Result!

How's that for customer service? Only two weeks after requesting support from Mio, they have got back to me. Fortunately, I fixed the problem myself.

The Mio Cyclo is a nice GPS and its Surprise Me feature has taken me on some rides around here that have, well, surprised me, but the customer service is not their strong point. Shame really.

But the big result is that I have got someone to take me + bike to the dock at Plymouth when I set out. I don't mind cycling from Roscoff to Munich, but the idea of cycling along the A38 to Plymouth is not one that pleases.

Oh, woe!

I just know that I haven't the space to take my trusty Nikon with me. Cars are useful sometimes, I suppose.

I've been brushing up on my German and can thoroughly recommend Memrise www.memrise.com - they do a really good learning/revising app for Android, and doubtless for iPad as well - as if I cared!

I'm looking out of the window at the grey sky and rain - I do so hope it doesn't rain much while I'm away, don't mind the cold but can't bear getting wet.

I've been talking to a very nice chap called Stephen Loveridge at Evan Cycles www.evanscycles.com who was kind enough to advise me on the most appropriate tyres for my trip - Continental Touring Plus, in his opinion, so that's what I've gone for.

Mio 305 part 2

I followed the instructions on the website, format the system drive, reconnect and choose Restore...
It claimed to have recovered everything successfully - after several more hours -BUT the screen would only show the USB connection graphics, nothing else. I decided it was time to go to bed.

This morning, I installed the CycloAgent software on my Mac, and lo, it found another update, installed it, and all is OK.

I hope to try it later today. It looks like a good gadget, it's solid and well-made, but the software takes a LOT to be desired. I am very IT literate, I think someone who wasn't would have sent it straight back.

Mio 305

Hmm...what a disappointment. I got my Mio 305 GPS today, and it has spent all afternoon attempting - and failing - to update itself. We have very slow broadband and the files it is downloading are very, very big. Perhaps I should have got the Garmin. I will report back if/when I get it updated.

I'm retired now, but still haunted by technology!

Result!!!

After some guy defaulting on the deal through eBay, I have sold my aviation headset and can afford to buy a bicycle GPS - I've chosen a Mio 305 after some dithering - nearly got a Garmin, but the Mio has a higher resolution screen.

Rather than reading about me contemplating my navel, why don't you have a look at Frank's blog, he's touring Japan as we speak:

Serendipities of Life

My bike...can't think of a name, but not Reggie.

And this is my steed:

Currently without the encumbrance of luggage, it's nice and light. I thought it was pretty expensive when I bought it, but it seems I'm a bit behind the times.

A bike named Reggie

I am getting in the mood by reading Andrew Sykes excellent book "Crossing Europe on a Bike named Reggie" - buy it! Available here

In it he mentions a community called Warm Showers, which is not as kinky as it sounds. It is a site enabling one to find people offering accommodation to cyclists. Anyway, I signed up and have my first potential customers booked in already.

What an excellent idea Warm Showers