I have this set of magnificent maps and guides all in German of The Rhine cycle route. The question is at 1kg do I take them tomorrow? The route is in my GPS and on my Eee ( the iPad is staying at home since it’s incapable of syncing the Etrex and geotagging my camera )

So I should be OK but then…. >

this is also an experiment in posting via another Posterous http://posterous.com account I’ve set up.

Sent from my iPhone > 0044 (0)797 1428715

Posted via email from geoffjonesdotcom’s posterous

I’m now trying to use the iPhone wordpress app, which rather annoyingly just lost my words of wisdom whilst trying to attach a photo! Rule number one from the past, save and then save again before attempting anything!

Haven’t succeeded in adding any links yet

So here is my view from Wetherspoons at Gatwick (must save NOW)

An even better discovery was that the user “MockCyclist” had even created a map with the whole route plotted. A fantastic starting point, I’m now modifying his file to cut out the ferries that MockCyclist had used in Rotterdam and some other points on The Rhine.

I’m going to start from where I finished last year, My apartment in Les Gets, probably around the 7th July. I have to be back for my birthday on the 28th!

Here is the route so far:-

All 1000 miles of it!

Here is the walk on Everytrail plus some pics of Pakenham Water Mill where T treated Debbie, Sally and I to a gorgeous tea and cakes in the mill.

Pakenham Circular Walk at EveryTrail

Plan your trips with EveryTrail Mobile Travel Guides

iPad welcome screen

Experimenting with the WordPress app on my new iPad.

Beginning to love the iPad especially the HUGE Fonts available, in fact it’s rather weird going back to the iPhone! the iPad is ideal for us oldies with failing eyesight.

A problem for new entrants is that you need a computer & iTunes account to get it set up in the first place! This could be very very disappointing for folks thinking of getting one as their first and only computer.

Will I take it on my walks? Weighing in at 858gm with it’s £30 black case (yes pandammonium, Sally made me get one) compared to my Eee at 968gm is excellent! And now with the camera adapter (£25 in UK) it can backup my photos daily. However, it still has a major failing that I can’t back up my Garmin gpx files or geotag my pics. Maybe Ascent and Photolinker will do iPad apps

So yes it will be coming to the great Italian wedding with me but still undecided about China.

Oh, still can’t work out how to add links with the wordpress app

p.s. Links added on iMac

Standon circular walk at EveryTrail

Map your trip with EveryTrail

During Sally’s mega shopping trip I treated myself to some Inov8 trail shoes which I tried out today. I felt a bit of a fraud as I didn’t seem a ‘proper’ walker. They are just so much lighter than wearing boots. My heels still started to hurt at the 12 mile mark after the damage caused by my Thames Path walk,. Hopefully, the bruising on my heels will go away with time. Otherwise they seemed fine, although still uncertain about walking through long wet grass with them.

The route encompasses a lot of famous place names associated with Royalty and the English upper classes in fact it could be a tour of them from The palace of Westminster, Hampton Court, Windsor, Eton & Oxford.

Most days I did well over 20miles as the ground is flat, well marked & easy going. My days were:-

Day 1 (May 10th) Ashton Keynes to The Source and back again with Sally who I must thank for the lift I stayed at the good Cove House. Distance about 15 miles.

Day 2 (May 11th) Ashton Keynes to Kelmscott about 21miles I stayed at the excellent Manor Farm with an amazing evening meal at The Plough.

Day 3 (May 12th) Kelmscott to Swinford another 21 miles or so Charles met be en-route and made me a coffee in his stunning house plus giving me lots of tips for my upcoming China trip, thank you
My friend Chris picked me up so I could stay at his house in Abingdon.

Day 4 (May 13) Swinford to Clifton Hamden a 22mile day made possible by Chris picking me up again and providing a seconds night hospitality.

Day 5 (May 14) Clifton Hamden to Goring a short 15 mile day so I could be ready for Sally coming down for the weekend. I met Margaret who is walking bits of the Path over weekends etc.

Day 6 (May 15) Goring to Henley Lovely 21 mile walk with a couple of surprising hills.

Day 7 (May 16) Henley to Windsor/Eton A cracking day of over 23 miles with Sally followed by a meal at Zizzi’s thank you Philip and congratulations on your upcoming wedding

Day 8 (May 17) Eton to Hampton Court A big 24 miler so a tiring day thanks to AroundMe I located the Lionsgate Hotel even though I had no prior booking!

Day 9 (May 18) Hampton Court to Chelsea another 22 miler this time with aching feet Very impressive that the countryside extends so far into London. AroundMe saved me again by finding a cheap hotel in Chelsea, The Oakley the neighbouring Fiamma made me an excellent vegetarian stuffed cannelloni

which brings me to the final day

Day 10 (May19) Chelsea to The Thames Barrier 17 miles to do what a crow could fly in half! Past all the magnificent buildings associated with London, Big Ben, The Globe, Tower Bridge etc etc
All totally awesome except for the nagging pain of two small heel blisters although relieved somewhat by meeting Alwyn & his wife who are planning to walk to Santiago from St Albans, they had just returned from cycling the length of New Zealand having previously crossed Canada and covered fair distances in Australia – amazing the folks you meet when walking.

Very hilly for we Cambridge folk but fantastic scenery and the Bays Wood area looking very much like all England did before we started chopping all the trees down!

Here’s the walk on Everytrail:-

Wotton under Edge to Horton circular walk

Map your trip with EveryTrail

18.7 miles done!

Wotton to Tyndale Monument circular walk at EveryTrail

Map your trip with EveryTrail

Many thanks to Sally & Ross who are putting us up after staying in my Les Gets apartment this winter.