DAY 18: June 5: Issogne - Pont St Martin (20 km - 13 miles - 245 total)

A lovely start then I am on my way. It is a beautiful walk, with two exceptions - LONG STRAIGHT WAYS.

It is strange, one would think that a straight road is better....less miles as it is direct. But as walking is physical, there is a mental component and when one walks on straight ways it ooften feels like a tereadmill, that is that I am getting NOWHERE. So it is more frutrating and tiring. I think there might be a life lesson here beyond walking, but I know not what.

Today one is a long walk through a vineyard with a castle ahead, the other is a long street into Pont St Marting. The weather is lovely and I pass two old villages (Hone and Bard).

I also walk on roads that are 1000s of years old. Roads to and from Rome. I know this dramatically increased the spead of travel and was very important in the mountains where they put ruts in the road to help wagons not go over the sides. It is amazing t thin of th many travelers whose footsteps i walk in.

At id morning I check my overall plan and realize my guide does not have the same schedule and I am 3 days behind my overall plan. I decide to bit the bullet and make a major leap forward of 40 miles---a train from Pnt St Martin to Vercelli.

It is weird to think so much can change in such a short distance, though for me walking, it seems o much. I feel sad as I watch the mountains slide away so quickly and flat lands appear with rice fields everywhere...I do not mind missing mosquitos which are frequently present. I do feel sad to have missed >Ivrea.

I arrive in Vercelli an bustinling city of about 50,000 and wonder how a city of this size can have so much more vibrancy that Dallas with millions of people. Life is in the streets here and I think we miss something in not having such a community living. Sidealks are wide and lined with trees to create shade in this warm region.

I stay in a local convernt here and the administrator is a course woman, Angela, who I immdeiately like. We become AMICOS (friends). In the morning she will serve no one coffee until I get it...funny...MAMMA MIA!

The convent is run down, but provides a large dinner and vino. Here there is a spanish, a suisse and a polish pilgrim besides me. I find it not so easy to be friendly with the pole as she makes constant grunting noises as she eats and has abigger beard growth than I do. I try and find a calm presence, but find myself internally irritated...and know this is a chance to grow.....

In the morning I realize I have lost my gudie and believe I left it in the Tourism office....OH SHIT!!!
I hope it is there. Without it I know not what I will do.....

Time to go before it gets too hot!