Yesterday I walked to a Coop shop in Nyon by foot, to shop for a day. Rather than taking the car I chose to walk down from Eysins, across the narrow, really dangerous road and bridge to get to the other side. Along the way I saw two dog walkers question whether to walk along the glissière or whether to cross. They crossed the dangerous road and walked with their backs to traffic....
Posts tagged “walking”
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A Bridge Too Far — Apr 21, 2026 -
Why I Switched Away From Minimalist Shoes — Apr 20, 2026During the pandemic I would walk from one and a half hours per day every single day of the week for months. In that time I believe that my feet swelled, making normal shoes more and more uncomfortable to wear....
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Yet Another Sunny Day — Aug 27, 2021As I looked straight down from a bridge today I noticed that the river is so low that the river bed has become bone dry in places. In other places you see that the gress is turning yellow. When tractors tend to the fields you see that they are stirring up clouds of dust. It is so dry, so often, that it is only a matter of time before forest fires burn down local forests.... -
Yet Another Sunny Day — Oct 11, 2021Today I looked at two of the masks I used over summer and they are both bleached by the sun. So is my hat. I normally expect things in Spain to be sun bleached, not Switzerland. The reason is simple. First, it never ever rains, and even clouds are rare today, and second, I spend an hour and a half outdoors a day walking. Plenty of time for my things to get sun bleached....
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With A view of the Mont Blanc — Sep 24, 2021I’m afraid to open the veluxes because of the threat of finding yet another large spider. I don’t mind having to dispose of it, but I hate the idea of having one walking around without me knowing. A great alternative to open windows is to go for your daily walk. You’re far from neighbours, from smokers, from metalworking and more. You are free to daydream. Today the Mont Blanc was clearly visible. The image is at max zoom with an iphone 8+.... -
When Rain Doesn't Show Up — Dec 4, 2022They forecast rain and I looked forward to going for a walk and having clean shoes as shoes are washed by the rain keeping shows slick. The rain didn’t come so my shoes got muddy and I stood by the tap trying to get the mud to drain away from between the tread, without much luck. Tomorrow if I run down the stairs as I always do I will leave thick clumps of mud from my apartment down to the garage... -
Waves Breaking In Spain — Dec 11, 2021undefined... -
Water bottles and Oxydation — Sep 9, 2021I often hiked with a Sigg one litre water bottle and it has served me well. It has been with me for rock climbing, via ferrata, hiking and more. I like it because it is light, easy to use and maintain. I liked the one litre version enough to get a smaller 600ml version for conferences and work.... -
Walking Without Masks During a Pandemic — Oct 28, 2021For many people walking without masks during a pandemic is normal. This is confusing. We have known for months, or even seasons that the virus is airborne and that masks are a simple way to keep safe. Despite this people walk by the seaside without masks. It’s not just that they walk without wearing masks, but that they do not seem to be visible.... -
Walking With Worn Shoes — Nov 25, 2021At the moment I am walking with worn shoes, not because I do not have shoes that are not worn, but because I do not want to walk with shoes that have good tread at this time of year, due to the mud that gets stuck in them. When I walk with shoes with treads I collect mud during my walk, and I bring it up the stairs when I walk up, and I drop it off when I run back down. This leaves a mess, which, if I was a child, would be forgivable to some degree, but as an adult may be seen as immaturity....
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Walking With A Fear of Dogs — Mar 12, 2023I walk every single day, whether it’s raining, windy, snowing, a heat wave and more. I like heatwaves because dog walkers usually stay in. We live in an age and society where fear of dogs is not respected. Yesterday I was on a walk and i saw two big dogs. One was on a leash and the second was free to roam. That freedom to roam encouraged me to divert my route to go through a muddy forest.... -
Walking Through Mud — Feb 15, 2021In normal times we can walk along clean paths, without walking through the mud because we can walk within a meter or two of people. During a pandemic though, the recommendation is to be at least two meters from people. Many agricultural paths are not that wide, especially when people walk two or more abreast.... -
Walking Through A City You Are Leaving For A Bit. — Jul 11, 2007During a shoot a few years ago a person was speaking about human development and how an expert from an economically more developed country wanted to teach the person from an economically less developed country about the topic. The local told the economist “you want to teach me about the economy but whilst you took five steps to make it to this table I took two”. One thing you may take away from such a comment is that you’ve got to find more efficient methods by which to do daily tasks. Now, I wonder, how many of you take the bus two or three stops rather than walking. There are times when the distances are massive and walking would take six to seven times as much time but there are other times when walking is a great way of getting from one location to another. I was in Central London today and wanted to walk properly therefore those half strider surrounding me were impeding the pleasure to be had from a nice walk. I walked towards Green Park but soon turned left and down towards the Thames. The streets were empty and my legs could reach their full potential. I was relaxed and decided to go through many of the smaller side streets. As a result of this I saw some historic buildings where famous lawyers lived, where pubs are named after poets and where a disaffected tube station can be seen. I also found some hidden parks and such. It was a nice walk because whilst the main street has masses of people and traffic just one side street down the path is clear and the small passages are interesting. It is through the smaller hidden away places that you see the character of a city and I want to get to know this one better. I’m in the usual pre-trip mood. I’m happy to be going back to Switzerland to get my new laptop but I’m disappointed that I may miss the Finsbury Park Festival and a house party on Sunday, therefore, I may fly back. The reason it’s a “might” rather than a “will” is the price of tickets when you book them late. I’ll decide according to how things go in Switzerland....
