Today was quite the day! It stormed all night and when I woke up at 5 it was still storming. So I went back to sleep:-) when I woke up at 6 it was still storming, but it was time to get up. At least there was no rain. A quick breakfast and off I went into the early morning light. The rain had stopped, but the wind was howling and increased in intensity as I climbed to the pass just before Albrac. A few photos...sorry, no sunrise, but here is my gite from last night as I departed.
I took an early selfie, but the wind was so high that the result was predictable.
Unfortunately the wind was in my face which made the climb slower and a bit more interesting. But frankly I loved it! It gave me such a feeling of freedom as I hiked along. It never ceases to amaze me how free I feel when I walk, no matter the weather. Once I'm outside, it really doesn't matter what the weather chooses to do...to a point. (I'm going to interrupted shortly for an amazing meal...I'm late writing today). I found myself alone as I was first out, but I had the local population to keep me company.
They wouldn't move for me, so I had to go around. Too funny. Those summers on the prairie farm with the cows helped. Apparently you aren't allowed to bring dogs across...there is a variant, and it's posted. There have been some difficult situations in the past. Ignore at your own peril!
It blew so hard that the birds went to ground. They were there initially, but suddenly they were gone.
At the top there is a small shelter and I stood in the lee as the wind screamed past. It was pretty cool!
I made it comfortably into Aubrac after about 9kms. 
This was on a monument as I approached this small village...appropriate I thought. A the core of my walking on many days. "In the silence and the solitude...".
And eventually there was the half way point...
Dressed in a bright lime poncho I was a bit worried about this fellow, but he let me pass without a Toro! In Spain I wouldn't have been so lucky.
The winds blew hard at about 70-75 kph (I don't have a wind gauge on my compass), but at the top of the pass they were 85-95. It was tough sledding, but beautiful up there alone all at the same time.
The view back down to where I'd started.
From there it was downhill to Saint Chely d'Aubrac. 19:00...time for dinner!
What a dinner. As I enjoyed the company of the communal meal, listening to French spoken all around me and the companionship, all I could think was that it just doesn't get much better. Predictably the conversation centered around everything Camino.
Anyway, as I descended, the winds dropped and the clouds lifted revealing some of the views.
And an old protection on top of a volcanic dyke.
I arrived to find one of our group from dinner last night had hitched a ride here, and as we spoke the lightening cracked across the skies and the clouds deposited their moisture in a sudden, violent blast. Literally inutes before this things looked good and I decided to cancel my reservation I had made in this town and walk on. No sooner had I hung up than the clouds opened and I stood here for over an hour waiting for things to settle down. 
As I stood there waiting munching on a pan de chocolate up walked a wet gear clad Jacques (there is supposed to be a s on the end, I have been told by the owner). He had stopped in Aubrac the night before and I was to meet him tonight. A long story short, there was a bottle of wine with spaghetti and he hit the road a little late this morning. I thought he was miles ahead! Anyway, off we went into the rain talking a mile a minute. We had a great walk through the rain and the mud.
To this great shelter put up by a local village.
But then the rains started again and the farmer and his wife plus another couple from Le Puy joined us with cats and chickens, so obviously a good time. 
The rains kicked into gear again, and so did we. By this time Jacques tendon had flared up so our pace reduced and of course I had to carry him...a joke we shared! 
Finally there was our destination for the night and a slow limp down and we were there...
in time for a shower and dinner. A very good dinner!
Tomorrow another long day, but the weather has improved and by Tuesday it will be 24 then climbing from there. Should hep dry things out:-)
The lower we went the less the rain seemed at times, so we took off our rain gear and walked on.
A refuge...
Just in from wandering the streets of this nice little town.
Bon Chemin!
What a crazy, and long, day! I have to ask: did you decide to wear rain pants under your poncho in case of weather like that?
ReplyDeleteHi Geoff
ReplyDeleteWhat a day! It reminds me so much of some of the days we had on the Meseta and on the final walk to Finisterre - gruelling but invigorating in their own way. And always helped with a bit of company. I'm down in the Snowy Mountains at a place called Thredbo, there's snow on the hills and mist in the valleys - not a bad scene when you are sitting inside by a warm fire. It sounds like the weather is clearing over there so hopefully your coming days will be increasingly warm and dry. The gites look really hospitable and inviting. I'm looking forward to experiencing them when our time comes.
Stay dry and rest well.
Bon chemin
Neil