@@shuaglenn6802 as for trekking season, I believe this attempt began literally three days after Tom's most recent attempt. So Tom would be on day 3-4 of his attempt when this was filmed haha
@@Innuya but Tom also admitted that he kind of rushed his attenpt due to Marcus attempting it (he wants to be the first). Otherwise he would have waited for the winter, to avoid the worst vegetation. I definitely agree that this video is more realistic for most people watching. It's easy to forget that Tom has been doing this kind of stuff pretty much all of his life. It's a lot tougher than it looks from Tom's videos.
Great seeing this from the perspective of someone less experienced. Really shows how much of a beast the straight line mission truly is. Awesome video regardless, you're a charming fellow!
Yeah the thing is, without a point of comparison I thought GeoWizard was like just a geography TH-camr, at least on his first attempt, and he got close a few times to completing it. This puts it into perspective.
So this is the legendary Marcus that inspired Tom's third run! It's great to see your perspective on a journey like this. Your struggle here really goes to show the level of difficulty a trip like this really is and how even the smallest of mistakes can throw the entire trip on its head.
Mate, the most important part is you went out there and gave it a crack. What i love about this challenge is that it's been really apparent by now that it's NOT easy, achieveable, but not easy. I've been wanting to do this myself (crossing Sweden) but i realize I'd have to do some serious planning and making sure i have the right gear.
Thanks for watching man! Yes, exactly that. In many ways it's the perfect challenge, because it stretches your imagination and seems tantalisingly doable. But in fact there is much that can go wrong, so it's almost a blend of fantasy and reality.
I am planning on starting easy by crossing my home municapility. It is a 1 day trip so it's a good start to get used to straight line missioning. Im still far far away from crossing Finland, which is even optimistically about 200km.
@@Moolers yeah southern Skåne for sure. I'ts hands down the easiest and shortest part of Sweden to cross. "Only" like 70 km from coast to coast in the most narrow part and flat almost everywhere.
Things to consider from someone who has been in the Army for 7 years now: - Plan ahead. Recce your route beforehand and make note of key locations. - Consider using stash units. Not only will this reduce your burden, but it will get you familiar with your line as you need to place them beforehand. They will also be good indications you're still on the line, i.e. no stash unit, not on the line. - Pack multiple pairs of socks that are pre talc'd. For stuff like this looking after your feet is so vital. - Consider getting a pair of goretex boots. They are waterproof. However, a boot is only waterproof if the water doesn't go higher than the boot. The caveat with goretex boots is that once they are wet inside they are very hard to dry. You can use gators to mitigate this. - In regards to food, a plastic bag with things like pot noodles, etc shoved in is not ideal. If you want noodles, consider noodles that come in more convenient shapes that are more rectangular. They pack better and smaller, plus won't explode. Additionally, consider things like nuts, raisins, dried fruit, etc rather than just pure sugar such as Mars bars (though I'm assuming here, as this is the only reference you made to snacks in the video). Mars bars and sweets are good for quick energy but in the long term not ideal. Still pack some though! - Waterproof everything in your bag. Consider getting canoe sacks. - Physical fitness! You might be an amazing runner, cyclist, etc, but walking with a load on your back is a very different ball game. Get used to walking around with one and it'll make everything so much easier. - Have alternatives to your GPS. Granted, there isn't much else that will keep you on the line, but a simple compass and a bearing will ensure you're on the right path at least! If you've got any more questions I'll be happy to answer them, but good effort mate and hope you get it next time!
Thanks for your advice mate. Will definitely be re-reading this if I ever attempt another mission. My aim was to jump in the deep end and see what happened. I guess I got my just desserts! I had a few time contraints though as I am a teacher, so in the end just didn't have time to arrange any food stashes.
@@ghotio1927 Thats a really good point. Wearing Camo is something Geowizard stands by. Basically the concept is if he is spotted by a farmer they would most likely think he is a squaddie on a training exercise and not bother him. Geowizard's gear actually looks quite convincing. I get the feeling that the more knock off your gear looks the less you look like a soldier the more you look like a sheep rustler and that could end up in a whole heap of problems.
Agree with packing everything in dry-bags. Helps with organization as well. Agree with multiple socks (even if your feet stay dry all day, they'll get sweaty and you'll want to take time to let your feet air out and check over blisters, apply more tape, etc.) Food - water in thin plastic bottles rather than in some chic aluminum thing (extra weight), granola bars, crisps (lightweight), apples, nothing chocolate, sticky, gooey, sugary, or you inevitably have an accident in your bag and end up with ants if you put it down I had a paper map as well as my route logged into my GPS watch - also GPS sucks in tall dark forests and heavy overcast conditions My "blister kit" was a lifesaver not only for myself, but a few other hikers I'd met along the way who were in really bad shape. I needed it less and less towards the end of my 300 miles as my feet had finally toughened up, so when I'd check into a hotel and heard other hikers who'd just started out asking the front desk for blister relief, I made a few new friends because I could oblige, lol. A roll of dog-poo bags for trash, packing out your own stuff should you have an emergency, liners for boots when it's wet, etc.
This video is such essential viewing after watching the Geowizard videos. In sure Tom goes through the same issues but cuts a lot for time in videos and is just very experienced with this stuff. Tom makes blunders in his planning and approach, as is inevitable with these things, but it's so necessary to see this POV. This challenge is hard and gruelling, thank you so much for taking a crack, it gets across such an important message.
Thanks very much for watching. Yes, it's important to give things a go, even if you'll most likely fail. Better to fail at a difficult task than succeed at an easy one in my view.
You know... so many of us have asked themselves: How would it look if I tried that. And you were the one brave enought to go out there and actually try. Mad respect even if it all didnt work out in the end. I hope you can learn from it and come back to it one day!
At least you gave it a go tho! you could try some much smaller missions to begin with for working out pack weight etc? I hope you do more straight line missions in the future.
I like the ski goggle idea. That is the one thing I would keep from this mission. Tom has had sticks poke his eyes on multiple occasions and if you are unlucky it could be a serious eye injury. I would pick clear glass though to be able to see normally in low light conditions.
Thanks for watching. I don't have much experience with animals (I've never encountered a herd of sheep before), so was having visions of being trampled in the first field!
@@marcusthechessteacher There is no need to worry about sheep, they will move out as soon as you get near them. They certainly wouldn't go near you as they are very timid animals. I wish you good luck for future adventures.
@@marcusthechessteacher this should a sign that you're not quite ready for such a ridiculous challenge just yet. I hope you get some practice in, work a few things out and try again in the future.
Depends on the sheep. Some may come up to you. I've been swarmed by sheep while outside before. Dunno if they think I have food or just want to be social.
Well done for giving it a go. There's nothing wrong with just getting out there and seeing what happens. Within reason of course. Your video has taught me and others some good stuff.
I’ve never seen someone so unprepared do something so in need of preparation. That being said, he went out and did it. Impressive in a very unsettling way.
Huge props for putting yourself out there. Failure isn't easy, but looking forward to seeing what lessons you take away from this in your future adventures. Would have loved to see the bike trip across the UK!
Thanks man! Failure is unquestionably part of life. Personally, I would rather fail at a difficult task than succeed at an easy one. The bike 'trip' was done on an exercise bike, but maybe I'll do it for real one day.
Knew he was in trouble 15 seconds in when he starts talking about biking the length of the UK in 60 days like it's some massive feat of endurance lol, that's like tops 30 min cycling at a leisurely pace per day, and with no hills! I'm a smoker, not super active, have a similar but milder health condition as Welsh Greg and I'm nearly 40 and I could probably cover that distance in 2 weeks without being seriously stretched.
