DAY 19 - 21: Vercelli > Pavia (80km; 60miles.305 total)

Day 19: Vercelli - Robbio: Super Pellegrinni
When I last left you I had lost my guide and though the way is marked pretty good, it is not perfect, so without a guide it is easier toget lost and also you have no idea when the next town is - important for water and food and sleeping.

So when I left the Abbey in Vercelli, I went to the only otyher stop I made, the office of tourism and luckily it was there....GRATZIE MIA DIO! havingto wait for the office to open at 9:00, I was getting late start, but also realizing Vercelli is a big city, I wanted to try and find internet, which I di ...these were my last postings. So after this I got a really late start 11:00. But I was fully charged, and though a bit hot was not too bad. And bought a new pair of STYLISH ITALIAN SUNGLASSES for $5.

Having realized my limited time is now going to make me step up my mileage each day, I quicken my pace: but my body is now stronger and I did 18 km in just over 4 hours....2 weeks ago this would take me 6 hours.

The way was good and only a bit hot, but when walking through fields without shade, it can be rough. Thanks to my teaching colleague Jason Cates for pushing me to bring music. Todays walk was mostly boring. So the music helped me keep my pace...and my sanity. I was also stopped by a young girl on a farm who wanted to know everything about me, especially when she learned I am from Texcas. My Italian is not this good and boy could she talk alot!

I arrive in a small village of Robbio and am given free room above City Hall. And no I was NOT ARRESTED, though this might be an idea for another free nights room and meals. It was not a pretty room, but the price was right and allowed me to go early the next day. With having the town clock outsidemy window was also a GREAT ALARM CLOCK...maybe too great!

DAY 20 June 7 Robbio - Tramello. So another day of farmlands...ahhh. Rice fields aplenty and the mosquitos seemed intriqued by thisnew american cuisine. I can just imagine the conversation:

"Hey dude, have you tried this new american food?"
"Si, amoro Texas BarB Molto bene!!!"

The tractors are interesting for these water fields with wheels that are like gears.

My pace is good and villages tend to be about 3 - 4 miles apart giving me nice breaks. As it is Saturday, the cafes are full of old men and several times, I stop and hang with the fellas, but only for short pauses.

I take a longer break and nap outside a cemetary sleeping on a shaded wall. Thecemetaries are interesting...morelike stylish town homes...maybe they dont bury people here, or maybe these are for the richer folks, not really sure.

My sister Debbie could not make this walk for sure, as little gecko lizards are everywhere, I must scare about 30 . 40 each day, and today a large black snake scurried across my path just outside Mortara, he was so fast I could not get his picture.

...

I arrive in tramello very tired and decide to have a panache before I find my room for the night. A òlittle old man, Carlo rides up on his bicycle which is painter VI FRANCIGINA and is the welcome wagon, he stamps my pilgrim book, finds me a room - also for free above a local bar. Molto gentile!

As it is Saturday night, the bar is lively with Kareokee, though I choose not to participate, dont want tointerfere with US Italian relations.

Another good fast day, but please NO MORE RICE FIELDS. I think I have donated enough blood!!!!

DAY 21: Tremello - Pavia: 
 How exciting, guess what i find today...MORE FFRICKIN RICE FIELDS!!!
I may never eat rice again. i am in the state of Pavia which guess what is italy's and europes largest producer of rice...I could have got that question on Jeopardy without having read it today...OH LA LA!

 Today is a longer day at 30km- about 20 miles, but I am cranking out the miles in the morning going over 4 in the morning with my first stop at a basilica for a young deaf-dumb girl who took shelter from a storm in a shelter which had a fresco (ainting) of the virgin mary. She appeared to the girl , healed her and told her to tell everyone to build a memorial there to protect the region. Cool!

Its funny who comes with me on this journey and I mean with so much quiet time, my thoughts flow freely, and an unexpected companion is my 10th grade biology teacher and cross country coach, Mr. Wright. I guess i used to run on my toes, and he would say, "Bailey, are you a dancer or a runner?"  "I'm a runner sir!" Throughout the day I hear this, Bailey, heel toe" and it reminds me to use all of my foot, lessening the strain on my achilles tendon.

Later in the morning I still make great progress, finishing 2\3 of the way by 11, then the heat kicks in. italy is having an EARLY HEAT WAVE. The afternoon drags as I am walking in mostly sun and some on streets which amplifies the heat. It takes me another 4 hours to finish the day. The last 4 miles is by a large river where the other side is beaches with people swimming and no access on my side...it is TORTURE!!!!

