TGO Challenge 2007 : day 5

In realtime the Challenge is in it's third day now for most people. Their start was on Friday the Thirteenth and sofar the weather hasn't been too well.
It's a sort of tradition that the first days can be wet with a fresh dusting of snow on the summits. Every day I check the weather on buienradar and see a lot of showers moving quickly across Scotland.
Although the weather looks rough there can be a huge difference locally as you can read in Phreerunner's report of day 1. During my Challenge in 2007 the first day started warm with hail and snowshowers to be followed by 12 days of sunshine or clouds but hardly any rain. I'm sure this years Challengers will get sunburned somewhere along their way to the eastcoast.

For those staying at home this year I've completed my coverage of day 5 of my 2007 Challenge : from Melgarve Bothy to the Monadhliath Hotel near Laggan.

April weather statistics

Temperature
April has been extremely warm, very sunny and very dry in Holland.
With an average temperature of 13,1 dgs C. April 2011, together with April 2007, is the warmest April since meteorological observations started back in 1706. The longterm average is 9,6 C..
Total of warm days (20+ C.) is 13 and the highest recorded temperature is 27,9.

Rainfall
The average rainfall was 10mm (normally 44mm) and some areas have even less than 5mm of H2O.
March was very dry also so there's now a shortage of rainfall of 100mm.

Sunshine
The sun delivered 258 hours of sunshine, normally we have 178 hours. April 2007 still holds the record with a staggering 284 hours of sunshine.

In Holland we have a saying "April doet wat-ie wil" which best translates with "April does as April likes" meaning that April can have all seasons. This month we've seen only two seasons, spring and summer. I'm afraid it will be a crap summer (june till august) this year.  

TGO Challenge 2007 : day 4

Part 4 of my TGO Challenge 2007 movie is now published. It has taken a while but life is very busy, and if I may say so, very hectic at the moment.
We had some rain last night, the first in many weeks. The 2011 Challenge starts in a fortnight and I'm in perfect condition having covered 135km on foot in the last 6 days.
It's a pity I won't be doing the Challenge this year. Enjoy the movie !

Green leaves, for how long ?

This picture was taken just 6 days ago in our local neck of the woods. Spring really got moving on but at the moment large parts of woods and heather in Holland have a Code Red. It means that fire is a severe threat and open fire, bbq's etc. are strictly forbidden.

We haven't had any serious rain for at least 4 weeks now and every day we're having fires in forest, dunes, heather and moors. The lush spring green will soon darken to summer green. Too soon, too fast. 

TGO Challenge 2007 : day 3

Part 3 : from Glen Loyne to (South) Laggan Youth Hostel in the Great Glen.

TGO Challenge 2007 : day 2

Part two of 'TGO Challenge 2007 : the movie'.

TGO Challenge day 1 : the movie

Yes, the movie ! How's that possible, Theo ? You only had a simple 3,2Mb point and shoot camera with you !? That's correct but not so long ago I bought a simple point & shoot videocamera and made a flythrough from my TGO Challenge route in 2007 with the Anquet software and recorded that with my videocamera. Mixed with my Challenge 2007 pictures and by adding some music I hope the result will make good entertainment. Being a Challenge firsttimer in 2007 this is also a first time for me making a short movie.Especially adding music is totally new for me. Any tips, advise and encouragements are welcome ! 

This is day 1, the other days will follow in the near future but they'll take some time to edit.

SO WATCH  

THIS

SPACE!