baling out was required pdq. But centripetal force prevented the occupants from reaching the door - so a knotted rope was installed to allow them to drag themselves to the exit. (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airspeed_Oxford - and learn of the exploits of the boffins who came up with the knotted rope solution)

Of course we were well aware of that peculiarity of the Oxford. Spins and most aerobatics were strictly forbidden. On the other hand a stall turn (wing over turn) was allowed. One of the instructors took me cloud beating and that included a stall turn. Not for the novices, though, as that could easily become spin if care was not taken.

The Oxford was a nice aircraft to fly, provided that you had metal props. We had a couple with wooden props which were dreadful, particularly on one engine. You were lucky if you could maintain height. Your best option was to look for a forced landing field straight ahead if it happened on take-off. Landing on one engine was a lot easier, provided that you didn't have to turn against the live engine.

TJH

[scotia]

Some before and after pictures of a rather attractive paint job - definitely an improvement on battleship grey. And it should be - at £900,000

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53183925

[tjh290633]

That's rather nice. A big improvement on the usual grey. I think Her Majesty would be almost as happy arriving in that as sailing in on the Royal Yacht.

TJH

[UncleEbenezer]

Some before and after pictures of a rather attractive paint job - definitely an improvement on battleship grey. And it should be - at £900,000

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53183925

Just like an official portrait of the Great Leader improves a wall in one's office.

That kind of spending on a vanity project for oneself isn't the behaviour of a democratic leader. It's what you expected of Ceausescu or Amin.

[Itsallaguess]

The perch has been reclaimed by a red bird -



Cheers,

Itsallaguess

[scotia]

Boris's newly tarted up Voyager tanker is still a working RAF asset of course.......

Maybe we should repaint our F35s to match - or borrow some of the Danish F16s for a photoshoot



(from viewtopic.php?f=29&t=4836&start=1140#p308608)

[scotia]

A trip to the beach last night....

It brings back memories of fishing from the beach up in Caithness at this time of the year, and only for a short time does the light dim down with the sun setting in the NW and reappearing in the NE. And up in the dunes behind the beach, there are others - playing the traditional game of golf at midnight.
But then, you pay for it in late December.

[tjh290633]

We went to the then Leningrad for a conference in 1989. In July for the White Nights. The sun set at 11.40pm and rose at 2.20am. The mosquitos couldn't get higher than the 6th floor, so we on the 8th were OK. Still before Perestroika, so there were a few problems. Bus fares were 5 kopeks. No coffee in a restaurant. Sleeper to Moscow was an adventure.

TJH

[kiloran]

But then, you pay for it in late December.

My philosophy of life......"You have to hit the bad times to appreciate the good"

--kiloran

[UncleEbenezer]

We were still out at 2am and the light was beginning to break through again. But it started raining. Still warmish at 15 degrees or so, so our wildcampers would be alright.

And yes, you pay for it in winter. But we'll not worry about winter just now.

You're the opposite to our family tradition: in mid-December "Only six months 'til the nights are closing in again".

I like northern daylight hours. Full daylight at midnight. Encountered a lot of it in Scandinavia. And I don't even recollect paying for it in the winter: yes, daylight hours are short, but it's no worse than Blighty in the sense that if you're in work (or school) for the whole of daylight anyway, it's the same either way.

I'd guess the midgies must be appearing by now?

[scotia]

I'd guess the midgies must be appearing by now?

I fear so. In normal times, I take a boat out to the middle of the loch, and usually they don't bother me. But recently I have been fishing from the bank, as a number of the older lads are - trying to avoid handling shared equipment. And in the dense undergrowth around the loch the midges abound - along with a lot of other biting creatures. Hence my hands and arms are covered in red, itchy blotches. The fish seem to be enjoying the experience, as they feed on the surface just out of casting distance. I think I can detect a broad grin on their faces.

[Clitheroekid]

I'm more of a dog person than a cat person, but I am very fond of this particular mog, owned by a friend of mine, who for reasons buried in the dim and distant past rejoices in the name of `Judge Judy' (the cat, not the friend!)

I managed to catch this pic yesterday, just before the sun disappeared again ...

[Itsallaguess]

The good days make the tough days worth it...