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Walking Into Heavy Rain — Dec 15, 2022Sometimes you end up walking into heavy rain. That’s what I did today. I looked at the weather and because it was meant to get better over the coming days I assumed that this evening it would get better. Instead, as I walked it started to rain a little more, and then a little harder, and eventually quite a bit harder. Did I get wet beyond the top layer? Nope, but my beanie got a little wet, as did my fleece. My shoes on the other hand were clean, thanks to the flow of water.... -
Walking from Village to Village, and Village to Town — Jun 22, 2020The conversation is too often about designing cities to be car-free, but I would argue that designing the countryside to require less frequently would be more advantageous. The reason for this is that walking from village to village, and from villages to towns eliminates the need for, and appeal of the car. If the need for a car is mooted by making the sides of roads pleasant for pedestrians and cyclists, we reduce the allure of the car.... -
Walking “Barefoot” with The Vapor Glove 6 — May 25, 2023Most shoes are designed to protect the heel with a cushion of air or material that absorbs heel strikes, before they are transmitted to the rest of the skeletal system. With barefoot shoes, especially the Vapor Glove 6 those heel strikes are not absorbed. You feel the force with which your heel is hitting the ground.... -
Visiting the Creux de Van and spending time with Bouquetins. — Apr 29, 2015Images I saw of the Creux de Van made me want to visit the location in person. Yesterday despite the mediocre weather I went there. From Neuchatel you drive towards Noiraigue. Free parking is available. For the first hour you are walking up a steep winding path. A few trees have fallen, stones and mud are also present until you reach the top of the cliff. From there you see a glimpse of the cliff and views to come. As I stood there I saw a solitary Bouquetin on the rocks. From there I went right and walked along the cliff. On one side I had green grass and a farm and on the other side I had a steep cliff. I walked along and came to an outcrop. From here you could see the full cliff face. I walked around the arc until I came across a herd of Bouquetins. They were right in my path. I took several pictures before heading back down the other side. I came across a wooden hut and table where people can have a snack. As you walk through the woods you get towards the end of the Gorge De L’Areuse. It was full of water due to the recent rains. By this point I had already walked 10km so I continued back towards the car. [caption id=“attachment_2260” align=“aligncenter”] This is the path you take to get up to the top of the Creux de Van [caption id=“attachment_2259” align=“aligncenter”] One of the first views as you emerge from the woods and see the landscape open up [caption id=“attachment_2258” align=“aligncenter”] A nice Valley [caption id=“attachment_2257” align=“aligncenter”] More landscape [caption id=“attachment_2256” align=“aligncenter”] Looking away from the cliffs you see the woods. [caption id=“attachment_2255” align=“aligncenter”] If you look down from this point you will see a long drop [caption id=“attachment_2254” align=“aligncenter”] I liked the quality of light here. [caption id=“attachment_2253” align=“aligncenter”] With Spring coming back all the trees are becoming green once again [caption id=“attachment_2251” align=“aligncenter”] A herd of Bouquetins were playing [caption id=“attachment_2250” align=“aligncenter”] When I arrived they were standing by the grass and slowly made their way towards the cliff [caption id=“attachment_2249” align=“aligncenter”] Just like when we were children they are playing on the wall [caption id=“attachment_2248” align=“aligncenter”] Just like when we were children they are playing on the wall [caption id=“attachment_2246” align=“aligncenter”] A bouquetin with the Creux de Van in the background [caption id=“attachment_2245” align=“aligncenter”] A bouquetin with the Graux de Van in the background [caption id=“attachment_2243” align=“aligncenter”] Nice Landscape and nice view [caption id=“attachment_2242” align=“aligncenter”] The Creux De Van [caption id=“attachment_2240” align=“aligncenter”] This is a physical 14km walk .... -
Vapor and Trail Gloves After Twenty Kilometres — May 11, 2023The easiest sport to practice every day is walking. We can walk to the bus stop, train station or other places every single day. We can walk in the morning, we can walk at the shops, and we can walk at lunch time or in the evening. All of these walking opportunities mean that shoes are on our feet for hours at a time and need to be comfortable. That’s why playing with Vapor Gloves and Trail Gloves makes sense. I have now walked twenty kilometres in both.... -
Twenty Seven Thousand Steps in BareFoot Shoes — May 28, 2023A few days ago I took twenty seven thousand steps in barefoot shoes. My feet did not suffer at all from walking that far in such shoes. I did some of that walking in the vapor gloves and the rest in the Trail Gloves. The beauty of barefoot walking is that you acclimate to such shoes quite fast. Within a matter of a week or two they become comfortable and feel normal....
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Thoughts On The Vapour Glove Six — May 5, 2023I walk around in socks when I’m at home, so not quite barefoot, but almost. The idea of barefoot shoes is to get the human body, and especially the lower half to get back in touch with walking barefoot.... -
Thoughts on Moonwalkers Shoes — May 18, 2023Some of us remember a time when you could get roller skates that fit shoes. Moonwalkers have the same idea, except that the goal with their project is for the wheels to be powered, to drive you forward at a maximum speed of 11 km/h.... -
Thirty Kilometres Per Day — Apr 7, 2023The Swiss travel an average of 30 kilometres per day in their cars, according to a new survey shared by the Radio Television Suisse.... -
The Walking Paradox — May 21, 2020Today I noticed how quiet the world, or at least the area in which I was walking, was. I saw very few cars, very few people walking, and very little noise from other people.... -
The Walk from Paquis to Decathlon/Mediamarkt — Jan 15, 2020The walk from Paquis to Decathlon can be almost straight if you take the most direct route. You walk from anywhere in Paquis to the train station and from there you head up towards Balexert and from there you head along the cycle and walking paths that veer slightly to the right, take you over the motorway and then to the airport, by the private aviation terminal. From there the rest of the walk takes a few minutes.... -
The summer eccentricity. — Jul 2, 2010There are four phones on my desk that are well adapted to tracking hikes. There is the nexus one, the e51, n95 and n97. The reason I mention this is battery life. In my experience if you go on a long hike at least one of the phones will die. You could buy an extra battery or two to make sure that this never happens but a more practical solution is to take all of your phones, install the tracking application on them and swap phone once the battery dies. Of course this would involve taking three chargers with you but at least this way you could track the hike in terms of chapters and somehow aggregate the data for a true hike map....
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The Season of Muddy Shoes — Nov 14, 2022We are in a pandemic and I like to walk away from people. To do so I need to walk along muddy paths by the sides of roads, motorways and fields. In the process my shoes get covered in mud and I need to find ways of removing that mud....
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The Phone Box library Walk — Aug 24, 2019If you’re looking for a reason to walk from one village to another the practise of using old phone boxes as free libraries are common in Switzerland. This means that if you’re shopping around for books in Switzerland you can either go to the shops and buy them with the car or you can go for a walk and see if any of the nearby villages have the books you’re looking for.... -
The Old Habit of Walking In The Rain — Jan 9, 2022A Walk In The Rain... -
The March Walking Challenge — Mar 4, 2020I’m on the Apple Activities March Walking Challenge this month. The app has decided that I must walk or run 298 kilometres. It’s an average of 9.6 kilometres a day. This is both easy and challenging at the same time. Walking 10 kilometres takes about two hours.... -
The Foggiest Idea — Jan 24, 2020The Foggiest idea, or a pun, after a walk this morning through Geneva on a foggy day. “The Jet D’eau will be off”, I thought. It was pumping out water at its usual rate but you’d find it hard to see. The grey/white fog, along with the white water, converged and became one.... -
The Daily Walk When People are Back — Aug 29, 2021The daily walk, when people are back, is less pleasant because the roads and paths that were quiet when everyone was on holiday catching the virus were quiet. Now that everyone is back it is a challenge to avoid people again and it could be worth finding quieter routes.... -
The Arches — Oct 24, 2021If you are looking for a sport easy walk with a little scrambling, walk to the rock arches. Two holes have been eroded into the rock providing two natural arches.... -
The 298 Km Walking and Running Challenge — Mar 12, 2020The 298 Km walking and Running Challenge is now ten days old and I’ve managed to run or walk the required distance every day. Yesterday rather than walk I decided to run despite the rain. As a result, a pair of my hiking trousers are now nicely covered in mud. I walked through two puddles near home hoping that most of the mud would wash off the shoes and it seems to have worked.... -
Stormy Skies Near Nyon — May 3, 2022The weather was finally dynamic today. The storm warnings were flashing towards Hermance, on the French side of the lake. This gave a nice contrast between the yellow of the Colza fields and the dark threatening clouds behind.... -
StepsApp — Dec 23, 2022Walking and taking steps could be seen as boring. It’s something we do every day, without thinking about it. At conferences we can easily take 20,000 steps a day, when we’re standing for the entire day, with barely any opportunities, or need to sit, except when eating or getting from A to B. The Steps App is a way of seeing step counts in a variety of ways.... -
Spring And Self Isolation — Jan 28, 2022Today I went for a walk and it felt warm enough for me to skip on wearing a layer. It was warm, around six degrees, and sunny. It felt like Spring, and it feels as though cycling could almost be considered. The cycling season is nice. I speak about cycling because I think that this year, like the last two, will be spent in self-isolation until we have zero new cases for two weeks in a row.... -
Spoonley Wood Roman Villa and Mosaic — Feb 14, 2022Roman remains may be found and excavated but sometimes nature reclaims them. These ruins were discovered in 1882 but nature returned and hid them safely away again. Such tweets should inspire archeological departments, and film and TV or BA Media Studies to document the process of re-excavating these ruins, with photogrammetry and other modern tech used....
