str, cmaw and others-- it is interesting how seeing someone else's photos trigger one's own memories.

-the electric box clock etc photo makes me remember back in the 80s when I lived in Central America, how the simple cold water showers usually had a simple way to get hot water--there was a basic electric swing type switch to connect a connection to turn on a heating element in the shower head. This was all exposed, wires,contacts and everything, and while standing under the running cold shower, you would reach up above the shower head and pull down the red handle to connect the wires putting electricity to the heating element. It worked and I was never electrocuted, but all this exposed electrics and standing naked in water certainly made you feel vulnerable each time you did it....

- your 46km and 2230m of climbing day -- this reminds of me similar climb days from my past, a bit less altitude but heavier bikes, and now that I am older, I find I feel just as exhausted with half the climbing metres from even just 6 or 7 years ago. Oh well, c'est la vie and that's okay, I just accept doing less and feeling just as tired, it is still great fun though.
Age is also a big incentive to carry less stuff !

-serious dog scare stories, thankfully I do not have too many, but man o man we do remember the scary ones don't we?