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Monday, February 20, 2012

Don't look a vet's gift horse in the mouth.

We decided that the sheltered lower reaches of the River Stinchar would make an ideal spot to partake of our first luncheon. My knees were killing me so I craftily let the others land first, so that there would be plenty of hands to assist me ashore.

The previous evening, or rather earlier that morning, at 3am to be precise, David had won a case of some beer stuff called Budweiser. Though I have some familiarity with the Czech Budweiser, a premium lager which comes in large bottles, this was something new. It was brewed by an upstart American company and served in rather small bottles. We are well used to screw caps, ring pulls and cork stoppers but the security cap on the top of these bottles had us foxed. The difficulty removing it seemed to be in inverse proportion to the strength of the liquid contained therein.

David disappeared down to the kayaks to look for a device called a bottle opener (muttering a veterinary expression under his breath.... something about gift horses). He came back empty handed, with his hang dog, thirsty expression. Things might have got desperate...

...but I managed to find an old fence post with a metal staple. Rested in the crook of an old branch it made a very passable bottle opener...

...et voila... opened bottles for...

...thirsty paddlers.

Jim asked "What's the difference between a sea kayak and a bottle of American Budweiser?....Well, a sea kayak floats on water...Budweiser tas...."

Fortunately we had also brought some 10 year old Jura and a very passable 15 year old Dalwhinnie  to properly toast first luncheon. David now looked a good deal happier.

6 comments:

  1. Mmmmm...!!! What a nice hydration system :)
    Here in Brazil we're paddling in 35 degrees Celsius, we need much larger bottles!!!
    Thanks for sharing theese happy moments!

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  2. I live in the land of the "water beer", pray for us!!

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  3. Where is a will there is a way. ingenious problem solving Douglas.

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  4. Thank you Leonardo! Actually it was quite warm that day...5C!

    Anon, I am truly sorry, we will not just pray for you we will toast you with some malt! Actually I was just teasing, the Budweiser slipped down a treat!

    Thank you Alan, good luck and fair weather on your round Scotland trip :o)

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  5. Good trip - it sounds. I can send a training video on "how to open two beers, one by the other" - no other tool needed. The training takes quite some bottles, so best trained outside the tent, until you pass the test.
    Thanks for the interesting site.
    Jens Lauritsen, Denmark.
    ps. I assume you still have the electrical pump fitted - and with no fuse ? Someone questioned whether self ignition could be a problem with shortcuts, that would be prohibited possibly with a fuse.

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    Replies
    1. Greetings Jen, I know the technique you suggest but it usually leaves one bottle unopened!

      Yes I am still running with no fuse, obviously I disconnect the battery when I am not using the kayak. I have not suffered a short circuit...yet!

      :o)

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