Duke of Edinburgh Award

[Y]

Sorry, off topic, but that made me laugh, SB. My DS, very tall, very skinny, and with no muscles, recently struggled with some heavy lifting helping when clearing up at the end a concert. He complained that the one boy in his group who spends all his time practising lifting things just for the sake of it, when given the opportunity to lift things usefully, had failed to rise to the challenge.

[southbucks3]

Sorry, off topic, but that made me laugh, SB. My DS, very tall, very skinny, and with no muscles, recently struggled with some heavy lifting helping when clearing up at the end a concert. He complained that the one boy in his group who spends all his time practising lifting things just for the sake of it, when given the opportunity to lift things usefully, had failed to rise to the challenge.

I can empathise totally, dh once put his back out bench pressing in the same week we were clearing a property....I declared divorce, "lifting things is what you do, now you are without use." He was not amused.

[silverysea]

I think most thought that went into the expedition by our crew was about what to eat, how to accommodate my strict vegetarian dd (same as ever, she is always hungry and gets to eat a monotonous diet when out) but sadly a bit short on the logistics of shopping transport (town is a bit hopeless for non- drivers), where to buy having selected stuff only camping shops sell (town lacks those too) and how to get it packed.

She was such a zombie at the end, I wonder if she even remembers it!

[southbucks3]

I think most thought that went into the expedition by our crew was about what to eat, how to accommodate my strict vegetarian dd (same as ever, she is always hungry and gets to eat a monotonous diet when out) but sadly a bit short on the logistics of shopping transport (town is a bit hopeless for non- drivers), where to buy having selected stuff only camping shops sell (town lacks those too) and how to get it packed.

She was such a zombie at the end, I wonder if she even remembers it!

I think part of growing up/ independence is realising that as a vegetarian, no matter what the plan, you must stuff your own extra food in your own bag as well. I'm sure she will do so next time.

Camping food is so over rated, my bruv always insisted on packing camping vacuum packed food, I have never touched the stuff, but walked on many, many, long distance walking trips. The sheer pleasure of eating/drinking your pack lighter is great, particularly when it's stuffed full of uht or soya chocolate milk shakes and flapjack.

[Reading Mum]

We saw what we took to be a DofE group earlier today. Presumably local, at least '-ish', although they didn't look entirely confident as to where they were heading (if they were meant to be in the Chilterns, they were definitely lost ).

They could have been my DD's. They did get lost. And the 'slow one' in DD's group managed to walk through a bog, that everyone else ran through, and lost both boots!! That led to a rescue mission involve use of the survival bag to spread the weight whilst said boots were retrieved. They did ask for help from a local who gave them completely rubbish info so they retraced to the last known location and tried again. They were very late to the campsite but coped.
They had agreed that DD and partner would do dinner and others would do lunch next day - until Thursday night when the others revealed that their Mum's were only providing food for their own. A quick trip to shops for pittas and tuna averted disaster.

[Stroller]

Bumping this great thread, which has entertained and scared me in equal measure.

Almost everyone in Y9 at TGS is getting ready for the bronze D of E expedition. This is the last weekend for procurement and preparations. There are random discussions about gaitors, trowels and checklists, interspersed with requests to purchase specific food for the masses, in the expectation of pre-agreed reciprocity. Will the 10-14km fully-laden hike happen in baking heat, driving rain or pure misery? Time will tell.

It’s quite exciting to observe. Not cheap though. Although we have some camping experience as a family, the weed has grown out of everything, necessitating the purchase of a mini-wardrobe of hiking gear, waterproof clothes and new hiking boots. She has even outgrown her previous sleeping bag. And mat. Seriously. On that basis, the highly adjustable rucksack seems like a wise investment. Turns out that loads of the outdoor equipment retailers are available through easyfundraising btw, so at least the school will derive some benefit from our spending.

[Reading Mum]

you should be getting 15% off at a lot of them as a DofE person too.

DD is hoping to do gold next year. Silver was interesting as their expedition on the Isle of Man was at the same time as all those Cadets in Northern Ireland had to be rescued from a similar trip, some with hyperthermia! The other group on her trip had to be escorted off the TT route by the police as they had got lost in the fog (no pavements and no speed limit on this road)

[Stroller]

Yes, we ordered carefully and availed of the discounts, but the 85% still adds up.

The Isle of Man experience sounds fun - at least she lived to tell the tale.

Are overpriced camping food packets necessary? Or will porridge sachets and add-water-type “regular” evening foods be okay? We’ve increased tomorrow’s grocery order to include odds and sods we wouldn’t usually buy. Not quite pot noodles, but various packets based on couscous and the like. We spotted a few with reasonable protein content and ordered multiples so DD can taste a few at home before deciding which ones to rely on next weekend. Balancing the packet-weight-and-bulkiness versus nutrients is not clear cut when ordering online. Tips welcome.

[Reading Mum]

Certainly no need for dehydrated camping food. DD’s leader was determined that they were going to cook some proper food and also minimise waste so tuna sachets instead of cans, that sort of thing. DD took a couple of the flavoured insta porridge pots but I opened each one and chucked in a handful of raisins and some cinnamon to liven them up. Trail mix was popular as was biltong for a group snack. Pasta/flavoured couscous for bulk with carton of passata. Mattesons make long life slicing sausage which doesn’t need to be chilled (tried to ignore what might be in it to achieve that!). Broccoli, onions and carrots travelled ok. Individual Cartons of juice, snappots of baked beans.
It depends on whether it is big group cooking to share out or each tent doing their own thing.

[Stroller]

Certainly no need for dehydrated camping food.

Phew!

DD’s leader was determined that they were going to cook some proper food and also minimise waste so tuna sachets instead of cans, that sort of thing.

That’s how I feel too, but there’s an external ‘tour operator’ involved and apart from being told to avoid tins, I sense that packaged-expedition-food is being encouraged more than proper cookery. Maybe that will change for later levels, when the girls are older and the overall group is a bit smaller (as some abandon DofE).

DD took a couple of the flavoured insta porridge pots but I opened each one and chucked in a handful of raisins and some cinnamon to liven them up. Trail mix was popular as was biltong for a group snack. Pasta/flavoured couscous for bulk with carton of passata. Mattesons make long life slicing sausage which doesn’t need to be chilled (tried to ignore what might be in it to achieve that!). Broccoli, onions and carrots travelled ok. Individual Cartons of juice, snappots of baked beans.

Good ideas, thank you. The group has been working out what to eat and who brings what. I haven’t heard a mention of vegetables yet.

It depends on whether it is big group cooking to share out or each tent doing their own thing.

They’re split into groups of six or seven and likely to have two tents per group. Tents are provided by the external company, so we haven’t been asked to figure out that part. Food seems to be being sorted out at the level of the six or seven. Mass catering, even at the class level, could have been fun: everyone taking turns at chopping furiously, stirring and dolloping out the portions.

One kit list itemised a trowel, the other didn’t. Some musing about whether it was a typo. It definitely wasn’t. Are they likely to feature for bronze?