The Road goes ever on and on; Down from the door where it began;
Now far ahead the Road has gone; And I must follow, if I can;
Pursuing it with eager feet; Until it joins some larger way;
Where many paths and errands met; And whither then? I cannot say.

[JRR Tolkien, Lord of the Rings]

Monday 8 November 2010

TGO Challenge

Arriving home from work after a monstrously epic day, it was with glee that I spotted the A4 envelope on the doormat with the giveaway post-mark which told me that it was news of our TGO Challenge entry.

Ignoring the fact that it wasn’t addressed to me, I ripped into the envelope and scanned the contents. “I am very sorry to tell you'” were not the words I was hoping for.

Picking myself up from the immediate crush of disappointment, I read on, and found good news in the next paragraph: we are high enough up the stand-by list to mean that we will plan next year’s walking on the basis that we will be taking part in the TGOC.

News of our fate with our Challenge entry was supposed to be the deciding factor as to which of two potential walking plans we went with for next year (being the next Big Walk, or a series of shorter walks, including the TGOC). Perhaps we were just using the Challenge to put off making a final decision as a quick chat with Mick this evening has revealed that we’re not greatly nearer to making that decision, but that the current favourite option is the previous non-contender known as ‘Plan C’.

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5 comments:

  1. That's not good. What number are you on the list Gayle? Challengers have got in last year from surprisingly high numbers on the reserve list.

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  2. I too received similar news, but at No.11 on 'The List' I'm quite confident.

    See you in Scotland!

    John

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  3. Not too bad then, but really unlucky to be on the reserve list for a second time. I await with interest for the unveiling of 'Plan C'!

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  4. Sorry about your TGO - will keep fingers crossed for you.

    Now I've come clean with my plan A for next year I think you should do so with your plan C, assuming it is not the east to west one.

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  5. Martin - It would be really unlucky to be on the reserve list twice, but we're not quite that unlucky. We didn't apply for this year's Challenge, so this is our first time on the 'will people drop out or won't they' list.

    Conrad & Martin - Plan C will be revealed if it remains the favourite. Otherwise, the actual plan will be revealed. We will make a decision some time before March!

    Alan - We're not quite as high up the list as John J, but high enough to be booking accommodation in Montrose and to be planning a route (the start point of which has changed three times so far, which is quite impressive considering that we thought it was definitely decided before the letter dropped through the letterbox).

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