Northern Nav Ex issues

[NorthernRaider]

Ok, for those who expressed an interest in the ickle Northern Nav Ex I think I may have the foundations of the exercise laid out, but I dont know whether to start or finish at the northern end, So please bare with me a while longer. Ideally it will still be fairly simple but driving in moderately remote areas and being the first so far it will only have a cryptic start point, a six figure GR for the check point and a cryptic end point and hopefully a BBQ or somefink to finish.

[NorthernRaider]

Well the Nav ex started well enough and we managed to make two check points (Start TAN HILL PUB, CP1 Alston, CP2 Carter Bar border crossing)before our friends went their seperate ways and we continued north to Edinburgh, but by god why did i pick Carter Bar as a checkpoint the weather was appaling, strong winds, driving rain and it was bloody cold.

The others headed crosscountry via Coldstream for North Berwick to camp overnight then they planned on moving south to Beadnel bay south of Banburgh Castle to meet up again with us, Unfortunately I crocked out by the time I got to edinburgh my achiles tendon on my right foot let rip big style and left me in agony. I could not walk more than a few feet so I got no recceing or mapping done and by tea time decided I wanted to come home. ( And I missed out on the Fish N Chips in Beadnel)

So I failed my own nav ex !!!! I cannot walk as the pain is unbelievable and my foot is all floppy but the concept of mobile prepper nav exercises is solid and I may try again in the future.

As for Edinburgh its like a hilly version of Londonistan and the only way to get around is by bike or bus cos the traffic is a nightmare, but still managed to overspend whilst I was there when we FINALLY found our way to Makro and bought some metal storage shelving units.
personally I would not even attempt to operate as a prepper in Edinburgh having battery acid dripped into my eyes would be more fun, so I admire the pluck and tenacity of any Scots urban preppers.

So I'm home early, laid up in agony, Mrs NR wants me to go to A & E, I wont move because it hurts and I have zero faith in the NHS, but the little Wagon R behaved flawlessly except on steep hill when loaded with three adults, three rucksacks and a pile of metal shelving!!

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BTW the last CP was supposed to be the cafe by the river Tyne in Hexham near the rowing club.

[Timelord]

I hope your Achilles tendon heals up. People I know who have had that go have had to have work done on it in Hospital and then a 6 month healing process. Starting off in plaster and then later in a plastic boot/splint affair. I hope it is not that bad. Regards, TL.

[NorthernRaider]

Thanks TL so far i believe its Achilles tendonitus and its still attached !!!, fingers crossed.

[Little Lou]

Ouch!! Achilles tendon injury is hideous - you must be made of iron to have moved at all.

If you don't think it's actually ruptured (A&E, mate, like your missis says) then at least it'll get better on its own. When my OH did this, the doctor advised him to keep his foot UP - even just lying on the sofa and resting the foot on the arm did the trick. You'll need ice packs every 3-4 hours - a bag of frozen peas is great, but it needs to be wrapped in a tea-towel or you'll get a horrible ice burn (says the woman who turned her entire ankle black two years ago). Other than that, any anti-inflammatory pain killer is good, like ibuprofen. You probably know all this, but I thought I'd chuck it in anyway.

Of course, if you want to go all prepper on it, you could alternate the ice packs with a cold compress of lavender, comfrey, or chamomile -but you probably don't want to know that right now...

But it's still a salutary experience for us all. This is what happens when we suddenly plunge into excessive activity, and it will certainly be me on Day 1 SHTF unless I get fit RIGHT NOW. I have GOT to get on with it.

Get well soon, NR.

[NorthernRaider]

Tried to be clever this afternoon cos I wanted to put my new shelves up, so i loaded myself to the gills with pain killers, sloshed volterol all over my foot and went outside, I'm in agony now and wifey is not a happy bunny.

[Little Lou]

.... and REST. As in lying still with your foot up. As in not moving. As in not pottering about putting ruddy shelves up.

Your wifey sounds a very wise woman.

[Highlander]

Hope you are out of pain soon,..strap it up a little to support it, and rest it,.. there is no other way.

I must have missed something here,.. but where did the idea come from?, why was it planned?

It reminds me of Navigation exersices we used to do in the Recce platoon [in the Army],.. we would take out the stripped down landrovers with the GPMG mounted in the back and do these rallies, to train in map reading/compass work/back bearings ect

We would have to go to a certain grid reference and look for an item, i.e a green headed match stick,.. then on a compass bearing to the next, and maybe have to do a wheel change to get the next reference point,...it was great fun,.. the winner got to plan the next one

[NorthernRaider]

It was just a bit of practise BO navingating for preppers and a road nav comp for a few of my 4x4 chums.

[Highlander]

(28 May 2013, 21:36)NorthernRaider Wrote: It was just a bit of practise BO navingating for preppers and a road nav comp for a few of my 4x4 chums.

Great idea, good for you