Day 14: Stage 12: Bagneres de Bigorre, ☔️🌥️, 18°

Pluie du Matin N’Arrête Pas Nous Pèlerins!

So much has happened today, and ever since I came into my accommodation after the walk, I have been stinking busy! I’ve had to wash a lot of my clothing, dry all of that clothing (still hanging to dry) and repair my waterproof phone sack that attaches to my shoulder strap. It tore off the strap this morning in a weird series of events, and I have been sitting here repairing the damage. Amazingly, I put a heavy curved sail repair needle in to my first aid kit this walk. I’ve never carried this before, but it has allowed me to, I hope, repair the damage. This little bag has been super useful to me to carry my phone and earbuds and to keep them completely dry during so many rain storms over the past number of years.

Fingers crossed that it will hold.

The time is 18:30 here and I am to go out for dinner tonight to meet Elza and Martine in 25 minutes. our host Ronald told us about this amazing Vietnamese restaurant, and we are going to meet there when it opens for dinner and it’s also a chance to say goodbye. We will be going in different directions tomorrow. They will be off to climb a mountain and then will be picked up by Elza’s father, and they will go home. I on the other hand will continue on to Lourdes. I will be sad to say goodbye, because they’ve been wonderful company these last several days, helping me to improve my French, increase my climbing capacity and have tolerated my horrible accent!😂However, this is the nature of the Camino. In all honesty, they have been very kind.

I’ll back up now and work on this quickly until dinner. I’ll then finish it and post it before I go to bed tonight, so it will be late.

It was a great meal with appetizers, a main course of pork and fries and a light dessert afterwards. We were treated to some very nice wines, and it was one of those really memorable Camino evenings

This morning after breakfast, as promised, Ronald took us up to see the château above the river valley. This was not a royalty type château, this was a defensive castle. Of course it was raining and cool, but at least we had a chance to walk around it.

We then returned to Ronald‘s house where we picked up our packs, said our goodbyes and started walking.

It started with a bang as the trail was incredibly slippery and muddy. It descended quite quickly, and I nearly took a header. Actually, all of us had trouble descending in that location.

There would be two solid climbs today. Note the vertical walked, at the bottom of the page.

Time for me to depart for dinner. I will come back and sort out my gear and complete this blog before I get to bed.

Ok, I’m back from dinner and it’s late. I’ll continue quickly with the stage.

It was incredibly muddy and slippery for much of the day. Tough going in some places, better in others.

But we made progress, much to my surprise!😳

At one point Martine pulled to a stop and pointed out some very large black pigs. I immediately thought of Ciara and her pig thing. These pigs are recognized only in this area and in culinary worlds their meat is highly coveted. Known as Porc Noir de Bigorre.

In spite of the heavy mud and slippery conditions there were some lovely trails to walk.

Some of the locals were keeping us busy. this dog was pretty aggressive as he approached us. He was off lead and not listening to his owner. She had trouble getting him under control😬

And then we were almost in.

It’s late here and I’m going to call it a night. I’ll talk about our last dinner together tomorrow. I walk to Lourdes in the morning. That should be an interesting place to find myself having a night there. I believe there’s a fair bit to see in Lourdes and I’m looking forward to that.

Pluie du Matin N’Arrête Pas Nous Pèlerins! Rain in the morning doesn’t stop Pilgrims!

Bon Chemin!

Geoff 😎🍻

920m vertical, 3000’