2017-09-17 Saint-Chély-d'Aubrac - Espalion (27/170 km)

The dinner the night before was really good. Fixed by the hostess while we ate it. Learned to know a pharmacist from Lyon(?) and his wife. He spoke good English. We exchanged views about damaged knees and what to do with them, their tendons and all that. We did not solve the problems but said there was a good development going on in the field.

The same gang at breakfast. Going up the hills I passed many walkers on the slippery and stony tracks. It started to rain as promised so the complete “diving suit” was on.  

Donky transport

Thought about alternative ways to transport baggage that I now - when I had learned to know how – saw many examples of. But one example that did not occur directly was to use a donkey. I passed a couple that did. Not bad.

It was certainly a lot of up and down this day along the high hillsides. So you really had to concentrate to avoid stepping wrong on all loose stones.

Old volcano

River Lot

Notre-Dame-de-Vermus

Finally Saint Côme-d'Olt. down by the river Lot. Who did I meet outside the church if not my Finnish young friend and an Englishman living in  France. I was hungry so I soon left them and found an open restaurant near the square. Then passing the Lot an climbing up at the other side along more slippery trails in the rain. Up, up, up through forests and meadows. Came to an old abandoned quarry where one had broken some black volcanic stone. That it must have been an volcano here you could see on the directions of the stone prismas, Along the edge you passed the behind another of the Notre Dame statues, this time Notre-Dame-de-Vermus, overlooking the valley. Then down again along more slippery and stony trails. 

Saint Privat et de Perse

Finally approaching one of the oldest churches, Saint-Privat et de Perse when the saint had been beheaded by the Saracens, and of course left a lot of legends.The into Espalion through a park before reaching the old town by the Lot. Tried to find a Gite and after some searching I found one with an American outside and I was helped in. I located a free non-reserved bed at the third floor. And who did I find in the other bed - the Englishman from Côme-d'Olt. A lot of waiting for the hospitalero (good name in español) that finally came. After that pizza and early to bed. Just discovered that I had lost my one and only pole, probably due to all this off-and-on with the rain poncho during the day. Hope that someone will be happy when that person finds it. I'll have to do without.

Since I'm writing this in the upper bed while others are trying to get to sleep around me there will be no photos or Spanish until tomorrow. Good night!

Pasé una pareja que utilizaba un burro para trasportar su equipaje. Pasé la ribera Lot y después más escarpados barrosos y pedregoso. Últimamente llegué a Espalion. Buscaba una gite y encontré un americano que me asistí.