Good morning
The first day is completed but only just. It was the best of days and the worst of days and here is why:
After an early breakfast I set out from Le Puy. Leaving Le Puy was not easy- the road out is relentless up hill. The training around the gentle slopes of Lane Cove were no match. Many if not most pilgrims experience the "when will this hill "crest"?( I am not sure if this use of a noun as a verb is legitimate as in medal= to medal)
But I digress. By the time I crested I had caught my second wind and the terrain was more accomodating to the elderly. By ten I had covered nearly 10 Ks of the expected 23.5 for the day. The track at times varied greatly traversing beautiful countrysides with fields filled with those immense roles of golden bales for use in winter and newly ploughed land with soil the colour of chocolate and almost as edible.
Testing slopes and narrow rutted tracks malevolently littered with rock to stumble (another noun verb) the distracted.
Two or three short stops to slack my thirst from my "camel" I arrived at the only cafe opened for business and it was brisk- it was just after midday with about 7 of the remaining Ks remaining.
Lunch consisted in Two small roles with cheese and wilted lettuce purchased the day before and two cokes- the sugar provided the energy to press on to what became the worst part of th day- it took over an hour to negotiate the worst track I have ever experienced. Steep deeply worn like a river with ankle cracking and leg breaking rocks and exposed tree roots. The jarring on the knees and hips tested my resolve.
I forgot to mention, after missing a path indicator and heading down a steep gorge in the wrong direction I was rescued by a damsel contrary to the usual saying. It was indeed a fortuitous encounter. Her name was Gerda and her companion was Gunther- yeas a real live Gunther- there lies a pol incorrect story not to be related. The third member of their team was a beautiful boarder collie, they were seasoned travellers. As it happened we're staying at the same little hotel run by Peter a loquacious Englishman. The evening meal together deserves its own blog.
After a restful sleep I am about to set off for day 2.
Oh the photo- a backward look at Le Puy on departure day. Au revoir
Jim