Tugmistress
09-Nov-12, 14:04
There are stories that are best told after they have ended, and this is one of them; the story of three Orgers who have done something that some of us dream idly that it might be nice to do one day. The philosophy of long distance walkers has to be never to count your chickens before they are hatched, because there are so many things that may stop you from achieving your goal.
This is never more true than in the case of those hardy souls who elect to walk from Lands End to John o Groats. It is even truer of those who do it from John o Groats to Land End with the wind and the weather in their faces.
Some of you may have noticed that Bekisman has not been on the Org for quite a while. He has been rather busy- and he is not alone.
Some years ago Bekisman and his wife Mrs Beks, whose Org name is Sorghaghtanibeki cycled from Lands End to John o Groats in 12 days. This was one in a series of things they did which are definitely minority pursuits.
But in Mrs Beks it sparked an ambition that one day she would walk it.
WELL NOW SHE HAS. :)
69 Days ago Mrs Beks set off and after 52 days of walking and 17 rest days she has walked 903.2 miles and yesterday arrived at Lands End.
She has walked through rain and hail, wind and sun and only 16 of those days were ‘dryish’. Traffic, dogs, tiredness, sore feet – all of this and she will forgive me for saying that she is not in the first flush of youth- and this makes it all the more a remarkable achievement.
Bekisman has handled the logistics, the feeding the accommodation, the supplies of all kinds and the navigation; a myriad of tasks en route.
A third Orger, Marwill, volunteered to drive the support car, towing their ‘metal tent’ – an aging and cranky caravan that has now found a final resting home in a Cornish garden. She had never pulled a caravan before but has now done it for 4800 miles of close support driving. That took courage.
There were no brass bands playing at Land End, no cheering crowds, no bunting and no champagne reception – no more than there is at John O Groats, but as Mrs Beks walked into Lands End she may be excused for feeling a modest satisfaction that she has scratched that itch. Or to put it better she has achieved a life time ambition.
We most of us know that feeling when we do something we have always wanted to do, but it is given to few of us to feel it as she must have felt it after such a feat of sheer dogged determination and endurance.
Well done team Beks.
But most of all well done to Mrs Beks – you must be an astonishingly happy woman.
I must add that the daily emails have almost been as good as doing the journey with the brave 3! and that for a lady not in her 20's Mrs Beks is certainly a lady that is amazing!
This is never more true than in the case of those hardy souls who elect to walk from Lands End to John o Groats. It is even truer of those who do it from John o Groats to Land End with the wind and the weather in their faces.
Some of you may have noticed that Bekisman has not been on the Org for quite a while. He has been rather busy- and he is not alone.
Some years ago Bekisman and his wife Mrs Beks, whose Org name is Sorghaghtanibeki cycled from Lands End to John o Groats in 12 days. This was one in a series of things they did which are definitely minority pursuits.
But in Mrs Beks it sparked an ambition that one day she would walk it.
WELL NOW SHE HAS. :)
69 Days ago Mrs Beks set off and after 52 days of walking and 17 rest days she has walked 903.2 miles and yesterday arrived at Lands End.
She has walked through rain and hail, wind and sun and only 16 of those days were ‘dryish’. Traffic, dogs, tiredness, sore feet – all of this and she will forgive me for saying that she is not in the first flush of youth- and this makes it all the more a remarkable achievement.
Bekisman has handled the logistics, the feeding the accommodation, the supplies of all kinds and the navigation; a myriad of tasks en route.
A third Orger, Marwill, volunteered to drive the support car, towing their ‘metal tent’ – an aging and cranky caravan that has now found a final resting home in a Cornish garden. She had never pulled a caravan before but has now done it for 4800 miles of close support driving. That took courage.
There were no brass bands playing at Land End, no cheering crowds, no bunting and no champagne reception – no more than there is at John O Groats, but as Mrs Beks walked into Lands End she may be excused for feeling a modest satisfaction that she has scratched that itch. Or to put it better she has achieved a life time ambition.
We most of us know that feeling when we do something we have always wanted to do, but it is given to few of us to feel it as she must have felt it after such a feat of sheer dogged determination and endurance.
Well done team Beks.
But most of all well done to Mrs Beks – you must be an astonishingly happy woman.
I must add that the daily emails have almost been as good as doing the journey with the brave 3! and that for a lady not in her 20's Mrs Beks is certainly a lady that is amazing!