Needle Hill on Boxing Day

This is a bit warmer, not like 24 Dec, the temp is about 11 deg C on 26 Dec. Nice breeze, no su shine, no sweat, up Needle hill with 35 minutes, down hill 6 minutes.
Shing Mun Snob

Christmas Eve Conquer to Needle Hill

This is another Hiking at temperature of 9-11 Deg Cup Needle Hill, my record was 35 Minutes this time. My best record was 30 minutes in that I had grasped the best I could in 2005. Of course I was not pushing myself up hill as this is the first time I started again Hiking after TW2011.

Shing Mun Needle Hill Snob

Tiang Tang Lung

Tiang Tang Lung means Hang Lattern, where the shape of the hill is looking like a Big Hanging Lattern, not easy to climb up. But you could experience the Magnificient view on top of it.

Tiang Tang Lung Snob

Trail Walker 2011

ASM GoCu?

Snob's Car 1970 VW

Trail Walker Dog, my good friend

Starting Point 0900 18 Nov 2011 4,800 people walking for helpig the poverty in China

Trail Walker IWC Watch 11:00 at stage 1 Water station

Sai Shan at Stage 1 temp 25 deg R.h. 90%

Tai Mo Shan at 1700 19 Nov 2011 Highest Mt. in HK

Finishing Point at 0100 20 Nov 2011

This is my 11th time participation for 100KM under name of Oxfam Trail walker.
But I told myself to act as a Free Walker, to support one team who is their first time to join this event from Germany. Well, they did 39 hours as one of them was hurt. It was too terribly long for him as hisknees were swollen! But I see them that they have great potential to make a record of less then 22 hours next year. Attached some of the captured scenes on the trail.

HK Snob

Challenge 12 Hours 42Km Hiking of Sowers Action

Today is the annual event organized by Sowers Action, a 42KM Hiking starting from Yau Tong to Tai PO. I had joined as Free Walker due to the compressed work schedule. Well, we had sent our 26 team mates to walk in the cheerful Trail.

Yau Tong Snob

Needle Hill with Good Old Friend

Bill came Back HK for Hiking with us to Needle Hill Today.

It has been a nice Hiking after lazy for two weeks for Hiking.

It is an exciting walk as I think the amount of Exercise can

HK Snob

Needle Hill Hiking

After more than one month of REST due to the heat wave... This is the 2nd Day of Mid Autumn Festival. The Climate should be a bit cooler and it ius HK Public Holiday. We walked up Needle Hill as early as 0730.. We have seen a lot of people coming up to the Needle Hill Today. Probably the Oxfam Trail Walker event is just 2 months away. People does need to start Pratice!

Needle Hill Snob PS The 2nd Picture was taken when I was lying resting at the bottom of Needle Hill at the Helicopter field.

How to prepare yourself for 100KM Oxfam Trail Walker event!?

1. May we have some pre-walk experience, to know the way, keep reserve power for the up hills.
2. Set a target of how many hours you want to finish the trail and then mark the finishing time of each of the sessions. You may refer to attached file set-up your target.
3. Carry less as possible, a 30 gram of additional weight will be somewhat like 15Kg loading running along 100KM…
4. Climate should be about 23 deg C RH 75% in Nov 18-20 2011…estimated base on today forecast
5. Use new Running short as it will not create blister and bruise on your thighs
6. Use thick power dry quality soft Socks and keep your feet dry to prevent Blister. carry spare for changes at support points
7. One Blister will slow you down.
8. Don’t wear NEW Shoes or you will get hurt soon after a few stages. Use a pair of good quality hiking or running shoes that have been used at least 50KM as run in. Meindl Ventilator 7000 or new model Stride has super good Quality and are designed for Hiking. (of course this is my personal preference only!)
9. Lighter shoes with good shock absorbance sole is always preferred
10. Bring along with Vaseline or other Athlete grease like 3B put it generously on your frictional points such as, arm pits, inner portion of your thighs when we run to reduce skin irritation and blister or even bleeding.
11. Make sure your back pack is good, used and run in. Waist bag is good for light loading but it will bounce when up hill! Again, this is Personal choice.
12. There are Oxfam support points at each of the stage (total 10 stages) and a superfluous support for food, water, fruit, snacks, sandwiches, noodles, KFC chicken, power gel, cold and hot drinks at major support point at end of Stage 3, 4, 6 and 8 is crucial to the team success.
13. Keep a longer warm up time at early stage 1-2 make sure our body is used to the trail.
14. Stage 3-4, 7 and 8 are the most difficult stages, keep our power for this.
15. Stage 9-10 is mainly down hill and flat. We can finish it if we have completed the stage 1-8 of 78 KM! Yon can change a lighter running shoe for these two stages, dump unnecessary things and free yourself running to the last 22 Km towards to finishing point.
16. Eat whenever you can, drink frequently with small sips before you feel thirsty, light food is good, oily heavy meal is not recommended. Keep sleep enough two week in advance, hide your cigarette in you grandma's house, drink more water on morning of the Trail Walker day.
17. Water will dilute your blood and remove all of the nutrients and electrolytes through sweating, replenish certain Electrolyte drinks like Pocari Sweat or taking salt tablets is a way to reduce muscle cramps. Taking Power bar, power gel would help before up hill especially when body is tired.

