No Christmas Cards

We have decided that, once again, we shall be sending out no Christmas cards this year but instead putting the money into the fund for Pancreatic Cancer UK. Of course we would be very pleased if you would do the same.

One day a cure will be found. This will come through research. The research needs funds. Every little bit counts. Your contribution could be the one that makes the diffence and finances the breakthrough. To us, that seems much more important than the fleeting pleasure of a Christmas card.

Just click on the JustGiving button on the left of your screen. Ignore the "100%" sign. The fund actually stands at 116% of my original target. And of course there is no upper limit. Go for it.

The pictures are from the recent Apple Fair in nearby Mirepoix. All those sculptures are made from apples, the local crop. Each year the theme is different. This year it was a about Mirepoix's twin town of Palafrugell in northern Spain.

Cracking Weather

October 28th.

20 degrees.

Not bad, eh?

Booking My Place

It was warm enough, along with brilliantly sunny enough to sit outside for our lunch today. One pays for these clear skies early in the morning, though. As usual, I started my Friday walk from Lavelanet, where the temperature was 0 degrees.

A price worth paying, though. What a pleasure it is to walk in this weather, especially when one seems to have the world to oneself. Except for all the gunfire, or course - a constant worry in France during the very long hunting season.

I have finished my book and am revising it, at the same time as praying for a publisher. I am fortunate in that I have been offered a limited amount of professional help in assessing the manuscript and advising on possible routes for publication.

Cold For Which Time Of The Year?

A lovely sunny day, and quite warm in the sun once the day had woken up a bit. But the temperature was only 7 degrees as I set out to walk from Lavelanet to home. That's a bit chilly for legs wearing shorts, but not too surprising for the middle of October.

I have spent many hours lately working on the book of the walk, which is very near to proof-reading stage. So it has not escaped my attention that there were many mornings of similarly low temperatures during VBW, and amazingly, on June 21, the day on which the sun is at its nearest to northern hemisphere inhabitants, the temperature as I started the day's walk was only 5 degrees.

Dying man looking only for the positive

No photos today, but just look at this link.

A man dying of pancreatic cancer gives a truly inspirational lecture.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9ya9BXClRw

Big Walk Challenge 2012

I walked from Quillan to Puivert today. Nothing unusual about that, except that I really only started distance walking for Vic's Big Walk, that walk finished more than two months ago, yet here I am, still walking for several hours, several times a week.

The new version of the walk from Quillan is about 20 kms and rises from 290 metres, reaches 650 metres three times before gradually coming down to home at 500 metres. I took the picture soon after I set off, at about 400 metres. Between there and home, where 8 Egyptian vultures were resting on thermals just above the house, I had a brainwave.

What about a Big Walk Challenge? I walked from Puivert to Blackpool in 70 days. Many people, all over the world, were interested and followed my blog. How many of those people would be interested in following the same route themselves? In competition with others, to see how long it would take them.

The Challenge would take place in 2012, to give everybody time to prepare. There would not be a mass start because not everybody would have 70 days (plus or minus) available at the same time of year. Each competitor could start at a time of hir own choosing. There would be a handicapping system - those over 70 would have a day knocked off their time for each year over 70 - those between 50 and 70 would have a day added on - those under 50 would have 20 days added, plus another half year for each extra year of age below 50.

There would be prizes for the winner in each 10-year age category. The entry fee would be £100, to be paid as a donation to Pancreatic Cancer UK through my JustGiving webpage. Additionally, each competitor would be required to set up hir own JustGiving page to raise funds for my charity or for one of their own.

Would this fly? Let me know what you think.

October Views

These pics were all taken above the beautiful village of Ginoles.

Double-click on each picture for a bigger version.