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Singapore Is the Fastest Walking City — May 3, 2007I just noticed that I’d love living in Singapore because that’s the city where people walk the fastest. Copenhaguen is a city I’ve walked in but I didn’t notice it being particularly fast. Berliners walk faster than New Yorkers and Londoners walk slower than all of the above. I wonder how I’d compare to all these people and how I’d affect the averages. It’ just the type of news story I enjoy. Out of all these cities Malawi is the slowest. It’s 20 seconds slower than the rest. source...
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Signs of Drought — Aug 30, 2021Today as I walked I could see clear evidence that Switzerland is now dry. As you walk by the side of the road you see that it is yellow, and that there is no growth. Crops are withering away and water gauges are now filling with dust, rather than rain.... -
Seventy Kilometres Later - Adapting to Barefoot Shoes — May 17, 2023I walk from three to fie million steps per year. In doing so I wear through shoes and through socks every six months or less. It makes sense that I would experiment with barefoot shoes since I spend so much time walking....
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Scotland's Roman Wall - Tweet — Feb 13, 2022When I started writing about the Roman civilisation in the summer of 1996 content was still new on the web. Wikipedia didn’t exist and we still relied on books and encyclopedias. We still had to visit ruins and more. Today the web has matured to such an extent that you can find tweets about the Roman civilisation every day. This means that history is not updated when books or newspaper articles come out. It is updated on a weekly, or even hourly basis. The beauty of tweets, as opposed to blog posts or articles, is that you can share snippets of information, as you get them....
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Pacer And The Camino De Santiago — Nov 9, 2021Just as I was thinking, "I have nothing to write about because I have been walking around in circles for three or four years I find that at least virtually I have almost achieved a big project. Walking 819 kilometres on the Camino De Santiago. I am now four kilometres from the end. By the end of tomorrow morning I will have completed this goal.... -
Pacer And The Camino De Santiago — Nov 9, 2021richard - 11th of Nov, 2021...
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Open minded — Jan 17, 2007Today I got an e-mail which, if I agreed to would open a door to a number of events. I went for a fourty minute walk to think about things and my interior monologue brought me to the conclusion that by being stubborn I would gain nothing but regret whilst by agreeing to a small thing I would win back a freedom. I enjoyed the student life and for a moment by freedom was not as great threfore I found other occupations. Today I was at a comedy night and it was really amusing. I really enjoyed the evening. It’s great to watch comedians bring out the funny things in life for us to laugh at....
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One Hundred Day of 10,000 Steps — Feb 11, 2023Today marks 100 days in a row of walking 10,000 steps a day. It helps that we’re in winter than in summer because my step streaks are broken when I go for bike rides. Step counters don’t count pedalling as steps, so it’s easy to lose a streak....
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On walking more than five minutes — Apr 28, 2007person “you walk fast” me “I like to walk” person “I thought you were rushing somewhere” me “nope, just stride as I walk” On average every step I take is two and a half times longer than most people therefore I cover distances in half the time it takes others to do the same. That’s because I love walking. I used to walk an hour a day after high school and the distances expanded over time. One day I wanted to create a gps track to see what it looked like so I walked nine kilometers within the space of an hour. I wasen’t even tired at the end. Last night I went to a house warming party and the night finished around 2 or three in the morning and walked with a friend to the bus stop. I waited, and waited until I got bored. A bus came but when I asked whether he was going my way he told me “look at the front of the bus”. His arrogance made my mind up. I’d walk from Aldgate east, via Bank and temple to Traf. Square before catching the night bus I wanted to catch and going home. It’s a long walk. At moments I ran, then I walked. I was listening to music so that was fine. At one point an accounting student asked me the way to where he was going so I chatted with him for a while. He was walking too slowly and it’s too late at night to hang around chatting so I told him which landmarks to use for navigation and started walking at my cruising speed again. I covered big distances. I saw St Paul’s, I saw the Tate Modern tower and I saw the London Eye, quite far, I thought. Didn’t deter me. I walked past the club boat and people were standing on the pavement whilst others were making the way home. Caught up with them within thirty seconds. They turned right away from the bank but I continued. The London eye was getting bigger. I passed the Savoy where I saw a few police cars and some people chatting. I don’t know what it was about. I passed the royal horse guard hotel, good memories of two nights spent there before a flight to New York. I turned and started to head from the river towards Trafalgar Square and spotted the N18 in the distance. Great. I ran, with big strides that conserve energy by covering a lot of ground. I got to the bus and saw whether he could let me in before the bus stop. No luck. I started to run. I ran across the roads of Traf Square, watching out for traffic of course, and got the the bus stop. I was slightly out of breath but I had run fast enough so that I was waiting for the bus. Conventionally other people have to run to keep the bus from running. I got on. Sat down at the front and looked at London as it slid beside me, one bus floor below mine. Cars were around, drunks were waiting for their respective buses and heading home as well. Time to daydream. I arrived at Sudbury as the sun was rising. 7 minutes till the next bus, ah well, that’s not so bad. Finally I got home, decided to have some crisps before going to sleep for a few hours. That was a nice walk. I really needed it. Hardly any traffic, no slow movers in front and no people to avoid. Just the way I like my walks to be....
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On the Pleasure of Walking Without Stopping at a Road Crossing. — Oct 17, 2019After watching the video below this paragraph I want to speak on the pleasure of walking without stopping at a road crossing. In modern cities you can’t walk for more than a minute or two without having to stop at a road crossing, a traffic light or other feature. The result is that a stroll or walk is filled with stops and starts.... -
On The Habit of Daily Walks — Mar 23, 2023Men’s Health has an article about a person that walked 10,000 steps a day for a month, when his normal step count is 4000. According to the Pedometer++ app on my phone I have taken more than 10,000 steps a day for 140 days in a row. I have to take 10,000 steps for at least six days in a row before I can have a lower step day count. Usually the only reason my step count is lower than 10,000 is that I spent the day driving from one European country to another....
