ST Chely to Espalion

Thursday august 26, 2010 St Chely to Espalion, fucking hot!!!! Still sick.

Hotel Moderne

42C or 157F. At these temps could be visiting G&M in AZ and loafing with Michelle at the Phoenician Spa.

Clean socks today. Lots of moleskin.

Stomped about 12 mi uphill and down (note: this section is supposed to be downhill out of the Massif. Hah!). Luckily with some good pilgrim company for a bit. Finally succumbed to beginning of heat stroke. Would have been embarrassing but luckily a 10 (?) year old school boy who had skipped breakfast and lunch was also suffering.

Gave up at St Come d'Olt with a spiral eglise tower like Carvel. Found KB at local cafe ( and possible frites stop!!!). Massive ice cream consumption, then took taxi for last 6 km to Espalion. Driv er kept saying "fait chaud" Yes.

KB also had exciting day fixing flat in boiling heat and looking for tube leak in the town square fountain. Astonishingly, the one good bike store in the South of France was conge annuel.

Said au revoir to lovely French family. The youngest of the three boys practiced his Eng lish by saying he was sad to return to school next week. At least he has a good What I Did Over Conge Annuel essay.

Now in decent hotel with shower resembling Bob's: no soap dish and no room to bend over, although plenty of hot water.

Peaches, necs and melons amazing here. Lots more Aubrac cows including a statue of one with bizarre English translation (babel fish, maybe).

Scenery changing from striking and dramatic in Lozere region to more ordinary valley.

No staplers or plug adapters in France.

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Busca. St. Cheley d’Aubrac

Posted on August 25, 2010 by boogkb

August 25. Sunny and not too warm. Good day.

We are about 8 km from Aubrac a small ville with a 12th century church and
an old tower. Tour anglais.

Qb is still coughing but is walking all day again.

The last 8 km is straight downhill. Dropping 450 meters. Had to stop the
bike several times to let the rims cool.

We have now started the decent from the central masif into the Lot valley.
From the high point a descent of 1000 plus meters.

Starting to know a number of the individuals and groups on the path. Easy to
catch up and share stories and bring others into the multilingual
conversations.

Landscape is impressive with flowers and grass and Aubrac cows as well as
wonderful stone walls.

My Clic glasses, bicycle rear view mirror and folding bike are generally not
know in this area. The iPad is a favorite of the next generation. I let
them play with and their parents are delighted.

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Busca. Montgros near Nasbinals

Posted on August 24, 2010 by boogkb

August 24 rain cooler,a lot cooler

Arrived at the hotel a little before one. It opens at two pm it is raining.
I sit on a bench in front of the place, in the rain. Sat until two pm.
Once inside they were very nice and very friendly.

Very nice ride on good roads with just under 250m of ascent. Have gotten
good at the grades, not been forced, yet to walk. Suspect this small success
will end at some point.

Nasbinal is another stone hill town with a UNESCO church dedicated to the
pelerin, pilgrims. Probably 13th century. Hopefully the picture shows the
nice arches.

Now in the margareide, a plain, undulating, at 1100 or so meters, with the
lovely pine forest replaced by many very large rocks and excellent stone
walls. See picture of typical walls in the area.

On the way stopped in a bar for coffee. Locals were speaking a strange
French varient. Maybe d'Oc but hard to know as they ignored my pleasantries
and
questions. Only that that this has happened.

One more day on the central Masif. We avoided this 30 plus years ago as it
too difficult for us to bike when we were a lot younger

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Busca Aumont-Aubrac 2

Posted on August 24, 2010 by boogkb

From Evernote:

Busca Aumont-Aubrac 2

August 23 Partly cloudy with rain on the way. At least cooler.

A rest and repair day. Laundry, sleep, tourist (Roman church of course), bank.

QB is still suffering with her nasty virus. Breathing difficulties, coughing, energy and will sapping. Desole´.

Credit cards work, generally if one is persistent. It appears that the French do not use any other than the EU Blue card. When presented with an Amex card merchants either decline or use it for a while and it fails. Visa cards work but they go into a different slot on their portable card readers. Suspect that the card readers expect a chip (no signature when a Blue card is used). We have often had to show them which slot to use on the machine and which side of the card to put facing. In general have given up using cards for items that are small and reverted to cash except in restaurants; there we persist.

A visit to the local tourist office produced more information about aligot. The cows of Aubrac have been bred to make a certain cheese, Tomme, naturally. It is the required cheese for a proper aligot. The tourist office staff member developed an expression of faint disdain when we mentioned Cantal cheese as the correct cheese for alight. Suspect we would have had a different result in the adjoining Cantal region.