We have you to thank for providing the competition needed to motivate Tom to make another attempt! That looked like a tough time, even if it only lasted a day. Good for you for trying.
good attempt mate, props to you for uploading it despite the outcome. Had you had any experience hiking before? Man I remember my first hike with a heavy backpack, it was a nightmare so I sympathise with your pain - lessons to be learnt which is all part of the experience. Good on ya man. EDIT* mate your backpack over 20 kilos jesus christ! that is mental, even for a 4-5 day trip you should be able to get everything under 11-12 kilos easily. Best of luck on your second attempt whenever that is!
Thanks for watching man! Yeah, the backpack issue would have scuppered the mission even without the GPS issues. That and the food explosion... I think the issue was that I have very little adventuring experience. This was very much jumping in the deep end!
"Man I remember my first hike with a heavy backpack, it was a nightmare so I sympathise with your pain - lessons to be learnt which is all part of the experience" Yeah, I think we all started out like that at one point in our life. Funny how we all keep making the same mistakes instead of learning from others. XD I remember plannig a day trip around Glasgow for my very first vacation alone. I completely misjudged what it actually means to walk just 1km on foot. I was absolutely exhausted at the end of the day from a trip that looked to be a total piece of cake on paper. IIRC I did The Barras, People's Palace, Provand's Lordship, Glasgow Cathedral AND Necropolis all in one day. It looks to be so very close together on a map. But all that walking around not only between the locations, but of course inside the locations as well, is absolutely exhausting. Ah well, lessons were learned that day. Nowadays I don't plan vacations that meticulously anymore, and I do only one or two attractions per day at most. I mean, it's supposed to be a vacation, after all.
@@marcusthechessteacher Tip is definitely the food you brought isn't ideal. Try getting hold of MRE or freeze dried camping food. They're lighter and only need water and maybe a primus. Did you carry water for the whole trip or did you bring water purifiers?
We just watched last night - well done for giving it a go and putting the video up even though it wasn't a success. Glad to see most of the comments here are supportive! I wouldn't say that Tom makes it look easy, exactly, but your experience is definitely closer to how most of us regulars would do.
Thanks for watching. Yeah, I've had a lot of positive comments and that convinced me I could try again on another mission in Scotland. Just today, I released a video of plans to cross Wales again at the end of October!
Happy to have found this after looking for things similar to GeoWizards adventures. Huge props to you for this first attempt! Watching this it felt like lessons big and small were learned all the time. Impressed by how well you kept up the narration considering the circumstances. I'm really hoping you will try again! Best of luck
Glad to see yet another person doing a straight line mission! I really do hope that this becomes a "thing" so to speak, just be very very careful with preparations. All essentials should have proper backups, and escape plans for things going wrong should be in place. And as we've all learned from Tom's adventures, this has quite the learning curve! If you give it another go, I'm sure you'll be far better prepared both physically and mentally for this absolutely absurd challenge.
I'm sure all of the farm owners in that area of Wales would very much love this to be a thing. How many people do you think they would put up with crashing through hedgerows and trespassing?
@@barra333 No reason it has to be Wales. We could do straight lines across counties or even just arbitrary lines. Heck even non-lines like perfectly circular routes could work. All use similar skills
hey marcus, this video popped up on my feed, and i clicked on it because im a huge fan of geo wizard and i was exited to see a different perspective on the the challenge. then i heard your voice and realized it sounded familiar. then i realized that you have been coaching chess at my school this last term! i was in disbelief when i saw it was you, but your attempt at this challenge was very entertaining and this was a great video 👍 all the best, nick
I love that someone attempted it as well, I've certainly had the thought. I also like that you've shown us what happened despite it being a complete mess :) Better luck and preparation and training for next time!
Another piece of advice: do a warm up run through some smaller area, maybe just some forest for starters, to make sure you're comfortable with handling the GPS and sticking to the line. As others have mentioned, setting up stashes in advance might be a good idea too.
It's easy to point out mistakes from where we're sitting comfortably as an audience but serious respect for getting out there and trying this! Geowizard really does make this look easy haha
Fair play to you mate, just getting out there and attempting it is a big accomplishment! Having watched Tom's latest video, I think it's fair to say that Wales didn't like GPS systems in late October 2021!
When I saw he was avoiding sheep (and in fact, had never come into contact with sheep before) I knew this wouldn't go to well. Nice attempt mate, better luck next time!
I knew it wouldn't go well before he set up his tent but when he found a tiny little stream to be a giant obstacle I knew it was going to be a short trip.
All credit to you man. It's very easy for people here to tell you you 'shouldn't have done this' or 'should've done that' from their warm houses, with the luxury of hindsight. t's a whole different story to actually get out there and have a crack at it. What an adventure! Good on you Marcus.
Glad to know I'm not the only person inspired by Tom. Have walked through many fields and attempted short straight line missions in my county after His videos. Looking forward to see many more Attempts!
It really shows how much planning is needed and even someone as skilled and experienced as Tom is on his missions, they are often unsuccessful. also he has a Verity to bail him out when he’s stuck! Good luck for attempt 2, maybe try a smaller route first
I live in this area and running around mountainsides and through fern brush was my childhood. Wales is cold, windy 'n' wet. Its terrain definitely isnt something to take lightly when navigating by foot. Planning is everything
“I’m hopefully gonna start at 6am tomorrow…” 07:45 the next morning “Well this is where I’ve slept…” 09:00 - seems to finally be setting off. “One thing I haven’t managed to do is find the start point yet.” Good work, mate.
I could tell from the get go that the pack was gonna be a problem, carrying all those supplies when you probably hadn't hiked with that load before. Usually before such a trek you need to/should ease into the weight over the days leading up. The GPS thing sucks though, nothing as infuriating as technology which won't cooperate at a crucial moment and you just couldn't do the mission. Big huge frikking kudos to getting yourself out there, attempting the mission and getting it on video and I loved every minute of watching it! I could only hope to do so well if I ever attempt one myself.
Good effort mate, thanks for the entertainment! Don't listen to the haters, everyone who has been watching GW has thought about attempting a straight line mission themselves, but you went and actually attempted it so kudos to you. Think it further confirms my original thoughts that this is far too difficult a challenge for me to complete!
Good effort! I'm sure you'll succeed next time! Alot of people talking in the comments but not alot of people actually attempting straight line missions. Next time, with some improved prep, you'll smash it!
Fantastic achievement to even give it a go, well done. You will look back at this video some day when you have fully completed the straight line mission across Wales.
The video is great! my only quarrel with it is the lack of music. I watched it with geowizards soundtrack playing, and that made it quite enjoyable! Good luck on future endeavors
Great to see you make the attempt! Spend some time doing 3-4 day walkabouts in moderate terrain to get the hiking experience needed to plan for a second attempt. And stash...
Actually Tom made a lot of mistakes. He kept getting his hands ripped open, so could have taken gloves. The junk food he took was laughable (jelly babies or whatever) when he should be eating food like bananas. Also, there are lots of routes that could have avoided one of Wales' largest lakes - Lake Vyrnwy. Didn't need to cross that and very dangerous too. Lots of naive, gullible, impressionable kids on here, thinking Tom is great. No, he was just stupid enough to even attempt it.
@@blackporscheroadster6415 Jelly Babies for snacks isn't actually that bad you only have a small amount of space with you so calorie density is an important factor, plus bananas would bruise like hell being thrown over fences. In terms of the Lake he needs a good video, so yes there will be better lines but it is for content at the end of the day!