18. See you in Finishing Point.

MacLehose Trail Snob

Night Walk along MacLehose Stage 4-8.

Every year, we do arrange some night walk as to get used to the hiking at night, we chose last Friday as our first night walk this year. The weather was quite humid, hot as about 28 Deg C. Luckily we had experienced some breeze at mid to top of Ma On Shan. But I do sweat a lot, my running outfit was old and that created irritation on my thigh. I did not manage to continue after our first support point at mid of stage 5, at the Kwun Yin Temple.
However that was a clear night and visibility was very good that I can see through 20km distance away. Attached the view of South Kowloon and the Hong Kong island taken at Tse Wan Shan.

Tse Wan Shan Snob

Tai Mo Shan Hiking

Today, we started at Tai Mo Shan bottom walked up to top of the Mountain, then down hill to the small hut there are check Point 144. Whilst the rains poured for about 25 minutes, we could not wait and we walked to top of Tai Mo Shan and down hill back to where we started In the morning.It was a nice walk as it was not hot, but the rain might prevent us to run too fast down the hill, we completed this trail of about 13Km in 2 hours.

HK Snob

NeedleHill before the Tempest

Needle Hill is probably the most popular trail for me in the past 15 years, over 50 times up and down this Hill. It was a tropical warning Signal No. 1 yesterday and we had moved up to the top in 38 minutes! Slow... yes... because of the intense heat under the Sun. It was about 31 degrees yesterday in the morning, and once we walked down the hill on the other side, The sky grew darker and darker, we saw volume of leaves blwoing in front of the trail. and then rained not long later.. It was a heavy raning evening last night, and over night till now...

MacLehose Snob

Ngong Ping 360 Trail walking on a Hot Dragon Boat Festival

With numerous walks up the Ngong Ping 360 cable car maintenance trails. Today ‘s one can be one of toughest, as today Weather forecast is 32 degrees early in the morning.
The hottest Dragon Boat Festival day was 2007, recorded a temperature of 32.9 deg C. The next high temp. Was dated back 1980 and then 1961.
Well, I think today Temperature right at top of the Hill was far hotter than 32 Deg C, I did not have my Tissot Touch anymore, or it may shock me displaying a temperature of 34 deg C likely. We took quite some time to walk up the hill to Ngong Ping.
The last section of the trail was blocked for repair and we had to detour to another far more big up-hill trail before we could reach the Great Buddha at Ngong Ping, anyway it was a great hike! And I did use the pair Diamond Zero crane, it helped a lot, the New Meindl Stride proved to be one of the bets shoes I have used. Though it is the maiden Voyage trip for it, It did not feel hard not uncomfortable… The 300 years of Meindl Shoe making experience was nevertheless a respectful data in perfect the shoe.

Ngong Ping Snob

Meindl Stride will beat Icebug Heros!?

This was classified a disaster for my last two pieces of IceBug Heros as they are very expensive.
They are perfect in the wet gripping, good cushioned sole, elegant comfort, But yesterday I found that the inner liners was broken toe portions due to some workmanship. That broken portion folded up and added extra pressure point on my right toe. I could not run down hill and shin was rubbed away, the sweated irritated me and I could walk slowly. I used Heros only THREE time,,, one Needle hill, Wang Lung Hang and Yesterday’s Phoenix.. I think that us unreasonably poor quality, this put me a question mark. Should I use it for this year trail Walker!? No!

I talked to Protrek and they will feed back to Icebug on that. Immediately I bought a old Brand Meindl Stride ref, 3452 78. The Meindl had carried me through to the 100Km of Trail Walker in 2010. I believe they are good shoe. Do not forget that this German Meindl have been shoemakers sine 1683!

Let see how this Meindl Stride would perform!?
NT Snob

Mt. Phoenix Hiking

We had a wonderful Hiking yesterday to Mt. Phoenix, we started at Tung Chung at 0730, and took a cab to Pak Kung Au and walked up the Hill under a teamperature of 27 deg. C. Cloudy... No Sun!!
Someone walked up to the Top within 52 minutes, and I was the last one as I was testing the Diamond Zero cranes. I reached the top in 1 hour 10 minutes.
HK Snob

Wong Lung Hang, Sunset Hill Hiking at Tung Chung

For Long tiime we did not hike at this Wong Lung Hang, Sunset Hill Trail. This was another challenge in May for this trail., we had spent 97 minutes to complete. It was not too tough as the temperature was 25 deg. C. Which was not too hot for the 2nd Saturday in May. This trail has enich my confidence on my new IceBug Shoes on wet trail for his best gripping feature. Also ensure me that the Icebug wears extreme fast. Since last Needle hill, this Wong Lung hang was the 2nd Trail is has gone through, but the rear sole has worn off more than 4 mm! So this shoes is good at gripping and shock absorbent, but wears off fast, I beleive this shoe can walk only for once at the 100KM OxFam Trail Walker Only. Kowloon Snob

