Living on the edge March 2012

[Scythe13]

Hi Everyone.

After burning my mouth on McDonalds Porridge, I'm now getting round to posting about my latest mini adventure.

The Scene:
I have just finished meeting wholesaler managers and directors in Swansea. Next up I'm off to Pembroke. A nice drive just over an hour and I'm sat in my car in the Premier Inn carpark. As the towering purple sign leers over me, I have 1 thought...."F**k this is going to be boring." So begins a lovely long drive around the coast, with no phone signal to get my iPhone map working.

I end up at a dead end in a national trust site, 'Stakepole Quarry'. Considering the car was already in a carpark, I figured....Yeah, let's see what we've got. BOB and GHB. It seemed as good a time as any to test out how good my kit is.

The kit proved to be very mobile and light (but could be lighter).

Walking along the cliff edge was a bit windy, so I knew I wouldn't be staying on the top of the cliff. As I trekked along, a small ledge caught my eye. It was about 6 meters (I thought it was 7 or 8, which I told AlyBear, but double checked this morning and it's more like 6 meters) down from the top. There was enough space to try out my new ultra light Vango mat, maybe get a poncho up for shelter.....SOLD!!! I had to have it.

Next thing I know I've climbed down and am lay in my sleeping bag, on my mat, reading 'Patriots' (yes I'm still reading it. I said I was a slow reader).

The air was warm, the rocks had heated up from solar gain, it was toasty and beautiful.

The stars came out and I was enjoying the sight of the odd shooting star and checking out the constellations.

I get my head down and catch some sleep. I then wake up later on shivering. That's when I remember something "BOLLOCKS! I've not got a single sleeping bag liner with me!" That led to my first use of a space blanket. And yes, they work! I was warm and toasty, really comfortable. It was brilliant. The sky was full of stars looking so amazing. Again, shooting stars and a couple of satellites.

A few hours after that I wake up shivering again. My legs were a bit damp. I thought "Damn it, I've not peed myself have I?" I thought my hand must have been on something cold, like a rock, and it had the same effect as putting a sleeping persons hand in cold water. Thankfully, no, I hadn't wet myself. It was my legs sweating from the space blanket. Damn it! Why didn't I bring a sleeping bag liner?!?!

After a bit of wiggling to get the blood flowing, nice and warm. Tightened the sleeping bag draw-cord, that stopped and breeze from getting to my sweaty-self, so I was once again nice and warm. Stars above me, shooting stars, etc.

Suddenly "BEEP BING DING DADING" my alarm was going off on my phone. As AlyBear knows, I have 4 alarms that go off every morning. So I stayed up and took a few photos of the little fishing boat going off in the morning.

It was a great experience!