What a nice project! Great photos! Well done guys...
What a nice project! Great photos! Well done guys...
I didn't know you had penguins in cape town
Good luck everybody. Have a good one.
It was difficult to tell as he was wearing it on the inside of his wrist, and my wife would have throttled me if I had asked. I think we had more interesting questions for him in any case. He did have a good look to see what model the TakeTime watch was though.
Here are some photographs from the internet of him wearing something more recognisable. Two in fact!
Incidentally, Lousma was CAPCOM during the Apollo 13 mission and was the recipient of the famous "Houston, we've had a problem" message.
Last edited by Mr Curta; 6th August 2018 at 12:51.
I have had the good fortune to enjoy the lunch with an astronaut at NASA. They are truly inspiring people. I would encourage anyone going there to book it as a priority.
Thanks OP
Sent from my Crystal using TZ-UK mobile app
PS. Note the Mach 25 club membership patch.
An extremely small club that...
Sent from my Crystal using TZ-UK mobile app
Just updating the page. I will send a couple of messages to those that have offered to take the watch with apologies for my tardiness.
In the mean time...
Currently, the watch is in South Africa in the capable hands of John, (Sinn Lover). Once back in Blighty, it has a very important role. As some of you may be aware, Matt came into the public's awareness by walking the Great North Run on one leg last year. Coming in a solid last, he was hailed as the winner in the truest sense of the word.
Well time flies and the run is upon us once more. One of Matthew's support team was my cousin Dom. This year he is running in memory of Matthew and shall be wearing the watch during the race.
If you have enjoyed the exploits of our little Seiko so far, and feel so inclined, you can donate to Dom's Just giving page here:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/dom-o-sullivan
His chosen charity is Maggies, a cancer support centre that supported Matthew and his family from diagnosis to his unfortunate passing and beyond.
Even a couple of quid will make the world of difference to the lives of those affected by cancer.
Thank you in advance for your generosity x
photo uploader
The watch has left South Africa and is now about 200km north of Harare in Zim.
Packing up the truck and about to head off in to the bush.
Well The watch is back in the UK and on its way to its next adventure
Over the last 10 days it's been fishing on the Zambezi, found its way in to Zambia by mistake, helped dig 4x4s out of dry river beds and visited some Rhino that are about to be released back in to the wild.
The lume came in handy
Got close to lots of Elephants.
It's a sad state that the elephants cross the river to the islands at night to escape the hunters / poachers
She got a bit to close!
Sorry for the poor pictures, David Bailey I am not.
Just seen these John.
Brilliant! Thank you so much
Great guys, keep posting pictures!
I have the watch now and heading out to the Alps tomorrow to summit Mt Blanc, here a photo with my Mt Blanc pen hopefully will be a photo on the summit soon IMG_3989.JPG
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Glad it arrived safely
Looking forward to the pictures
Following some advice, I've opened an Instagram account. It's called TheTakeTimeProject.
I'll be updating it as soon as I learn what instagram is, and how I use it...
Just worked out, once the watch reaches Mt. Blanc early next week, in Matt's capable hands, it will have traveled around 46 thousand miles. That's one fifth of the way to the moon!
So happy and grateful to all those that have helped so far.
We've still got some time so I'd love to get it over to Australia at some point. The other goal I'd like to achieve is 200mph plus in a car, or maybe the 'ring.
Can anybody help with this?
Ta, Dave
Just got word that the watch has reached the summit of Montblanc! Just need to get Matt to get the piccies up!!
A little bump for this, let's help Dom reach his target. Maggie's Centres are a real haven providing immense support and very worthy indeed.
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/dom-o-sullivan
Hi Guys,
Sorry about the late post I have been mega busy since returning from France.
Here is an update of my travels.
22nd Aug
Received the watch and packed for travels ahead
23rd Aug
Had some business meetings in London so i thought why not take the watch for its 1st little trip with me
25th Aug
Up at 3am heading to Manchester airport to catch a flight over the Geneva then on a coach to Chamonix, this was going to be a long day :(
Once I arrived in Chamonix my hotel had great view of Mont Blanc however most of the mountain was covered by clouds not a great start but we still had a few days before the summit attempt it so hopeful the weather would clear.
