This is now Gordon’s longest walk ever. We passed our previous record of 1700 kms yesterday. We both have been so focused on our journey and the logistics of finding and booking accommodation and deciding upon routes that we missed our 20th wedding anniversary. We will have to make up for that at the end of the mont when we celebrate our anniversary of 33 years together – the more important event as far as I’m concerned.
The alps in this area are just stunning. Each day we are amazed not only by the mountains, but also by the beautiful villages nestled high and low on the slopes. Our routes rarely take the flat valley floor and generally climb up one side or the other. Yesterday my climb was steeper than the Col de Montgenevre, but the reward was a beautiful bike route that contoured around the mountains before dropping down at the end of the day. Gord’s routes generally go higher, but there are often villages where we intersect and share a picnic together. Many of the larger towns were fortified villages and they are delightful to explore.
After 1700 kms I’m feeling a bit travel weary, and at least today, I am starting to look forward to being home again. Each day is delightful, but I’m tired of the booking and planning for each day. Likely this will pass, as it aways does. My elixir is a beautiful ride which I’m bound to have today.
Yesterday after a long day of climbing I checked into the hotel and then hiked up to meet Gord in Mont Dauphin. It is one of the UNESCO listed Vauban fortresses. As I was walking up the steep path with my knees already tender, my shadow blurted out, “I think I get it, you really like this guy, even if he won’t stick to you like I do.”
Yup, I really do. Happy Anniversary Gordie!
Ah so sweet! Happy Anniversary Ruth and Gord and wishing you many more future adventures 🥰
Thanks Lynn!
Happy Anniversary to you both!! And thank you for your travel blog … I’m enjoying everything you post!
Thanks Mark, it’s so nice to hear from you. I hope things are going well for you in your retirement.
Ruth
As always, love the art, the photos and the prose. In this instance, Ruth, particularly enjoyed the humour of the penultimate remark, where your “shadow” opines that you really like Gordie even though he doesn’t “stick” to you the way the shadow does. Reminded me of something from Kahlil Gibran which i paraphrased at a son’s wedding in Panama this last January:
“Love one another but make not a bond of your love;
let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls…
Sing and dance together and be joyous but … let there be spaces in your togetherness…and stand together but not so near, for the pillars of the temple
stand apart and the oak and the cypress grow not in each other’s shadow.”
Happy 33rd (Gord, in keeping with our old history as music aficionados, remember that a 33 is a long play (LP) and walking and cycling are the ambulatory equivalents of the slow food movement. And having one walk and the other cycle, is a metaphor for the “separate but together” component of your journey. Sorry for the long play memo
Love your prose too Hu. Thanks
Ruth
I’m enjoying the wit and wisdom of your comments very much. The quote from Khalil Gibran is so beautiful and true.
Happy anniversary and I sure am happy that Shadow showed up again. I was concerned as I thought perhaps you had left her behind after that very tough day. It’s nice to have someone stick with you all day as you walk or ride.
And you seem to be so close to your final destination. Enjoy the views and thanks so much for posting.
Do you remember when Wendy had to sew Peter Pan’s shadow back on? I loved that!
Happy Anniversary to you two lovelies!! ❤️🎉❤️ The impromptu picnics in the mountains sound incredibly romantic 💘. We look forward to reading each blog on this epic journey of yours.
Romantic? Usually we are falling face first into our sandwiches.
Happy twentieth and/or thirty-third! The famous “China” and “iron” anniversaries (says Hallmark). What are the pilgrimage routes in China? How about the Iron Gates on the Danube River? But I bet you’ve already been there.
No and No. we went all the way down the Danube, and swung North in Romania missing the Iron Bridge entirely. As for China we have been within 20 kms a few times but never entered.