Adventure Bike Rider

Wilso122 wrote:


Not wishing to hit any nerves here Wiso122, just looking to clear up a point or two.

Hiking to Everest Base Camp (on the Nepalese side) is no more technical than hiking to the top of Scafell Pike. If you can put one foot in front of the other the only thing to stop anyone reaching Base Camp are physiological problems with the number one being your body takes longer than average to adjust to altitude.

This in no way belittles the efforts trekkers put in to reach EBC but it's a shorter walk from EBC (5364m) to Gorakshep (5164m) where you can buy a pizza than from the top of Scafell Pike to the Wasdale Head pub, where I also think you can also buy a pizza.

Bonington spent most of his time on more technical mountains in the greater Himalaya/Alps/South America rather than Everest, here's a list of his most prominent climbs. He only climbed Everest once, in 1985 at the age of 50.

1st ascent Annapurna II (26,041 ft) 1960
1st ascent Nuptse (25,850 ft) 1961
1st ascent Central Pillar of Freney 1961
1st ascent Central Tower of Paine (8760 ft), Patagonia 1963
1st ascent Old Man of Hoy 1966
Leader of successful Annapurna South Face Expedition 1970
1st ascent Brammah (21,030 ft) 1973
1st ascent Changabang (22,520 ft) 1974
Leader of successful Everest South West Face Expedition 1975
1st ascent, the Ogre (23,900 ft)1977
1st ascent Mount Kongur, Western Xinjiang, China (25,325 ft) 1981
1st ascent Shivling West (21,250 ft) 1983
1st ascent West Ridge, Panch Chuli II, Kumaon Himalaya, India, 1992
1st ascent The Needle, Greenland 1993
1st ascent Rangrik Rang (21,499 ft), in the Kinnaur Himalaya, India 1994
1st ascent Drangnag Ri (22,312 ft) in the Rolwaling Himal, Nepal 1995
1996 Reconnaissance Expedition to Sepu Kangri (6956m) in Tibet
Leader of 1997 British Expedition to make the first attempt on Sepu Kangri
Leader of 1998 British Expedition to Sepu Kangri
1st ascent Danga (24,776 ft) in Nepal in 2000


Not all climbs are escorted by Sherpas but for all climbers going over 6000m it is mandatory (or it was when I was spending my time climbing in the Nepalese Himalaya) that you have a 'Climbing Sherpa' assigned to the expedition. The 'Climbing Sherpa' is not there to be a pack horse but is a legal requirement and his function is to lead, if need be, and advise on the climb. If you need additional Sherpas to carry equipment then you can, as the commercial trips do, hire them.

Apologies for being pedantic, but I used to spend a fair bit of my former life up in those big hills.

I appreciate that people are allowed an opinion, we have all seen what happens when opinions have been 'enforced'. I get it Bear is like marmite... But i'm sorry your post 'implied' that it was a lesser role entry requirement merely due to the term TA where as in fact that is really nonsense.



To my point exactly mate, final selection (the weekend of) is exactly the same as a regs entry JUST the training before / after is different.

Given the very nature of the unit where on earth would anyone believe the nature of deployment as per those sites is in anywhere near the truth! So seeing as this is in the public domain.





Seriously mate you make it sound like its purely escort duty and looking through a field lens!

Alun wrote:


Alun, horizon expeditions unlimited??? Alun?? you used to work with / know Bonny Masson and John Eames? have I got the right one? Respect to you then. But equally you know that and stated some people simply can't adjust to the altitude due to illness, physical problems or mentally I'm not talking technical climb here. And you know the speech I mean where Sir B referred to Everest as a tourists playground and from there everyone jumped on the band wagon stating that everest wasn't hard enough etc etc. It may well be a walk but its a bloomin tough one and the one where I found out I had a heart murmur despite having been passed as fit and after soloing Izta 3 months prior (admittedly its only 5-2), having walked up from ameca, and yes there also you can get a fry up on the weekends at 4-2.. So my point is why are people having a go at a guy who summited everest, it just doesn't make sense. Some people, myself included don't make base camp!


What gets me is so many people seem to want to belittle the guy, he is a top bloke, a real good laugh, so what his show is a little zany what would people rather X factor?

i can see a theme for an ABR rally coming on!

ABR "youre gonna die 1st" rally
you lot, ullapool, january,
you get an army jumper with elbow patches,
pink legwarmers,
inflatable snake (for effect),
survival tin containing-
condoms (pool your recourses, its one way to keep warm)
teaspoon and grinding stone (to fashion your own design of bushcraft tool)
carole nash carrier bag (upmarket kit, thicker than cheap chinese tesco or sainsbury bivvi bags)
a jamjar of belly button fluff to make string with,

and we see who does the best from thursday-sunday

+1 for Bruce Perry

Anyone that can get the BBC to pay for you to go and get stoned in loads of different villages with strange drugs deserves all he gets.

I cry when I remember one series where the local STYLE was to push you penis inside yourself he didn't understand what the guy was saying so the guy decided to show him using Bruce own tackel. The guy nearly fainted, and threw up.

davsato wrote:


brilliant dont forget the mankini's




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Only bothered to watch one Bear Grylls prog, he was stranded in a ravine and had to climb out so he went up a waterfall yea great idea, stranded in a ravine so I will get out of it the most dangerous way possible
If you want to show off fair enough but don`t say the best way to safety is to climb a bloody waterfall

Ray Mears if you want to learn how to survive, Bruce Parry to fight off Bears

In a word NO!!
Hes a total tit can not stand the bloke

Wilso122 wrote:


I know of Bonny and John through their work with Jagged Globe but I'm not the Alun you're thinking of. I started the magazine Adventure Travel 18 years ago, which meant I was in the fortunate position of being able to spend time travelling and climbing and call it work.

davsato wrote:




Thanks for that Dave, I'm sure LWR will be making a time slot in the Ullapool schedule as I type

Let's be honest here, I for one would drink P*ss and eat my own Sh*t for the money he is on.
I'm no fitness fanatic but have roamed a few hill's,didn't Brian Blessed climb Everest?

He is a joke who only trained with the SAS T.A.
My survival instructor would eat him for brecky.

Ray Mears for me every time and Lofty Weisman is GOD


BIG BILL

BIG BILL wrote:


errr.... nope, youre on your own there mate. if my life depended on it yes.....

davsato wrote:


Ex Army mate you'd do owt for Money, I have eaten worse.

BIG BILL

claw wrote:


Yep, it would be the big fat boy scout I followed to get me out of trouble every time!

That bear twat is an irritating fraud - it's like watching Indiana Jones, entertaining but all staged bollox!

Come on!!!!

Give the guy a break, If it was that easy we would all be doing it!

Ok so it's entertainment , but surley that's the point...I think ray mears is great but it can be a bit dry and no chance of watching him with the Mrs. From what i see Bear has carved out a niche and worked hard to earn some cash.

On another note my 2 boys think he is cool & anyone who helps me get them outdoors, wanting to camp and cook on fires is ok in my book. It's better than them sitting on the x-box like their mates.

IMHO it's a bit like Ewan and thingy, good tv that you can see through if you have a bit of knowledge but if it inspires others what's wrong with that!

Just my opinion.

Colts