26th Aug
Today we would start a 3 days acclimatization trek this would mean we need to get up to higher altitude allowing our bodies to adjust to lower oxygen level and giving us the best chance to summit later in the week.
As i looked out the window this morning Mont Blanc was showing the in lovely sunshine
We drove around to a local ski lift which would allow us a shorter hike up to mountain hut Refuge Albert Premiere (2,706m) this was still a 3 hours trek climbing from 2,000m. The views where stunning as we hike up the mountain
By around midday we reach the hut and well into the glacier, the afternoon was spend refreshing our ice skills on the glacier walking in and around the crevasses
As the night was drawing in the sunset over the mountain was lovely picture
27th Aug
Today would be an early start breakfast at 5am and out onto the glacier by headtouch, by 6am the moon was just setting in the sky and another hour or so and the sun would be up.
Just before 7am the light is raising as the moon is just setting behind the far mountains
Now the real work starts we head up the glacier gaining height with every step, we are faced by 30% headwall so we zip zap up onto a col between two summits both around 3,500m we choice the one on our left which has a nice little rock scramble to the summit
Couple of little shots from the summit at 3,500m
It was great a feeling to summit even thou i knew Mont Blanc had another 1,310m on top of this
The plan was now to drop down alittle and cross over a high pass into Switzerland to our next mountain hut, this should have taken a few hours and would have given us the afternoon rest however not everything goes to plan the in mountains.
We reached the high pass around 10am only to find a large rock fall where the ice and snow should have been :( after 10 minutes of discussing with our guide we decided our best option was to hike further down and around this would mean a lot more trekking and climbing than planned but it would be safer, so off we went all the way back down the mountain :( only to jump in the car and drive around to Switzerland and climb back up. We finally made to the Trient Hut (3,269m) around 8.30pm after 14 hours trekking a welcome bowl of hot tomato soup and lovely dinner.
28th Aug
Due to the longer than planned day yesterday we agreed that today would be a simple rock scramble out the back of the hut onto a little summit around 3,350m with great views of Switzerland and Trient glacier, we could see over the glacier the summit we reach yesterday morning not that far away :(
For some strange reason the hut had some stone statues outside so I thought good photo shot chance :)
Then an easy walk down the glacier and back to the hotel for mid afternoon.
Once back at the hotel it was time to plan for Mont Blanc
The weather had been looking very mixed with a storm looking like to going to hit tomorrow night, followed by a nice weather window on Thursday but it would mean lots of fresh snow and harder work for us, but our plan was to wait for the weather update at 7am tomorrow and formula a plan from that.
29th Aug
So we wake up at 6am after a good nights sleep eager to see the weather forecast and if we are going to be able to make an attempt at the summit or if we need to change our plans. The latest weather is updated at 7am so it a quick breakfast and pack hoping for the best.
Looking outside the clouds have cleared and we can see a great view from our hotel.
The weather is updated and its good news, there is a storm heading in tonight but we should have a windows tomorrow once its cleared, we needed to get a move on as we wanted to get to our hut for this evening before the storm hit.
So with everything packed up we hit the road over to get a ski lift then onto the mountain train
The train is a nice break from trekking but once it stop we have a 3 hours trek uphill to Tête-Rousse Hut (3,167 m) along with a couple of other groups
Around 10 minute away from the hut we needed to cross the bottom of the glacier no point putting crampons on so a slippy 100m on snow and ice, at the very same point the clouds rolled in and it started to rain so we just got our heads down and rushed to the safety of the hut
Most of the afternoon was spent playing cards and drinking tea inside the hut, with no mobile signal we were unable to check weather or do much but every hour or so another group of climbers would enter from the storm completely soaked and i was so glad we made it before the storm.
Outside the hut in the rain was the owners dogs who loved to bark at any birds who flow near the hut, been a dog lover i thought it was only fair to say hello as i was missing my 2 dogs back home
We sat down around 6pm to discuss our options for tomorrows summit attempt and with the storm easing it seemed like we would have a real good chance as the cloud level was lower than us
Our plan was breakfast at 5am set off as soon after, head to the higher Goûter Hut (3,835m) drop any excess baggage off as we would stopping there tomorrow night, up to summit for around 1pm then back to Goûter Hut for the evening. Fingers crossed the weather for hold for us.