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On Long Drives — Jan 4, 2022In Switzerland a three hour drive feels long, but in France or Spain it does not. I drove from Switzerland to Spain and from Spain to switzerland. The drive to Spain is easier because traffic gets lighter as you get further south. Most of the time this is true. This time, as I drove from Spain to Switzerland I came across the opposite. From the moment I started driving I encountered traffic.... -
On Learning to Mark Unfinished Books as Read — Nov 8, 2021Over the last three or four days I have marked two books as finished despite not finishing for a simple reason. I have plenty of books on Kindle, Audible and Kobo that I need to read, but that to read all these books, would take time. I started to read one book and I stopped within pages, every time for the same reason.... -
Of Blue Skies and Autumn Leaves — Sep 30, 2021Today we might as well speak of blue skies and autumn leaves because that is what we’re facing. The Septemper/Autumn grey clouds, fog, and cold are not here yet. Instead we have warm sunny days. The habit of walking one and a half hours a day is perfectly safe, with such a stable weather system.... -
Of Beets, Columns of Black Smoke and Finished Books — Sep 27, 2021If you walk around at the moment you see that they have cut corn, sunflowers and beet. You also see that there are piles of beet in fields, queues of tractors waiting to send them on a train journey and more. Agriculture is busy at the moment.... -
Mud and Walking — Feb 1, 2023I go for walks, runs or bike rides every single day, whether it’s rainy, windy, snowy or a heatwave. As a result of this I often walk along routes where mud forms. Sometimes I come home from walks and my shoes are spotless, thanks either to a drought, or paradoxically due to the rain....
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Minimal Walking - Day 2 — May 6, 2023I went for a walk with the barefoot shoes for a second day in a row. I didn’t regret it. I need to pay more attention to how I walk, specifically I need to make sure not to slam my heel into the ground with each step and this takes focus, muscle use, and discipline.... -
Lopsided — Sep 2, 2021Flowers, a bale of Hay, and a road less travelled.... -
Learning Node.JS and Bullet Journaling — Sep 6, 2021For a while I have wanted to learn Angular, Laravel and other frameworks but I felt overwhelmed so I decided to learn JavaScript but then I found that I had gaps in my knowledge too, so I went over to Node.js. Now I feel that I am starting to understand more. I understand the context better. I understand the underlying code better. I have spent enough time studying around the subject that I have gained the contextual understanding not to be completely lost.... -
Lac De Divonne — Mar 27, 2023It’s a lake that was dug out when they built the A1 motorway. The quarry that was left behind became a lake. For a long time cars could drive around the lake.... -
JSON-LD and a Walk — Oct 13, 2021A conventional tech blogger would usually just write about JSON-LD and completely ignore the fact that they went on a walk. I like to combine the two. JSON-LD, short for JSON Linked Document is an agreement for certain data fields to be used for specific purposes. The idea is to standardise terms within a database to make the sharing of data easier.... -
It's Tuesday Morning — Jul 17, 2007Have you ever used a computer so much that it becomes part of your way of life and your person? There are two computers with which I have done this. The first of these was an IBM ThinkPad during the IB and the second was an iBook during my two final years as a BA Media studies student in London. If you look at the keyboard for both these computers you will see telltale signs. One keyboard the joystick mouse was completely worn down from use although the machine was fine. In the second case, the computer has nice wear patterns. The right side of the space bar is worn smooth as is the trackpad that serves as a mouse. All the keys are smoother as well. A slight discoloration of the keyboard took place where my left wrist used to rest. I like it when machines are worn because it gives them character and they have seen you through so many different emotions over time. It’s the reason why, when you use another machine you lose inspiration. This does not apply only to computers though. It also applies to cities. When you’re living between two towns, i.e. London and Geneva you’re going to avoid re-creating an entire universe of friends in the place where you are only passing through. There are a number of reasons for this of which one is the effort to meet those who were friends. Whilst London is about metropolitan activities, bars, restaurants, museums, and such Geneva loses some of the allure it had held whilst I was living in Switzerland. I have felt a great shift whereby I am now in love with the countryside and walk along the paths. I put on my shoes, turn on the iPod and start walking. I walk far. I start striding, rather than walking. I have a large gait as a result of which I make fewer steps but propel myself faster. I leave one village and come to another. I turn my head to the left and I see some trees. Behind these trees, fields and a lake. On the other side of this lake, I see the Mt blanc in all of its glory. I walk further and get to the next village. Here I see two communal halls, four tennis grounds, a football ground, and more fields. In these fields, I find Combine Harvesters and trailers for the crops. I walk and I notice whether the fields are flooded, whether the crops have grown by much. I also smell nature. Has it just rained, is it about to? Are any people coming the other way? At this point, there are a number of choices. I can continue straight on until I hit on the road which means the walk is twice as far, I can turn right and walk along the trees passing by a beehive, or I can walk towards a clump of trees where a fountain stands. On one walk it’s at this walk that a woman was letting her dog rest as it had overheated. I walk upwards, to the foot of the mountains, and then head for home. This is a walk I’ve done for years. I used to do it during the IB years and I still do it now although the path has reversed. I love the walk because it’s the moment when all the ideas are cleared. It’s a moment of solitude, of peace. It’s what I need. In London, there is also a walk I enjoy but there are many more people therefore the peace of mind is not as great. I am one of those people who love to walk fast. I walk whenever I have the chance, whether it is raining, snowing, windy, hot or cold and I get far. It’s so relaxing. You get to see the world and you really get to know the city or countryside where you find yourself. That’s how I got to know a beach resort town in the South West of England. It’s how I got to know the area where I live both in the Swiss countryside and Geneva itself. It’s also how I’m getting to know London. It’s important to know a city on foot because if something happens then you may easily make your way home or to work. You might also notice details that many others have never noticed. More than anything else though it simply gives you a good feeling. I don’t need a gym when I easily walk five to ten kilometers a day....
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Ingress Walks - A 12km path to Level 13 — Feb 19, 2020I stopped playing Ingress a few years ago because of how much time it requires. I have started going on Ingress walks again - a 12km path to level 13 in yesterday’s case, because I’m combining the daily walk that I would do anyway, with listening to podcasts and audiobooks, anyway....
