Day 4: June 7: St Chely >> Espallion (22km)

 THE REAL WORLD - Ou c'est trouve?

Today's Photos

The day was beautiful again with good climbs and better descents without so much water or difficult paths (live stream beds). I feel myself growing stronger which is nice, but am a bit overwhelmed by all the pilgrims (fellow travelers along the way).

In Italy, the entire 2 months walking, I saw maybe 20 pilgrims total, here I see at least that many a day. Although it is easy to walk alone and I do this most of the day, if I stop, at a spot to rest or reflect, maybe ten or fifteen minutes before another pilgrim arrives.

Perhaps I am just a whiney American - In Italy I was too lonely and here I am not lonely enough.

Another thing that I am struggling with is technology. I have never had any technology on previous walks - not even a cell phone. But here on this walk I have a cell phone, a kindle (books), and a laptop (I'm actually teaching an online course that began Monday).

The absence of technology let me truly walk outside my world and go inside to a new wold so to speak. I remember in Italy, I often found computers in the library or bureau de tourism, but these would close at 5 or so; and without technology I felt I had so much time. Even now as I walk, I am sometimes checking my phone for stupid reasons like email or facebook updates. I feel lost on the way.

I know in my own "normal" world, I have so many distractions - phone, internet,tv, work, etc. that it sometimes seems days go by without thinking or paying attention to whats around me. And that is part of the discomfort with the walks - is having nothing but time and having to fill it. I read voraciously in Italy when I could find English books - but I guess this too was another distraction. And now my kindle is loaded with like 40 classics from Thoreau to Dickens to Hugo - all free books from Guttenberg as copywrights are long ended.

So I think my challenge now is not physical, but mental and discipline - can I "turn-off" the world I know, to remember the REAL WORLD that we all carry within. It is like this picture I took today that I love. The clouds hid most of the view, but there was a tiny window to see through - perhaps this is what our distractions do - hide the best view!

Here is my plan:

•  Internet check ins/ school in morning; 
•  Turn phone off while I walk - use only for reservations
• 5 - 6 pm Internet Happy Hour (phone for facebook, etc)

Let's see how my INTERNET/ DIET goes! Care to diet with me!

Bon Nuit!

Day 3: Nasbanal >> St.Chely d"Aubrac

AMAZING RECOVERY, BEAUTIFUL DAY, REAL CAMINO (17 km)

ALL PHOTOS:

Nothing much to report today, it was a wonderful day on the camino and NOT on the road. I guess
the amazing thing is yesterday, I felt so bad at the end of the day - everything hurt and I had a slight fever, yet this morning I felt strong and well again...the healing power of sleep is weird and wonderful!

It was a beautiful sunny day and the walk was through mountain forests and fields. The ascents were strenuous for the energie, and the descents are strenuous on the knees and ankles, especially as many were down stream beds...that were not dry.So a bit muddy of a day.

I think the funniest story today was hanging out with a french guy (Jean Pierre) during a break who is in a Blue Grass Band - yes correct, supposedly bluegrass and country music are relatively popular in France - who would have guessed. But we started speaking about learning languages and we both remembered our FIRST lesson in each other's language:

JEAN PIERRE: Hello Brian. How are you? Brian, where is Jenny? Jenny isthe kitchen!
MOI: Bonjour Guy Cava? Je m'appelle  Jean Cluny!









Here is a pic of our room for the night - 12 Euros; sort of like a dorm room living, except we also have a common kitchen! A great and inexpensive way to travel!

Not much else to report, except I am looking forward to ALIGOT for dinner!

Bon Nuit!

Day 2: Aumont-Abrec >> Nasbinals (27km - 16 miles)

DIVERSION - LONGER TRAINING DAY - HEAVENLY POTATOES - KINDNESS OF STRANGERS & SELF FLAGGELATION:

Today was to be a longer day - about 16 miles, which is pushing it a bit for the second day. Funny thing is, The past few camino's I have done, I started with long walking days (>25km) for the first 5-7 days), so it would seem, that I am being a bit smarter in terms of this camino....though my body did not agree, but I get to that later.

