The new lens has arrived from Onestop Digital, and all seems well. No p&p, duty or VAT (they say that they'll refund any charges if/when I get any).
I've just registered the warranty on the Nikon website, so what should I do next?
Carry on with the DIY?
Tidy the garden?
Clean the car?
Clean the windows?
Help the neighbour with his DIY?
Test the lens?
Hmmm... a tough choice...
NOT!
Here are a couple of test shots, just for me to see what they look like:
@300mm
@70mm
Yesterday we decided that today we would all have a day out at Rutland Water, so we made preparations and a picnic lunch, had an early night, then got up and out in good time (for a change).
100 yards down the road...
Chris: "Do you know the way?"
Me: "Yes. A5, then Lutterworth, then Market Harborough, then Corby, then Oakham. Simple."
Chris: "We'll need an atlas."
Me: "No we won't."
Chris: "Yes we will."
Me: "Please, just let me do the driving!"
So off we went. A5, then Lutterworth, then Market Harborough. Then, in Corby, distracted by the kids shouting in the back of the car, I took the wrong exit at a roundabout. I knew straight away that I'd taken the wrong turn-off, and said so.
Chris: "I told you that we would need an atlas! See, You're lost!"
Me: "No, I'll just turn around and take the correct exit next time."
Turns around. Goes back to roundabout. Takes the correct exit (back on the route).
Chris: "Find a garage."
Me: "Why?"
Chris: "So we can buy an atlas. I don't know where we are."
Me: "I know where we are, we're not lost."
Chris: "I don't care, find a garage."
Me: "OK."
Finds garage. Co-pilot goes in. Comes back out with an atlas.
Chris: "There. Now we can find our way there."
Me: "I know where we are. WE ARE NOT LOST."
Chris: "OK, show me just where we are on the map."
Me: "We are here, (points to junction on map), exactly on the right route."
Chris: "Oh."
Silence...
Me: "And how much money did you waste on that atlas?"
Chris: "Erm... £11.99."
Me: "You're joking! £11.99 for an atlas that we don't need!"
Chris: "I'll keep it in my car."
Me: "Good. Now just let me drive."
Twenty minutes or so later, we were in Oakham... not lost... not late... just £11.99 poorer than when we started. Anyway, a good time was had by all. Here, have a few pics:
The Jetboil PCS. Either you're a fan or you're not. I'm not about to try to sway your preference for stoves, this is just a bit of info about stability and the like, as I've experienced it.
The standard setup is fairly stable with a bigger gas canister (e.g. a Coleman 250), but not so much with a smaller one (e.g. a Coleman 100). Never mind, things can always be improved.
Jetboil make a set of legs that fit into the system and pack away neatly, but Vaude/Markill market legs which fit on a Coleman 100 a bit better, IMO:
Vaude/Markill legs folded (above), unfolded (below)
OK, now it's a lot more stable with the legs attached. But let's not stop there. How about the widget on the right in the piccy below? It's a blowtorch canister stand:
It fits onto a blowtorch canister and it can be pegged to the ground for great stability, as shown below:
It can be held down and supported by small rocks (above) or you can ditch the widget and dig a small pit for the canister as shown below:
You've just got to be careful that you don't clout the top bit too forcefully, as there's a slight risk that the setup will part company at the weak-spot (where the canister is screwed in). You have been warned!
Anyway, back to the Coleman 100 canisters. One of them can be stored in the Jetboil mug, beneath the burner unit. But what about when there's two of you and you need more gas? Well, two more will fit snugly upside-down in an Alpkit Mytimug:
Conveniently, the Jetboil and the gas-filled mug stack rather neatly into a drawstring bag that used to hold an Outwell pillow. There's room at the sides for a couple of long-handled spoons (or similar), the folding feet and a few bags of dehydrated food. Neat and versatile, I reckon, and just for good measure, this package fits perfectly into the external crampon pocket on my Lowe Alpine pack (the Alpine Attack 40), where it's handy to get at for a quick brew without the hassle of having to dig it out of the main compartment of the pack.
All that, and I didn't even rave about how good the stove is. I must be slipping in my old age 🙂
LATE EDIT:
Mike "The Doctor" Bell has come up with a lightweight, cheap and simple method of using pans on the Jetboil.
At last, the long wait is over. My GoLite Tarp2 has arrived. There's a bit of a boring story behind this, but what the hell, I'll tell you anyway, you don't have to read it!
Back in November of 2006 , James at OneOutdoors was having a sale. Tarp2s were going cheap but try as I might, the website wouldn't let me order one, then the site showed zero stock as they all sold out, so I thought I was going to miss out on a bargain. Undeterred, I emailed James, telling him of my plight, and he kindly set up a special order for me so that I could reserve a Tarp2 at the discounted price.
Well, things didn't go according to plan for James. He had ongoing problems getting tarps from his source. Much to his credit, James kept me informed at every turn in the proceedings, and gave me options to either cancel or wait on several occasions. You just can't fault that for good customer service, can you?
Anyway, I got an email from James on Friday last week, telling me that he had received some tarps, yesterday he emailed that one had been dispatched, and the tarp arrived this morning, so I'm a happy bunny, it was worth the long wait.
So, top marks for James (and Nicky, who put a sweet message on the invoice), who achieved triumph in the face of adversity.
BTW, you might like to know that there's a clearance sale of GoLite kit at OneOutdoors right now.
First up is a shot of the UKOBs at the N.E.C..
Just an ordinary piccy at first glance, but after a beer or two, there is more to be seen...
Why is Dave M wearing a placard on his head?
John H seems to have had George G's head grafted onto his shoulder in a similar manner to Zaphod Beeblebrox...
Darren C appears to be sporting a crest and a wattle like some sort of Cassowary / human hybrid...
Is the woman on the right the elusive "Big Agnes"?
And then there's this hairy old git, snapped by my daughter during our most recent trip to the Lake District. I would avoid him at all costs, he looks a bit dodgy:
