70 year old grandfather walking from the Pyrenees to the Pennines

[BigWalker]

There has just been a donation of £1000 to Pancreatic Cancer UK on my blog.

The grand came from Andrew Smith. My wife Gay and I ghost-wrote the

biography of his father Amos Smith, a wonderful man who died while we

were doing it. Nevertheless, we had enough information to complete the

book, which the family loved.

Andrew is one of Amos' sons. We recently asked him if the family

would like the original tapes of the interviews. They cried just at the

idea. I then spent a lot of time listening to them all, because we

seemed to remember that Amos said there was something he didn't want

his sons to know (didn't find it), then I copied them to CD, then

printed off a load of CDs with the book title on there, then copied

them all into 3 sets of 21 CDs each, then got some nice CD boxes for

them, et cetera. Andrew was smart enough to realise that I had put a

lot of effort into it and said he would make a donation. I reminded him

of this yesterday and he thanked me today, said he needed the reminder,

and donated. Far more than I expected. Good man.

He is now going to e-mail everybody on his address book, saying

something like "What are you doing next summer? Vic Heaney is planning

to walk 2,000 kms at the age of 70 to raise funds for Pancreatic Cancer

UK. What can you do to help? Donate, maybe ..."

You could do that.

[BigWalker]

An Evening With Big Walker?

Sounds a bit over the top, doesn't it? As if I think I am a star - one

of those people on the television - "An audience with ... Billy

Connolly, Dame Edna, Neil Diamond, et cetera"

But it is happening. It's not my idea. Chris, a donor to Pancreatic

Cancer research through my JustGiving page this week, has a guesthouse

in a lovely location in this lovely area. He is brimming with ideas for

raising my fund raising profile.

One of his ideas is the above "Evening With ...". With my approval

he is going ahead with it. He is putting this up as a special offer on

his guest house's website. After VBW, and as the tourist season tails

off here, guests can come to stay at his place, where they will have an

evening meal, with some other invited (and paying) guests from the

area. I will give them a talk on my experiences during VBW - incidents

and accidents, highs and lows, people encountered, anecdotes about

things which I witnessed or which impacted on me along the way.

The guest house will subtract only its costs, the ingredients of

the meal, the cost of cleaning the rooms. All other proceeds (including

cheques written on the spot) will go to Pancreatic Cancer research. It

will happen in September 2010.

This is an excellent idea. Futher plans are being developed for

talks to other groups in the area and maybe beyond. Have talk, will

travel, that's me. Stand by your wallets!

_________________

Big Walker's Blog:

http://vicsbigwalk.blogspot.com

[BigWalker]

We are on a visit to the USA. Still managing to tick over by doing a 7 kms walk each morning. Lots of squirrels in the park, dashing about, piling up the nuts for winter.

This reminded me that Christmas is not too far away. We shall be doing the same as last year, sending out only a few cards to people who are not on the Internet, sending a message to everybody else, maybe an electronic card.

Scrooge? Not at all, the money we would have spent on the great annual Christmas card rush will go instead to a charity of my choice (guess which one?).

I urge you to do the same - if not to my charity Pancreatic Cancer, then to another. The money will do far more good than it would spent on an ephemeral card.

Big Walker's Blog:

http://vicsbigwalk.blogspot.com

[BigWalker]

Yesterday, on my first walk after returning from USA, I went through the 4,000 kms barrier. That is, I have now walked 4,000 kms this year in preparation for Vic's Big Walk. More on my blog.

http://vicsbigwalk.blogspot.com

[BigWalker]

What a month this has been! A month ago I was walking in Indiana, USA, close to remnants of an ancient mound-building civilisation.

A couple of weeks ago I found, after many tests at several hospitals, that I am losing my central vision and that there is no treatment available, anywhere in the world.

And now, for a few days my walking is in Italy where, only a few yards from my bed, are very visible reminders of the Etruscan civilisation which was one of several which Rome cleverly absorbed on its own way to fame, fortune and empire.

 

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http://vicsbigwalk.blogspot.com

[BigWalker]

We have returned to France after a couple of months training in the Southern Hemisphere. In fact we normally go to New Zealand for 3 months each winter (and, having come back at the end of March, I remember why!) but this time we came back earlier to collect the battlebus we ordered last October.

This will be our home for the 70 days of Vic's Big Walk For Pancreatic Cancer UK, plus a bit of visiting in UK and the return journey. We were assured it would arrive at the dealer in Pamiers in February so we came back to collect it at the end of March, so we would have 6 weeks to test it, find out the snags, get them fixed, have it painted with the VBW grand design, before getting under way.

We went along to Pamiers last week to collect it. Sorry "production difficulties" mean it will not be here until the end of April, if we are lucky. So now we have forked out extra €1000s for a different model, made in Germany unlike Italy (where almost all the others are made) and which we are assured will be here next week.

39 days to go until the start!

Blog: http://vicsbigwalk.blogspot.com

Donations to Pancreatic Cancer UK: http://www.justgiving.com/Vic-Heaney

[BigWalker]

Is the bridge over the Loire (D952A)at La

Maumeniere pedestrian, i..e. does it have a pavement or is it safe to walk across?

Near Saumur?

I have asked this question under the regional forum as well.

I will be walking through the area in June as I try to walk from the

Pyrenees to Blackpool in 70 days, mainly via the Grandes Randonnees. If

this bridge is suitable for pedestrians I can cut out a big loop of the

GR36 and save a lot of time.

Thanks for your help.

