It has been a while since I posted. My excuse - exhaustion at the end of each day’s walk.
A quick recap of the past weeks on the road to Rome:
The weather turned cool and wet for a couple of days so I was relieved that I’d decided to take a train across - well through as it turned out - lots of long tunnels - the Apennine Mountains to the coast. That was back on 20 Oct.
A couple of days later the weather was hot and sunny and I walked into the tourist thronged town of Lucca. The old town is a maze of narrow streets and I enjoyed wandering around but the next day’s walk onto Altopascio was the most disappointing of the trip to date. All on busy roads, where Italian drivers seem to like playing “let’s try to scare the pilgrims,” through an industrial area where locals dump their garbage and on and on through an unappealing landscape.
The next day was a much more pleasant walk, made even more so when two English pilgrims, David and Stuart arrived at a cafe just as I was finishing lunch. We chatted for a bit and I carried on. That evening two Germans arrived at the B&B where I was staying so we had dinner together. So much socializing in one day!
The following day David and Stuart showed up at the same hostel as me as did a Romanian/Spanish couple. The five of us walked together the next day as glorious picture-perfect Tuscany unfolded around us. Morning misty valleys, rows of stately Cyprus trees, Umbrella pines standing sentinel on hill tops, vineyards - grapes picked and fermenting, olive orchards - undergoing harvesting, weathered stone farm houses, white gravel roads winding across the sun baked hills. Our feet kicking clouds of fine dust. Our bodies sweating in unusually hot conditions.
My route - I know some of you have your maps handy: Altopascio - San-Miniato - Gambassi Terme - San Gimignano - Colle di Val D’Elsa - Monteriggioni - Siena - Ponte d’Arbia (where David and Stuart went home and I met up with Atul from Germany) - Gallina - Radicofani - Acquapendente - Bolsena - Montefiascone (where Atul went home) - and tonight I’m in Viterbo and once again a solo pilgrim.
Probably the most alarming moment - besides dodging Italian drivers - was at the end of a thirty-two-kilometre day while walking a wooded trail in the dark at the outskirts of Acquapendente. Atul was ahead by a few feet, me right behind with my headlamp illuminating our way. An Italian woman, Antonella, had fallen a bit behind us. Suddenly there was a loud squeal and crash and out of the woods just a few feet ahead of us a massive boar dashed from one side of the trail to another. We gathered together, made lots of fierce noises ourselves. Heard another boar nearby but didn’t see it. So no more after-dark walking, especially now I’m on my own again!
Five more days and all being well - I’ll walk into Rome. I’m feeling confident.
My shoes are nearly treadless and falling apart on the inside. Rotting I think from sweaty feet - gross. They’re causing my feet grief, but suitable shoe stores are in very short supply in this area. There is a sports store here - but it’s five kilometres out of town - I just don’t have the energy to get there on foot or by bus! So I’m hoping my shoes hold up for just a hundred more kilometres!
Not an inspiring post. Apologies. I’m hungry and it’s still three hours until the restaurants open. I do have a reservation though so that’s good because are a often a necessity. I’m chilly. Today it rained. I was dry enough until it rained sideways. Then I got a bit damp. I was warm enough until I had to wait in the rain for a woman to come and let me into this unheated B&B. Unheated because of shortages. Ah yes - it’s real.
So I’ve found a good use for bidets - they make perfect hot-water foot baths. Sitting with lid down on toilet. Feet in bidet. iPad on my knees. Blanket around my shoulders.
Who has more fun than a pilgrim?
On that note - here’s a few pictures. Enjoy.
I'm looking forward to hearing the details when you get back. Hope your time in the UK is still on and that it's refreshing.
These last few posts - Pat hurt, Pat returning home, you soldiering on, loneliness and danger - all of these have taken my figurative breath and my words away. Your strength in the face of disappointment and difficulty is the personification of courage. I admire you and your message: Other people are worth this effort. Thank you so much for your example.
“Not an inspiring post”? How about a post that reflects your resilience? I suspect I would have been tucked away in the nearest Holiday Inn or the Italian equivalent booking my ticket home an hour after the boar encounter! But then I would have missed the bidet adaption:-) Thank you, Kim.
Pictures are beautiful but the trekking sounds tough ???? Good Luck and have Fun.
Joe & Laura