Well done for a first attempt! I loved watching a "normal person" aka not the Geowizard attempt this because as you already said, he makes it look so easy. Every time I watch his missions the thought of trying something like that myself pops into my head but it's waay harder than it seems. I would never even have gotten as far as you did, so great job! Seeing this being done from a different perspective is fun, I hope you'll try again in the future.
having a 5 minute break after climbing the first fence is a whole mood edit: also good on you for attempting this! I walked up Pendle Hill and had to take a break every two minutes so I can’t imagine what this was like. how Tom makes it look so easy, I have no idea. also no offence but it’s kinda funny that you’re the guy that motivated Tom into doing his third attempt to make sure he was the first guy to do it because he needn’t have worried hahaha
Hi, I am a long time GeoWizard subscriber, in fact he was called GeoGuesserWizard or similar when I first followed him. I would not want to presume but I think he had quite a lot of experience in the straight line thing before he took on Wales the first time, I seem to recall him testing out the idea at Sutton Park. I am a fell runner and what I say to anyone wanting to start is to begin with short, fully marked races that mainly follow paths before taking on events that require navigation across unmarked and un-pathed terrain. Furthermore the mandatory kit we carry is well under a kilo. I really felt your pain with a heavy pack.
Thanks for the advice. Yes, the weight of the backpack scuppered things pretty quickly. I'm not an experienced hiker or anything, so it's fair to say I'll be doing a bit more training before I try something like this again!
@@marcusthechessteacher If you live in an area that has a fell running community, I would suggest joining a club. I am not silly enough to suggest that running over this kind of terrain makes long distance walking over it seem easy but it does help. One area that is very different is that it is absolutely forbidden in races to go through fences or hedges.
as I recall, he's said that he's wandered and hitchhiked a lot growing up with his brothers. This guy was far from an amateur. What we have learned from him since the straight line mission is relatively specific to that mission.
Glad more people are doing this. I was worried that I'd find someone totally demolishing the task. I'm happy it wasn't that way because now we can watch you progress like Geowizard.
Marcus, I admire you for attempting this and showing the world your results! You may not have met your main goal, but this adventure you went on and shared with us was definitely a victory!
This was really interesting to watch! It also quelled my urge to attempt any such mission myself. Because I realized from the trouble with the pack and the very first stream and the fence that this is exactly how it would go if I tried it xD You pretty much nailed it in the video by saying GeoWizard makes it seem almost easy. Even though it was a disaster, take heart. This was still a better start than GeoWizard's first Wales attempt. You might remember that he nearly got flattened by a car in the first 3 seconds... Note: the horror movie soundtrack gave this a very strange vibe lol
Also: I subbed b/c I'd be interested to see another attempt, hopefully with more preparation (and stashes to reduce the pack weight). As a bicyclist and casual hiker, I learned early on that those activities work different muscle groups. Being a cyclist does not make one a hiker/backpacker. Hiking is more strenuous on the calves than cycling, and with a heavy backpack, core strength is also a huge factor.
Thanks for watching. Yes, things went predictably badly! Doing it on your own is very tough - I'm impressed with how well GeoWizard did on his first attempt, despite that early near miss with the car. Next time, I'll try to recruit a partner in crime.
@@comedyhunter There was definitely a line on there (albeit probably the wrong one), but then it just inexplicably disappeared after a couple of miles...
Props for trying to tackle such a challenge! It does keep my feet on the ground as well seeing how tough missions like this actually are. I tend to be way too optimistic when going on adventures of my own, so it's good to realize that unless I'm incredibly well prepared and in excellent physical condition (which I'm absolutely not) I probably shouldn't do anything too extreme. If you ever decide to try this again though, I wish you the best of luck!
Firstly massive well done for giving this a go and being completely transparent about your failures. I've subbed and I hope this is something that kick starts a channel for you. You've shown a real passion for adventuring and It seems you've learnt loads from this that will translate to improvements for your next challenge. Keep on it!
Thanks a lot mate! To be honest, I have no intention of taking any of the limelight away from GeoWizard - his videos are exceptional and very inspiring. But the experience I had from start to finish has been great, including all the positive comments on this video, so I suspect I'll be having a second attempt sometime.
Really enjoyed this. It's quite gratifying to see a video of what would - in all likelihood - happen to me if I ever were to attempt it! It's a challenge and therefore not meant to be easy.
Thanks very much for watching! Yes, everything that could go wrong, did go wrong on this mission. I made some improvements for my next two missions, also on TH-cam.
This really brings home how excruciatingly difficult such a mission is, it probably requires support from a third party like Verity to even be possible
I was dying laughing at some points (please don't be offended). This was so enjoyable. The editing of the video was very good. I'd love to watch any future missions from you (keep yourself safe though)! You will do it!
Well done for trying, I was thirsting for more straight line mission goodness! However, even I know sheep aren't anything to worry about. Bulls, cows with young or horses with young are about as scary as it gets.
I genuinely thought this was a parody where everything that could, would go wrong. Gives us the much needed perspective on this kind of mission. Good luck on next try!
You get my respect for going out there and attempting it, and for sharing the video even when it did not go to plan. This is the best way to learn, and it seems you learned a lot so in that way the mission was a success. With your new insight I am sure you will do a lot better when you hopefully give it another go.
Great video. You remind us all how difficult the straight line missions actually are. Although it looks like you were carrying far too much weight and had not practiced walking with the back pack or getting over barb wired fences! Still I'm pretty sure you did better than I would have done. Good luck in your next attempt.
Thanks! Your analysis is spot on. I researched my route as meticulously as I could on Google Earth/Maps, but was beset by practical problems long before I'd even started!
@@marcusthechessteacher also forgot to say there is nothing scary about sheep. Cows approaching = scary, frightened horses = occasionally scary, sheep = always alright.
Thanks for going out there and being brave enough to share your attempt Marcus! I hope you give it another go at some point so that you can apply your learnings and savour the personal growth!
Great video, really enjoyed watching this after seeing Tom's attempts at various countries. If you ever make a straight-line journey across Yorkshire I'll be there with a pint ready for you at the end.
Man, honestly good on you for giving it a go! I think you've really shown a bit more about the reality's of how tough something like that can actually be! Looks like you still had quite the adventure and a good time at the end :)
i enjoyed the rawness and lack of preparation 😅 reminds me of when i first clicked on Tom's first Wales video, definitely a much larger sense of adventure this way than when he spends days reviewing and perfecting a line
I'm 12 minutes into the video and I mean this in the nicest way possible - brother, I don't think this type of thing is meant for you 😅 I admire the commitment! Can't wait to see how the rest goes!
Great effort considering you weren't even on your planned route! Well done for having the guts to give it a go, and for admitting defeat before you ended up injured in the middle of nowhere!!
Thanks for sharing this video. I think it's a great accompanying video to the Geowizard attempt as it really shows how difficult such a crazy mission is. The ghostly soundtrack and your walk to the hotel lit by head torch was a great scene, really eerie. I bet you enjoyed that hotel and you definitely deserved it after a grueling day.
Thanks for watching! I made the mistake of watching The Blair Witch Project over the summer. I instantly regretted that whenever I faced pitch darkness on that trip. The hotel was soooo good though - like Shangri-La!