Last night we stayed in a "Gites" (pronounced Zheetes) which is a cheaper accommodation where you share rooms and kitchen and bathrooms with other pilgrims. Our room had 16 - 18 beds. Even with tylenol PM and ear plugs, I awoke several times through the night to an assortment of sounds - who knew that different countries might have different snores. At one point, I sort of imagined I was just another animal in this barn, and that we each make our own sound...this made it a little less annoying.

Starting about 7:30 this morning after a nice cappucinno and crossant in local bar, we decided to avoid the off-road trails as there has been lots of rain, and both my book and Siggy's said these trails can become "bogs"in bad weather, so we made our own diversion and took the D987 - a nice country road that goes directly - sort of - to our planned ending spot (Nasbinal).

The morning started strong and we soon racked up about 13 km and I still felt good, though of course my feet were sore and whining from about the 4th km...which is normal for most of the walk.

The day was overcast and misty and a bit chilly. But I did not notice so much as the walking keeps me warm. One of the last villages we came to was having a Country Festival/ Market with all kinds of local products (cheeses, meats, jams, etc) as well as all sorts ofother odds and ends with lots of french fair-type food.

Unfortunately I ate at the first booth and missed one of the yummiest dishes, Allagot - a regional dish of mashed potatoes and cheese...OH MY GOD!!!! We were sitting in a bar eating our lunch when the table next to us with an older couple and a younger one,  brought out their Allagot dishes and we must have been looking at them longingly and pathetically - perhaps ala Oliver Twist, because the younger woman grabbed a spoonful and handed it to me - it was heavenly!!!

I have met with nothing but continual gestures of kindness here - it is one of the things I love about the being "a pilgrim.".

The rest of the walk was a struggle, perhaps due to the increased mileage as well as the cool temperatures, constant mist and a few light rainstorms. That by the time I reached Nasbinal, my butt was dragging. It is funny, but as soon as I passed the sign for the city, Bienvenue a Nasbinal, my body decided it was done -- funny how psychological physical things can be.

Almost immediately after the sign, I felt like I had a fever, my feet were dragging and my shoulders were sore from the weight. It was another km into town center, and I hardly made it. Even though the best weather of the day happened at the end with sunny skies finally. Even so, my sholders hurt so bad, I feel like a pilgrim of old who whips his back with every step he takes. I had adjusted my backpack this morning and am unsure if it is this or just the fact that I am carrying so much weight - about 30lbs,

Checking into our Gite for the night, I took a hot shower and fell deep asleep for about 45 minutes, I woke up stiff and with a slight fever. After hobbling to the local bar, a coffee and a beer, I feel a bit less stiff and hopefully a good nights rest - in a new barn - will bring more healing. Something I have
learned from these trips is how amazing sleep is for restoring the body - many days I felt like I could NOT go on the next day and surprisingly was in good shape in the morning.

Tomorrow - a lighter day - only 17km, but some steep descents and I think better weather!

Bon Nuit!

Day 1: June 4 St Alban >> Aumont LaBrac (15km)

I seem to forget that the first days of the pilgrimmage are always difficult, but today was a good day, yet still tough -- as I never train before even though I have good intentions.

I awoke early to take the bus to Aumont LaBrac to meet Siggy at end of day, but realized as we were driving that as it was so early, I could get dropped off at St Alban and walk today. This is the city we were supposed to meet in yesterday. The driver was very kind to change my route and an hour later at 8:30, I arrive in St Alban. I thought for sure, Siggy would be gone, but as soon as the bus pulled away, Ihear a voice, "Michael!"

Siggy had not left and we began walking immediately. It was a mostly lovely walk through forests and fiels with sun and cloudy skies, and just a bit of rain - which kicked in at the end. We only walked 15 km today (about 9 miles) so a good training start, but i am sore and tired and looking forward to bed as tomorrow we double the mileage (27km - 17 miles), as we head to Nasbinals.

