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• iPlod Marshalling: June 18, 2010 - June 19, 2010

[666_pack]

Hi All,

Jonno told me to join NI Wild as its all my fault 

I am a member of another forum..as is Jonno...and I was a marshal for the 2009 Iplod where we identified we needed a touch more help.  Then AMR asked me to be Safety Officer for Iplod 2010.

Thing is, I live just north of Liverpool so I should have said....nah...but as my forehead is tattooed with MUG I said yes...and got hold of Jonno...who got hold of you guys...so many thanks in advance!

Iplod 2010 is much larger than 2009 and has 25 teams (about 125 challengers) this year.  Not sure much that means it will raise...but do some arithmetic and its a lot! 

The plan - briefly - at the moment is

Friday evening - 7 or 7-30, we meet in a hotel in Newcastle (think it's the Slieve Donard) for a light bite and a briefing.  8pm ish, minibus(s) leave the Slieve Donard and take teams out - drop offs at Trassey for those teams heading up the Trassey to Hares Gap, drop off for Bloody Bridge for teams heading to Bog of Donard and The Castles.  You will be accompanied by a mobile marshal team headed up by a guy called Tim Robson...who has to make sure you are all happy campers, before telling me you are ready for invaders.

If we have enough of you, we would like to put in other checkpoints....Donard Summit anyone?
10-30 ish Mobile 2 (me and another guy) will shoot up Trassey to Hares Gap.

Midnight. Event starts with an orienteering section with first challengers expected at Hares about 2. Each Checkpoint will have a list of teams/challengers which needs to be checked as they go through.  Last challenger through Hares at..err...3?

After that...depends what you want to do.

We will have a BBQ breakfast at Silent Valley...so you will need to get back to your drop off point for...? to be picked up, bussed round to Silent Valley and then back to the hotel for your cars.

There is a dinner Saturday night (I need to know who is going) - its informal - so if you want to be around to give a hand Saturday daytime...great.  If you want to go home...fine...if you want to have some me time in the Mournes...thats cool.

Just a big thanks for all....without marshalls, Iplod wouldnt happen

I'll take first dibs on the summit

[ChuckMcB]

One thing that is going to make this different from any other wild camp I've done is that we'll have to be up until at least 3am (read: 3/4/5am).../me puts on my Captain Obvious head on: it's gonna get cold up there...I don't know about you guys but when I'm out, once the eating is over, it's into the bivvy bag/tent to keep warm/sleep.

While I'm hoping for a hot and dry summers night, with no wind....What are folks thoughts about keeping warm 'til the wee small hours (esp: if it's chucking it down)? Will a couple of fire bricks/a camp fire with a couple of tarps for shelter keep each group going until the last challengers make it through? Perhaps a four person bothy bag for each group? A three person tent/couple of two man tents? Or do our own thing (ie. own bivvy/tent) and then 'regroup' at 2am?

[RedLeader]

It's probably best organised with each group as to how many tents would be needed etc. Usually we all bring a tent or bivvy each but sharing wouldn't be an issue. Warmth-wise, I don't think it will be too bad at this time of year - just pack a few more layers than usual. Plus, with more that one person at each checkpoint there's probably no reason that one person couldn't have an hours kip while the other marshalls, then rotate. I'm not sure about firelogs etc - I don't know how much of an orienteering element is involved and having a fire that can be seen from miles away might make it easy for the competitors

One thing that is going to make this different from any other wild camp I've done is that we'll have to be up until at least 3am (read: 3/4/5am).../me puts on my Captain Obvious head on: it's gonna get cold up there...I don't know about you guys but when I'm out, once the eating is over, it's into the bivvy bag/tent to keep warm/sleep.

While I'm hoping for a hot and dry summers night, with no wind....What are folks thoughts about keeping warm 'til the wee small hours (esp: if it's chucking it down)? Will a couple of fire bricks/a camp fire with a couple of tarps for shelter keep each group going until the last challengers make it through? Perhaps a four person bothy bag for each group? A three person tent/couple of two man tents? Or do our own thing (ie. own bivvy/tent) and then 'regroup' at 2am?

[chris]

I was gonna bid for a donard spot aswell!
No problem staying up untill 3 infact we do some of our best work at 3am! 

[Matthew]

It's probably best organised with each group as to how many tents would be needed etc. Usually we all bring a tent or bivvy each but sharing wouldn't be an issue.

That to me would  be the most sensible idea. I'm going to go light for this one and try out some new kit before my South American adventure.

Any word on the groups yet?

If its not too annoying ill take the Hares Gap direction!!!

[RedLeader]

Don't forget that the Hares Gap actually has the longest walk as we're all meeting at Bloody Bridge the next morning so whoever is there will have to walk across and down early on Sat  Bog of Donard will have the shortest walk (but the latest finish - talk about not hobsons choice )

It's probably best organised with each group as to how many tents would be needed etc. Usually we all bring a tent or bivvy each but sharing wouldn't be an issue.

That to me would  be the most sensible idea. I'm going to go light for this one and try out some new kit before my South American adventure.

Any word on the groups yet?

If its not too annoying ill take the Hares Gap direction!!!

