July 26, Henley to Marlow

Slept until 5:00 today, uncharacteristically late, but was out the door by 5:45.  Got the green light:

and was on my way.

Henley-On-Thames in the early morning:

And a spider web: 

And a lone rower:

Geese contemplating a swim while a mist hangs over the river:

Others crossing the road:

or maybe they are just playing Follow the Leader and the road happens to be there.

THE famous sight in Marlow is the Suspension Bridge.  I have this to say about it.  It kind of sways when you walk across it.

How reassuring is this?

Yes, it refers to that very bridge.

A photo of the bridge snitched from a web site:

No competition for the Golden Gate, IMO. This bridge is, apparently,  a copy of a bridge spanning the Danube linking Buda and Pest. Anyway, the Marlow bridge gets lots of hype; I don't get it!  Trip Advisor puts it in third place of things to see in Marlow, aced out by The Rebellion Beer Company where you can taste to your heart's content and a large park on the Thames. The entire list is pretty desperate except for the beer company.  

Marlow is only a nine mile walk from Henley but is lengthened by a detour due a bridge closure, not the bridge at Marlow, but one about two miles west. The worst part of these diversions is that after the first bold sign indicating no-can-go, there is no signage.  (What I would do without my Outdoors Active app, I do not know.) At a junction not too far along were a couple of men and a truck. I mentioned the bridge and one guy told me that the reason it remains un-repaired is that no one wants to pay for it.  

Nevertheless, arrived in Marlow too early to call it a day, and too early to check into Air B&B.  As I contemplated different options, whom did I run into?

Why it is our very own Steve Redgrave, with his five olympic medals around his neck and a very long oar!

I also saw some splendid sunflowers:

There were a couple of 4 1/2 mile circular walks that seemed just the ticket to fill the gap, but it was 1 1/2 miles to get to the starting point of either one, so added up: 10 already done,  + 4 1/2 + 1 1/2 +1 1/2 then 1 1/4 to get to the Air B&B + 1 more to get to the grocery store from the Air B&B + another 1 to get from the grocery store back, and we are talking maybe too much mileage, so I decided to walk along the Thames to the diversion and back.  

It was a pretty hum drum walk the river not being in view for most of it. Perking things up, near the detour, a glimpse of sailboating class:

Back in town, I headed over to the Air B&B, in a subdivision about a mile from where it's happening.  I was already at odds with the owner for reasons too petty to recount.  The place itself is OK: spare, budget-level, a bed, a bathroom, and a kitchenette. It has good wi-fi and lighting, I'll grant it that, but I do not see toaster.  I check the listing.  Yup, there is supposed to be a toaster.  I send a message.  I do not say, "Where the hell is the damn toaster?"  I say, "Gee, I cannot find the toaster."  "There isn't one."  "Oh, that's too bad.  The listing says there is a toaster."  "Well, no one has ever asked about that before.  Use the broil setting on the oven."  I look at the oven.  It has icons I have never seen before, but I figure it out, and in the morning, I have toast!