30th Aug
SUMMIT DAY!!!!
As planned up at 5am some very strong black coffee and breakfast
Packed up and ready to go just after 6am, into the night we set off by headtouch to cross the grand couloir one of the most dangerous parts of the climb, its a simple gully crossing but there are rocks falling from 500m above which bonce around the gully knocking more rocks falling into the path we need to cross, but as we arrived early and the ground was frozen and everything was calm.
Up a large rock scramble with many of the rocks covered in ice so crampons all way, arriving at the Goûter Hut (3,835m) just before 9am, time to dump any extra gear not needed for the summit.
Off again now we had 4 hours of hard climbing ahead of us, 1st up and over Dome du Gouter once we cleared this we could see the summit ridge line which seems to go on and on
Our guide told us there are steep sections followed by little areas of flat for recovery, we would take it slow and steady but I couldnt help thinking that a very long way and my legs where already starting to turn to Jelly.
We now made it onto the Bosses ridges and I couldnt believe how much more distance we had still got to the cover my legs felt more and more like Jelly and on the steep ground you can only take 4/5 steps before been out of breath and needing to recovery, at this point my mind was racing with mixed feelings of can i complete this or can we just turn around, but thinking about the reasons for this trip and loved ones back home I powered on only to find myself thinking the same thoughts 15 minutes later, it was really difficult and lovely at times i thought about my friends and family I have lost over the passed years looking down from just above me giving me strength to continue and push on. The thought of been able to share the good news of a summit photos was great and wearing Matt's watch gave me one more reason i had to push on for the summit.
Finally around 1pm we could see the last steep section and then it would flatten out on the summit my heart started to race and i was grinning from ear to ear we had made it and so had the watch, WHAT A FEELING!!!! We walked onto the summit to see around 6 other climbers who started their descend, so we were left on the summit just us, I sat down and had a little cry to myself under my sunglasses all the emotions where over and we had done it.
Couple of little videos from the summit below
https://flic.kr/p/2aMfDtp
https://flic.kr/p/2aMfF3r
Now just the hike back down to Goûter Hut only 3 hours but after 15/20 minutes on the summit my legs where strong again and it was an enjoyable climb down, smiling all the way :-)
I was so happy to see the hut around 4pm
That night I slept like a baby knowing the fact we had completed the goal and a nice cold beer was waiting for me back at the hotel.
31st Aug
Hiking down was really enjoyable we had completed the goal and now was the time to look back and reflect on the last week but also start looking forward to my next adventure, only 4 weeks time I would heading to Nepal to climbing in the Himalayas which would be higher and harder. More training is needed :)
Back at the hotel early afternoon and time for a beer
1st Sep
I traveled home today via Geneva airport so needed to get a few photos of the Seiko next to Mont Blanc watches :)
I hope you have enjoyed this story and hopefully it means a greater value to watch in the future, I loved every minute of our travels together
Thanks to Dave and Take Time Project for letting me take the watch on this journey with me
Please follow taketimeproject and myself matthull83 on Instagram
Thanks everyone
Matt
Simply outstanding mate. Can't wait to see the watch on its next adventure.
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Just caught up with this, what an incredible thread! Amazing shots and such a good concept.
Matt, that was a brilliant read. Thank you so much again for being involved and for taking the time in putting that post together.
Wishing Dominic all the best for tomorrows run!
https://www.facebook.com/maggiesnewc...6455241552744/
I love seeing where this watch has been! The community members are certainly well travelled.
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A sneak preview of it's next adventure..
https://www.facebook.com/GlenCoeSkyl...4939702915437/
What a cool idea. Well done OP. Sadly I don’t have anywhere truly exciting to take it yet but when I do I’ll be straight on to you.
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Bags packed. Few hours kip now, then heading off later this eve to do the 550 mile drive up to Glencoe.
Good luck Graham!
The weekend just gone I had the pleasure of taking the Take Time Project Seiko with me up to Kinlochleven where I took part part in the Salomon Ben Nevis Ultra.
I've really enjoyed reading and seeing the adventures and travels the watch has already been on, and although I'd never heard of Matthew before reading Dave's post something about the notion of appreciating what you have struck a chord for me.
