Satmap's Walksaver

I finshed up 2009 having walked 4657 kms. Yesterday I entered the year of the walk with a 24 kms burst from Lavelanet to Puivert, during which I started to accustom myself to Satmap's Active 10 Plus navigation device. This is hopefully going to be a lifesaver, or at least a walksaver, for me as my eyes have so much difficulty (no, admit it, impossibility) following the tracks on paper maps.

Early indications are very promising. If the Grandes Randonnees (national walking tracks) show up as clearly on the device as the one I was walking on yesterday - and as long as I can keep the Active Plus fully charged - I should be able to find my way most of the time.

Today there was to have been a further test of the same device - for which I have just received the electronic card maps which Satmap are kindly loaning to me - with the normal Saturday scramble up and down to Quillan. But we awoke to another fall of snow (unforecast) which, while not enough to inhibit driving, will have made some bits of the path at the Col du Portel difficult, if not dangerous.

Hopefully there will be a better day tomorrow so that I can get in a final walk in France before we set off, via a very few days in UK, for Australia and New Zealand.

Vic's Big Walk kicks off on May 15th, which means I have just over 4 months to go. Most of that time will be spent Down Under. We arrive home at the end of March, giving 6 weeks to prepare before the start gun.