Stage 11: Figeac - Brengues, 30kms, very hot, 34 (3). Friday Aug 28/15

Technical Issues!!!

So followers of this blog, I have a few problems today. The blog is not accepting photos and I get an error message 403, whatever that means? I'm looking into this. But as you can imagine, a bit frustrating. Sorry about that. However, I have learned that I can post text, so that will have to do until I find a fix for the problem. However, Annemarie arrives in three days and I can probably exchange iPads with her to post to Pamplona, so not all is lost!

Another example today about how the Camino seems to provide. The walk today was beautiful and I'll come to that in a moment. I typically never get blisters. I carry the first aid to deal with them, but usually walk without getting them. However, I now have two and have discovered why. The foam pad on my shoe inserts has separated from the plastic in the heel area, leaving my foot in direct contact with the hard plastic. I have a blister on each heel at the back bottom where I have tough callus build up from al, the training and walking here. Darn. I have sent desperate pleading emails to Annemarie who is Vancouver and will fly out today in the hope that she will be able to get me another pair on her way to the airport. Fingers crossed! In the mean time, I am in a small village tonight and my host told me he will drive me back to Figeac to see if we can find something temporary. How nice is that?! So will see what we see. My good pal David in Melbourne taught me a good lesson when we were down there. He suggested that if a blister forms to take out the shoe liner and walk without it as it heals in order to change the strike area. So image that to fall back on tomorrow if all else fails. But that won't help my Achilles issue much, but it's just for three stages, about 80 kms. Nice to have friends with knowledge!

Left early today well before 7 to beat the heat, and arrived before 13:00, so made excellent time. I wish I could show you the sterling sunrise and the beautiful light as I walked along on top of a hogs back ridge early in the day. But I can't. 

Before I left home I did research the Cele Valley variant, the GR651,

and decided to walk it because it goes through amazing country side and because only a few go this way. Yes, Carol's Mom in Naramata, Penticton, I do like to walk alone with just the sounds of nature around me. Very special.

This limestone gorge runs for some 110kms and follows the Cele River. It's a challenging route as I'll have to climb up the steep walls and along very narrow trails, Cliff side. I wish I could show you the photos. You'd be so proud of me that I was able to walk these narrow, exposed paths!!

Very hot up there. The history behind these high paths is apparently the result of pilgrims trying to avoid thieves in the valley. They found their way along feeling safer up high. Eventually protective garrisons were placed on the path in the Middle Ages to assist the pilgrims. I walked through one today and there is a church from the 12th C up there too! Very cool! 

I'm staying in a very nice gite tonight, and the owner flys for Air France. He is about to retire, and some of his friends are here tonight, so it should be very lively at dinner! A late meal at 20:00. 

No sign of Jacque yet. Hope his injury is behaving ok. He is now 2.5 hours behind me. 

Any way, must go and see what I can find in Figeac to help my foot problem. It will be tape and stuff tomorrow to protect. Fortunately, a rest day three stages from now to let them heal a bit. Looking forward to that!!

Update:

I now have been to Figeac with our host Claude and we have visited a cobbler where we found some shoe inserts that should help me for the next few days. The wife of the cobbler had a little English from a year she spent in England many years ago working as an Opare. She convinced her husband to drop everything for me and repair my boot problem while she helped me to find inserts. They wouldn't accept any money for the shoe repairs. Another nice tale from the road:-) Annemarie has replied to my messages and emails and will pick up new inserts on her way to the airport. How nice is that?!

I will only walk 24 tomorrow with the blisters needing some time to heal, then two days into Cahors...can't wait! A rest day!

Jacques did arrive. Just in case you were wondering. 

More photos from the walk today. Rob, the first is for you...first straight road!

Not a Templar church, but exactly the same shape. I was fooled too!

Bon Chemin!!