Re: A thousand cows in limousines

2015-07-02 Thread Bob W-PDML
Hi Alan,

I use a GPS device mount mounted on the handlebars which automatically tracks 
wherever I go, taking a position reading at defined intervals. On the track you 
can tell how fast or slow I was going (generally indicating hills) by the space 
between trackpoints. 

You can also get apps for iPhones etc which do this, but I use a specialised 
device because of battery consumption, robustness and waterproofness. Mine is a 
Garmin eTrex 30. 

Before the ride I plan the route using various bits of software including 
ExpertGPS, Google Maps and ViewRanger, as well as paper maps (IGN Top 100 
series for France). The route itself I put into ExpertGPS and from that upload 
it onto the device, in sections. 

In France I try to stick to the white roads, occasionally using the yellows, 
and as much as possible avoid the reds, which is why the route goes through 
small villages.

On the bike I then just follow the directions that I've programmed into the 
device. It's a balls-ache to devise the route, but when cycling it's great 
because you don't have to stop at every junction to check a paper map - you 
just glance at the device.

I always take the paper maps too, of course, and a compass. You can't rely on a 
GPS device on its own - you could lose or break it, run out of batteries, or 
need to replan to deal with circumstances, such as closed roads. Proper maps 
are also great for seeing what's around you - using a GPS is like being limited 
to tunnel vision. 

It also records stats such as top speed (a fraction under 40mph this trip), 
moving average (13 mph until I met up with my pal!) and so on.

B

> On 2 Jul 2015, at 09:22, Alan C  wrote:
> 
> Very interesting, Bob. I followed the route at a fairly high zoom. A lot of 
> small villages on the route. Do you have one of those apps which tracks the 
> route automatically? I'd love to try something like that but the towns are 
> too far apart & the traffic too dangerous in SA. However, there are now some 
> multi-day MB tour routes as opposed to the very popular (& ridiculously 
> expensive) MB stage races.
> 
> Alan C
> 
> -Original Message- From: Bob W-PDML
> Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2015 5:42 PM
> To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List
> Subject: Re: OT: A thousand cows in limousines
> 
> Here is the GPS track from the trip.
> 
> http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/NjgyMTc=
> 
> You can zoom the map using the controls in the top left. If you have any 
> problems and are particularly interested in it, let me know and I'll send you 
> the file.
> 
> I've done a first pass of the photos, but nothing to show yet. They're very 
> biased towards the second part of the trip.
> 
> B
> 
> 
> 
>> On 1 Jul 2015, at 11:03, Bob W-PDML  wrote:
>> 
>> Thanks. Got back from France yesterday, having managed to avoid all the 
>> burning tyres on the Channel Tunnel railway tracks.
>> 
>> The first leg went very quickly and I made good, enjoyable progress.
>> 
>> The second leg didn't really go to plan as my pal wasn't fit enough to cover 
>> the planned miles or terrain. We toured La Margeride, which is a beautiful 
>> and little-known part of the Massif Central, with easy cycling - a real 
>> highlight for me - but we decided not to go onto the big stuff of the 
>> Causses in the Cevennes as he was not really up to it.
>> 
>> Nevertheless, it was a great trip in good company. I'll post some photos 
>> over the next few days, and the GPS tracks for people who are interested in 
>> such things.
>> 
>> B
>> 
>> 
>>> On 13 Jun 2015, at 18:08, Knarf  wrote:
>>> 
>>> I eagerly await photos.
>>> 
>>> Have fun and ride safe!
>>> 
>>> Cheers,
>>> 
>>> frank
>>> 
 On 12 June, 2015 3:01:51 PM EDT, Bob W-PDML  wrote:
 I'm off on my hols tomorrow, so signing off for the duration.
 
 I'll be cycling across France again, but a shorter route than last
 year. Here are the two legs - meeting up with a pal and his son, who
 has been delegated to carry the defibrillators, in Clermont-Ferrand for
 the 2nd half.
 
 Caen to Clermont-Ferrand:
 http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/NjI2MjA=
 
 To Montpellier:
 http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/NjQwNzI=
 
 I will take some pictures.
 
 B
 
 ...and in case you're wondering about the subject heading:
 http://www.france-voyage.com/tourism/regional-nature-park-millevaches-limousin-1286.htm
>> 
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Re: A thousand cows in limousines

2015-07-02 Thread Alan C
Very interesting, Bob. I followed the route at a fairly high zoom. A lot of 
small villages on the route. Do you have one of those apps which tracks the 
route automatically? I'd love to try something like that but the towns are 
too far apart & the traffic too dangerous in SA. However, there are now some 
multi-day MB tour routes as opposed to the very popular (& ridiculously 
expensive) MB stage races.


Alan C

-Original Message- 
From: Bob W-PDML

Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2015 5:42 PM
To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List
Subject: Re: OT: A thousand cows in limousines

Here is the GPS track from the trip.

http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/NjgyMTc=

You can zoom the map using the controls in the top left. If you have any 
problems and are particularly interested in it, let me know and I'll send 
you the file.


I've done a first pass of the photos, but nothing to show yet. They're very 
biased towards the second part of the trip.


B




On 1 Jul 2015, at 11:03, Bob W-PDML  wrote:

Thanks. Got back from France yesterday, having managed to avoid all the 
burning tyres on the Channel Tunnel railway tracks.


The first leg went very quickly and I made good, enjoyable progress.