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I Completed the Apple May Activity Challenge Yesterday — May 28, 2020I completed the Apple May Activity Challenge yesterday. The goal was to walk or run 349 kilometres within one month. I finished this challenge two days early.... -
Holidays Break Streaks — Oct 26, 2021Today is a rainy day so I have less of interest to write about. The rain fell this morning. It continued until this afternoon. Rain is an excuse not to go for a daily walk. It is an opportunity for a rest day.... -
Hiking in Switzerland — Jun 30, 2020In 2019 Swiss people spent 162 million hours walking and hiking in Switzerland. Hiking generates 2.5 billion CHF per year and there are 50,000 signs to help people find their way. In Switzerland people hike 20 times per year.... -
Half a Million Steps in July — Sep 1, 2019In July this year I took half a million steps as I was banned from driving. I’m using that phrase for comedic effect. As I had one arm in a sling driving was out of the question for a few weeks and then it was out of the question because my tendons and muscles were in need of physio therapy.... -
GPS Accuracy Contrast Between the 45s and Instinct — Feb 25, 2023Yesterday afternoon I was looking at the GPS track for a run I did with the 45s and I was struck by how wide of the mark it was, compared to the same run with the Garmin Instinct. With the Garmin instinct the GPS track fits like a rail to the satellite and road map. With the Garmin Forerunner 45s it is quite a way out.... -
Getting Home Before The Sun Sets and Pikmin Bloom — Nov 4, 2021At this time of year there is a race between the walker and the sun. Either you must go for a walk earlier in the day or you must be ready to walk after the sun has set. Both of these are possible. The days are getting shorter and the temperatures are getting lower. They are getting low enough for gloves to be tempting. I haven’t worn them yesterday, or today, but yesterday I almost felt the need.... -
Garmin's Auto Goal — Mar 11, 2023Garmin allows you to select the number of steps you want to take in a single day, or let it be set automatically. For a year or two I allowed the goal to set. The result is a step goal that fluctuated from 12,000 steps per day to 15,000 steps or more. This was fine, because I ignored it.... -
Garmin Instinct Solar Run, With A Mask, And A Walk. — Nov 17, 2021I tracked the run and walk with the Garmin Instinct Solar. It is very easy to use while wearing gloves. You can stop the activity, change sport, start the activity, do the second sport, and then stop the tracking of the second sport, without taking off your gloves. Now that we’re in the cold part of Autumn this is useful. On the flipside anytime the clouds hide the sun this watch is unable to recharge itself. Despite this the battery life is still good. When fully charged it displays 27 days, but it loses around two or three days of charge per day with a tracked activity. This is still excellent. The Apple watch needs to be charged every single day. It is a watch that you can wear in the classic style of wearing a watch, i.e. keep it on for days or weeks at a time.... -
Frozen Fountain Water — Jan 29, 2022Although the name of this blog post is bizarre it is inspired by the site of a fountain with a big block of ice, serving as a mirror to the tree, and sun, in front of me. The weather is still nicer, more springlike than it has been. More people are out on bikes cycling together. They are taking advantage of the good weather. In theory we could have rain in the next few days but the likelihood, as usual, is very low. An app said that it could be 90 percent certain, but I think it is 100 percent unlikely.... -
Fondue for Lunch — Aug 28, 2021The weather was cold and cloudy this lunchtime so going up to the mountains for lunch was feasible. If the restaurant had been filled with people, and if we had shared a table with others, then I would have skipped and driven home. Luckily the road was closed to go up to the mountains so that stopped some people from going up. There were also the benefits of clouds and cold air temperatures. Combined these things meant that the restaurant was less tempting for large crowds. We ate a fondue.... -
Farming In Switzerland — Aug 23, 2021The Pandemic is alive and well and I am still walking around in circles. I would go for bigger, more interesting adventures but no one is publicising those events until after the fact. During a pandemic it helps to be misinformed, an alcoholic and a festival goer.... -
European Walks and Bike Rides — Aug 24, 2021Today during my walk I noticed a sticker on a sign for EuroVélo.com. I don’t know how new the project is but I had not paid attention to the URL before. I like the idea of a European Network of Cycling Routes. I don’t need to capitalise these words. I just did, for some reason.... -
Entering Twenty One Degree Water — Oct 21, 2021For most people over 20 degrees air temperature and twenty one degree water is okay. I struggle. I like water to be warm. I like to be warm before I go in. I like to know that when I get out I will still be warm.... -
Day Twenty-Two of ORCA in Switzerland – The Company of Cats — Apr 6, 2020Today during my walk this afternoon I surprised a cat on some stairs and I moved patiently. It brushed up against me so I started to stroke it. During this pandemic the only living things I have had physical contact with are cats. During a pandemic, if you’re not living with people, you are very limited.... -
Day Twenty-Nine of ORCA in Switzerland – A Desire To Go On A Hike — Apr 13, 2020We’re in day 29 of ORCA in Switzerland and I have an ever increasing desire to go for a hike. During today’s walk I listened to two podcasts about hiking and I walked yet another variant of my usual walk. Apple tree blooms are increasing in number and the Colza looks almost ready to harvest.... -
Day Thirty-One of ORCA in Switzerland — Plenty of Dust — Apr 15, 2020You build up plenty of dust as you plow the fields at the moment. The drought continues, as does the desire for this pandemic to be over. For now, the downward trend continues so we could feel optimistic. I’m still optimistic than in two or three weeks recycling centres will go back to normal. At the moment recycling centres remind me of something else.... -
Day Thirty of ORCA in Switzerland -- A Strong Desire to Go Hiking. — Apr 14, 2020I have a strong desire to go hiking. I would like to go on a hiking excursion that lasts for a few days. In theory I could do the Via Alpina route one starting in Nyon and ending in Lichtenstein. It’s a 21 step hike going north.... -
Day 39 of Self-Isolation in Switzerland – Taking Portraits of Cows — Apr 23, 2020I spent a few minutes taking portraits of cows during my afternoon walk today. Cows were standing by the barrier so it was easy to go up to each one and take their portraits. It’s not as if our vibrant social lives enable us to take portraits of people when we’re self-isolating. It’s day 39....
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Dark Clouds Over the Jura — Jun 21, 2021According to Strava this was my 140th hike this year and my 83rd week of tracked activity. I don’t know why it’s only 83 weeks. My habit is older than that. When I set off, it was nice weather and warm. I didn’t set off with much because I expected the walk to be short. It was eight kilometres long. Part of the reason for this is that I did the usual detour by the Huguenot route before walking towards the Jura.... -
Cows And Trees In The Jura — Aug 11, 2021Cows resting beneath pine trees.... -
Connected Watches and Psychological Profiles — Apr 4, 2023Connected watches know everything about us. In theory they listen to us 24 hours a day for years in a row. My Apple watch has been on my wrist for over four years, every single day. It has been for swims, runs, rock climbing, via ferrata, office work and more.... -
City Cat Sitting. — Jan 14, 2020For the first time in my life I am cat sitting. I’m used to village cats and this is a city cat so I don’t know how much time I need to spend with the cat, how much I need to play and more.... -
Brushing Shoes and Mindfulness — Dec 13, 2022Have you considered brushing shoes and mindfulness? I ask because as I have played with the brush, to clear dirty mud off my shoes I have noticed that this is a time consuming task that always takes several minutes, if not half an hour to complete. People stigmatise leaving a muddy trail behind you indoors, but as the last few shoe cleanings have shown, cleaning shoes is more time consuming than cleaning up after muddy shoes, especially when the mud is dry.... -
Broken Stones, Good Weather and Autumn — Sep 18, 2021Today as I looked at the ground I saw broken stones. The one in the image below is especially beautiful. I don’t know why there were more broken stones than usual. It seems that the conditions were right to bring the stones to the surface and for the farmers’ machinery to break them all to pieces. It’s impressive to see the size of some of the broken stones.... -
Banning Traffic from Cornavin — Feb 14, 2020Although this article is two years old La Tribune de Genève wrote again about it and it appeared in my Google Newsfeed. I am not opposed to making cities pedestrian because I love to walk more than I like buses, trains, or other forms of transport....
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Another Walk By The Mediterranean. — Oct 20, 2021One treat of being in Spain is that some people do wear masks when walking outdoors. You are normal for wearing a mask.... -
Another Pandemic Weekend Without Plans — Mar 5, 2021Normally at this time of year, as the snow melts and the temperatures increase the opportunity for spring and summer sports returns. These sports are via ferrata, outdoor climbing, hiking and more. This year is different because although today is Friday no plans have been made for the next two days. There is a excellent chance that I will either hike or cycle alone. Usually I avoid cycling on Saturdays because that is the day when people are anxiously driving between their homes and their shops....