Marcus awesome straight line mission mate. I would consider it a success in that it has helped you prepare for your next straight line mission. In the first few mins when I saw you drop that bag over the fence, I was thinking "Holy S H ET, that looks heavy". I am sure you well aware looking back at your trip what you would change. Weight is so important, affecting speed, agility, energy consumption, joint fatigue, and increases your injury risk massively on some of that terrain your covering. Id suggest cutting the kit back to the minimum you can get by with, stash food bags / battery bags along the route. Get a new GPS and use the current one as a backup, get a rain cover for your bag to reduce snagging, ripstop gore tex. Make sure you spend some time in your kit doing a few hikes so you can adjust it to your build, height and comfort i.e. your shoelaces. If you have the spare funds and your running this missions without support invest in a sat phone. Well done. I hope I get the opportunity soon to give it a shot myself, whales seems to be a tough one to conquer.
Next Episode: Marcus The chess Teacher Attempts To Traverse Across The Isle Of Wight, Moving ONLY As 'The Knight' Would. Will He Survive!? Will He Find His True Love!? Tune In Next Time!
Really big props to you for not only giving it a try but also posting it on TH-cam. I hope you'll muster the energy to try it again some time in the future! Every GeoWizard fan ought to see this to really show them what an effort his straight line missions are, not only when it comes to planning and persevering, but also filming and editing. Thanks again man!
Has anyone else come here checking as it were but not watching in case he succeeds first? I am not usually part of the 'crowd' and had Line of Duty spoiled for me by the newspapers on sale in my local supermarket the next day ...so I will watch this ...just not yet!
I really really appreciate the time you took to write the subtitles for the video it adds a professional finish too it and makes it very easy to consume. Greeting from New York, really glad I found this video!!
Great effort mate! Good on you for giving it a go. Maybe try a smaller straight line mission to get your eye in first and then Wales will be waiting for you?
1. Stash your equipment beforehand. 2. Enter the right coordinates in your GPS beforehand. 3. Tuck your bootlaces inside the boots or get better boots. 4. Take your loadout on a 2-5km straight line trip the week before and see what needs correcting. People take roads for granted and it's amazing how hard just going cross-country may be, not to mention straight-line. In service we spent some 3-5x the time going through the thicket either on purpose or as a "shortcut" than what it would have taken us on the road. If you walk to work, pack a couple of 2L water bottles in your backpack, helps you get used to the added weight.
Thanks for your advice. Sounds easy but of course there is a lot to take into account on a mission like this. Also, I had limited time as I am a teacher.
![โรงเรียนห้ามรัก โดนจับได้ตาย...!! [เอิร์นไดเม่]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4u02Sbr556Q/mqdefault.jpg)
2 things you really need to be able to achieve this:
1. Equipment/provisions stashed in strategic locations.
2. Verity.
Hahahahhaha nothing better than supplies arriving from godness herself
@@wetnotebook3679 Behind every great man there is a great woman. Verity is a great woman......welll a subservient one at least!
Us men all need a Verity in our lives...
Was just thinking the same!
Verity is the true hero of geowizard afterall
Watching Geowizard thinking “I could do that, doesn’t look that hard”, watching this gives me the inevitable reality check
LMAO same here! I'll stick with the stationary bicycle.
I think this shows a realistic view of how it would be for most people.... Huge respect for doing this. Tom makes it look easy.
Tom for his faults is much better at planning: route selection, trekking season, stash points, conditioning and cooperation
@@shuaglenn6802 as for trekking season, I believe this attempt began literally three days after Tom's most recent attempt. So Tom would be on day 3-4 of his attempt when this was filmed haha
@@Innuya but Tom also admitted that he kind of rushed his attenpt due to Marcus attempting it (he wants to be the first). Otherwise he would have waited for the winter, to avoid the worst vegetation.
I definitely agree that this video is more realistic for most people watching. It's easy to forget that Tom has been doing this kind of stuff pretty much all of his life. It's a lot tougher than it looks from Tom's videos.
I beg Verity tries this once and nails it in half a day.
for real!
If somebody will succeed doing that, we all know that this would be just because of verity.
I mean, Tom said she doesn't like being on camera, but she can just wear a go pro and show herself walking. She'd smash it.
And the fact that’s she’s will go slow to show off scares me
@@kniter ah hello
Great seeing this from the perspective of someone less experienced. Really shows how much of a beast the straight line mission truly is. Awesome video regardless, you're a charming fellow!
Thank you for watching! "Charming fellow" will now find its way onto my CV.
Hah, let me know if you need me as a reference for that claim :)
Yeah the thing is, without a point of comparison I thought GeoWizard was like just a geography TH-camr, at least on his first attempt, and he got close a few times to completing it. This puts it into perspective.
Ayo piece what's poppin homie
@@piranha7460 Yo! Nice K3 profile picture
So this is the legendary Marcus that inspired Tom's third run! It's great to see your perspective on a journey like this. Your struggle here really goes to show the level of difficulty a trip like this really is and how even the smallest of mistakes can throw the entire trip on its head.
Thanks for watching man! Glad you enjoyed it. It was so tough!
Mate, the most important part is you went out there and gave it a crack. What i love about this challenge is that it's been really apparent by now that it's NOT easy, achieveable, but not easy. I've been wanting to do this myself (crossing Sweden) but i realize I'd have to do some serious planning and making sure i have the right gear.
Thanks for watching man! Yes, exactly that. In many ways it's the perfect challenge, because it stretches your imagination and seems tantalisingly doable. But in fact there is much that can go wrong, so it's almost a blend of fantasy and reality.
I am planning on starting easy by crossing my home municapility. It is a 1 day trip so it's a good start to get used to straight line missioning. Im still far far away from crossing Finland, which is even optimistically about 200km.
@@Ollervo100 best country, and also strip-shaped
Where would you cross Sweden? Somewhere in the south?
@@Moolers yeah southern Skåne for sure. I'ts hands down the easiest and shortest part of Sweden to cross. "Only" like 70 km from coast to coast in the most narrow part and flat almost everywhere.
Things to consider from someone who has been in the Army for 7 years now:
- Plan ahead. Recce your route beforehand and make note of key locations.
- Consider using stash units. Not only will this reduce your burden, but it will get you familiar with your line as you need to place them beforehand. They will also be good indications you're still on the line, i.e. no stash unit, not on the line.
- Pack multiple pairs of socks that are pre talc'd. For stuff like this looking after your feet is so vital.
- Consider getting a pair of goretex boots. They are waterproof. However, a boot is only waterproof if the water doesn't go higher than the boot. The caveat with goretex boots is that once they are wet inside they are very hard to dry. You can use gators to mitigate this.
- In regards to food, a plastic bag with things like pot noodles, etc shoved in is not ideal. If you want noodles, consider noodles that come in more convenient shapes that are more rectangular. They pack better and smaller, plus won't explode. Additionally, consider things like nuts, raisins, dried fruit, etc rather than just pure sugar such as Mars bars (though I'm assuming here, as this is the only reference you made to snacks in the video). Mars bars and sweets are good for quick energy but in the long term not ideal. Still pack some though!
- Waterproof everything in your bag. Consider getting canoe sacks.
- Physical fitness! You might be an amazing runner, cyclist, etc, but walking with a load on your back is a very different ball game. Get used to walking around with one and it'll make everything so much easier.
- Have alternatives to your GPS. Granted, there isn't much else that will keep you on the line, but a simple compass and a bearing will ensure you're on the right path at least!
If you've got any more questions I'll be happy to answer them, but good effort mate and hope you get it next time!
Thanks for your advice mate. Will definitely be re-reading this if I ever attempt another mission. My aim was to jump in the deep end and see what happened. I guess I got my just desserts!
I had a few time contraints though as I am a teacher, so in the end just didn't have time to arrange any food stashes.