The second leg didn't really go to plan as my pal wasn't fit enough to 
cover the planned miles or terrain. We toured La Margeride, which is a 
beautiful and little-known part of the Massif Central, with easy cycling - 
a real highlight for me - but we decided not to go onto the big stuff of 
the Causses in the Cevennes as he was not really up to it.


Nevertheless, it was a great trip in good company. I'll post some photos 
over the next few days, and the GPS tracks for people who are interested 
in such things.


B



On 13 Jun 2015, at 18:08, Knarf  wrote:

I eagerly await photos.

Have fun and ride safe!

Cheers,

frank

On 12 June, 2015 3:01:51 PM EDT, Bob W-PDML  
wrote:

I'm off on my hols tomorrow, so signing off for the duration.

I'll be cycling across France again, but a shorter route than last
year. Here are the two legs - meeting up with a pal and his son, who
has been delegated to carry the defibrillators, in Clermont-Ferrand for
the 2nd half.

Caen to Clermont-Ferrand:
http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/NjI2MjA=

To Montpellier:
http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/NjQwNzI=

I will take some pictures.

B

...and in case you're wondering about the subject heading:
http://www.france-voyage.com/tourism/regional-nature-park-millevaches-limousin-1286.htm


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Re: A thousand cows in limousines

2015-06-13 Thread Bob Sullivan
Safe trip Bob.

On Sat, Jun 13, 2015 at 12:58 AM, Bob W-PDML  wrote:
> Thanks. It's about 800 miles, I think, in 3 weeks. Staying on hotels. I have 
> to be in Clermont-Ferrand by next weekend, then will slow down because of the 
> hills. I'll meet up with my friends who are driving there, and we will then 
> cycle to Montpellier through the Auvergne and the Cévennes, get the train 
> back to CF and drive back to the UK.
>
> Time to go. À tout a l'heure!
>
> B
>
>> On 13 Jun 2015, at 00:17, Ken Waller  wrote:
>>
>> Way to go Bob !
>>
>> What's your intended mileage and time alotted ?
>>
>> Camping or staying in inns?
>>
>> One way or round trip ?
>>
>> Be safe!
>>
>> Kenneth Waller
>> http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/kennethwaller
>>
>> - Original Message - From: "Bob W-PDML" 
>> Subject: OT: A thousand cows in limousines
>>
>>
>>> I'm off on my hols tomorrow, so signing off for the duration.
>>>
>>> I'll be cycling across France again, but a shorter route than last year. 
>>> Here are the two legs - meeting up with a pal and his son, who has been 
>>> delegated to carry the defibrillators, in Clermont-Ferrand for the 2nd half.
>>>
>>> Caen to Clermont-Ferrand:
>>> http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/NjI2MjA=
>>>
>>> To Montpellier:
>>> http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/NjQwNzI=
>>>
>>> I will take some pictures.
>>>
>>> B
>>>
>>> ...and in case you're wondering about the subject heading:
>>> http://www.france-voyage.com/tourism/regional-nature-park-millevaches-limousin-1286.htm
>>
>>
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>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and 
>> follow the directions.
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Re: A thousand cows in limousines

2015-06-12 Thread Bob W-PDML
Thanks. It's about 800 miles, I think, in 3 weeks. Staying on hotels. I have to 
be in Clermont-Ferrand by next weekend, then will slow down because of the 
hills. I'll meet up with my friends who are driving there, and we will then 
cycle to Montpellier through the Auvergne and the Cévennes, get the train back 
to CF and drive back to the UK.

Time to go. À tout a l'heure!

B

> On 13 Jun 2015, at 00:17, Ken Waller  wrote:
> 
> Way to go Bob !
> 
> What's your intended mileage and time alotted ?
> 
> Camping or staying in inns?
> 
> One way or round trip ?
> 
> Be safe!
> 
> Kenneth Waller
> http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/kennethwaller
> 
> - Original Message - From: "Bob W-PDML" 
> Subject: OT: A thousand cows in limousines
> 
> 
>> I'm off on my hols tomorrow, so signing off for the duration.
>> 
>> I'll be cycling across France again, but a shorter route than last year. 
>> Here are the two legs - meeting up with a pal and his son, who has been 
>> delegated to carry the defibrillators, in Clermont-Ferrand for the 2nd half.
>> 
>> Caen to Clermont-Ferrand:
>> http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/NjI2MjA=
>> 
>> To Montpellier:
>> http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/NjQwNzI=
>> 
>> I will take some pictures.
>> 
>> B
>> 
>> ...and in case you're wondering about the subject heading:
>> http://www.france-voyage.com/tourism/regional-nature-park-millevaches-limousin-1286.htm
> 
> 
> -- 
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Re: A thousand cows in limousines

2015-06-12 Thread Ken Waller

Way to go Bob !

What's your intended mileage and time alotted ?

Camping or staying in inns?

One way or round trip ?

Be safe!

Kenneth Waller
http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/kennethwaller

- Original Message - 
From: "Bob W-PDML" 

Subject: OT: A thousand cows in limousines



I'm off on my hols tomorrow, so signing off for the duration.

I'll be cycling across France again, but a shorter route than last year. 
Here are the two legs - meeting up with a pal and his son, who has been 
delegated to carry the defibrillators, in Clermont-Ferrand for the 2nd 
half.


Caen to Clermont-Ferrand:
http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/NjI2MjA=

To Montpellier:
http://my.viewranger.com/route/details/NjQwNzI=

I will take some pictures.

B

...and in case you're wondering about the subject heading:
http://www.france-voyage.com/tourism/regional-nature-park-millevaches-limousin-1286.htm



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