I found it! My groove, my mojo!
I am happy, smiling and ready. Maybe it was the steak?
I have recorded 121 kms since I left home. No more short days or rest days. This is it. The long days start today. Actually tomorrow is only 20kms. I passed out good and hard last night... before even the sun I think and had a much needed rest. I woke up excited to put my solution to the test. It was a cool crisp morning and I was out the door by 0800. I left Linxe by passing my Chateaux and taking smooth, paved, country roads.
My cart, Marcel works well and my back feels better. You can bet my arms will hurt tonight instead and I will likely get blisters on my palms. Let's face it. There is no way to go on a journey like this without pain. This is the part that builds strength.
Who is Marcel? That's what I've named my cart. Or as my Mom calls her own wheelie cart, her "husband on wheels." Instead of Supermarché, mine will be Super Marcel.
I stopped for a coffee in the cutest little Bohemian Hippie Coffee House after a couple hours of walking. I have walked almost 8kms and it is just after 10am. That puts me at about 4kms an hour... I should take another 4 to 5 hours to get to the beach from here if I take less pictures. As if haha.
I am about 1/3 of the way but coffee is of the utmost importance.
It was fabulous and worth the stop. Off I go again !So every day has to have a mishap just to keep things real. This was it today... I left the beautiful little coffee house and walked through the remainder of the busy town. Just bustling with people. I even stopped in a the local church.
It is a Saturday morning and a weekend Marché (market).
The locals are getting there groceries and tourists are just wandering.
I'm navigating my way on the narrow curb with Marcel and although I thought about finding a patio and ordering an omelette, I decided NON! I needed to keep moving. Soon enough the microscopic sidewalk was gone and I found myself walking on a very busy road. I kept going thinking ok it must get better up ahead but that never happened. It was loud and dangerous and messing with my mojo.
Then some old Frenchman starts yelling at me and trying to get my attention from a few feet away in a parking lot but with the traffic it was hard to hear him. I approached him and he spoke to me in French. I am so grateful for the French I learned in elementary school because it actually helped. He pointed to a sand trail across the street and said to go 200 hundred feet and turn right (in french of course) and I would be on the green trail (it's the trail I wanted actually haha) He was so aggressive and adamant that I do as he says. He was trying to help so I dismissed his crust. I thanked the old guy all day long for not letting me stay on the road.
The problem was the connection trail was deep, beach sand. I looked at Marcel who was just standing there not saying anything haha and I said "alright little buddy, I guess I will carry you" So I did. I couldn't risk ruining his wheels on his first day.
It was more than 200 feet for the record. Marcel needs to go on a diet. As I came out the other side of the woods carrying Marcel in the front and my backpack, people on the bike trail looked at me like I was an alien that just landed (or really stupid) and said "the trail is over here" in French. I responded by saying "yes. I know. That's why I am walking towards it" (knowing full well they couldn't understand me) and then I followed up with a wave and shouted a friendly Merci!
On the Camino, if you don't see a back pack every few minutes, you have probably gone off course. Here in France, if you don't have a bike breeze past you every 2 mins, you are likely not on the right path.
Voila. Back on track.
Time ~ 2pm
I found a random lonely bench in the woods to rest on so I've removed my boots and socks so my feet stay dry and cool... imperative every 1 to 2 hours to avoid blisters. The act of removing them alone guarantees me a 10 min break. Any more than that and my muscles will seize up. It's extremely hot, I'm guessing about 28° in full sun. Shade is harder and harder to find despite being in the middle of a forest. I have walked about 20k total so far today but I think I have 4k more to go. I'm making great time considering I stopped and had a little a picnic with Marcel.
I just listened to Beethoven "Für Elise" and I am feeling alot more refined than I actually am haha. I know, weird music for hiking. My playlist is very eclectic. A mix of folk, classical, rock and even some pop tunes to keep me moving and thinking...and appropriately I named it Camino Norte. It has fueled me all day.
Ok.... breaks over... here we go. 4 more kms.
Yes my feet hurt. Legs are solid although I'm getting random bruises. Back is meh and arms are getting stronger. I avoided blisters on my hands by wrapping fabric around the hard plastic handle.
The last 2kms into town were tough... it was HOT. But I did enjoy the bike trail I was on all day. I had one biker give me the strong arm to cheer me on and another dude with dreadlocks wished me a bon journèe as he sped past me. Everybody else either looked at me confused or did not make eye contact. There were a few awkward smiles and few responded to my cheery Bonjour! Most did not ... oh well! C'est la vie en France!
I found my town Vieux Boucau des Bains and my hotel pas de probleme. I'm on the 3rd floor with a balcony that I am about to enjoy right now!!
I made sink laundry a priority today and used the towel heater to dry my clothes and am amazed at how well it all worked out. Everything is coming together and I feel like I am already developing my routine.
Walk. Shower. Eat. Explore. Drink. Write. Sleep. Repeat.
Upon arrival and after a quick shower I grabbed a pokebowl to go from across the lane from my Hotel. It was fabulous. I washed it down with some grape juice of the Rioja variety.
Then I headed for the beach to explore and it was nothing like I expected but quite interesting.
The north side where I ended up had your typical beach goers, fishermen and surfers of every variety.
The waves were massive and many kites were flying in the strong winds. I could faintly see in the distance the mountains of Spain that I will be climbing in a few days. They look way bigger than I anticipated. Look closely below.
It was too early for a sunset and I was, not surprisingly, hungry again so I went on a search for gluten free yummies.
I found a place to eat, a busy patio where even the menu advertises gluten free. I just had another Galette and I'm on my 2nd glass of wine. I ordered a gluten free salad and they brought it to me with BREAD on top of it!! I was baffled. Then when I said "I'm sorry I can't eat that, they said "oh, well we can just take it off for you." I think I paused and stared for a minute but calmly said, "no thank you. It's contaminated. I won't eat that" Maybe I should have said "NON!" with my faux French moustache! They replaced it and my belly is full. I was lucky... all the other restaurants had line ups... probably waiting for seafood.
I've been getting devoured by mosquitos every night and I seem to be reacting to them. Remember the nasty toe in Spain?? Yes that was an infected mosquito bite. Maybe it's all the wine I drink...and to them I'm like an open bar at a wedding... except nobody gets married.
All evening there has been a fire not far from here that is concerning. There is lots of smoke and it looks like it's in the forest that I'm walking through tomorrow. I can't monitor it from my room as it's on the other side. I guess I'll find out in the morning.
I will keep you posted.
Bon Nuit xx
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