Category: 2025 Via Podiensis (French Camino)
-
Day 13 – Epilogue
The team had breakfast together this morning at the Mercure hotel and then said our goodbyes. This is really a great group where everyone gets along and brings different skills to the party. Stephen organizes. JP translates. Joe has the driest sense of humor and the most considerate demeaner. And I guess I’m the storyteller.…
-
Day 12 – Together At The Finish Line
Today is the last day of our hike on the French Camino. We hiked 15.8 miles (33,000 steps) in 5.5 hours today, bringing our cumulative trip total to over 150 miles. The temperature was cool today, averaging 47 degrees. And the sky was cloudy for most of the day. Luckily, the trail was long but…
-
Day 11 – Fog, Mist, and a little Pool
Today was a tough day. We hiked about 14 miles (35,000 steps) in just under 5 hours, with a break for lunch in the middle of a field. The temperature for most of the day was 50 degrees and there was 90-100 humidity for most of the day. The hardest part of today’s hike was…
-
Day 10 – Peaks and Valleys
As you read in yesterday’s post, we took a taxi to a different end point in order to find good accommodations. As a result, this morning, we hired the same taxi driver to take us back to yesterday’s end point, the town of Golinhac. We hiked 13 miles today in just under 5 hours. This…
-
Day 9 – Traffic Jam on the Trail
Today we hiked just under 10 miles in 3.5 hours. I took 20,400 steps. The weather was scattered showers and the temperature had dropped about 10 degrees (Fahrenheit) since yesterday (into the low 50s). Besides constantly putting on and taking off our rain gear, we climbed the equivalent of 67 flights of stairs during the…
-
Day 8 – A Day Of Rest … for Some
Today started with some fierce thunderstorms and the potential for heavy showers throughout the day. Given the forecast, and the fact that it was Sunday, Joe and I decided to forego the 10 mile walk and take a cab to the next stop (easier said than done). Stephen and JP decided to brave the weather…
-
Day 7 – Gypsies, Stamps, and Cream
Today we hiked a bit over 10 miles in 3.5 hours. It was a lot shorter than yesterday, but for some reason, it seemed just as arduous. My Apple watch says that I took 28,600 steps and descended over 1,100 feet. Most of the mileage was downhill and in the woods, so the trees kept…
-
Day 6 – Ode to a Nub
Today was supposed to be an easy day. We hiked just over 10 miles, but it took us about 5 hours. That’s because the last 5 miles were all downhill, and the trail was covered in rocks. Downhill is difficult on the toes, but rocks make it slow to navigate. I can’t tell how many…
-
Day 5 – Jaws
Today we hiked for 16 miles over 6.5 hours. My Apple watch says we took 34,000 steps and climbed only 17 flights of stairs. It was a long trek today, similar to yesterday, but a lot less climbing, so we went faster. The sun was hot, about 82 degrees, and there was limited shade as…
-
Day 4 – Je Suis Fatigue
Today was a very long day. We hiked 18.2 miles in 7.5 hours. My apple watch says that I took 37,600 steps and climbed 33 flights of stairs. The sun was out for most of the day adding to the fatigue. But, in true form, we powered through the heat and exhaustion and found our…
Walking Across Italy 