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Announced Rain and Storms — Jul 24, 2021They often announce rain and storms and we often get very little of either. The weather here is dry. The little rain that did fall was sandy. Farmers have harvested their crops but so far the rain is not worrying.... -
A Weekend Walk During a Pandemic — May 14, 2022Today I went for my daily walk and I saw a shape. I thought, “That looks like a fox” and as I approached i had a doubt about it being a dog and I felt fear but I continued forward anyway. Eventually the fox noticed me, looked at me and then fled the other way. This is good news. This means that the fox was healthy, rather than rabied. It also means that I can keep being relaxed about seeing foxes.... -
A Walk To Los Molinos from Javea — Dec 29, 2022This walk takes you from the Port of Javea up to the lighthouse near San Antonio before continuing along the top towards Los Molinos. These are old grain mills. They used wind power to grind grain for several centuries before being taken out of action as modernisation arrived.... -
A Walk in The Swiss Sun — Jan 24, 2022Yesterday I read that we will have sun for at least a few more weeks due to a high pressure system over this part of Europe and this afternoon I read that it is snowing in Greece. Normally, out of pandemic I would love sunny days because it would mean climbing, cycling, hiking and more. During a pandemic it means solitary mud while avoiding being run over by cars, walking through the mud to avoid couples, and wearing a mask when you have to be close to others.... -
A Walk In Spain — Dec 3, 2021A yellow flower... -
A Walk By The Mediterranean Sea — Dec 27, 2021A walk by the Mediterranean Sea.... -
A Walk By The Mediterranean — Oct 25, 2021We can’t all head to the mountains and the slopes that lack snow. Some of us head south to the coast. The weather is good and the air is warm enough. It is warm enough for me, not just to consider swimming but to actually do it.... -
A walk Above the Woods — Sep 20, 2019Sometimes a walk above the woods is easy. I don’t mean walking while flying hanging from a parapente. I mean walking at an altitude where there are fewer trees.... -
A Tractor Ploughing A Dry Field in Switzerland — Aug 31, 2021Today a tractor was ploughing a dry field. A cloud of dust was not that visible but you can see that rain would now be welcome. I walked by the usual river and looked down and the rocks in the riverbed are uncovered. There is no water running over them anymore. I notied that in another field pumpkins seem to be ready....
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A Run And A Walk — Feb 2, 2023I am going for a run and a walk three times a week at the moment. The run is set by the Garmin Coach and the walk is set by the route I have chosen to use on that specific day. By running the first part of my daily walk I increase my fitness, according to Strava, Sports Tracker and one or two other apps.... -
A River Runs Dry, Wood builds a Natural Dam and Corn Grows Eratically. — Sep 14, 2021When rain becomes a treat you get used to looking at rivers that are running drier and drier with every passing day. The river pictured below is so low that you see the river bed in many parts. It’s a meter or more below it’s usual level. Imagine being a weather forecaster during a drought. Today it will be dry and sunny, as it has been for a few seasons.... -
A Penguin Feeding a Chick in Switzerland — Aug 20, 2021A penguin feeding a chick.... -
A Lot of Walking in Circles — Dec 22, 2021People think that you need to get in the car, drive for half an hour to two hours, hike, and then drive home for from half an hour to two hours but this idea is wrong. We can do a lot of walking in circles. In reality we don’t walk in circles. We walk in loops. We walk from home to home, but via a different variety of villages. Some days it is the villages that overlook the lake, and other days it is the villages that are under the Jura.... -
A Different Challenge — Mar 17, 2023I like the long project but I decided to try a shorter one first.... -
A Cold Walk In The Wind — Jan 11, 2022Today I went for a cold walk in the wind. The wind was blowing from west to East so for at least half of the walk I had it in my face. This was a good day to wear a cagoule and to wear the face mask, even when people were not around. The windchill made walking unpleasant and I even considered skipping my daily walk but didn’t. I am disciplined enough to walk, even when it is unpleasant. This weather is frustrating because we have the cold, without any of the beauty. It would be nice to have this cold, with snow and ice, rather than just ice.... -
A Call for More Cycling and Walking Paths — Nov 29, 2022I walk or cycle almost every day across five or six villages per walk, and more on bikes. During these walks and bike rides I see that there is a chronic lack of safe walking and cycling routes, if you want to go for any distance. Almost every village has five, six or more roads in and out of it, but there are no safe walking or cycling routes... -
A blog of interest and walking — Aug 31, 2008When I started reading Made in England by Gentlemen the blog was about technology but over the past few months the subject of the blog has changed. It’s now a blog about walking, and it’s not just any walk. They had decided to spend several months walking the Continental Divide trail and blogging the entire trip. What I’ve enjoyed are the images and some of the comments. It’s a picture adventure of beautiful lanscapes. It’s just two friends who walk, occasionaly teamed up by a GF or a brother and father before continuing on the journey. It’s something I’d like to do. Every day I walk for an hour or two, covering about 12 kilometers. It’s nothing in contrast but it’s an important part of my daily routine. It’s been part of my daily routine for years now, since the IB. I love the solitude of the walk. It’s a moment where you’re in your thoughts and the only distraction is the music or podcast you’re listening to. It’s a moment when day dreams and dreams form and where other ideas come to an end. It’s a point of refreshing the mind. It’s also about pleasure and endurance. When you start walking every day walking jsut two or three kilometers could seem tiring, then 5-6. Eventually as you get more and more used to the walk you’re taking so the loop gets bigger and the more you need that walk. It’s one of those enjoyable things. In London I missed not having kilometers of paths to walk down. In London I would walk through central London from one part to another and I’d get to know the whole city. I’d get to see places and how they were linked. I often joked with friends that when you’re in London you should get to a tube station and walk away from it for as long as you’re not tired. Once you’re tired find the next tube station, get back to somewhere you know and travel in another direction. After living for years in a place you get to know every street and every corner. Every place has a memory and you might even burst out laughing… well not quite. It would look strange. It’s familiarity. It’s that thing that the main character in L’auberge Espagnole talks about when he’s fresh into the city. “at first all the streets are unknown and resemble each other but at the end ever one of them has memories”. that’s when you’ve lived in a place long enough. Do many of you walk far? Do you walk fast? Is the walk part of something you do everyday?...
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On group Activities that Challenge Me Physically — Mar 17, 2026Two days in a row I participated in activities that pushed me physically. On sunday it was a 60km ride with 900m of climbing and a 25km/h wind and the next day it was a 9.4km walk which is pushing my endurance further than usual. I found myself thinking that I should participate in hikes because hikes are easy. I’m used to walking. Walking and hiking were my specialities....