Tomorrow we leave the Auvergne heading to the Lozère. Still up on the central massif, day after tomorrow we will reach its highest point a bit over 1300 meters, then a death defying descent of 26km dropping to sea level into the Lot valley. One terror at a time please.

Better breakfast today. No dry crusts for pilgrims like yesterday. Breakfast buffet included something akin to crème fraiche. It did not seem to be thick enough for c. fraiche. Not sure. Was not sour cream and was not yogurt or a farm cheese. Will ask tomorrow if I remember.

Still not finding much in the way of veggies or fruit. It can be found and, at least for the veggies, ordered but not common. The local market where we would have stocked up on some fruit was closed by the time we finished breakfast – no problem, it will open again at 15:00. Many stores and restaurants are still closed on Mondays.

Met three German bike riders. Lyon to Santiago. One was riding a Swiss Army bike. Very very strong and heavy. One gear! His partners in crime said he had to walk a lot of hills. No doubt in my mind. He claimed to do it for his heart.

Dinner: bouef fondant reduction. Like a great pot roast with a red wine and beef stock reduction. Trout and aligot along with a rosé langdouc, the region we are now in. A tartare of salmon encrusted with lentils.

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Busca Aumont-Aubrac 2

Posted on August 24, 2010 by boogkb

From Evernote:

Busca Aumont-Aubrac 2

August 23 Partly cloudy with rain on the way. At least cooler.

A rest and repair day. Laundry, sleep, tourist (Roman church of course), bank.

QB is still suffering with her nasty virus. Breathing difficulties, coughing, energy and will sapping. Desole´.

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Busca Aumont-Aubrac 2

Posted on August 24, 2010 by boogkb

From Evernote:

Busca Aumont-Aubrac 2

August 23 Partly cloudy with rain on the way. At least cooler.

A rest and repair day. Laundry, sleep, tourist (Roman church of course), bank.

QB is still suffering with her nasty virus. Breathing difficulties, coughing, energy and will sapping. Desole´.

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ca231301cded2112f803cb22d33f8a55.jpeg

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BUSCA. Aumont Aubrac

Posted on August 23, 2010 by boogkb

Hi Jeff,

All sorted now with the luggage.

Seams like an enjoying time…

I have something for you you will probably like/love:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StNBcwDwXMs

I don't have an iphone myself
(Samsung – Android) but if you try it, let me know what you think. It will
be more for Spain but I am really interested to know how this could help
clients with pros/cons such as data roaming – network coverage etc

By the way are you updating a blog as well as emails?

Bon voyage et a bientot. Give us a call if needed.

Umberto

One Foot Abroad +353 1 443 3972
Follow The Camino, +44 20 8816 7328
F +353 1 653 0717
A Guinness Enterprise Centre, Taylor's Lane, Dublin 8, Ireland

Unashamedly focused on leisure!

On Sun, Aug 22, 2010 at 4:04 PM, Jeff Gray wrote:

> August 22. Hot and sunny.
>
> Brocante 2010, FollowTheCamino, QB on the road and more.
>
> After a short but hilly ride on small French roads, Sunday tourists driving
> a bit too fast, twice they stopped and asked me for directions; naturally I
> obliged with a detailed response. Might even have been correct, arrived in
> named city.
>
> The final 1km decent was complete with parked cars in every place, spot or
> not. Brocante. 2010.
>
> This is a giant flea market. Household goods and crap. Many food vendors
> with samples. Might have 7had a few and will have more while QB finishes
> today's Camino here.
>
> This is the end of the first section of the planned trip. We will stay two
> days here. Time for a review of both the books and the booking company. At
> least a first review.
>
> FollowTheCamino provided me a Cycling book for the route. Outstanding.
> Concise,accurate – my GPS aggrees – and reliable about routes,grades and
> distances. I rip out a few pages and put them in my pocket. QB does the
> same with her walking books. We have too many books along with us. My cycle
> book and the local tourist offices are sufficient for me.
>
> FollowTheCamino review: pros and cons.
>
> First the two cons, actually mistakes that have now been, we hope,
> rectified. Instructions on how to deal with our transported baggage
> unknown by first hotel and info explained not sufficiently clear. The big
> error was telling us to go to the wrong hotel. Calls to three hotels, a
> baggege company and much confusion over where our bags went we ended up in a
> good hotel.
>
> Pros of which there are many.
>
> Susan of FollowTheCamino has been excellent in email follow up. Very clear
> and very complete. Much appreciation and cudos for excellent support.
>
> The hotel choices have been excellent. Not always centre ville but it
> seems proprietors will pick you up if well off the route. Everyone has been
> nice.
>
> Almost no English in hotels or shops. I consider this a pro as it forces me
> to improve my French. Not sure when we get to Spain as my Spanish is too
> rudimentary to start a conversation.
>
> A pleasant surprise. Wi-Fi access in each gitê so far. Have to ask.
> Generally it is the owners private connection – as it was throughout
> Germany.
>
> One downside of the trip has been the incessant smoking of the French. They
> stink and do not move to get out of the way to exhale.
>

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Busca Aumont Aubrac

Posted on August 23, 2010 by boogkb

Squirrels are a dime a dozen around here – someday I want to go to Olney
Ohio to see the white (not albino) squirrel.