So good to reconnect with my pilgrim friend from Italy - we met the night I stayed in the BATES MOTEL - another story for sure. We laughed our way through the day and now settling in for a beer and dinner...and excited to have wifi.

Bon Nuit! Bon Chemin!

DAY 0.1: June 3 Le Puy to Le Puy

I knew when I went to bed that breakfast was at 8, so when I awoke at 5; I went back to sleep for just

a few minutes until 9:45...OOOPS! I went downstairs in the now very quiet hotel, and the amazing Hotelier, Amir made me breakfast and a HUGE cup of Coffee - He is now my hero!!!

He also informed me of many things, one being I could not catch the bus to St Alban - my intended meeting spot today with my perregrin (pilgrim) buddy, Sigreid, as it leaves early in morning and one needs a reservation -- oops!

So the up side is I get a day in LePuy which I had planned anyway, thinking I would arrive about 1pm the day before not at 10:30pm. So today was a lovely day in LePuy visiting the Cathedral and Rocher St. Michel - which was sort of like climbing the stairs to my hotel room about 4 or 5 times. And it seems fitting, to start with my namesake saint's place in town.

At the top I lit a candle for a dear friend, Tanya undergoing bypass surgery today. Be well Tanya!

On the way down I also met another pilgrim who also happens to be a clown - but actually gets paid for it; Sandrine Hooge. Click on her name - she is the one with red hair! She was quite lovely and this is part of what I love about the voyage.

Finally I bumped into a Model T Ford on my way home - which of course makes me thing of home - that's a shout out to you pops!

So a relaxing day in town - still clocked about 4-5 miles, so maybe a good thing. And reservations for the bus at 7:15 tomorrow morning...NO OVERSLEEPING!!!

Bon nuit!

Day o: June 1-2: Dallas >> Chicago >> Franfurt>>Lyon>>LePuy

It is always exciting to leave on vacation, but when commencing an adventure, it is also a wee bit of an anxious time. For me this day has most fear, that my bags - I mean my ONE BACKPACK will not make the journey, so I hope to carry on my backpack.

With all the recent news of long lines at airport, I go 3 hours early and yet get thru security in 15 minutes...with my rather large backpack in tow. The lady stopped me and asked me if I checked the size and I told a wee fib and said an agent man helped me do this and so I snuck thru. This worked until I arrived in Chicago and while waiting in line to board a MUCH BIGGER aircraft in a PREMIUM coach seat, my sack was confiscated by a large mean and ugly agent (ok so not really, but it makes for a better story - no?) and relegated with all the other non-adventure luggage to the belly of the plane...let the angst begin!!!
 
While waiting to board the aircraft we were informed that the plane had a faulty/ flat tire which needed to be changed, so we would depart late. Did I mention that I already had some angst, well with a two-hour layover in Germany, I did not have alot of time to make my connection in general, but now this was likely even less...where is the Zanax when you need it. Perhaps this is a good business mnodel for a doctor - set up shop at the airport for last minute anxiety attacks!

Two hours late we are in the air, yes two hours -- quel coincidence! On the plain the tv flight channel indicates we will arrive in Frankfurt about 8:30am; my connecting flight is at 9:05.So sitting in my seat, with NO COMPLIMENTARY CHAMPAGNE, I realize that shit happens all the time, life does NOT go as planned and I can sit and fret about what might occur or I can let it go. Of course, complimentary champagne, might have made this easier. Hell and after all I am on a pilgrimage, so I should act sort of pious and pilgrim-like right?

Upon arrival at gate Z50, I find my connecting flight leaves out of A4 - I am NOT KIDDING...I sort of giggle as I run OJ style (am I allowed to still use this reference?) and make it to my gate at 8:57 - YIPPIE!!! But the agent tells me the plane left and I swear she said the time on my ticket is when it takes off....WHAT THE - ok lets stop there, pilgrim etiquette and all. take a breath and realize - maybe not a bad thing as there was no way in ...whoops pilgrim is going to have to curb this shit. oh heck! back to my thought - no way my bags would make that flight and better to be late with my bags then arrive ontime without them.