Black Diamond Z-pole Series Trekking Poles

This is probably the WORLD's Lightest Tracking pole for Hiking! It comes with a pair of Left and Right pole... with a rapid deployment system that form a pole front three sections… It is Light, strong and shock absorbent made of Carbon fibre material…what a nice design for Hiking! We will test out on next Hiking. Likely it can relieve 30% of stress on my knees during the 100 KM Trail Walker! Price is HKD$950.00 after 20% discount at Protrek! Will test out and tell you how good it would be!?

HK Snob

Foo Yung Shan

After one Needle Hill practice on Saturday, I had pursuit of Foo Yung Shan Hiking yesterday.

I went up late at about 10 a.m. surprisingly to see there were still a lot of people there walking along the trail.
The view is beautiful as it used to be. It was a bit hot in the late morning. I took only one round of up/down hill, as I had not hiking for two weeks, my thighs were stiff and sore.. I could not push so much on my legs!

HK Snob

Needle Hill Hiking

This is the first Hiking afetr two weeks of rest due to limited time available for me in the past two weeks.
Since I worn Icebug Heors., I cpould run down the Needle hill in less than 3 minutes. and About 2 minutes from Gassy Hill top to the Lead mine pass. That was a good result. I will wear this Great Hiking Shoes for Trail Walker this year.

HK Snob

Icebug Heros, Probably the best Hiking Shoes for me

I have tested the new Icebug Heros, I felt that is the best Hiking shoes That I have been tried in the past ten years, Merrel, Montrail, Timberland, Nike, even the last Menidl!
Why, because it I extremely light, flexible and comfort.
The supporting sole material is very sot, I have used it for 9 KM yesterday running up Needle hill, it worn off about 2 mm at the aft of the shoes!

So I think this shoe can last only about 200mm maximum.

With this super light shoe, I Could run down the Needle hill in just less than 3 mins.

That was almost reaching my best record, and I felt having full confidence in doing so.

If you ask me what is the best Hiking shoes, I can rank this as Number One.
Icebug Heros 98 Pints Flexibility 9/10, Comfort 10/10, Durability 7/10 price 7/10.
Meindl Ventilator 7000 96 points Flexibility 8/10, Comfort 9/10, Durability 8/10 Price 6/10.

Montrail Masai 94 Point Flexibility 9/10, Comfort 8/10, Durability 9/10 price 8/10.
If I were asked what is the best Hiking shoe for Trailwalker ignoring the durability and Price I highly Recommend this Heros. buy one more pair for my alternate training. After run in, keep one pair as the Hiking shoes for Trailwalker this year.
HK Snob

The Heros, a new Running shoes from Icebug Sweden

This is a new technology era. A pair of shoes can tell their technology once you put it on your feet, and walk..

This is a new attempt for new Brand name as The Meindle Ventilator 7000 is no longer hs stock at protek Shop. Why not try this Heros designed by Icebug Sweden?
Icebug is an independent Swedish footwear company that started challenging the giant brands in 2001.

The Heros is Soft, light, comfortable shoe with durable upper materials that don’t absorb water. The sole pattern is developed to give good grip on hard as well as on soft surfaces.

Functions well for running on trails and roads. Their mix of running through marshes and on trails and roads during peaceful, long spells that are kind to the body is the kind of workout Heros loves to reward ….

I speculate that its is not as durable as the Meindle Ventilator 7000 as the material of the sole is soft.
Their Technology is BUGrip.
BUGrip® is the name of Icebug’s grip technology. A BUGrip sole is made of a special rubber compound and has 15-16 integrated steel studs (see the attached sketch). The design of the studs together with the properties of the rubber compound give these studs a dynamic function. The studs work independently from each other and are not completely fixed. When weight is applied the studs push in toward the surface of the sole. How far they are pushed in, depends on the pressure exerted by the user and the resistance from the ground.
Keep using it in trail but not indoor as the studs may damage your floor.
Price is HKD$1,140 less 20% if you are VIP member at Protek.
I guess that The shoes can last about 200KM... whereas the Ventilator 7000 had lasted 320KM.

HK Snob

Hiking to Pat Sin Leng (Eight Fairies)

This is Sha Tau Jiao of China at the distant background.

We had a tought work out today as we walked up Kowloong Hang, Sha Lou Tung, Hok Tou, then moved up the Tough Pat Sin Leng, We took 4 hours to complete the trail under a temperature of 28 Deg C.
I did not apply and sun block, now I became a Roasted Pig.. I am applying Aloe Vera Gel sparingly to soothe my burnt skin.
HK Snob