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Rivers of Cars and Soft Mobility — Dec 13, 2025The biggest improvement you can make to walking and cycling mobility is to avoid having cyclists, and pedestrians blocked by car traffic. This can include traffic lights but also busy roads where it is impossible to cross. If you’re on a walk, or a bike ride, and you get blocked by cars, then the temptation is not to walk that route, or walk a shorter distance.... -
A Walk To the Post Office and a Skipped Bike Ride — Dec 6, 2025Yesterday I went for two walks. The first walk was after lunch because I had something to drop off at the post office. Usually I would have printed the label at home, rather than doing this walk. I desired to go for a bike ride but the chore was more important. In the process I learned something.... -
Road Works that Forget About Pedestrians — Nov 27, 2025For two years they worked on a motorway bridge. For two years they cut down trees, added tons of soil, and then widened roads for cars. Never during that time did they consider that people might want to walk along the most direct route from A to B.... -
Thoughts on Cycling and Walking in the Age of the Car — Nov 14, 2025I often walk between towns and villages and in so doing I notice how overwhelming cars have become. If you walk from a village to a town, you have to contend with busy roads. These busy roads are often like deep rivers. Sometimes you need to wait for several minutes before you can cross. At other times you notice that cars see you at a crossing but they don’t slow down in anticipation of your wanting to cross.... -
On Driving Into Geneva and Walking — Nov 4, 2025Today I had to go into Geneva to do something Initially my plan was to drive to the Parking St Antoine. As I got towards Secheron and the P&R parking I thought, “I have time, I’ll park here and walk the rest”. I did park, and then I did walk....
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On Rain and Using it as an Excuse Not To Walk or Cycle — Oct 24, 2025Bike rides have been cancelled because of rain, rather than wind or other factors. When it rains cyclists don’t want to ride because it gets their bike dirty and they have to clean it, lubricate it and more. With hikers rain is also an excuse to be lazy, within some groups. With other groups rain is just rain and the walks and hikes go ahead....
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A Cycling Network Operating Centre or NOC — Sep 29, 2025Today I looked at the Sports Tracker app and I noticed that all of my activities started from home, whether cycling, hiking, or walking. That’s because I spent this month cycling and walking from home. I didn’t use the car, or trains to get around.... -
Offloading Locomotion to Cars and the Transition to AI — Sep 23, 2025Recently I was thinking about how some people want to offload their work to AI and it got me to think about how people already offloaded getting around to cars. When is the last time that you saw a group of people walk from Nyon to St Cergue via La Dôle, rather than take the train most of the way, and walk a short loop at the top?... -
The Desire Not to Hike — Jul 2, 2025Walking and hiking are integral to my identity. I walk from four and a half to five and a half million steps per year. I walk in heat waves, rare snow and normal conditions. I hike with groups and I walk alone. Recently my desire to hike is much lower.... -
Two Interpretations of Mobilité Douce — Jun 4, 2025My definition of Mobilité Douce and the Swiss definition are quite different. For me Mobilité Douce is walking, hiking, cycling and other sports that require a certain dedication and desire to cover long distances. In contrast Switzerland seems to see Mobilité Douce as going from home to the shops, while leaving the car at home. The journeys seem to be short, and at a slower pace.... -
The Desire to Hike First, and be Social Second — May 16, 2025Tomorrow there are at least three hikes and three bike rides that I know of. The hikes are via GoSocial and the bike rides are via Meetup. On Sunday I know of at least two to three GoSocial hikes and one Meetup hike. I have plenty of choice for what to do on weekends. In fact the choice is broader than that.... -
A Choice of Weekend Sports — Apr 24, 2025This weekend I have the choice between running, hiking, walking, via ferrata and probably more. Years ago I would have automatically gravitated towards Via Ferrata because that is a sport I really loved. These days I’m not so sure. It’s especially that the VF would take one and a half hours of driving, which isn’t really the issue, but that it starts at around 11:30, which, for me, is late.... -
Strava, Komoot, and the Activities of Others — Apr 23, 2025This year, as I walk and hike with others, and as their activities are shown along my own, in the list of participants, so I begin to follow people I know on Strava, Komoot and other social networks focused on sports. Notice how I didn’t call them social media. The reason for this is simple. We’re sharing GPS tracks that are categorised by sports....
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Discussing E-Scooters — Apr 16, 2025Yesterday I was uninspired by an AI talk but went anyway and I didn’t get as much out of it as last time. That’s why, when it came to the networking part and talking about oneself I vanished to pay for my hot chocolate to have a conversation with other people. In the process I discussed electric vehicles and electric foot scooters....
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Walking from one Valley to Another — Mar 29, 2025Sometimes when we go for a hike we walk along a route that makes getting back to the car quick and easy. For tomorrow’s walking getting back to the car would take three trains and more than an hour. For Londoners this is a familiar routing situation, but for people in Switzerland it might not be.... -
Walking with Others — Feb 17, 2025Yesterday I walked from Vevey to villeneuve with a stop in the castle for a visit before taking the train home. In the process we walked about fifteen kilometres along the lake. This was an easy pace for me. It was slow enough for my heart rate to be at seventy eight beats per minute, while walking, rather than over a hundred when I walk at my pace.... -
The Desire to Participate — Nov 16, 2024I saw that there is a hike taking place nearby. I would have really liked to join it but I would have been participant eleven with a limit of ten people. I wanted to participate because it would have required walking to Nyon, and taking the train de St Cergue to St Cergue and then walking for a few hours, before taking the train back down and walking home. Both my carbon footprint and my travel time would have been small and the environment would have benefited.... -
The Kindness of Drivers — Nov 13, 2024Recently I have been walking and running into and out of Nyon and in the process I have had to cross busy roads regularly and what has struck me recently, especially when running is that people stop to let me cross the road, even when they don’t need to. I really appreciate this.... -
Incline Walking for People in a Flat Country — Nov 8, 2024Today I followed a link where a writer wrote “My every-other-day workout is walking three miles, fast, on a high incline on the treadmill—often times with hand weights too.” and I find it amusing. It’s amusing because in Switzerland, and especially in the old town of Geneva, Nyon, Lausanne, Neuchatel, Fribourg and other towns it is impossible to go for a walk without having a steep climb or a steep descent.... -
Self Driving Cars and Mobility — Oct 24, 2024Today I filled in a survey with the premise “Impact of automated vehicles on walking” and it gave me an opportunity to share my views on this topic. The short version is that I’d rather see more bike sharing opportunities, and more safe routes for pedestrians between villages and towns, than self driving cars.... -
A Two and a Half Hour Walk — Jul 23, 2024Yesterday afternoon I was convinced that I would have a short easy walk, just to get out of the house. In reality I walked from Nyon to Bonmont and back along roads, but also farm paths. I walked this route because I decided that going for a walk would keep me cooler than if I stayed in my apartment.... -
Walking to La Grotte aux Fées and Bisons — Jul 9, 2024It’s good to browse Komoot because sometimes you find nice hikes to enjoy. Today I drove towards Vallorbe and specifically Juraparc. Juraparc is a park with bisons, wolves, alpacas, goats and bears. I saw the goats, the alpacas, the bison and deer. I didn’t look for the bears and wolves.... -
By Train or By Car — May 30, 2024For many years I could go to work by car so I did, because I had a parking. When I worked for other employers I took the train for a simple reason. Parking near work would cost 36 CHF per day whereas taking the train would cost about 14.50 CHF per day. I stopped using the car to commute for a simple reason, the cost of parking... -
A Reminder of Why I Stopped Using the Garmin Watch — May 3, 2024Yesterday I was reminded of why I stopped wearing the Garmin watch, replacing it with Casio watches instead. It’s because Garmin, Suunto and Xiaomi don’t count walking as real sport. Imagine, you’re wearing a watch twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, every day, and charging it every month with the Garmin Instinct, and every few days with the other devices, and you see the absurdity of certain trackers.... -
Sun Bleached and Worn Out — May 2, 2024Yesterday during my walk I bought a new clam shell cap. It’s the type of cap that you can take off, fold and put in a pocket. The one I had before this one was used daily for years, and eventually became bleached by the sun and sweat. It went from dark grey to light grey. What I really appreciate is that aside from the colour fading it’s fine.... -
urban walks — May 1, 2024I have walked in London, Paris, Rome, Geneva, Lausanne Florence and other cities for many hours at a time. I would often walk in London until I got too tired to continue, and then I would catch the tube back to somewhere I knew, and then I’d walk some more.... -
The Daily Walk Re-Routed — Apr 30, 2024A year or two ago there were road works along a bit of road. Now the road works are back, on the same bit of road. Due to it being spring, and due to rain being quite enthusiastic this year, the route (pronounced root, not grout), is impassible. It’s not impassible because of mud, but because of long grass. In the past I would have walked through the long grass to get from A to B, or I would have walked along the river side walk, but because I wear different shoes than before, and because I don’t want ticks, I no longer walk that route until the works are finished....