Lovely photo of the birds – very intimidating in large numbers like that!
Keeping my eyes on the nesting doves in the carport next door…

jga

On Mon, Aug 23, 2010 at 1:43 AM, Jeff Gray wrote:

> From Evernote: Busca Aumont Aubrac
> August 22, 2010 Sunny and boiling
> Worshipful thanks to Ste. Vibrametta, small god of hot, heavy, but stout
> hiking boots.
>
> Note photo of pilgrim chanson. Can't sight read myself, but maybe LIbby or
> Marv can work it out.
> Photo of road; many horrible surfaces. Nevertheless today was a fine
> country walks, except for the unreasonable heat. Countryside is pastoral,
> woodsy areas are not creepy, unlike home (no "beware mountain lions and
> coyotes "; no ground squirrels digging sink holes underfoot). Had pleasant
> unintelligible (on both sides) conversation with young québécois I ran into
> on the path.
>
> Squirrels. On drive back from hotel to trail at St Privat, driver suddenly
> stopped car (full of French travellers and me). Everyone gawking at
> something on the side of the road (not the side with the stunning view of
> the gorge). I started gawking too, but only saw a squirrel. Everyone is
> talking delightedly in fFrench, too fast to follow. Finally I asked what was
> so exciting and someone said "squirrel" (something like equerelle in Fr).
> Was dumbfounded. Others explained that they are very shy and not often seen
> (those of us who've cleaned squirrel cages might wonder who cares). However,
> This was a Euro red squirrel and I believe they are shy because they are
> disappearing.
>
> Mostly domestic animals seen from trail. Beautiful cattle.
>
> Passed by perfect French woman on impossible grueling section of trail. She
> did not appear to have sweated at all. Pants fit perfectly and were
> spotless. Hair unmussed in fashionable cut. Amazing.
>
> Flea market in Aumont Aubrac today. Major traffic jam at close of day.
> Watched car drive over some of a vendor's stuff. Aggravation ensued.
>
> Surprising lack of frites in restaurants. Jeff crushed.
>
> Shout Out to Judi: note photo of swallow butts. Reminded of recent Attack
> at Boathouse Cafe (ABC). Would have left immediately but too tired.
>
>
>
>

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Busca Aumont Aubrac

Posted on August 23, 2010 by boogkb

From Evernote:

Busca Aumont Aubrac

August 22, 2010 Sunny and boiling

Worshipful thanks to Ste. Vibrametta, small god of hot, heavy, but stout hiking boots.

Note photo of pilgrim chanson. Can't sight read myself, but maybe LIbby or Marv can work it out.

Photo of road; many horrible surfaces. Nevertheless today was a fine country walks, except for the unreasonable heat. Countryside is pastoral, woodsy areas are not creepy, unlike home (no "beware mountain lions and coyotes "; no ground squirrels digging sink holes underfoot). Had pleasant unintelligible (on both sides) conversation with young québécois I ran into on the path.

Squirrels. On drive back from hotel to trail at St Privat, driver suddenly stopped car (full of French travellers and me). Everyone gawking at something on the side of the road (not the side with the stunning view of the gorge). I started gawking too, but only saw a squirrel. Everyone is talking delightedly in fFrench, too fast to follow. Finally I asked what was so exciting and someone said "squirrel" (something like equerelle in Fr). Was dumbfounded. Others explained that they are very shy and not often seen (those of us who've cleaned squirrel cages might wonder who cares). However, This was a Euro red squirrel and I believe they are shy because they are disappearing.

Mostly domestic animals seen from trail. Beautiful cattle.

Passed by perfect French woman on impossible grueling section of trail. She did not appear to have sweated at all. Pants fit perfectly and were spotless. Hair unmussed in fashionable cut. Amazing.

Flea market in Aumont Aubrac today. Major traffic jam at close of day. Watched car drive over some of a vendor's stuff. Aggravation ensued.

Surprising lack of frites in restaurants. Jeff crushed.

Shout Out to Judi: note photo of swallow butts. Reminded of recent Attack at Boathouse Cafe (ABC). Would have left immediately but too tired.