I eventually find a BEACH BAR and stumble in for rest, later also rest under a motorway with some cool graffiti.

I arrive in Pavia about 3 totally exhausted and find the Hostile will not open until 6;30, I can bearly stand I am so tired, so I go into the church next to it, and it is cool insode and I lay on a pew and fall asleep. I am woken about 30 minutes later by akind lady who says they will get me a room now, no waiting. Unfortunately it is a festival weekend and all the rooms are full, but they invite me to a church barbecue and find me a room next door, unfortunately not free, but such is life.

The heat wave is intense with it being very humid, I am not sure how I will make the long mileage in such heat and am a bit frustrated. I think I may try and take a day or two break and find my italian friends from my walk across Spain (Gino and Pierra run a dairy farm and were so kind, and live within 50 miles of where I am.

Wish me luck!
PS Dont tell anyone, but I miss the montains!

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!

DAY 17: June 4 - St Vincent - Issogne (18km - 10 miles - 232 total)

All pictures: https://viafrancigenawithmichael.shutterfly.com/pictures

COWBOY PILGRIM HAS HIS MOJO BACK!!!!!

Marco (Morrocan) and I wake and share an early breakfast and I wish him luck in finding work. 
My heart aches for him and his family.




Since it is so early, I choose not to wait an hour for Birgit and begin my walk. I feel this is ok.I get an early start and in my guide , it says another ay ion the mountains, so I choose to go my own way and begin the day walking along a minor highway. There is a bit of traffic but not bad. And within two miles I see a small road off to the right and decide to take it....and find an older via Freancigena sign...these usually are more direct paths and off the highways.

It is a lovely path and it is relatively flat with nice shade and scenarie. About an hour into the walk, I receive a call from nature and think ohh la la, I really do not wanbt to be a camping boy. In just 20 steps is a beautiful cafe and garden....and a gabinetti (toilet). HORRAY FOR PILGRIM MOJO!!!!

A nice capuccino, and onward I go. I find the rest of morning is some climbing and a few severe downs...which still stress my knees, but not so bad. And has awesome views. About 10, I arrive at the church of Montravet and sit for a nice break and drink. Here they have fighting bulls, but unlike Spain, the bulls fighteach other and only to submission, not death.

Here I run into Birgit again. I choose to trust the way, and we walk together, though she wants to hitch hike and go further. An hour later we get lost and she decides to go her own way, so I again trust the way. I also pass many vineyarsd with the grapes just beginning...

The rest of afternoon is flat walking but all industrial areas ì BORING and not lovely. I arrive in a small village Issogne and have a light lunch in cafe and see there is a bibliotheque - opening in an hour and half, so as it begins to rain, i decide to stay and wait and update internet blog. I sleep for a little on acovered bench outside library. The librarioan is lovely and helps me with internet and later when done it is raining hard, she connects me with a friend whoo has a BnB mearby - 5 minutes and a recommendation for dinner.

The BnB is superb - an entire apartment for myself, kitchen, tv lounge, bathroom with a small tub (YEAH for SOAKING LEGS) and the LOTTERY...a washing mashine which I can use. I am no longer stinky...well for an hour or so. A lovely evening, the restaurant is nearby and without my pack walking in the evening rain is pleasant. I arrive to find the family who run the restaurant eating their dinner and no one else. The momma offers me her dish of QUATTRO FORMAGIO pasta....OH LA LA so good a little wine and back home. A great- awesome day anmd night. In the morning the BnB owbner has made me fresh yogurt for local milk overnight, and provides other local delicasies from her garden before I go. OH LA LA...PERFECTO!!!!

DAY 16; JUNE 3rd: Gignod - St Vincent (38 km- 24 m - 222 total)

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES...Yesterday started in all clothes in snow. Today in just a short sleeve bike shirt.

The day is good, starting with a really nice breakfast buffet at the hotel. Looks like a bakery exploded here ...YUM YUM. I am beginning my Italian. It seems every week brings a new challenge. Last week, climbing a freaking mountain, now I have to begin speaking a new language. It is difficle, but the people are kind and encouraging.

I walk the first 5 miles to Aosta, a beautiful city that is quite large, I wish or think I ashould have stayed there...might have been good to do laundry since its now going on 2 weeks with the same stinky clothes...I keep spraying them with deodorant!



