Testing new sleeping bag in the VauDe bivi

As the weather improves, I am getting ready for the road. My long distance bicycle trips have usually been in the summer, so this will be the first time that I set off in February. Last night I tested the new sleeping bag with my VauDe bivi. Also tried out the ThermaRest Z-Lite, which was comfortable enough on the hard balcony floor, so it should be OK on the road. Slept right through till 8.30am on a dry night with a steady breeze. First though, a beer break to whet the appetite: The lighting in the bivi video below was provided by a budget Petzl headlamp in need of some new batteries, so it's a bit of a dark movie. If all goes to plan, I should be heading for France in about ten days time.

Westerkerk, Jordaan, Amsterdam

Westerkerk from the Jordaan by Bettie Klomp...#Amsterdam flic.kr/p/2oYgST
— Leighton Cooke (@leightoncooke) January 27, 2013

One of my favourite streets in the Jordaan. I used to hang out in Cafe De Tuin in the old days. You can visit Bettie's gallery at:
Atelier Galilea,

1ste Leliedwarstraat 4,
Jordaan,
Amsterdam

This is not an Ashton pipe

As Magritte would agree, it's a photo of a pipe. This Ashton Pebble Grain LX used to belong to my good friend Clauss. It has hardly been used. I don't smoke anymore, but maybe I should light up a pipe of good English tobacco every now and again, just for the memory. Wonder how much it would be worth at the moment?
Ashton/Pipedia

Green Tara at Palbu, Amsterdam

Green Tara at Palbu, #Amsterdam #Tibet flic.kr/p/HKC43
— Leighton Cooke (@leightoncooke) January 25, 2013

Taken in 2007 in the Palbu Tibetan art store in the center of Amsterdam.

Mama, the purple cow by Susanne Boger

Mama, the purple cow by Susanne Bogerflic.kr/p/5Kmg9w
— Leighton Cooke (@leightoncooke) January 24, 2013

Susanne is based at OT301 in Amsterdam. This was part of a series of photos I did in 2008.

Small Fellbach coppice in the snow

Tweet Seen on my way to the organic store for some Bauernbrot.