The Unexpected.

Having had a day out of the gym on Friday (off exercising my brain and visiting a mate down in the wilds of East-Sussex) I didnt really expect to wake up on Saturday with a painful and swollen left knee. So I was frankly irritated when that's exactly what did happen. Fortunately, and possibly thanks to the early consumption of a handful of ibroprofen, the situation hasn't deteriorated to the point where I'm hopping about with the aid of a stick and grimacing with every move. That is NOT going to happen.

Fate, of course, might conspire to arrange things otherwise.  Im just about to get on a plane, where I'll spend the next ten hours en route to San Francisco. Still, with the sound advice of Elizabeth the physio in my ears, a handful of drugs in my pocket,  30cm of tubigrip on my knee and a jammed into pair of flight-socks (sexy!) it wont be for lack of trying on my part!

All things considered, I didn't expect to get a walk today, and was seriously jealous when I read about my mates' exploits on Facebook - but I forgot - I'm flying from Heathrow.  It really doesn't seem to matter which airline, or what terminal you use (hint, United and Terminal one are the worst combination) - if you're going to take a transatlantic flight from London's premier Airport it WILL feel like you've walked halfwar to your ultimate destination by the time you get on a plane.

Wish me luck?

Henley again!

Another trip out this week courtesy of Raymond Hugh's (not, as I had earlier said, Hugh Raymond) Adventurous walks book, which took us through more woodland than I even knew still existed in the South of England.  While it was immensely enjoyable, I have to say I felt pretty much wrung out by the end of it.

In common with many of his other walks, Mr Hugh waxes lyrical about every pub en route, and there are lots.  At exactly the half way point, is a Brakspear's Pub called the Crooked Billet.  This place is so old fashioned, it doesn't even have a bar, with an obliging fellow fetching whatever you have ordered for you.  Clearly, its a food establishment, and Hugh promises a visit not to be forgotten.  Given that hugh's book is 18 years old now, the beer probably wasn't £4 per pint when he wrote it, but it certainly is now!  Still, it was good, and well earned.  And its a pretty pub, as you can see.

While Hug's books are out of print, Ive found a web site which seems to have some in a very similar style - and will certainly bear investigation. Its called Fancy Free Walks which is a little twee, but if the content's good I think we can forgive that...

I mentioned in the last post that a bunch of us had signed up for TrailTrekker.  The sponsorship site is up now, so why not take a look and see if you're feeling generous?

Walks, walks and more walks.

The gym has yet to release its hold on me - with another four visits clocked up last week.  I don't seem to be getting any lighter, but the sessions are certainly getting easier. I'll have to up the weights/resistance soon.

I hadn't planned to go walking last Sunday, but as luck had it an unexpected opportunity to toddle off for a brief stumble with Friends did present itself.  Enough friends, in fact, and a brief enough stumble, that I could drag all three dogs with me (Floyd is getting a bit long in the tooth for marathon walks these days, though he's game enough). So, we spent a very pleasant morning in Swinley Forest, ending up almost six miles later at the "Lookout" for cups of tea, coffee and various items of bacon based comestible.  Most enjoyable.

There is news on the "things to look forward to" front as well.  The "Wainwright Coast to Coast" expedition has been booked, and offers - at the end of April, fourteen days of walking from West coast to East.  Frankly, I feel like a kid ticking off the days to Christmas.

Perhaps overcome by all the excitement I've also singed up, along with three pals from work, to do the Oxfam Trailtrekker - a 100km (60 mile) walk around the Yorkshire Dales, to be completed in 30 hours or less.  While we are all looking forward to this, its not pure pleasure. Quite apart from being a really significant challenge, this is a fundraising activity for Oxfam - so you can expect to see a sponsorship page linked in here pretty soon!  This, of curse, is a team event and teams need names - look out world because Grumbler's Stumblers on their way!

Henley & Remenham

A whole week into the new year, and this "Getting Fit" thing, Its all very well having been at the gym every morning before work, but it was about time for a decent walk.  This particular one would be taken from a reasonably old book called Adventurous Walks in Berkshire, by a beer loving fellow called Hugh Raymond.  

Whether or not Hugh is still knocking around is unknown, but certainly at least one of the pubs he mentions (The Two Brewers in Henley) is, sadly, long gone.  The Dew Drop Inn, however, is very much still with us, and made a nice lunchtime stop at the six  mile marker.

Other than the march of time and clearly suffering from Alcoholic constipation (he was unable to pass a pub, and who can blame him?), there's not much wrong with Hugh's writing style or instructions.  We had to get a map out once or twice, but otherwise everything was pretty clear.  Its a walk I can recommend, but be warned - my sat Nav says its 14+ miles - not the 12 and a bit Hugh claims for it.

Last day off

After just over a week off, I do think Ive managed to wind down, finally, and frankly I could enjoy a holiday now!  Oh well, there's time off in April to look forward to, and maybe a motorcycle adventure before then.

Went off for a cycle ride this morning with John - nothing too energetic, just a trip off road down to the "look out" in Bracknell.  If I thought the Oxfordshire clay was sticking to my boots yesterday on the Wallingford walk, thats nothing to the gloopy mud sucking at the bike tyres today.  As a relative novice to off road biking, that's the hardest Ive had to work for a while, so Im quite glad we only did 12 miles!

Second day of not smoking - still got half a nicotine patch on, but the urge to light up is already receding.  Wonder how long it'll last this time!

Back to work tomorrow - and re-start of a regular gym routine. I'm "booked in" at 8am, four times a week, for the whole month of January and honestly looking forward to it.

Hello 2012

There have been many new-years days where I have woken up, and then immediately wished that I hadn't.  This wasn't one of them, probably because we had a quiet night in and I only drank the one bottle of Malbec.

So, after debating whether to go out on the mountain bike, or the motorbike, or for a walk, I plumped for the latter, stuck on half a nicotine patch (yes, I'm giving up smoking, again...) and got stuck into a walking guide.

I wanted something relatively easy and not too far away.  As it happens, the "Wallingford" walk in the Jarrold "Chilterns & Thames Valley" guide is (disappointingly) a good half mile short of the three miles it promised.  In fact, I almost decided to walk it again, backwards (I mean the route, not walking backwards, though that would have made it more interesting), but it was just stating to rain.  So, just under an hour of fresh air - not huge, but better than none.