England 2010 - The Die is Cast

We have purchased our tickets! And here's the news... I am going for THREE weeks!

Last year I could only manage one week, left on Sunday morning, arrived Monday morning. I had five days, Monday through Friday. Then took the train to Crawley on Saturday, spent the night and flew home on Sunday.

This year will be quite different. Leaving on May 10 and returning on May 29.

I have been looking at Google maps and identifying the places we were last year and all the roads and paths. I am usually pretty good with maps, but for some reason I was quite turned around with directions. I finally found the landmarks, Youth Hostel, Kings Head Inn, path to the campground, etc. Still a little fuzzy on the ground, but I hope to be better at navigation this year.

We are planning a ride south to/through the New Forest. I am really looking forward to this one. Trying to peruse the map and find good routes that avoid the main roads.

Not sure what the rest of the trip holds in store for me/us. The Salisbury Festival starts on May 21. What a great time I had last year. This year there is a storyteller that I hope to see and make contact with. Who knows, I may even find a few venues to tell my stories, as I did last year!

Another new addition this year is video. I have a small Ipod Nano with video camera that is easy to shoot and then upload to the web. So look for some clips of me, Cookie and those wonderful, whacky Brits! Oh yeah, I will also try to post our routes and where we have been on Google maps with some links.

Cookie and I have both upgraded a lot of our equipment and chotchkis (although I am sure we will be in those little stores, always looking for more "stuff"). I have a new tent and sleeping bag. Cookie has some new paniers and a new stove.

Now all we have to do is... hope that our bikes are still there!