Boog's Blog

3 July no rain forecasted

Recovery day for QB. Some aimless wandering and some napping.

Evensong, this time at

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_George%27s_Chapel,_Windsor_Castle

The most formal of the four visited. Unfortunately QB remained resting in the hotel, the cold being the cause.

Beautiful chapel, the size of a cathedral, inside Windsor castle.

Call and responses of psalms in gregorian style , readings, hymns and affirmations by the congregation, an anthem written for the Queens 90th, a special prayer for her, the order of the garter, the British parliament in theses times of uncertainty, and the children.

Excellent organ music and acoustics.

In Album 7/3/16

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2 July no rain forecasted

Longer walk today than some others, 15 + miles. Another MacDonald hotel where we will stay several nights – explore, visit, relax sore feet.

Exceptionally good and easy walk to Maidenhead. Good paths, great views, houses to peek into, lots of river traffic at big locks, the biggest and most famous being Bolton. Sunny, mostly.

The second stretch to Windsor was equally fine. Good paths and find views ending with our first sighting of the very large Windsor Castle.

QB continued on, hacking away with a newly developed cold. Nose running full bore.

In Album 7/2/16

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July 1 rain a maybe, did not materialize

Walking is an interesting example of the principle of least action. Action, a mathematical formula with two energy terms and a path integral, is basically equivalent when walking to: the least effort path.

Minimize the action, least action, by finding a path that minimizes stepping over rocks, around or through mud, not tripping on roots, and avoiding overhead branches.

Most walks, including today, are an instinctive example of finding the least action.

Easy walk to Marlow. Bridge here one of only two suspension bridges remaining by …., the other in Budapest.

Some different countryside along today's path.

Nice Scottish run hotel with some staff that are understandable.

Dinner at the Michelin starred chef's Indian restaurant.
Excellent but not as good as Muru,Bobby, or Yasmin

In Album 7/1/16

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30 June dry day forecasted

Bobby day. In from London to help the Boogs with regatta etiquette.

Laundry day.

Regatta day. Even got to see CA Berkeley compete. Only the start as we were temple island starting point. Did not find out how they did. Tom?

Souvenirs may have been obtained.

In Album 6/30/16

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29 June rain forecasted

A rainy start on a paved, read no mud, path along the river. Mud developed.

The Thames has a dog leg at Shipley, a tasteful village that looks like Atherton CA. Large properties set very fast back from the road. Large houses with housekeepers living in.

The bypass may be due to property rights, no right of way given.

Regatta week in Henley. Many dressed, as required, for "the season". We are dressed for mud and rain.

Nice managed pub for dinner. Beer served in plastic cups. When I fused they said they ran out of glasses it is regatta week. Guess they were surprised that people drink at regatta. Got glasses, no plastic for us. This is a managed brewery pub, incredible. Decent Oxford Gold bitter.

In Album 6/29/16

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Tuesday 28 june rain forecasted

Today we encounter the only hill, a steep one, on the Thames path.

Stoked up with a hearty breakfast before the walk.

Second toll bridge, more expensive but still free to wallets.

Nice paths on a long distance day.

Ended day a novotel in Redding, a break from coaching inns and old places. Picnic dinner in the room.

In Album 6/28/16

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Monday 27 June no rain forecasted. Turned out hot, sunny and humid.

A day started with QB rescuing a wood pigeon from the hotel. The hotel staff had no idea what to do. Throw a towel over it. They were afraid so QB took care of it in seconds.

Two hiking poles mud day. Some days one pole is sufficient. Today, in sections, two barely sufficient. That said a lovely walk to a winner of the best village in South England. Not much there except a fine setting.

Good dinner, surprisingly good.

In Album 6/27/16

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26 June Sunday no rain forecasted, none arrived.

Short walks on the Thames lock and side canals near Abingdon. Interesting discussion about boat rentals, lock keepers, and the management of locks.

Best to rent anchor-wales brand. Do not rent Le Boat. It is twice the price and too hard to steer.

Wallingford bike races today. Riders, booths, eating and folks having fun.

Qb suggests a new business for Trump. Trump passports, they are the best. Go to website, pay a fee, fill out forms, promise is to facilitate Scottish (I have golf courses there) passports ahead of their departure from the former UK.

I suggest the hughest ladder, the best ladder, the Hadrian's wall ladder, renamed Trump wall ladder.

Nduja with dinner tonight. A famous Italian spicy spread. We have not cooked with this; quite tasty. it was spread on bread, the bread cut up and thrown into some penne with tomatoes, oil, and chili flakes. Whitebait for a starter.

In Album 6/26/16

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25 June showers forecasted, only one while walking.

Avoided Abington as we have done this muddy section previously.

New song on today's by walk. Mud, grass, weeds and bugs.

Stopped for tea at an entrepreneurial house. The owner was like we found biking in the middle of the USA. Friendly, very, happy to share stories and pictures, and running many small enterprises. None sufficient to live on but the combination acceptable. Here: B&B,glamping,camping area, chickens for egg selling, teaching sewing, some sculptures. Daughter just got a masters at Oxford so we got to understand a bit of the systems and robes.

Good holiday houses on the river as defense against the Trump.

Wallingford another small market town, a little charming, some good coffee and tea shops. Even a decent and very busy barber shop. Waitrose for cheese and fruit dessert.

Local pale ale – bitter quite good reasonably hoppy. Loddon Hoppit classic bitter.

In Album 6/25/16

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Friday 24 June some rail forecasted. One heavy shower when we were ink the museum.

A day when the UK headed itself towards becoming a small island nation,without Scotland, Ireland, and Gibraltar. Where about a difference of only about 350K votes took 2+trillion dollars off market values. Just a few voters with such a large effect.

Scope creep walk, canal path on western edge of Oxford

Breakfast at vaults and gardens, congregation house of university church on high street.

Canal walk. The Oxford canal walk as a nice paved walk, no mud. Along the banks on peers into the back of many houses. Boats moored all along the banks.

Visit to the Eagle and Bird, the pub favored by the inklings. 1650 era. The rabbit room was their hangout.

Ashmolean, a maze of the old and new building. Some decent impressionist paintings and lots of old stuff,

In Album 6/24/16

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