Day 61 ..blazing sun and dodging bullets!

Had a great walk from Onesse however while walking through the forest there were hunters out hunting and there were lots of shots going off, I  just kept my head down and marched as quick as I could - quite unnerving ...  Arrived in Lesperon midday and enjoyed my lunch on the village green - what a lovely wee place.  After my break, continued to walk on a quiet road throughout the forest to Taller  and arrived about 3 this afternoon in my destination for the day - a clean and comfortable place in Gite du Pelerins.   I have everything I need here - really good place and  I made my tea.  I started rereading George Orwell's 1984, so watch out - Big Brother is watching..  I walked another 17 miles today.

Day 60...That's my chores done for the day.

Noticing the days are closing in, it was still dark and wet when I started out from L'arc en Ciel at 8 this morning.  I had to walk along a busy road for about 5k, it felt quite risky, I really don't  like walking along fast traffic anyway I found  a small track next to the motorway and walked for another 2 hours and then it took me through forest to Onesse et Laharie to my fantastic refuge for the night - auberge Caule which I have all to myself again.  There's even a shop across the road, so I don't have to tramp around looking for one. 

 Again another night of housework, made my tea and washed my kit and got it up to dry. You're not the only domestic goddess, Lynne Gracie! 

Ended up a lovely bright and sunny day and nice and warm - about 20c - walked 17 miles today.

song for todayOld Crow Medicine Show - "Bootlegger's Boy" Live at the Grand Ole Opry
 

Day 59...Another great refuge tonight

Much as I loved the teepee, my clothes felt wet in the morning so didn't feel great putting on damp clothes.  Anyway, started walking at 8.30 and had a lovely walk by the riverside and forest to Pissos which is a beautiful little town and I had a coffee there.  Carried on walking through more woods but then had to join a busy road which was very straight and long, quite a contrast.  Arrived in L'arc en Ciel and found the  Labouheyre refuge and was welcomed by Madeline.  I was able to have a good hot shower and made a pizza for for my tea.  I walked 18 miles today and it was a pleasant 20c with sun and showers.

Day 58 .... Never judge a man until you have walked a thousand miles in his moccasins....Jawahula!

Lots of figures and milestones today.....I've walked 1000 miles and I have 1000 kms to get to Santiago i.e. 650 miles but kms sounds more impressive.  Almost 5000 hits on my blog, and nearly £1000 raised for Alzheimers on the Just Giving link, not bad going!  I think there must be nearly another £1000 in sponsorship from various places so THANKS to everybody who has donated so far, it's really appreciated for a cause close to my heart.
  Had an easy walk today 15 miles to Moustey.  Met a couple walkers today.....going the opposite direction towards to Nantes.  I camped in a teepee tonight, brilliant - I love it.  Feeling like Chief McGarry.  I can hear an owl hooting and wind howling, but also traffic noise, can't seem to get away from traffic noise, it's a shame really.  
Song for todayJohn Trudell, Crazy Horse - The Original Video

The Day I met Liam and his C90 ....taken from his blog..

 I was going through a particularly bad patch of despair when I came across a man walking up the road wearing a kilt and brandishing a staff. I thought I'd better stop and say hi, just in case he was Scottish. I pulled over and he started walking over the road towards me and I gave a 'bonjour monsieur' to which he replied 'all right!' in a very broad Scottish accent.

    This is Frank. He walked from Scotland, through Ireland, I met him around 100 miles away from Nantes and he's heading to Spain. It took him two months for him to get where we met. He's doing the walk for Alzheimer's disease. And he's 57! What a guy. He's been sleeping outside for most of it. We shared some food and some stories. And he gave me a consoling fact that when I'm lost, for instance, its not so bad if I have to backtrack 6 miles, yet when it happens to him, which it has, it can take 2 hours. At the time we were both on a bit of a down. He said I'd made his day, and in truth, he made mine. He's definitely one of the most extreme travellers that I've met. Really nice guy too. You can read all about his journey here -   http://franksbigwalk.blogspot.co.uk/

Day 57.......Slimmer of the Year - Camino style!

Left the wonderfully welcoming Liliane and Michel at 8 this morning.  I was all wrapped up for the heavy rain and armed with a reliable map with a  route all the way to St Jean, no more getting lost again- wuha!
Walked to Le Barp and made my lunch, and the sun came out.  Made my way to Mons en Belin and found tonight's refuge, again having it all to myself. There's a woodburning stove in it but nothing to burn - annoying....just my luck.  My rations tonight consisted of tinned ravioli with some bread and coffee.  I walked 30 miles today...
Been reflecting a bit tonight on some facts and figures, tomorrow I will have walked over 1000 miles and I have lost 2 stone in weight along the way....I haven't felt as fit as this for years and I am finding the walking very easy, maybe because I am carrying 2 stone less!!

Day 56.....a wee treat of tea & cakes

Walked from Blanquefort to Gradignan. 16 miles walked today. Lots of rain on & off today but it was quite an easy walk. Arrived at Prieure de Cayac refuge to a warm welcome from Liliane and Michel, they were very helpful and treated me to tea & cakes.

Had a shower and now making my dinner, having pasta with chorizo topped with cheese. Mmm,tasty!!!

I'm all set for tomorow's walk to Belin-Beliet. It's getting colder now so I will be all wrapped up for tomorrow.

Today's song is cooperstown by the felice brothers.