Great advice. Also don't use knock off surplus army gear , if anything unfortunate did happen , much harder to find someone in camouflage : D
@@ghotio1927 Thats a really good point. Wearing Camo is something Geowizard stands by. Basically the concept is if he is spotted by a farmer they would most likely think he is a squaddie on a training exercise and not bother him. Geowizard's gear actually looks quite convincing. I get the feeling that the more knock off your gear looks the less you look like a soldier the more you look like a sheep rustler and that could end up in a whole heap of problems.
Agree with packing everything in dry-bags. Helps with organization as well.
Agree with multiple socks (even if your feet stay dry all day, they'll get sweaty and you'll want to take time to let your feet air out and check over blisters, apply more tape, etc.)
Food - water in thin plastic bottles rather than in some chic aluminum thing (extra weight), granola bars, crisps (lightweight), apples, nothing chocolate, sticky, gooey, sugary, or you inevitably have an accident in your bag and end up with ants if you put it down
I had a paper map as well as my route logged into my GPS watch - also GPS sucks in tall dark forests and heavy overcast conditions
My "blister kit" was a lifesaver not only for myself, but a few other hikers I'd met along the way who were in really bad shape. I needed it less and less towards the end of my 300 miles as my feet had finally toughened up, so when I'd check into a hotel and heard other hikers who'd just started out asking the front desk for blister relief, I made a few new friends because I could oblige, lol.
A roll of dog-poo bags for trash, packing out your own stuff should you have an emergency, liners for boots when it's wet, etc.
Also, never travel without a towel! A towel is the most important item a Hitchhiker can carry.
This video is such essential viewing after watching the Geowizard videos. In sure Tom goes through the same issues but cuts a lot for time in videos and is just very experienced with this stuff.
Tom makes blunders in his planning and approach, as is inevitable with these things, but it's so necessary to see this POV. This challenge is hard and gruelling, thank you so much for taking a crack, it gets across such an important message.
Thanks very much for watching. Yes, it's important to give things a go, even if you'll most likely fail. Better to fail at a difficult task than succeed at an easy one in my view.
@@marcusthechessteacher better to try and fail than never trying at all
Tom has also planned these kind of trips quite a few times now
You know... so many of us have asked themselves: How would it look if I tried that. And you were the one brave enought to go out there and actually try. Mad respect even if it all didnt work out in the end. I hope you can learn from it and come back to it one day!
Thanks for watching! I was the same as you - I just had to try it!
This is like a mockumentary version of Geowizard - once the ski goggles were on I lost it
At least you gave it a go tho! you could try some much smaller missions to begin with for working out pack weight etc? I hope you do more straight line missions in the future.
Haha, if only! I normally am this incompetent. Definitely a good idea to try a couple of training missions, that's for sure.
The Nigel Tufnel of straight line missions. The goggles make him walk straighter.
I like the ski goggle idea. That is the one thing I would keep from this mission. Tom has had sticks poke his eyes on multiple occasions and if you are unlucky it could be a serious eye injury. I would pick clear glass though to be able to see normally in low light conditions.
Things that i have always wondered why Geowizard doesn't use: ski goggles or safety glasses. Props to you for thinking of that.
To be fair, they don't help much in open terrain. Some cows nearly crept up on me while I was wearing them!
@@marcusthechessteacher Maybe not, but very smart for climbing through hedges and marching through forest branches!
@@marcusthechessteacher only thing you need to protect your eyes from in an open field is cow pat lol
I cant tell if you're joking about avoiding the sheep but it's quite funny 😂 Well done for making Tom do his mission in October for us all to watch!
Thanks for watching. I don't have much experience with animals (I've never encountered a herd of sheep before), so was having visions of being trampled in the first field!
@@marcusthechessteacher There is no need to worry about sheep, they will move out as soon as you get near them. They certainly wouldn't go near you as they are very timid animals. I wish you good luck for future adventures.
@@marcusthechessteacher this should a sign that you're not quite ready for such a ridiculous challenge just yet. I hope you get some practice in, work a few things out and try again in the future.
Depends on the sheep. Some may come up to you. I've been swarmed by sheep while outside before. Dunno if they think I have food or just want to be social.
@@jackmathieson1903 Nah mate i was on d of e a few years ago and one of the guys got bit by a sheep, the cows were more scared of us than the sheep
Well done for giving it a go. There's nothing wrong with just getting out there and seeing what happens. Within reason of course. Your video has taught me and others some good stuff.
I’ve never seen someone so unprepared do something so in need of preparation. That being said, he went out and did it. Impressive in a very unsettling way.
I like that. The good news is that next time I will know exactly what needs to be done!
Huge props for putting yourself out there. Failure isn't easy, but looking forward to seeing what lessons you take away from this in your future adventures. Would have loved to see the bike trip across the UK!
Thanks man! Failure is unquestionably part of life. Personally, I would rather fail at a difficult task than succeed at an easy one. The bike 'trip' was done on an exercise bike, but maybe I'll do it for real one day.
Me: Can we have geowizard?
Mum: We have geowizard at home.
Geowizard at home:
LOL
Lmao brilliant
thats mean lol
That's mean, but I laughed
Knew he was in trouble 15 seconds in when he starts talking about biking the length of the UK in 60 days like it's some massive feat of endurance lol, that's like tops 30 min cycling at a leisurely pace per day, and with no hills! I'm a smoker, not super active, have a similar but milder health condition as Welsh Greg and I'm nearly 40 and I could probably cover that distance in 2 weeks without being seriously stretched.
We have you to thank for providing the competition needed to motivate Tom to make another attempt! That looked like a tough time, even if it only lasted a day. Good for you for trying.
Thanks mate! Tom was actually really supportive of my mission and gave as much advice as he could. Even with that help, I still struggled badly!
"I've only done half a mile and I'm already knackered".
I felt this in my soul.
Haha, by the time I'd got over the first fence I was 90% done. 😅
good attempt mate, props to you for uploading it despite the outcome. Had you had any experience hiking before? Man I remember my first hike with a heavy backpack, it was a nightmare so I sympathise with your pain - lessons to be learnt which is all part of the experience. Good on ya man. EDIT* mate your backpack over 20 kilos jesus christ! that is mental, even for a 4-5 day trip you should be able to get everything under 11-12 kilos easily. Best of luck on your second attempt whenever that is!
Thanks for watching man! Yeah, the backpack issue would have scuppered the mission even without the GPS issues. That and the food explosion...
I think the issue was that I have very little adventuring experience. This was very much jumping in the deep end!
"Man I remember my first hike with a heavy backpack, it was a nightmare so I sympathise with your pain - lessons to be learnt which is all part of the experience"
Yeah, I think we all started out like that at one point in our life. Funny how we all keep making the same mistakes instead of learning from others. XD
I remember plannig a day trip around Glasgow for my very first vacation alone. I completely misjudged what it actually means to walk just 1km on foot. I was absolutely exhausted at the end of the day from a trip that looked to be a total piece of cake on paper.
IIRC I did The Barras, People's Palace, Provand's Lordship, Glasgow Cathedral AND Necropolis all in one day. It looks to be so very close together on a map. But all that walking around not only between the locations, but of course inside the locations as well, is absolutely exhausting.
Ah well, lessons were learned that day. Nowadays I don't plan vacations that meticulously anymore, and I do only one or two attractions per day at most. I mean, it's supposed to be a vacation, after all.
@@marcusthechessteacher Tip is definitely the food you brought isn't ideal. Try getting hold of MRE or freeze dried camping food. They're lighter and only need water and maybe a primus.
Did you carry water for the whole trip or did you bring water purifiers?
