UKC

I often find, on returning from a couple of weeks in the mountains, that I have a feeling of no longer wanting to be part of the modern, "civilised" world. All I hear about is politics, Kim Jong Un, Trump, Brexit et al and I just feel thoroughly pissed off. I had two weeks of not reading a paper or listening or watching the news.

My world was one of admiring the scenery, meeting interesting and friendly like minded people in mountain refuges or along the way.

As I sit here typing this I am thinking of one friendly(British) couple I met on the way out of Champex. The husband politely asked how old I was. When I told him he shook my hand and said "I take my hat off to you!"

In reply to mypyrex:

Tell me about it.

I'm normally pretty interested in politics but an afternoons cragging is all it takes for me to decide that they can have whatever colour of brexit they want provided the West Penwith fixed gear policy remains intact.

In reply to mypyrex:



Yes it's great isn't it. Makes you wonder why some morons voted to make doing that harder and more expensive.

In reply to mypyrex:

You're not that old. I saw lots of people older than you while there. Actually think we crossed paths on a stage????. Trying to remember but think it was while you were heading up towards Col du Bonhomme. I noticed the fine white beard. Anyway I saw plenty of people in their 80s out and about. My problem is that even though I'm only mid fifties people think I'm much older.????

In reply to mypyrex:

I've been lucky enough to have two 3-week breaks this summer, mostly away from news, other people, and the trappings of "normal" life. Since I got back, 6 weeks ago now, I've found it quite hard to read the News without getting down or angry. There is very little balance of "good" news.

I just need to get out into the wilds again. Even a one nighter makes a massive difference, as does a quiet walk/paddle/ride at dawn or dusk. The sense of wonderment at nature that you refer to in your other post is there in the woods of England, the lochs of Scotland, the valleys of Wales and the bars, I mean hills, of Ireland.

In reply to mypyrex:

I'm doing a politics detox.
I don't care anymore.

Radio 4 is banned

In reply to goatee:


What day? Where would you have been at the time? It was a bit of a pissy day.

In reply to mypyrex:

Well I arrived in Les Houches on Sept 4th so it was either that day or the one before. I was heading towards you

In reply to mypyrex:

Yep, I've had exactly the same feeling after coming back from a week cycling in the Alps.

In reply to goatee:

I crossed the Col du Bonhomme and thence to the Refuge on 31st August having left Les Houches on 30th. So you were going in the opposite direction?

In reply to goatee:

I was in Courmayeur on 3rd

In reply to mypyrex:

Might have been while I was heading the Refugio Elisabetta on Sept 2nd so. Seem to recall you saying you didn't cross col seinge due to snow??

In reply to mypyrex: what's stopping you spending a lot more time in the mountains. There's not much point living a life that annoys you

In reply to goatee:
Seem to recall you saying you didn't cross col seinge due to snow??

Bells ringing. Come to think of it I was actually in Courmayeur on 2nd. I stayed at the Bouton d'Or
I then headed to the Rif Bonatti