“Why do I do this to myself?” Me. While having an internal discussion at a moment on the Cammino when the sun was beating down, sweat was pouring down my face and sunscreen was burning my eyes, I had run out of water, and when I noticed my blister starting to return. Not my best moment.
San Quirico d’Orcia to Gallina
Guidebook mileage: Undecided. A bridge was closed so we had to take a detour.
Garmin watch mileage: 20.27km (12.6 miles)
Today’s post is short because 1.) it was a short day of walking, 2.) not much happened, and 3.) I’m exhausted. The sun and heat (and writing) are wearing me out.
I walked out the door at 6:15 am and it was already getting warm. Sometimes I’m not the brightest bulb in the box. I should have thought this Cammino through a little more. Hiking in Europe in late June thru August is tough. I’ve done it before (twice, because I don’t learn lessons on the first or second try) and the extreme heat makes the walk so much less enjoyable for me. I’m drenched and smelly by the end of the walk.
Walking out of San Quirico d’Orcia this morning was beautiful and quiet. The sunlight on the church was beautiful. There was not a soul around until the edge of town. Italians must enjoy their sleep.
I ran into Flavio on my way out so we had breakfast together. We found a cafe just as we were about to hit the trail, we saw that it was open…thank goodness.
I met Flavio yesterday and today he is gone. He went on to the next town. He is from near Milan and on a strict schedule…he has to get back to work and only has one week each year to walk the Via Francigena. He won’t make it to Rome this time but next year he plans on completing it. I asked if we could snap a pick before we parted ways down the road.
I walked the entire way today with Cindy and Joel from the US. They live in California now but are from all over. They went to high school together in Cleveland and are celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary this year. They are kind and fun. Cindy’s family is Italian and she speaks a little of the language. They are hiking the G20 in Corsica after this…which involves camping and carrying food…which means heavy bags.
The walk today was hot and honestly not that much fun. The sun was brutal and there was almost no shade. We survived but it’s supposed to be warmer tomorrow so I’m going to try to leave earlier.
After a short walk which felt like forever…it’s gotta be the heat, the sun, and the detour from the closed bridge, we made it to town at 11:45 am. The restaurant opened at noon and it felt amazing to sit in the shade…and eat pasta, of course.
Our hostel opened at 2 pm and the cold shower was the absolute best part of the day. Ahhh. Cindy and Joel are in a private room and I’m in a shared room. There is only one other person in here, Ermes. He is cycling the Via Francigena. He is from Venice, worked in the leather business, and only speaks Italian so I’m finally getting to practice…it’s difficult but enjoyable.
Here is Ermes outside our hostel. We were headed to the one bar in town, which consists of one street with some houses, a tiny bar, and a restaurant that is only open for lunch, to have something to eat with Cindy and Joel. This was my dinner – meat and cheese. Delicious but I’ll probably have night sweats. Ha!
Goodnight and much love & gratitude from Italy! 🇮🇹
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Here are some resources if anyone is interested in hiking the Via Francigena.
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https://www.viefrancigene.org
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http://www.viafrancigena.com
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https://www.gronze.com
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www.booking.com
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App: Via Francigena
