There are Brits of a certain age for whom the phrase "Get down Shep!" will need no explanation.For those aren't going misty eyed, this was the all too frequent exclamation by John Noakes, a co-presenter on the BBC children's TV program Blue Peter, would say when his border collie of that name got over excited.
The program was named after the Blue Peter flag that was raised when a ship is ready to leave, and it was intended to promote a spirit of adventure. Back in the '70s John was part of a highly successful trio with fellow presenters Valerie Singleton and Peter Purvis, but Noakes was always the dare devil, from undertaking free fall parachuting to bob sleigh runs (in which he crashed).
And its good to see that spirit continues, with one of the current presenters, Helen Skelton having just finishing a record breaking kayak down the Amazon. As always, Blue Peter is combining adventure with good causes, raising money for Sports Relief.
The 2,010 mile kayak would have been something for an experienced paddler but she had never even been in a kayak before starting training.
For those that say if she can kayak 60 miles a day why are you stuck indoors I can just point you towards the difference in water and air temperature between here and the Amazon.
And there will be a Thames related post for tomorrow, which is just the thing for which Blue Peter badges would be awarded.
But alas I am far too old for that now.