We just watched last night - well done for giving it a go and putting the video up even though it wasn't a success. Glad to see most of the comments here are supportive! I wouldn't say that Tom makes it look easy, exactly, but your experience is definitely closer to how most of us regulars would do.
Thanks for watching. Yeah, I've had a lot of positive comments and that convinced me I could try again on another mission in Scotland. Just today, I released a video of plans to cross Wales again at the end of October!
Happy to have found this after looking for things similar to GeoWizards adventures. Huge props to you for this first attempt! Watching this it felt like lessons big and small were learned all the time. Impressed by how well you kept up the narration considering the circumstances. I'm really hoping you will try again! Best of luck
Thanks man, glad you enjoyed it. However, most of my narration was either "this backback is too heavy" or "bloody hell"!
Geowizard: **struggles to cross rivers and vertical mountain faces**
Chess Teacher: **literally struggles to walk**
Haha, the hellish backpack was the issue!
Glad to see yet another person doing a straight line mission! I really do hope that this becomes a "thing" so to speak, just be very very careful with preparations. All essentials should have proper backups, and escape plans for things going wrong should be in place. And as we've all learned from Tom's adventures, this has quite the learning curve! If you give it another go, I'm sure you'll be far better prepared both physically and mentally for this absolutely absurd challenge.
Thanks for watching! Yes, I take your points. Luckily I did have contacts in nearby Newtown, which gave me some feeling of security.
I'm sure all of the farm owners in that area of Wales would very much love this to be a thing. How many people do you think they would put up with crashing through hedgerows and trespassing?
@@barra333 No reason it has to be Wales. We could do straight lines across counties or even just arbitrary lines. Heck even non-lines like perfectly circular routes could work. All use similar skills
hey marcus, this video popped up on my feed, and i clicked on it because im a huge fan of geo wizard and i was exited to see a different perspective on the the challenge. then i heard your voice and realized it sounded familiar. then i realized that you have been coaching chess at my school this last term! i was in disbelief when i saw it was you, but your attempt at this challenge was very entertaining and this was a great video 👍
all the best,
nick
Oh hello, haha! 😅
What a great coincidence! This is the Mr Hyde to my chess teacher Dr Jekyll. Hope you enjoyed watching.
I love that someone attempted it as well, I've certainly had the thought. I also like that you've shown us what happened despite it being a complete mess :)
Better luck and preparation and training for next time!
Thanks for watching this complete disaster!
One thing I've learned from this and GeoWizards latest attempt: Bring a backup GPS.
Another piece of advice: do a warm up run through some smaller area, maybe just some forest for starters, to make sure you're comfortable with handling the GPS and sticking to the line. As others have mentioned, setting up stashes in advance might be a good idea too.
Yeah this was probably one of the reasons why Tom seemed so comfortable from the very beginning, that training mission across the park
Yes, you're right. The issue with the GPS scuppered things almost immediately.
It's easy to point out mistakes from where we're sitting comfortably as an audience but serious respect for getting out there and trying this! Geowizard really does make this look easy haha
I like to imagine I can do it, but I know that I would absolutely suffer and probably fail in the first day
Thanks for watching! He certainly does make it look easy.
If there's one thing I've learned from this video, is how many of tom's skills I took for granted. That in mind props to you for your attempt.
Tom's skills are so underrated!
Kudos to you for trying, and furthermore acknowledging the failure and uploading the video.
This is really good look into how rediculously hard these straight line missions are. Great video mate, absolutely loved it
Thanks for watching. Yes, it was cataclysmically treacherous! But there is another mission in the pipeline, to be announced fairly soon...
@@marcusthechessteacher sick dude. Look forward to it!
Much respect for you actually attempting this!
Fair play to you mate, just getting out there and attempting it is a big accomplishment! Having watched Tom's latest video, I think it's fair to say that Wales didn't like GPS systems in late October 2021!
Haha, very true! Thanks for watching!
When I saw he was avoiding sheep (and in fact, had never come into contact with sheep before) I knew this wouldn't go to well. Nice attempt mate, better luck next time!
Was looking for someone to say this lmao. Probably the most docile, couldn't-give-a-shit creatures you could encounter. Chap hadn't a hope.
Haha, I was very timid! Thanks for watching!
I knew it wouldn't go well before he set up his tent but when he found a tiny little stream to be a giant obstacle I knew it was going to be a short trip.
All credit to you man. It's very easy for people here to tell you you 'shouldn't have done this' or 'should've done that' from their warm houses, with the luxury of hindsight. t's a whole different story to actually get out there and have a crack at it. What an adventure! Good on you Marcus.
Thanks for watching! It was certainly an ordeal with so much going wrong...
Don't give up. Lots of lessons learnt. Give it another go at some point in the future!
Loved the video. Lucky escape from that dangerous herd of sheep 🐑 😄 😆 😅
Glad to know I'm not the only person inspired by Tom. Have walked through many fields and attempted short straight line missions in my county after His videos. Looking forward to see many more Attempts!
It really shows how much planning is needed and even someone as skilled and experienced as Tom is on his missions, they are often unsuccessful. also he has a Verity to bail him out when he’s stuck! Good luck for attempt 2, maybe try a smaller route first
'Ambitious but rubbish' as Top Gear used to say. Tom is the maestro without doubt.
Mate you had a camp and day out in the countryside. That itself is great. Can't wait to see you attempt it again with all things sorted
Exactly! I even managed a proper road-trip around Wales after this, so definitely time well spent.
I live in this area and running around mountainsides and through fern brush was my childhood. Wales is cold, windy 'n' wet. Its terrain definitely isnt something to take lightly when navigating by foot.
Planning is everything
“I’m hopefully gonna start at 6am tomorrow…”
07:45 the next morning
“Well this is where I’ve slept…”
09:00 - seems to finally be setting off.
“One thing I haven’t managed to do is find the start point yet.”
Good work, mate.
Haha yeah, my excellent timekeeping really shining through there!
I could tell from the get go that the pack was gonna be a problem, carrying all those supplies when you probably hadn't hiked with that load before. Usually before such a trek you need to/should ease into the weight over the days leading up.
The GPS thing sucks though, nothing as infuriating as technology which won't cooperate at a crucial moment and you just couldn't do the mission.
Big huge frikking kudos to getting yourself out there, attempting the mission and getting it on video and I loved every minute of watching it! I could only hope to do so well if I ever attempt one myself.
Thanks for watching! Yeah, it was just one hitch after another. Lots to learn from!
Good effort mate, thanks for the entertainment! Don't listen to the haters, everyone who has been watching GW has thought about attempting a straight line mission themselves, but you went and actually attempted it so kudos to you. Think it further confirms my original thoughts that this is far too difficult a challenge for me to complete!
Thanks for watching! I'm blown away by all the supportive comments, including yours, so I appreciate that.
Good effort! I'm sure you'll succeed next time! Alot of people talking in the comments but not alot of people actually attempting straight line missions. Next time, with some improved prep, you'll smash it!
Thanks for watching! You've got to give these things a go, even if it goes catastrophically wrong. Which in my case it most certainly did.
Nice attempt. It shows how difficult this is logistically for Tom.
Fantastic achievement to even give it a go, well done. You will look back at this video some day when you have fully completed the straight line mission across Wales.
A modern day Reg Prescott for the TH-cam era... brilliant stuff sir, love your warts and all presentation.
Ha! Thank you very much!
The video is great! my only quarrel with it is the lack of music. I watched it with geowizards soundtrack playing, and that made it quite enjoyable! Good luck on future endeavors
I found it better without music, it was more realistic
Thanks for the feedback. GeoWizard records his own music - I didn't want to overdo it with annoying music so I kept the 'eerie sounds' to a minimum.