It is a lovely walk, and the city is nice. I try to find internet and get into the library for an hour, not enough to complete my updates. As the walk was a bit severe again and as my legs are still struggling to survive, I chjoose to take the train to a few towns ahead - Chatillon. It only costs 2.5 €, so a good deal, though it ends up being the cschool train filled with teenagers, though it is fun to listen and try to pick out what they are saying. I can tell by their looks...welll everyones that I am some alien to themm and a stinky one at that. I arrive in Chantillon and find no rooms left at the Francican monastery, so ask the nice ladies (in Italian) for advice and they suggest I walk a couple more miles to the next town which has a church with rooms for men only.

I run into Birgit here and we walk together to the next town, St Vincent. Where the church is closed, but eventually a priest shows up and offers me a room, but I must return at 9:00pm. Birgit meanwhile is feeling lost and is planning to sleep outside. I look thru my guides and find a hotel around the corner for 20€. We go there and it is closed, but a man on the street confirms this and then asks what we are doing. Again in Italian I explain I have a room at the church, but there are none for women. he gets on the phone call his aunt, who ruins a hotel and birgit gets a room....he also drives her there.

I return to the church and though it is only 7, I sit by the door and wait for 9:00. I journal while here and am feeling like a bad pilgrim. I really want to learn and practice italian, but find that taking care of Birgit seems to get in the way as she speaks only German, so while I want to focus soley on Italian, I am speaking another 2nd language. Am I a bad pilgrim? I decide to just let things happen and not try to make something occur.

I also wonder why instead of sitting at a cafe on a nice evening, I instead choose to sit in this alcove under the church....sometimes I am just weird.

Part of my desire to sleep in the church is I want to communie with "God,s staff" so to speak, and am excited when I see a group of nuns , monks and priests arrive at 9, thinking I will have a meal and talk with them. But I am quickly escorted away to the temporary housing for men. Here I meet several volunteers and another "pilgrim" of sorts. Marco is from Morroco and is here to find work. He is Muslim, he is in hios late 20,s, has lost many teeth and is way too thin. But his smile is bright and we share some of our stories. It is a cold wake up for me, how much I take for granted. here is this young man being FORCED out  of his world, just to survive. I whine because I miss comforts of home and he does not know when he will find a home. I want to give him money,, but know not how. Instead I offer a prayer to his God and mine...believing them to be the same.

Perhaps not having dinner with the staff was a blessing in discuise!

DAY 15; June 2 - St Bernard to Gignod (25km - 16m - 198 Total)

SEE ALL NEW PHOTOS AT:  https://viafrancigenawithmichael.shutterfly.com/pictures

Most think going up would be the hardest, but I remember from the Camino Santiago, this is just not true. Down is so much more difficult. Up takes energy and makes your heard piound. Dound pounds constantly on your joints, especially the knees and ankles.

It is cold when we start and within 100 steps we are in Italy!!!! The top is all snow, so Birgit and I split up again as she takes the snow covered path (she has boots and poles). And I no longer see her this day. The street though a bit scary is an easier angle going down and I make good time. About 4 miles down and the snow is letting up, it is getting warmer and I remove some clothes and choose to follow the path. it is beautiful but much more steep and difficult tio maneuver.

it is a good walk down, but as I enter the first town  (St Remy), the path begins to go up and down. At one point the path seems little more than a goat path. But something happens here, and my heart opens fully and I have my first pilgrim talk with God...what I have been waiting for. My dad says prayer is speaking to god and meditation is listening to him, so I would say this is something like walking meditation.

I think we all carry some shadows in us, thoughts and beliefs about ourselves that may or may not be true, but these bubble to the surface as do tears as my life becomes the topic of our walk and talk...my life and work, my life and sons, the mistakes I made and who I am....it is a wonderful freeing moment.

The rest of the day has beautiful paths, but severe in their steepness...up and down. In the afternoon, I am beginning to wane as each step down becomes more painful. When i walk flat I am decived in thinking I am better, but it is not true, one step down is painful. I barely make it to Gignod, when I see a hotel and I do not care if it is a thousand dollars, I can go no further.

Luckily it is not, and I get an amazing room with a huge balcony overlooking the city and mountains.Also to my benefit is a great restaurant underneath, where I have the best meal of my trip so far, finished with a cafe expresso and a cigarette. Ok so here is where I know I am going to get some grief, it has been 4 years since I have smoked, but this afternoon, I found a packet of cigarettes and picked them up (Pilgrims say, THE WAY ALWAYS PROVIDES) and for some reason it feels right...I know, I know you are going to say I am making up a story, well we shall see. For now I have 12 cigarettes to last to Rome.  Buena Note!

