Halfway to the Goal: The Ascent of the Alps Beckons
The Alps are 2 days away.
Tomorrow we will stay in an Abby. The day after in a small church parish. After that we start climbing. The first day is 12.2 miles and 800 (2600 feet) meters of climbing.
The second day is 7 miles and 1000 (3300 feet,) meters. The third day 4.5 miles and another 1000 meters. We go over the top on the third day.
I have been told that the hardest part of this pilgrimage is the long empty days through France’s fields and ghost towns. The 3 days of climbing are still hard, but the distances are short. 5 miles of climbing or 30 miles of fields and empty towns?
Still. Being honest here. I’m not easily intimidated. But approaching the Alps, I am a little bit. I think I can make it. Put one foot in front of the other enough times and eventually you can get anywhere. I’ve done it 1,161,619 times since I left the UK. I’ve covered abt 589 miles. With those numbers you’d think I am ready. And I am.
But, I’m also tired. We’ve been doing 18-21 miles/day consistently for days. We’ve not taken a day off. We did two short days (abt 10 miles each day for our days off.)
We’ve slept in 32 different rooms/beds. I’ve packed and unpacked my backpack more than 32 times because I always forget something and have it to do it again…and again.
Every day we have to find a place to stay. And we have to scavage for food. It is surprisingly hard to find places to shop for food in France. Thank God eclairs are rich in vitamins, too!
It’s rained abt 1 out of 3 days overall. We expect rain and thunder and lightning for the climbing days.
And. I’m not halfway done …. yet.
Cresting the Alps on Friday will bring us to abt the halfway point in distance, but not in time. June 20th is when that happens.
I’m good. I’m ready. I’m tired. I’m intimidated. But, I’m game.
Are the Alps looming or beckoning?
I don’t know.