Strangled by his own gear. That’s a new one
Great to see you make the attempt! Spend some time doing 3-4 day walkabouts in moderate terrain to get the hiking experience needed to plan for a second attempt. And stash...
Good idea!
Bloody brilliant mate. I can live vicariously through you because my legs are too dodgy to do that kind of terrain! Great job!
Thanks for watching! There should be another mission in the pipeline - to be confirmed soon...
Kudos for trying and even more for publishing the video!
Hope there'll be a attempt #2
Thanks for watching! I hope so too.
Great idea to give this a go but in the end just shows the true skills of the professional himself mr Tom Davies
I like how Tom is now considered officially a professional straight line missioner
You're spot on. It shows just how prepared Tom is!
Tim Davids is a god amongst men
Actually Tom made a lot of mistakes. He kept getting his hands ripped open, so could have taken gloves. The junk food he took was laughable (jelly babies or whatever) when he should be eating food like bananas. Also, there are lots of routes that could have avoided one of Wales' largest lakes - Lake Vyrnwy. Didn't need to cross that and very dangerous too. Lots of naive, gullible, impressionable kids on here, thinking Tom is great. No, he was just stupid enough to even attempt it.
@@blackporscheroadster6415 Jelly Babies for snacks isn't actually that bad you only have a small amount of space with you so calorie density is an important factor, plus bananas would bruise like hell being thrown over fences. In terms of the Lake he needs a good video, so yes there will be better lines but it is for content at the end of the day!
Well done for a first attempt! I loved watching a "normal person" aka not the Geowizard attempt this because as you already said, he makes it look so easy. Every time I watch his missions the thought of trying something like that myself pops into my head but it's waay harder than it seems. I would never even have gotten as far as you did, so great job! Seeing this being done from a different perspective is fun, I hope you'll try again in the future.
Thanks for watching! It's certainly harder than it looks. I also hope I have the courage to try again.
having a 5 minute break after climbing the first fence is a whole mood
edit: also good on you for attempting this! I walked up Pendle Hill and had to take a break every two minutes so I can’t imagine what this was like. how Tom makes it look so easy, I have no idea. also no offence but it’s kinda funny that you’re the guy that motivated Tom into doing his third attempt to make sure he was the first guy to do it because he needn’t have worried hahaha
Haha, thanks for watching! That first fence was an ordeal!
Fantastic video. Really shows how difficult this mission is. Jumping over shaky fences with a full pack of gear is no joke.
At least you went out there and had an adventure. Respect for giving it a go. It's not something you're going to forget!
Hi, I am a long time GeoWizard subscriber, in fact he was called GeoGuesserWizard or similar when I first followed him. I would not want to presume but I think he had quite a lot of experience in the straight line thing before he took on Wales the first time, I seem to recall him testing out the idea at Sutton Park.
I am a fell runner and what I say to anyone wanting to start is to begin with short, fully marked races that mainly follow paths before taking on events that require navigation across unmarked and un-pathed terrain. Furthermore the mandatory kit we carry is well under a kilo. I really felt your pain with a heavy pack.
Thanks for the advice. Yes, the weight of the backpack scuppered things pretty quickly. I'm not an experienced hiker or anything, so it's fair to say I'll be doing a bit more training before I try something like this again!
@@marcusthechessteacher If you live in an area that has a fell running community, I would suggest joining a club. I am not silly enough to suggest that running over this kind of terrain makes long distance walking over it seem easy but it does help. One area that is very different is that it is absolutely forbidden in races to go through fences or hedges.
I'll have a look - thanks for the advice.
as I recall, he's said that he's wandered and hitchhiked a lot growing up with his brothers. This guy was far from an amateur. What we have learned from him since the straight line mission is relatively specific to that mission.
Glad more people are doing this. I was worried that I'd find someone totally demolishing the task. I'm happy it wasn't that way because now we can watch you progress like Geowizard.
Yeah, I think I demonstrated how difficult this expedition actually is, especially for an amateur!
Marcus, I admire you for attempting this and showing the world your results!
You may not have met your main goal, but this adventure you went on and shared with us was definitely a victory!
Thank you! I don't mind failing - I just like giving things a go.
This was really great to watch. I would have probably given up as soon as my feet were wet. I hope he tries again and makes more videos.
Thanks for watching! I uploaded my latest Mission Across Scotland video a few days ago actually.
This was really interesting to watch! It also quelled my urge to attempt any such mission myself. Because I realized from the trouble with the pack and the very first stream and the fence that this is exactly how it would go if I tried it xD You pretty much nailed it in the video by saying GeoWizard makes it seem almost easy.
Even though it was a disaster, take heart. This was still a better start than GeoWizard's first Wales attempt. You might remember that he nearly got flattened by a car in the first 3 seconds...
Note: the horror movie soundtrack gave this a very strange vibe lol
Also: I subbed b/c I'd be interested to see another attempt, hopefully with more preparation (and stashes to reduce the pack weight). As a bicyclist and casual hiker, I learned early on that those activities work different muscle groups. Being a cyclist does not make one a hiker/backpacker. Hiking is more strenuous on the calves than cycling, and with a heavy backpack, core strength is also a huge factor.
Thanks for watching. Yes, things went predictably badly! Doing it on your own is very tough - I'm impressed with how well GeoWizard did on his first attempt, despite that early near miss with the car. Next time, I'll try to recruit a partner in crime.
This was a great watch thank you mate. Looked like some hard hard work and then to put it on TH-cam for us all as well! Cheers
Cheers, thanks for watching!
Very enjoyable watch and yes clearly GeoWizard makes it look easy. Hope you have another go at doing this in 2022
Hopefully I'll give it another shot - I'm getting a team together to attempt another mission.
@@marcusthechessteacher Good to hear, Im guessing the line wasnt on the GPS due to loading in the wrong data at the start?
@@comedyhunter There was definitely a line on there (albeit probably the wrong one), but then it just inexplicably disappeared after a couple of miles...
Props for trying to tackle such a challenge! It does keep my feet on the ground as well seeing how tough missions like this actually are. I tend to be way too optimistic when going on adventures of my own, so it's good to realize that unless I'm incredibly well prepared and in excellent physical condition (which I'm absolutely not) I probably shouldn't do anything too extreme. If you ever decide to try this again though, I wish you the best of luck!
Thanks for watching! Yes, this video has probably done a good job of putting off any other amateurs with straight-line intentions.
Firstly massive well done for giving this a go and being completely transparent about your failures.
I've subbed and I hope this is something that kick starts a channel for you. You've shown a real passion for adventuring and It seems you've learnt loads from this that will translate to improvements for your next challenge.
Keep on it!
Thanks a lot mate! To be honest, I have no intention of taking any of the limelight away from GeoWizard - his videos are exceptional and very inspiring. But the experience I had from start to finish has been great, including all the positive comments on this video, so I suspect I'll be having a second attempt sometime.
Really enjoyed this. It's quite gratifying to see a video of what would - in all likelihood - happen to me if I ever were to attempt it! It's a challenge and therefore not meant to be easy.
Thanks very much for watching! Yes, everything that could go wrong, did go wrong on this mission. I made some improvements for my next two missions, also on TH-cam.
Great effort! So impressed at your self honesty and the attempt. It really puts what GeoWizard is able to to do in stark relief!
Thanks! Yeah, if anything this has put plenty of people off attempting it themselves.
This really brings home how excruciatingly difficult such a mission is, it probably requires support from a third party like Verity to even be possible
You're right. There are so many things that can (and did) go wrong. Things improve a little bit on my other missions...
