Saint-Come-d'Olt

UPDATED PICS.

It’s a 20+ mile walk from Nasbinals to Saint-Come-d'Olt. I had a lovely greeting in Nasbinals. The local priest and a group of About seven lay volunteers greeted us warmly.

I left Nasbinals early in the morning fueled by the warm greeting I had received at the church and a quick petite café from the kind gentleman who was opening the bar in the common room in the hotel where I stayed. I had to let myself back in for just a moment to grab my forgotten bag of lunch (some bread, cheese and a nut tartI I grabbed at the local merchants the night before).

I was well on my way by 6:30 AM. One of the things I love about the pilgrimage is the constant west direction. I love walking in the cool morning with the sun in my back. I love the way the early morning light cast shadows and shines through trees. It’s the best part of my day.

There were lots of changes today in the path. The geology changed. We moved from the red and black volcanic stone. Interesting and important question for an early morning walker, is that a stone or a cow flap? The new stones on the path are quartz white. Though frequently rough, and difficult to walk on, you won’t take them for a cow flap. The large stony glacial rocks are almost as prominent today as they were yesterday.

Insects are kind of denizen of the path. Lots of butterflies visit the flowers on the path border. Lots of crickets constantly jumping about in such numbers that it’s almost a little bit like stirring up fallen confetti on your walk on the day after New Year’s Eve.

Something else changed today. The markings on the path are really important guides. The meticulous way they have been displayed on the earlier stages of the pilgrimage, were a marvel to me. It was literally difficult for me to imagine how one could get lost. Not only did they provide markers, indicating the correct direction, they also provided do not enter versions of their markers when a road or a path appeared that might mislead the pilgrim.

Today, however, it’s clear that I’m going to be a lot more careful navigator going forward. This is important for several reasons. As they move south the days are getting hotter, so the easy walking hours are shrinking. Additionally, getting lost doesn’t only mean extra steps, it means you miss potential opportunities to resupply water. In the earlier stages, I never worried about Water. Today I did.

The other thing that has changed is the availability of Food. Cafés and snack bars are not in evidence. My usual last resort, the unattended “donativo” provided only a half a cup of orange juice. So I have to be extra careful about Water and Food. That’s pretty fundamental.

Tomorrow I have an easier walk. Unfortunately, it will feature 21 km and 35°C. Hot and long. I guess I’ll be really early rising tomorrow. Saturday, will be my longest hike, 35 km with rain and much lower temperatures in the forecast

I was glad to make it to this town in daylight. I was happy to see what France’s “ 20 most beautiful villages” looked like. I have to say, that it looked like a Disney version of the French Village. Everything was perfectly manicured with lots of generous landscaping and plants, I kind of expected Belle to come around the corner singing, “Little Town..”

The Gîte offered a nice dinner with green salad and pork with potatoes and carrots.

I what show you pictures of all these musings I’ve shared with you. But I don’t have enough Internet connection so I’ll have to upload them the next time. I’m at a café the generously offers Wi-Fi.Læs mere