Message
A Message from the Coordinator
Ramblers,
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and to make a plea for your assistance in putting on a successful rambles program this season.
My name is David Mundie, and I work for Q-CERT, a joint project of Carnegie Mellon University and ictQATAR. I lack many of the traditional qualifications of a rambles coordinator, such as actually having led a ramble myself. However, I am very enthused about the upcoming season:
* In addition to the usual kinds of rambles we have done recently, I would like to exploit my ties to the birding community to put on some birding-oriented rambles.
* I would like to try some rambles that stretch the definition of the term. For instance, I was amazed recently to discover that there are over one hundred geocaches in Qatar, and think it would be fun to practice our GPS and orienteering skills on a geocaching ramble. (See www.geocaching.com if you would like information on geocaching.)
* I would like to "demystify" the leading of rambles by putting together a Ramble Leader's Handbook (RLH) that spells out what needs to be done to lead a successful ramble.
* For some reason I have become obsessed with rambling songs. There are over 120 rambling songs on the iTunes store (My Rambling Heart, Rambling Gambling Willy, The Rambling Irishmen, Rambling Rose, The Rambling Pitchfork - the list goes on and on). I may put on a poll of ramblers to select an Official QNHG Rambling Song. (The Led Zeppelin's "Rambling Man" is the early favorite.)
For more details, look for an article I wrote in the season's first newsletter.
As always, QNGH rambling relies on the volunteer efforts of the ramble leaders. Please, if any of you are experienced ramble leaders, or are closet ramble leaders who have always thought it might be fun but haven't volunteered for some reason, or if you just have an idea for a cool ramble, or if you have information you think might be useful for the RLH - please get in touch with me.