The Ben Nevis ultra is the official ultra distance race for this year's World Skyrunning Series which comprised of four different races from Thurs - Sun. The stats for the ultra, with it's run along the CMD arete onto Ben Nevis, were 52km distance and 4,000m height gain over the duration of the course. Being a championship race I was pretty excited there was a properly world-class field taking part, even though I had no chance of being at the very sharp end.
At race registration on Thurs eve there was a lot of speculation about the weather forecast for the following day which was predicting very high winds on the summits and exposed ridges. A contingency lower-level bad weather course is always planned for, but I'd yet to do a race where this was actually invoked, and at the time I went through registration the organisers were still saying the full course would be run. Around 9.30 that eve though there was an urgent message put out saying the forecast had worsened and the bad weather course would now be used. Never a decision taken lightly by the organisers, but I later found out that in the VK (vertical kilometer) race earlier on the Thurs several runners were treated for hypothermia with one runner being lifted off the hill by mountain rescue, so this no doubt informed the decision for the following day's race.
The distance was still very similar (now 49k distance) but the height gain reduced dramatically from 4,000m to just 1,600m, reducing the expected race completion time by several hours (and also missing out all of the 'good' summits).
It might sound a bit sadistic to have wished for more climb but this is where I tend to fare better, and the prospect of a long trail race rather than a proper mountain race really didn't play to my strengths.
Still, we got a lie-in the next morning, starting at 10am rarther than 7am.
The start took us north east from Kinlochleven out into the Mamores, weaving between Binnein Mor and Binnein Beag; then west to the Steall Falls. In the full race we would then have headed off north over several km of rough, trail-less ground towards Carn Mor Dearg; but instead we continued along the tourist trails down the length of the Glen Nevis valley, to the race support point at the Glen Nevis visitor's centre. Here we had the opportunity to re-fill bottles, grab some fruit, a brownie or flapjack, etc.
I was feeling a bit sorry for myself by this point having been overtaken by at least half a dozen people on the long run in. I was cursing the amount of tarmac and hard-packed trail we were unexpectedly having to deal with as the shoes I was racing in are great for gripping on mud and scrambly rock but don't have so much cushioning, and my hips were becoming a bit sore. I'd already decided I wasn't going to hang around at the support point to see if I could re-gain a place or two, and as I was leaving I saw Gary Thompsett the race planner for this race and a lot of the mountain marathons I do. I must have had a bit of a grumble when he asked me how it was going, because he told me to stop being a baby and just get on with it, or words to that effect!
Suitably scolded I took a couple of ibuprofen and continued on, climbing south up the opposite side of the Glen Nevis valley and into the Nevis forest. I had about 20km left to go at this point, so just got my head down and ran-walked it until the ground levelled off and we broke from the forest, then continued plodding along the West Highland Way. I was moving a bit better again by this point and overtook a few broken-looking runners who'd slowed down to a trot.
I finally made it back into Kinlockleven in a time of 6hrs 15mins (the winner ran sub-4hrs!!).
So not quite as epic an adventure as I'd hoped to take the watch on, but an adventure non the less; and I can't wait to see where it ends up next.
Graham
A few pics:
10 minutes to go:
Around 1hr 30mins into the race skirting round Binnein Beig, dropping down to the first checkpoint.
Last edited by gcleminson; 19th September 2018 at 19:37. Reason: no more knees!
Fantastic work Graham!
Awesome!
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Absolutely brilliant Graham, and an excellent write up. I’m very impressed.
Firstly, how the heck did I miss this superb thread for so long?
What an amazing cause.
Dave, if I can be of help it would be honoured to play my part.
We are visiting Australia - Brisbane, Gold Coast & Noosa in November for three weeks, with a very brief stop over at Hong Kong airport.
Let me know if this fits in with you itinerary?
Tony
I now remember why I once frequented this site daily... Thank you!
I´d be honored to wear her for a while. My life is not that flashy but I could:
- use her while building a house atop an extensive ridge system left by the ice age in Southern Finland.
- while mountain biking and hiking
- while visiting the Pacific US to do some weird "Martial Art BS" and while visiting my father in sunny Spain
Mount Olympus 6105ft , more pictures to come when we get home...