So now a new three hour layover until my flight ...boring except for the fact that at least half the people in the cafe were having beer at 9:00 am instead of coffee - you got to love those krauts (wait can I say Kraut?). Anyway boring wait, small plane ride to Lyons and next adventure ensues...I need a SIM CARD for my specially bought UNLOCKED cell phone - thank you amazon ($39) and I need to get to LePuy.

Buy a sim card at airport, the clerk installs it and seems to work - check!
Ask information desk for directions to LePuy and she does not know this village...ut oh - did I pick wrong airport - shit - screw that pilgrim etiquette! She calls a taxi who quotes the ride as 350 EUROS - about $500  - yeah about to hear some more cursing. I decide to take the express train to Lyon center city and see whats up there.

OMG the crowds in the center city train station - now about 4pm are wild - it is a zoo.Everyone waits in the center until about 15 mins before departure when they announce the track, and then its a foot rac to your track. With some help from several agents - actually 4 or 5, I figure out the ticket to buy and how to validate my ticket and that the I have to change trains in St Etienne, no actually I change from train to bus ...ah this is getting a bit exhausting as I have now been going for over 24 hours with little sleep. Of did I mention the train strike which is why my trip is now an extra 3 hours longer by bus.

Luckily my cell phone works and I text the hotel who gives me late check in information and directions from the drop off point - interestingly the directions had no words that indicated direction like left or right, so after the three hour ride, I head off and 3 blocks later simply ask a later where Rue Raphael is or Place de Plot. to which she replies with a bad look of ut oh, "C'est loin" (Thats far) and then she says her car is here, she will take me - no fricking kidding!!!

She drops me at my hotel, Une Coquille sous L'Oreiller  an awesome 200+ year old hotel and my room is on the 5th floor - yippie with no elevator - well I had been meaning to do some training to get in shape, so why complain - right? It was lovely except when I awoke in the middle of the night freezing cold, almost near death before I even begin (dont you love the cliff hangers). And then I realized I had fallen asleep on top of the bed, so I got under the covers and lived happily ever after...until morning! Bon Nuit!

On the Road Again - Camino Santiago - LePuy Route

Note: External links are highlighted in green.

About 20 years ago, I read a book about the Camino Santiago - the ancient pilgrimage to Santiago de la Compestella - that has  such a great historical and spiritual legacy - and knew this was a journey/ challenge I wanted to take. In 2009, I got such an opportunity. Here is a short music video of my travels and thoughts along the Camino Santiago. It was one of the greatest adventures of my life and inspired me to continually seek out adventure in my life and work.

In 2014, I returned to the road on the Via Francigena,a pilgrimmage of 1200 miles from London to Rome. I walked the second two-thirds of this walk from besancon, France, over the Alps and onto Rome and captured my stories and pictures in a blog. This time two months of adventure and misadventure in the wonderful world of Italy.

In two weeks, I leave to begin my third adventure - back on the Camino Santiago, but beginning 500 miles before my starting point of 2009 - traveling along the Le Puy Route.I plan to walk from outside of LePuy to Roncevalles Spain, my last day will be retracing my first day of my first pilgrimmage - over the Pyrenees Mountains and into Spain. From there, I will travel to a well deserved month's rest in Munich.

I find these trips full of adventure, weird coincidences (synchronicity), the making of new friends, a quiet inward journey and lessons that I think we can only get by "turning off" our normal world and walking into the unknown.

And the synchronicity began even before I thought to do this trip. A pilgrim I met along the via francigena, Sigrid, contacted me in March and asked me to join her on this trip. I said I'd think about it, and within an hour, a school I teach at called and asked me if I could teach a class this spring that would end in May. The payment for this course covered my plane ticket - so I felt this was good confirmation to go...and so I'm off - arriving in LePuy June 2nd.

Care to join me for this journey? Buen Camino!