DAY 14: June 1: Bourg St Pierre > Gr St Bernard Pass (14km. 9 miles: 182 total)

Today was a hard day. With little food left and no store in Bourg St Pierre, we begin the ascent to the peak. It is cold when we start and every step up it gets colder. I continue to add clothes as we climb, eventually wearing 5 shirt; bike shirt, long sleeve training shirt, sweater, pullover jacket and pullover golf wind breaker. But th difficulty of the climb keeps me inside warm, except when we stop and my sweat turns cold.

 Again the day is beautiful but a wee bit frustrating as we go up, then we go down - in my mind losing the ground I make on every ascent. But in reality it is not too far as we are only climbing 14 km - about 10 miles) Of course dont forget this is mostly up.

As we climb a couple hours we are in the snow zone and I am amazed by the life here...lots of bugs including HUGE ANTS, marmots (German word - not sure the english translation) and flowers in all ranges of color. Seems no matter how severe circumstances are life just still happens in wonderful ways.

When we hit the last 3-4 miles, the path is too covered with snow for me to continue on it - Birgit has boots and continues, I instead take the road...a snake like course winding back and forth across the mountain. As today is a clear day there are lots of motor cyclists and cars, which makes this a bit scary, especially when I round curves and am in a blind spot. Despite being very tired, I surge energy at these èpoints and move fast. Also many spots there are no guard rails, so I walk on the edge, not looking to my left or right, just forward.

As I round each curve, and think I must be at the top, another level appears...a bit frustrating, but I know the top must come. I do this 5, 6, 7 times and more. Finally an hour and a half into this walk on the street, I round the last corner and see a building...a BAR and RESTAURANT. I am elated, but not enough that I have mnuch energy to surge with. But I make it to the bar and grab a seat outside...even though it is cold.

I just crossed the alps..(Sorry mom, but an expletive is in order here). Did you get that, I JUST WALKED OVER THE F-ing ALPS. I crossed the same spot as Napolean...and HE had a horse!

 I cannot believe it and am so proud of myself. I see Birgit coming to the top just as I make it too. I order a PANACHE - a beer with sprite...its actually quite refreshing - as my celebratory drink. Next to me a group of tourists drink and make fun of me. WHy are you so tired - it was not hard for us to get here---in a car! They ask me where I am from, and I tell them to guess. And they cannot...England, Holland, Germany, France???? Finally I tell them my hat is a clue...they guess Austrailian. Finally I let them know TEXANA!! And they ask where my horse is; as they are french and swiss, I tell them I was afraid to bring her as they might eat her! This gives a nice laugh and celebratory moment for me.

We spend the night in the 1000 year old hospice and have ddinner and breakfast there. I highly recommend staying and eating in the hotel next door. An awesome day and accomplishment....with Italy within eyesight.

DAY 12-13: May 30-31: Martigny >Orsieres > Bourg St Pierre (35kn - 28 m - 173 total)

Friday May 30: Pretty uneventful day as I stayed in Martigny to update blog and rest a bit. Had McDonalds for lunch...SHAMEFUL PEREGRINO, then took the train to the next village, Orsieres, where I rendez-voused with my new pilgrim partner, Birgit. We stayed for free again in a church room, with a lil kitchen, but no bath...so the stinky tourist becomes even stinkier. 

We made a lovely dinner and relaxed thru the afternoon and evening. But a lovely village to begin the march up the mountain tomorrow, which am glad Sandra will join us.

SATURDAY,MAY 31: Orsieres to Bourg St Pierre. This begins the two day trek up and over the alps, via the famous Great St Bernard Pass, a route taken by Napolean. We will stay in the Hospice at the top which has been there for a 1000 years....it boggles my mind when I think of the history I am walking by.

Sandra (my Syracuse buddy) joins us at 8 in the morning and it is a lovely day.

We have provisions for the walk and have a lovely walk that is very strenuous at times with steep climbs. The most frustrating for me is often just after we climb up a few 100 meters we come down again just to do it all over again.

 In the afternoon we find ourselves in the historic village of Bourg St Pierre about half way to the top and have a little problem findng rooms, as a local college has taken over the small town for a sports fest. And we find a lil parade of the namesake dogs which are no longer used for rescue as they are too heavy for the helipcopters.

Later in the evening after I say my final goodbyes tro Sandra, I hit JOE,s Bar for dinner and a beer - finding myself surrounded by 4 sexy young girls who want to invite me to a party....what I thought was a biker bar, seems to have something more going on. And to top that , my ego got totally hurt when those same ladies invited every other man in the joint, leaning on each in tight closthes, etc. I am still not exactly sure what I was being invited too.....perhaps I missed a pilgrim adventure!!!

SORRY NO PICTURES!!!