After looking at the website about the burger in space yesterday, I had a conversation in the shop today and experienced one of those moments when everything becomes clear.
One of the customers was telling us about his planned cycle ride to Skegness and back next weekend. It’s about 180 miles.
That was when I asked if he’d like to do it to help Julia raise funds for the polytunnel cover. I thought if he’d do a ride for her I could organise the fund-raising and we could raise a good portion of the money. I thought it was a good idea. He didn’t. But it got me thinking.
One of my thoughts is that he can kiss goodbye to any thought of future discounts…
My next thought is that we could try for sponsorship for sending a novelty carrot into space. Fundraising is a dog eat dog world and you need to go out there with a big idea. I’ve just looked at an internet guide to sending a balloon into space.
After looking at the cost of cameras and satnavs, I’ve decided not to pursue this. For one thing, you need to buy decent ones if they are going to be useful, and for another, when I tried out the flight path planning software the results weren’t encouraging. It depends on the weather, but if I’m going to spend £300 on electrical gear I’d rather not dump it in the North Sea.
If we set it going, for instance, from the Peak District at 9.30 on Monday morning, it will cross the country, burst at 80,000 feet over the North Sea and drift back by parachute to land just inland from Donna Nook, where we go to see the seals. It’s a bit close for comfort.
At that point I started thinking of rockets. I can’t think of a way of raising money with rockets, but it looks good fun.
I found a link that offers rocket assisted ash scattering, but haven’t found one that has fund-raising possibilities. Yet.
No pictures – I have to take Number Two Son to work.
See you tomorrow.