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What got you into Challenging?

Posted: 14 Sep 2011, 21:08
by hopeful traveller
Title says it all.

My Dad took some information off some website during 2005 (Obviously from Tube Relief ("We'll see you all...")) and gave me a hell of a lot of sheets of paper. I was only 7! I did my first All Lines challenge in July 2011 and am currently planning for an All Stations and am hopefully taking along 2 adults (on my mother's orders :shock: ) subject to reluctant "yeah ok".

Re: What got you into Challenging?

Posted: 14 Sep 2011, 21:23
by The Raven
Go luck in the future, hopeful traveler!

I also joined through reading the exploits of one Geoff Marshall. However, due to University etc. I never got round to doing any challenges until zone one 2011. Now I'm hooked!

I'm now planning to my first full network attempt for children in need this November with three other friends. With two of them complete Rookies!

Though im not the fastest or the most knowledgable Tube-challenger their is, I plan to do as many challenges as possible and to have as much fun as possible!

Re: What got you into Challenging?

Posted: 14 Sep 2011, 22:34
by Nigel
I think I was aware of the challenge from having the Guinness Book of Records as a boy in the 1960s. Then I came to live in London in the 1970s and vaguely thought about planning such things. It's only in the last year or so that I've now got the spare time (the most important factor) and also a son whose into tube maps to give me encouragement. I suspect I've left it too late and should have tried when I was young and fit.

Hopeful traveller, if you were 7 in 2005 then you're only three years older than my son. He reckons he's not up to doing a full network yet (he's more sensible than me). But he has done the London Overground and DLR as challenges, and will prpobably do the Zone 1 next year.

Re: What got you into Challenging?

Posted: 15 Sep 2011, 16:17
by Garion
I started when I came across Geoff's third attempt on television. After searching on google and coming across this forum and Geoff's website, my interest in the challenge went from there.

Re: What got you into Challenging?

Posted: 15 Sep 2011, 21:20
by al
Conversely, I'd never heard of Geoff before I found this forum. Damned if I can remember why I searched for it though!

Re: What got you into Challenging?

Posted: 15 Sep 2011, 21:28
by tubeguru
I'd never heard of Geoff until I heard of him.

Re: What got you into Challenging?

Posted: 15 Sep 2011, 21:54
by snudge27
I've never heard of this 'Geoff' chap of whom you speak. Who is he?

Re: What got you into Challenging?

Posted: 20 Sep 2011, 01:47
by dudey
uefacup81 wrote:I've never heard of this 'Geoff' chap of whom you speak. Who is he?
Some bloke who left the forum and vowed never to return ;)

Re: What got you into Challenging?

Posted: 20 Sep 2011, 20:08
by tubeguru
Bye.

Re: What got you into Challenging?

Posted: 20 Sep 2011, 22:05
by dudey
***** wrote:Right, that's it! I'm quitting the forum again ... :-)
See you in a couple of weeks! :lol: ;)

Re: What got you into Challenging?

Posted: 21 Sep 2011, 02:19
by Garion
I predict 18 days, 35 minutes and 43 seconds until your return ;)

Re: What got you into Challenging?

Posted: 13 Nov 2011, 14:50
by Iain
I've lived in London all my life and was fascinated by the tube - not sure why, just found all the connecting tunnels rather cool and rather enjoyed trying to get lined up with things like exits on my regular routes to work etc. A few weeks ago I decided to do all the stations, remembered that a team from my uni had attempted it in a day back in the early 80s (they failed) so doing it in a day seemed rather a good challenge. A few links from google and I found Geoff's blog, turns out he had the same art teacher as me (although some years later). Then I found this forum and struck lucky as the CiN attempt is on next week so I get to attempt the 270 with an expertly planned route and company - bingo!

When I had the idea of doing all the stations it wasn't as a GWR attempt, but now I'm spending a worrying amount of time staring at the tube maps trying to work out sneaky routes to save time. I've always liked puzzles, and have rather fancied holding a GWR for many years, I used to spend hours reading my 1970 edition. Even if it's for building a sugar cube tower or flipping beer mats, it's still a world record. It's certainly not going to be for any "standard" sport. So - who knows, I may end up doing an attempt or 15.

Re: What got you into Challenging?

Posted: 13 Nov 2011, 15:07
by MylesHSG
I guess I missed this thread.

Well I've always been sort of interested in trains, really since childhood and endless hours of Thomas the Tank Engine. Well anyway 2 yars ago My Dad said "I wonder if its possible to visit every tube station in a day?" and I foolishly said "How hard can it be?" Well that attepmt the next month ended with me in Northwick Park Hospital after a disagreement with a Renault Megane by Cannons Park Station. After that life sort of got busy with exams and then work and we never discussed it again untill this Summer when we had plans to do it in August, but then a new job for me scuppered that. But this time we did not interwebbing and I found this place :D.

Re: What got you into Challenging?

Posted: 13 Nov 2011, 16:12
by RichieG
MylesHSG wrote:. . . Well that attepmt the next month ended with me in Northwick Park Hospital after a disagreement with a Renault Megane by Cannons Park Station.
Ah, another Challenger who ended a challenge by a ride in an ambulance :) (including at least one for whom the pressure of the darts was too much if I recall...)