Saturday 27 June 2009

1980s long distance backpacking photos on Rohantime/Flickr



Rohantime has uploaded to Flickr some of my photos from long distance walks in the 1980s on which I wore Rohan clothing. You can see them here. The originals are mostly Kodachrome 64 slides (a film that Kodak has just discontinued). They were scanned for Flickr by Sarah Howcroft. Images include ones from the Continental Divide Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, the Pyrenees and my length of the Canadian Rockies walk.

Photo info: Campsite in Teton National Forest on the Continental Divide Trail. Pentax MX with Tamron 35-70 lens. Kodachrome 64 film. Camera balanced on a rock. Exposure long forgotten!

12 comments:

  1. I feel a little sad revealing this state secret *g*, but I used to scour your books for the piccies you'd taken of yourself, rather than of landscapes, because they conjured up images of what it was really like to get out there and do that stuff, and they made me want to get out there and do it for myself :)

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  2. I used to do the same with the backpacking books I read when I was starting out and the pictures had the same effect. It's because I was inspired by those pictures that I've always taken pictures of my camps and of myself backpacking. I'm pleased to hear that they worked for you!

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  3. Nice shots Chris, the camp are strangely inspiring, sometimes more so that landscapes.

    I see my all time favourite (and current) tent making a quest appearance :-)

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  4. Phreeranger or Phreerunner, Mac E? I wore out both tents eventually. In the 80s they were my favourites. The Phreeranger went the length of the Canadian Rockies and the length of the Yukon Territory.

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  5. Blimey Chris - you were just a lad!

    It's good to see those old slides of you - it maust have brought the memories flooding back!

    (By the way, one of them has been scanned 'back to front' the one with the Canada pillar)

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  6. Aye, Alan, I was young once, believe it or not!

    Seeing these pictures again has brought back memories - and reminded me that it's been too long since I did a really long walk. Time for another one next year I hope.

    I hadn't noticed the flipped picture. Oops!

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  7. Hi Chris,

    Phreeranger, pre 88 with un-taped fly. It's just had a new pole set from Hampton Works and a Hampton Works peg set from Shelby Finland

    Before you ask yes I could have got it all from Hampton works :-)

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  8. Wonderful images, you do look young, not that you look old now, of course. Those packs look massive on your frame. (Says he!) Yep, a great idea to get shots of yourself.

    Are you divulging any plans on the thoughts of a new long "walk"?

    How time flies, Sue says to just look forward, sort of, but I often look back with fondness to past things.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Tony

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  9. Tony, glad you like the pictures. Some of those packs were massive! Heavier gear than now and sometimes 2 weeks food.

    All I can say about the next long walk is that it will almost certainly be in Western North America! That's because I haven't decided yet. I have several ideas.

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  10. I bet we all await with baited breath, we will see how big your pack is this time and if you need 2 weeks of food.
    Good luck, keep us posted!
    Best
    Tony
    PS - trying to use the open URL thing, see how it works, still trying the new wonders of technology, very trying LOL ;-)

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  11. I love the colours in all these pictures, it captures the time period really well. All my childhood pictures have the same beautiful warmth to them.

    Seems as technology bounds along it gets harder to capture really emotive images.

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  12. microphenia, Kodachrome film certainly produced lovely colours. I think digital images can look as good but it does require a little work.

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