This weekend I travelled with the 2012 Roadshow to the Outsider Festival in Rothiemurchus in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park near Aviemore.
This amazing location was to play host to three days of Music, Comedy, Film, and loads of sporting activity both on and off site, including the 2012 Roadshow.
Our pitch was set up late on the Friday evening and we were all waiting eagerly, ready to meet and greet festival goers first thing on the Saturday morning.
Much to my surprise it was sunny and relatively warm – I had been studying the weather forecast all week, and this was certainly not to be expected!
We took full advantage of the mild weather and encouraged those turning up to participate in some of the activities available. I joined in and tried hula-hooping for what must have been the first time in at least 20 years!
Luckily they had a cheat's version of the hula – a heavier hula which was easier to keep up.
The participants had a great time taking part in the activities on offer, including some mini Highland Games and a join-in cheerleading session and testing out their natural abilities at the National Lottery Dream Stats Zone.
Many of the visitors also took time to challenge themselves - thinking about something they'd like to accomplish before 2012, and making a commitment to themselves to achieve it.
Some people knew exactly what they wanted to do, one young girl wanted to swim in the Commonwealth Games, whilst others took a little more time to trawl around the deepest corners of their brains to dredge up an ambition that had been lurking there for years, but which they just kept putting off.
Alpine Skiers Finlay Mickel and Noel Baxter, gymnast Steve Frew and ex-Aberdeen footballer Willie Miller were on hand over the course of the weekend to encourage those attending the festival to 'Join in' in the lead up to 2012, and to provide an insight into just what’s involved in being a sportsman at the very top of their game.
Oh, and during all the excitement it started to rain – just a little to start with and then it got heavier and heavier and eventually forgot to stop.
Luckily most people had arrived totally prepared for this glorious Scottish summer weather and donned their waterproofs and wellies and got on with enjoying themselves.
I had a great time – splashing around in the mud in my new pink wellingtons! (This is too much fun to be work – surely.)
It took me almost all weekend to finally come clean and commit to my challenge (it really is one of those that’s been rattling round in my brain for ages).
Finally, late on Sunday afternoon I stepped inside the bus (still wearing my lovely pink wellies) and typed out my pledge. I almost backed out at least once – My challenge? "I'm going to join in and learn to sing - performing one song in public by 2012". If you knew how tone deaf I am sure you’d understand what that meant.
As the Roadshow shut down for the final time and everyone headed off to hear Sunday evening's array of music I bumped into some friends from University and got to see my favourite singer from my Uni-days.
Just the inspiration I needed to get on and book some singing lessons.
Let's hope that each of the visitors who came along over the weekend left equally inspired – whether that was by meeting an Olympian or a footballer, by having identified what their 'ideal sport' might be or whether it'd just been from talking to one of our very friendly and super-enthusiastic 2012 Roadshow staff.
If everyone else had as much fun as we did manning the stand then there's going to be a lot of people 'Joining in' with the Olympic Spirit in the run up to 2012.
