Garmin Forerunner 35 ~ It might be good enough??

Garmin Forerunner 35

Low cost! Only USD $ 199.99

   In the previous post, I mentioned about Garmin Fenix 3 HR which is a high-end model of multi sports watch.  A few days ago, I also got an E-mail from Garmin to introduce Forerunner 35.   Originally, I was considering to get Fenix 3 HR sometime in the future.  However I also mentioned that it was really expensive.  It is about USD $600, just for the watch.  My current device, which is Forerunner 910XT, is still working without any problems and I just want to try the heart rate monitor 24/7 during Mt. Whitney hiking to get some additional information.  Therefore, I have been looking for some other options as well.   One of options is Garmin Vivosmart HR, which is only USD $129.99 (as of September 7, 2016 at Garmin site).  Then, Forerunner 35 would be a good one.  It will be available 2016/Q3 and the price is USD $199.99.   Also, Garmin Vvosmart HR+ could be a good option as well. The price is USD $219.99 with GPS function.   All of them has wrist based heart rate sensor embedded in the watch, which allow to monitor the heart rate 24/7.

Garmin vivosmart HR+ with GPS function

   Off course, Fenix 3 HR has many advanced features, such as Lactate threshold estimate, VO2max estimate and etc.  They might be attractive, however, they are not really necessary.   So I start thinking to get those alternative instead of Fenix 3 for the next Mt. Whitney hiking.   I am not so rush to get it and I might spend some time to compare them and figure out what would be a good for my purpose.  Forerunner 35 is probably a good one which has a reasonably longer battery life.  Based on the specification on the Garmin web site, it can be around 13 hours with GPS mode.  I think it could be long enough for most of hiking.  We just need to charge in a tent when I do overnight hiking.  Or I can carry my current 910XT or handy GPS device to track where I walked with GPS. 

   Anyway, Garmin Forerunner 35 looks a good option for me.

(The hyper link cold be subject to change)

Augustin Bernal Community Park / Pleasanton Rige ~ Long trail near a downtown

今回のハイキングのビデオです！

Augustin Bernal Community Park

   This is a park managed by City of Pleasanton.   It is next to Pleasanton Ridge Reginal Park.   I guess not many people know this is a long trail more than 20 miles.  People usually starts a trail head near Foothill Rd.  However, I did not have much time today, I just started from Augustin Bernal Community Park to save 6 miles.

  If you are a resident in Pleasanton, they you can go to a parking lot after nice residence area with showing your ID.  If you are from other city, you need to get a permit in advance.   For detail, you can see a brochure of the park.

  Then, you can short-cut and easy to reach the main ridge from the parking lot.  It is about 6 mile shorter than the regular trail hed.

If you go further, very few people hike there.

   Most of people turn around when they reach the main ridge where is about 2 mile from the parking lot.   However, the trail is continue further.  On the ridge, it is really nice view to cities.   Due to a private property in the middle of the trail, people need to detour and up and down in a few sections.  But people can see various view and probably enjoy the hiking.

  There is no shade on the ridge, but once people descends a little, there is some shade and people can work in shade.

   It is still early September, but Poison Oak eaves start changing color.

   It is a nice trail near town and people can enjoy a long hiking.  I really like this trail and recommend to other people!  

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Publishing Kindle books ~ drafting another book now!

KDP Select – A good way to promote my book!

   It’s been already 2 mounts after I published my first Kindle book about Mt. Whitney Hiking.  I published in English and Japanese.  It seems that some people are interested in the book and I do see some activities.   Originally, I did not enroll KDP select which allow Kindle Unlimited users to read the book free.   Since people do not know myself a lot and many people probably do not spend their money to buy my book.   So the sales activity is not high which is expected.  However, once I enrolled it, I do see more people start reading the books.  It seems like this is a good way to promote my book.  I still get some royalty based on pages people read.  So I am very happy that people are interested in and read my book.
   Since the topics is about a mountain in the United Sates, I thought the majority of reader could be people who live in the United States.   Yes, I think more than half of people who read the book is in the United States.   However, I do see many people in Europe and Japan also read the book.   I guess that many people still interesting to hike to Mt. Whitney even they are oversea.

Working on the next book now!

   Now, I have been working on writing (drafting) my next Kindle book now.  As I mentioned in my previous posts, the topic is “Heart Rate Based pacing during hiking”.   I have not decided the actual boot title, but this is what I have been posting some article this blog.   Originally, this is a book I really want to publish as a Kindle book.  However, I thought it would take longer to complete this topics.   Since I did not have any experience to publish a Kindle book.  I decided to publish a book to go through the process for publishing.   I think it’s a good idea.  Now I know what it looks like.  Once the draft is ready, I can publish in a short time.

   Now I am selecting some past hiking data to show in the book as examples.   Most of contents are posted in this blog before.  But I try to re-organize and explain more detail as a book.  This is more generic topic, not really depends on a specific region.  Therefore, I would expect more people reading the books.  Right now, I am writing in Japanese which is my native language and it allows me to complete drafting sooner.   I will publish a Japanese edition first and will take a few mounts to modify for English edition.   I am expecting to publish the English edition within this year.

 

Mt. Whitney Hiking Guide “Hiking the highest mountain in California”

·         Go to Amazon.com

(Or you may go to your local Amazon site and search “ASIN: B01IFSFBV6”)