_________________

Big

Walker's Blog:

http://vicsbigwalk.blogspot.com

[pachapapa]

Do you mean the light bridge leading from Montsoreau to Varennes sur Loire; it is called the Pont de Varennes sur Loire. it is only open to light traffic, no heavy lorries. The bridge has a narrow provision for cars in both directions and on the west side of the bridge a footpath.

If you go to the link below and pan to the right you can see the footway.

http://www.varennes-sur-loire.net/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=138

[pachapapa]

Je viens de faire un appel a la mairie de Varennes sur loire est la secrètaire confirme que il y a une passarelle peatonale, en effet une restriction de poid existe sur le pont. Elle ma dit que des camping cars transitent le pont mais que les camions et bus se sont interdits. Elle sait pas le poid maximal. Sans doute la DDE du département le saurait.

[BigWalker]

Pachapapa

For some reason I did not get a message saying there

was a reply to my post about the bridge. So I have only just seen it.

Your answer is most helpful.

However, having spent weeks poring

over numerous maps, which we have today packed away in the support

vehicle because departure is imminent, I can not remember whether the

bridge you mention is the one I was asking about. I will check tomorrow.

If it is the same bridge, it sounds as if I would have no trouble

walking over it and in fact my wife could probably drive the support

vehicle - a motor caravan - across there as well.

Thanks again

for your help.

[BigWalker]

Five days to go. The Big Walk starts at 0800 on

Saturday and finishes 2,000 kms and 70 days later in Blackpool.

We have the vehicle, now decorated overall by Columbia specially for the

trip. I have put pictures of it on my blog today. It is magnificent. I

am fit and uninjured and hope to stay that way.

After the first day's walk to Mirepoix, it will be a voyage of

discovery. Except for two days at Brantome, every overnight stop in

France, and many of those in England, will be somewhere we have never

been before. Full details of the route were placed on my blog a couple

of days ago.

The publicity has really stepped up. Journalists and photographers

ringing for appointments.

And most gratifying of all, donations to Pancreatic Cancer via my blog

or JustGiiving page have really picked up pace.

_________________

Big

Walker's Blog:

http://vicsbigwalk.blogspot.com

[BigWalker]

Pachapapa

I apologise for not getting back to you sooner, after you left the

information about the bridge for me.

Unfortunately, the Complete France forums don't seem to have a facility

for letting you know when somebody replies to a posting - or if they do I

haven't figured it out.

The bridge is indeed the one I was talking about, and the information

you kindly supplied means that I can walk across the bridge and cut out a

big loop in the GR. As I am on a very tight schedule of walking 2,000

kms in 70 days, safe shortcuts help a lot.

The walk starts Saturday and there is a lot of frantic activity going on

here, as well as visitations from journalists, photographers, et cetera

Thanks again for your help.

Vic

[pachapapa]

Glad you got it all sorted out. Good luck! I live in a small village in Deux-Sèvres called Gourgé, the GR 36  passes right through the village, following the valley of the River Thouet towards the Loire.

[BigWalker]

If you can tell me how to contact you, it would be nice to say hello.

[BigWalker]

The Big Walk is now over. A great success. 70 days walking. Arrived bang on time - 1100 hrs on my 70th birthday. Fund-raising for Pancreatic Cancer UK now at almost 110% - but more is needed for this vital cause,

Anybody interested in seeing the BBC coverage of the finish in Blackpool will find it at this YouTube link:

Vic's Big Walk - The Movie -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXEsgaK8EL0

--

My blog: - http://vicsbigwalk.blogspot.com

Donate to Pancreatic Cancer UK: - http://www.justgiving.com/Vic-Heaney/

[BigWalker]

I am now working on the book of the walk.

That should keep me quiet for some time.  :D  :D

My natural inclination is that, if I find a publisher, I should make all the profits over to Pancreatic Cancer Research. But we have lost 11,000 Euros on the campervan we bought solely for the purpose of backup vehicle for the walk.

I am now thinking of splitting any income from the book 50/50 with Pancreatic Cancer Research, in the hope of recovering the lost money.

What would you do?

--------------------------------------------------

Vic's Big Walk - The Movie -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXEsgaK8EL0

--

My blog: - http://vicsbigwalk.blogspot.com

Donate to Pancreatic Cancer UK: - http://www.justgiving.com/Vic-Heaney/

[woolybanana]

why did you lose so much money on the CC, they usually hold their value well?

[Quillan]

[quote user="woolybanana"]why did you lose so much money on the CC, they usually hold their value well?[/quote]

I have to say I am a bit amazed as well. A friend of mine bought one and had it for 2 years, he said he sold it for about 2,500 less Euros than he paid for it, it was either a year or 18 months old when he bought it, I can't remember which. What about if you buy it brand new, does it depreciate very quickly in the first year? Was it sold back to the dealer who would of course give it a much lower value?

[BigWalker]

Sorry, only just seen those replies.

I did sell it back to the dealer and I know that gives me a worse price than selling it privately, but having more than once sold a car privately, and that was in England, without the language difficulties (especially on the telephone), it was a nightmare.

And yes, of course, selling it quickly after buying it new means that it loses a lot.

Subsequent sellers will lose a lot less.

[BigWalker]

What about a Big Walk Challenge? I walked from Puivert to Blackpool

in 70 days. Many people, all over the world, were interested and

followed my blog. How many of those people would be interested in

following the same route themselves? In competition with others, to see

how long it would take them.

More details in my blog:

http://vicsbigwalk.blogspot.com