[ChuckMcB]

Thanks guys, perhaps I was being a bit over cautious.

[RedLeader]

Nothing wrong with a bit'o caution!

Thanks guys, perhaps I was being a bit over cautious.

[Matthew]

Don't forget that the Hares Gap actually has the longest walk as we're all meeting at Bloody Bridge the next morning so whoever is there will have to walk across and down early on Sat  Bog of Donard will have the shortest walk (but the latest finish - talk about not hobsons choice )

It's probably best organised with each group as to how many tents would be needed etc. Usually we all bring a tent or bivvy each but sharing wouldn't be an issue.

That to me would  be the most sensible idea. I'm going to go light for this one and try out some new kit before my South American adventure.

Any word on the groups yet?

If its not too annoying ill take the Hares Gap direction!!!

ooh scrap that the lol i was of the impression that there were two drops one at trassey and the other at bloody bridge?

"8pm ish, minibus(s) leave the Slieve Donard and take teams out - drop offs at Trassey for those teams heading up the Trassey to Hares Gap, drop off for Bloody Bridge for teams heading to Bog of Donard and The Castles. "

[RedLeader]

There are 2 drop offs but they want to only have one pickup so they don't have to drive all the way back to the Trassey.

Don't forget that the Hares Gap actually has the longest walk as we're all meeting at Bloody Bridge the next morning so whoever is there will have to walk across and down early on Sat  Bog of Donard will have the shortest walk (but the latest finish - talk about not hobsons choice )

It's probably best organised with each group as to how many tents would be needed etc. Usually we all bring a tent or bivvy each but sharing wouldn't be an issue.

That to me would  be the most sensible idea. I'm going to go light for this one and try out some new kit before my South American adventure.

Any word on the groups yet?

If its not too annoying ill take the Hares Gap direction!!!

ooh scrap that the lol i was of the impression that there were two drops one at trassey and the other at bloody bridge?

"8pm ish, minibus(s) leave the Slieve Donard and take teams out - drop offs at Trassey for those teams heading up the Trassey to Hares Gap, drop off for Bloody Bridge for teams heading to Bog of Donard and The Castles. "

[Matthew]

ooh rite I got it. I dont mind where I am placed to be honest.

[ChuckMcB]

Ditto.

[chris]

Donard, I mean Ditto 

[Simon Barry]

Just to mess things up.....

The hotel we are meeting at is the Burrendale, not The Donard

Shelter - something is a must - at least a bothy bag, but a tent would be a touch more comfortable since you could be there for up to 7 hours.  Bothy bags are great for a few hours...but not much fun when you actually want to be horizontal - that said, if someone wants to trial lightweight gear and a different way of doing things, go for it.

If it all goes pear shaped, I am sure all your best buddies will be full of sympathy and be fighting as to who will open their tent to let you in first. Maybe - or is this just a reflection on my friends?

Pickups.  If you want a pickup at Trassey and Bloody Bridge, we can do that.  What would be kind of handy is if a couple supported Tim Robson by helping sweep through from Hares to Bloody Bridge, if only to tell straggling teams to get a shift on, they are between you and breakfast
   If you all sweep through - thats fine too. 

I am hoping it wont get too chilly - last year (when I ran the Bog of Donard and Loughshannagh checkpoints) I just slipped a belay jacket on and was fine.  If the weather is really poor, it will be surprising if Donard Summit will be used - but we will need to "staff" the Brandy Pad a bit more heavily.  Swings and roundabouts.

Camp fire.  well...if it is hoolying and chucking down, no harm to you, a fire wont be much use.  And if it is a nice still clear summers night (do they exist) you'll be visible from Mars...

A pocket rocket and 200 PG Tips T bags seems the trick to me.

[RedLeader]

What time will Tim be sweeping from Hares Gap to Bloody Bridge?

Just to mess things up.....

The hotel we are meeting at is the Burrendale, not The Donard

Shelter - something is a must - at least a bothy bag, but a tent would be a touch more comfortable since you could be there for up to 7 hours.  Bothy bags are great for a few hours...but not much fun when you actually want to be horizontal - that said, if someone wants to trial lightweight gear and a different way of doing things, go for it.

If it all goes pear shaped, I am sure all your best buddies will be full of sympathy and be fighting as to who will open their tent to let you in first. Maybe - or is this just a reflection on my friends?

Pickups.  If you want a pickup at Trassey and Bloody Bridge, we can do that.  What would be kind of handy is if a couple supported Tim Robson by helping sweep through from Hares to Bloody Bridge, if only to tell straggling teams to get a shift on, they are between you and breakfast
   If you all sweep through - thats fine too. 

I am hoping it wont get too chilly - last year (when I ran the Bog of Donard and Loughshannagh checkpoints) I just slipped a belay jacket on and was fine.  If the weather is really poor, it will be surprising if Donard Summit will be used - but we will need to "staff" the Brandy Pad a bit more heavily.  Swings and roundabouts.

Camp fire.  well...if it is hoolying and chucking down, no harm to you, a fire wont be much use.  And if it is a nice still clear summers night (do they exist) you'll be visible from Mars...

A pocket rocket and 200 PG Tips T bags seems the trick to me.

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