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Tired of Garmin and Apple, Playing With Casio — Feb 13, 2024For a while now I have been wearing a Casio and an apple watch or a Garmin and an Apple watch, or a Casio and a Garmin watch or a xiaomi smart band and a casio or a xiaomi smart band and… it goes on....
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Almost Linear Walks — Jan 29, 2024Twice in the last two weekends I have done linear rather than circular walks. By linear I don’t mean that I walked from A to B. I mean that I started walking along a loop but when I saw that the routes I wanted to walk were either crowded by couples or people with dugs I will either turn around, or walk across a field to a parallel path that is less crowded....
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Exploration on Foot — Jan 28, 2024Walking is an easy activity. You put your shoes on, and you go for a walk. Sometimes you walk from home. Other times you walk from a car park. Sometimes you walk along rivers that are full, and others you walk along streams that are almost dry.... -
Xcursion Fusion in Snow — Jan 10, 2024Yesterday it snowed enough for the snow to get some depth. I went for a walk with snowboard trousers, a proper winter coat and the Xero Xcursion Fusion in snow that reached above their rim without getting snow or water onto my socks until I removed the shoes at the end of the walk. They’re minimal waterproof shoes that have “FeelTrue®” soles. These are thin, minimal soles. Despite this my feet felt warm for the entire walk with normal soles.... -
Five Point Two Millions Steps In A Single Year — Jan 8, 2024Last year I walked five point two million steps, which is both a lot, and yet normal, for me. What makes last year so curious is that I didn’t feel to walk that much. I walked for one and a half hours, rather than two to three hours. My loops became shorter, but I also cycled some weeks so my step count was low....
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Silent Walking and Garmin Instinct Battery Modes — Dec 9, 2023It rarely happens. I rarely forget my airpods at home, and when I do I usually turn around to get them. Yesterday I didn’t turn around. I went for my walk anyway. You might think “so what?” and you’d be right to. It doesn’t change much. I usually listen to podcasts and audiobooks, rather than music. I like my walks to be intellectually stimulating, as well as physically good for me....
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Fourty Five Days with the Cloudneo — Dec 3, 2023Intro... -
A Walking Decline in the US Since 2019 — Nov 17, 2023According to streetlight data walking in the US has declined over the past three or four years. The decline was by up to thirty six percent from 2019-2022. The clearest reason for this is that 2019 and 2020 were walking honeymoon periods. By this I mean that for the duration of lock down and “work from home” people had more time to walk since they spent less time commuting, but also because the natural habit of getting into a car to do something had declined., thanks to the pandemic.... -
Walking With an Umbrella — Nov 14, 2023Yesterday i looked at the rain forecast and it looked as though I could go for a walk, without taking a proper rain coat. I wore the btwin cycling rain jacket instead. I decided to carry a mini umbrella with me in case the rain got harder.... -
Walking In Heavy Rain — Nov 1, 2023A few days ago I saw that heavy rain was announced for that afternoon so I thought that I would not go for a walk. In the end I did go for a walk in the heavy rain. I was wearing a reasonable rain coat so I could have stayed dry if I had also worn rain trousers.... -
Stepping Through Life — Oct 28, 2023According to Apple Health I take an average of 14,553 steps per day, over the last year. It doesn’t stop there. Not only do I take fourteen and a half thousands steps per day on average but I run up, up to fourty five floors per day and I walk at six kilometres per hour, rather than the four kilometres per hour that normal people walk....
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The Habit of Walking — Oct 15, 2023This morning I decided to go for a benchmark run for a new Garmin training plan. After I ran the required 5 minutes and four minutes of walking I continued with my walk. I had a route that I wanted to walk but because I saw people, and dogs on the paths that I was thinking of walking down I took a bigger loop once, then again, and then a third time. In the end I walked 12,000 steps this morning. I walked from Nyon to Cheserex to Borex to Arnex and back towards Nyon.... -
The Age Old Hatred of Pedestrians — Oct 5, 2023Last night I was reading from a book, rather than from a kindle or audible book. As a result I had to keep the bedside light on. I also had to ensure that the light light the pages of the book. I was reading from the book “Beneath My Feet, Writers on Walking” introduced and edited by Duncan Minshull and I came across an exert written by Karl Philips Moritz. He wrote Journeys of a German in England in 1782.... -
A Walk During Cow Rush Hour — Sep 27, 2023Yesterday I decided that I would start my walk by going along a dangerous bit of road, at the start of the road. The idea behind this is to avoid being endangered by selfish car drivers when I’m fatigued. It’s better to put up with their dangerous behaviour ahead of a walk, rather than after it....
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Recovery Day — Aug 25, 2023We are in a heatwave and despite this I have cycled for four and a half hours and walked for three hours and fourty minutes. For the bike rides I woke at 6am to avoid rush hour traffic, and to do things before the temperatures rose. Yesterday the temperature in Geneva reached 39°c. Just a few decimal places away from 40°c heat.... -
An Afternoon Walk in the Heat — Aug 17, 2023Yesterday I went for a walk with a Garmin Etrex 32 that was sometimes in my hands and at other times in my pocket. I could have been hands three with a GPS watch but it’s good to play with a variety of devices. I chose the Etrex because it was paired with the Tempe thermometer....
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Three Hundred and Sixty Kilometres in Trail Glove 7 — Aug 15, 2023Since the Seventh of May 2023 I have walked more than 360 kilometres in the Merrel Trail Glove 7 and the experience has been good. For a long time I enjoyed wearing normal shoes but recently they started either to rub the front of my feet, or the heel would get worn away to bare plastic and I’d consider protecting the heel from friction damage when walking.... -
Slowed by the Wind — Aug 3, 2023Yesterday I walked into the wind for two to three kilometres. The wind was so strong that the Apple watch gave me “high noise level” warnings more than once. The wind was around 30-40km/h. It was so strong that I stopped listening to an Audiobook because I couldn’t hear it. I then heard the summary for the last kilometre and was told that I was walking at 11 minutes per kilometre, compared to my 10 minutes 40 per kilometre....