When you diverted away from sheep ‘in case they attacked’ made it essential viewing and to be honest didn’t bode well.
Yeah, I'd never encountered sheep before. Everyone is now telling me they're harmless, but I didn't know that for sure at the time!
I was dying laughing at some points (please don't be offended). This was so enjoyable. The editing of the video was very good. I'd love to watch any future missions from you (keep yourself safe though)! You will do it!
Thanks for watching - glad you enjoyed it so much! There will be another mission in the pipeline. I posted an update today, so stay tuned!
Well done for trying, I was thirsting for more straight line mission goodness! However, even I know sheep aren't anything to worry about. Bulls, cows with young or horses with young are about as scary as it gets.
Yep, so I hear!
“Make sure I don’t end up twisting my ankle or something like that”
Foreshadowing for Tom’s next mission
Accidentally put a curse on him!
Great effort mate! A damn tough challenge. Consider it a test run. Im sure you'll learn alot for a future attempt
I genuinely thought this was a parody where everything that could, would go wrong. Gives us the much needed perspective on this kind of mission. Good luck on next try!
Haha, if only! I'm just usually this incompetent!
Just a few minutes into the video I knew this wasn't going to happen. What a beautiful shitshow. Hope to see a new attempt!
Thanks for watching! That's a great description!
You get my respect for going out there and attempting it, and for sharing the video even when it did not go to plan. This is the best way to learn, and it seems you learned a lot so in that way the mission was a success. With your new insight I am sure you will do a lot better when you hopefully give it another go.
Thanks pal!
Great video. You remind us all how difficult the straight line missions actually are.
Although it looks like you were carrying far too much weight and had not practiced walking with the back pack or getting over barb wired fences! Still I'm pretty sure you did better than I would have done. Good luck in your next attempt.
Thanks! Your analysis is spot on. I researched my route as meticulously as I could on Google Earth/Maps, but was beset by practical problems long before I'd even started!
@@marcusthechessteacher also forgot to say there is nothing scary about sheep. Cows approaching = scary, frightened horses = occasionally scary, sheep = always alright.
Thanks. I was just paranoid about getting trampled in the first field!
Thanks for going out there and being brave enough to share your attempt Marcus! I hope you give it another go at some point so that you can apply your learnings and savour the personal growth!
Thanks for watching!
Great video, really enjoyed watching this after seeing Tom's attempts at various countries. If you ever make a straight-line journey across Yorkshire I'll be there with a pint ready for you at the end.
Cheers pal! Tom hasn't attempted a mission across England yet. Presumably it would be too tricky to cross the whole country.
Man, honestly good on you for giving it a go!
I think you've really shown a bit more about the reality's of how tough something like that can actually be!
Looks like you still had quite the adventure and a good time at the end :)
Thanks for watching! Yeah, it was very tough, especially given how chaotic I was on that mission.
Very entertaining ...thanks for sharing. Very funny watching a newbie negotiating the steep learning curve. Well done mate
i enjoyed the rawness and lack of preparation 😅 reminds me of when i first clicked on Tom's first Wales video, definitely a much larger sense of adventure this way than when he spends days reviewing and perfecting a line
That's a good point - making a total mess of it was probably great for the viewers!
I'm 12 minutes into the video and I mean this in the nicest way possible - brother, I don't think this type of thing is meant for you 😅
I admire the commitment! Can't wait to see how the rest goes!
Haha, thanks for watching! Might give it another go in the future, but with better knowledge...
Mate this is hilarious😂well done for getting out there and giving it a shot. Just can’t believe how long it took u to get over the first fence ahaha
Thanks for watching! That first fence was an ordeal, haha!
Great effort considering you weren't even on your planned route! Well done for having the guts to give it a go, and for admitting defeat before you ended up injured in the middle of nowhere!!
Thanks! Yeah, just one disaster after another. I'll be back!
Thanks for sharing this video. I think it's a great accompanying video to the Geowizard attempt as it really shows how difficult such a crazy mission is.
The ghostly soundtrack and your walk to the hotel lit by head torch was a great scene, really eerie. I bet you enjoyed that hotel and you definitely deserved it after a grueling day.
Thanks for watching! I made the mistake of watching The Blair Witch Project over the summer. I instantly regretted that whenever I faced pitch darkness on that trip. The hotel was soooo good though - like Shangri-La!
Marcus awesome straight line mission mate. I would consider it a success in that it has helped you prepare for your next straight line mission. In the first few mins when I saw you drop that bag over the fence, I was thinking "Holy S H ET, that looks heavy". I am sure you well aware looking back at your trip what you would change. Weight is so important, affecting speed, agility, energy consumption, joint fatigue, and increases your injury risk massively on some of that terrain your covering. Id suggest cutting the kit back to the minimum you can get by with, stash food bags / battery bags along the route. Get a new GPS and use the current one as a backup, get a rain cover for your bag to reduce snagging, ripstop gore tex. Make sure you spend some time in your kit doing a few hikes so you can adjust it to your build, height and comfort i.e. your shoelaces. If you have the spare funds and your running this missions without support invest in a sat phone. Well done. I hope I get the opportunity soon to give it a shot myself, whales seems to be a tough one to conquer.
Thanks for watching! I appreciate your advice. Stashing supplies is vital!
"don't want to twist an ankle" - very apt.
Foreshadowing...
Sheep will never attack you lol, theyll run away from you as you approach them. Good effort tho
The paranoia got to me! The last thing I wanted was to get trampled in the first field...
This is great to show the reality of the challenge and how easy it can go wrong. Planning is key but also backup plans.
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Haha, love it! I guess I was moving like a pawn in this episode. Very slowly and with little sense of direction!
Really big props to you for not only giving it a try but also posting it on TH-cam. I hope you'll muster the energy to try it again some time in the future!
Every GeoWizard fan ought to see this to really show them what an effort his straight line missions are, not only when it comes to planning and persevering, but also filming and editing.
Thanks again man!
Thanks for watching! It was a massive undertaking.
Good effort mate, hope to see more adventures learn by doing is the way to go.
Has anyone else come here
checking as it were
but not watching in case he succeeds first?
I am not usually part of the 'crowd' and had Line of Duty spoiled for me by the newspapers on sale in my local supermarket the next day
...so I will watch this
...just not yet!
It's amazing how easy Tom makes it look. Anyone with any hiking/off-track navigation experience will tell you that it's a LOT harder than it looks.
Easy? Tom makes it look like the hardest thing ever
Completely agree. Thanks for watching!
I really really appreciate the time you took to write the subtitles for the video it adds a professional finish too it and makes it very easy to consume. Greeting from New York, really glad I found this video!!
Thanks for watching! Glad the subtitles were noticed - they took ages to write!
Great effort mate! Good on you for giving it a go. Maybe try a smaller straight line mission to get your eye in first and then Wales will be waiting for you?
Thanks. You might be right, although I tend to run before I can walk!
1. Stash your equipment beforehand.
2. Enter the right coordinates in your GPS beforehand.
3. Tuck your bootlaces inside the boots or get better boots.
4. Take your loadout on a 2-5km straight line trip the week before and see what needs correcting.
People take roads for granted and it's amazing how hard just going cross-country may be, not to mention straight-line. In service we spent some 3-5x the time going through the thicket either on purpose or as a "shortcut" than what it would have taken us on the road. If you walk to work, pack a couple of 2L water bottles in your backpack, helps you get used to the added weight.
Thanks for your advice. Sounds easy but of course there is a lot to take into account on a mission like this. Also, I had limited time as I am a teacher.