At the back end of February I took a reconnaissance hike towards Helvellyn - https://tinyurl.com/y8485cbg

Earlier this week I returned for the full round trip, and having promised to try to support this board with some photos, here's a couple of snaps -

The view from the hole in the wall was much improved now the February snow has cleared. Red Tarn can be seen centrally, with the circular route onto Helvellyn starting with the sharp focus of Striding Edge towards the left of the photo below -



A closer look approaching Striding Edge as it leads towards the steep scramble onto Helvellyn top -



Looking back across Striding Edge before the final scramble to the top of Helvellyn -



First view from the top, back down the scramble and across Striding Edge -



A look back down towards Red Tarn from the top of Helvellyn, the third highest point in England, with the return route seen on the left, back down towards hole in the wall and onwards, back into Patterdale -



Links for the above images -

1 - https://i.imgur.com/HuzmJO7.jpg

2 - https://i.imgur.com/c5Ytgqc.jpg

3 - https://i.imgur.com/uefHexU.jpg

4 - https://i.imgur.com/5k67ATt.jpg

5 - https://i.imgur.com/eFmFtnY.jpg

I had a thoroughly knackering and absolutely perfect day....

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

[AleisterCrowley]

How 'hairy' is Striding Edge ? A lot better than Crib Goch I guess.
I have seen a few YouTube clips but I think GoPro(?) cameras make stuff look a lot steeper/more exposed than it is.

[UncleEbenezer]

A look back down towards Red Tarn from the top of Helvellyn, the third highest point in England, with the return route seen on the left, back down towards hole in the wall and onwards, back into Patterdale -

Pedantic point: you mean the third highest distinct peak. There are of course many higher points, around both Scafell peaks.

Minor curiosity: Norway has two highest peaks, depending on which map/authority you believe. I first learned Glittertind was the highest, and that's the one I once set out to conquer as the centrepiece of a week's hike. But modern authorities say Galdhøpiggen is higher. I *think* it may be that the latter is a rocky top and the highest rock, while the former relies on thick ice to attain its top few metres. Not that I got to see that: it was a whiteout as I traversed the peak ridge.

[kiloran]

The good days make the tough days worth it...

At the back end of February I took a reconnaissance hike towards Helvellyn - https://tinyurl.com/y8485cbg

Earlier this week I returned for the full round trip, and having promised to try to support this board with some photos, here's a couple of snaps -

I had a thoroughly knackering and absolutely perfect day....

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

Great photos, and I'm dead jealous. Brought back memories of my only walk up Striding Edge and Helvellyn back in '78 or thereabouts, when I went to a Mountain Bothy Association AGM at Glenridding. Sadly I didn't see a lot of Helvellyn apart from the ground under my feet, it was misty to say the least

--kiloran

[Itsallaguess]

How 'hairy' is Striding Edge? A lot better than Crib Goch I guess.

I have seen a few YouTube clips but I think GoPro(?) cameras make stuff look a lot steeper/more exposed than it is.

It's not too bad, but I think the most important aspect for a climb like Helvellyn, and especially over somewhere like Striding Edge, is to pick your days where there's as little wind as possible.

The forecast when I went up was for a very light 3 or 4mph breeze in the valleys, but even then, whilst it was fine heading over Striding Edge itself, it was still quite cold and breezy on the top of Helvellyn, so I think heading off somewhere like that in any sort of higher ground-level wind would give a different experience, I'd imagine..

There was very little hand-work needed over Striding Edge itself, and part of that feature actually has some side-paths that mean you don't have to walk the full length on the 'spine' of the edge itself if you don't want to, and whilst you've obviously got to be careful with your footing, given that there's little margin for error on that type of ridge, there's little risk in good conditions to be honest. The scramble to the top from the end of Striding Edge itself, and then the steep clamber back down the other side on Swirral Edge is probably riskier than anything you'd get up to on Striding Edge itself, but even then, taking your time and ensuring a three-point contact during the riskier elements is normally enough to get you back to the car in one piece.

Totally agree on the GoPro aspect by the way - the fish-eye lenses some of the walkers use to show things like Striding Edge make them look much tighter than they are in reality. It's the same for many of the biking videos you can watch - it makes it look like they're risking life and limb on some of those really thin trails, when the reality is slightly different...

For anyone wanting a good view of this walk, including some of the great drone-footage available via YouTube, then here's a couple of links to give a good feel for Striding Edge and the surrounding trails -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0Owsx3Bb7M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-1Cp86MG2Q

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

[Itsallaguess]

Great photos, and I'm dead jealous.

Brought back memories of my only walk up Striding Edge and Helvellyn back in '78 or thereabouts, when I went to a Mountain Bothy Association AGM at Glenridding.

Sadly I didn't see a lot of Helvellyn apart from the ground under my feet, it was misty to say the least

I've had plenty of days like that - those are the tough ones I mentioned!!

I've only got about three weeks rest and I'll be back up the bugger...

My legs will hopefully have recovered by then!

Cheers,

Itsallaguess