Day 4 - The ATM
April 17, 2017Fourth Stage of Via Podiensis: Le Sauvage to Bigose
Statistics: 24.3 kilometers (15.1 miles), 40,357 steps, elevation climbed: 1,060 feet, 20-30 pilgrims
Slideshow: https://youtu.be/rvUmu8nV-tI
Another cold morning. There's ice on the outdoor tables. Brrr. The plan is to take it easy with a 12 km hike, but we will decide at lunch. We are almost the last to leave the hostel.
6:50 am I wake up early and do some emailing and blogging. I take my first dose of medication. I do a set of stretches and watch the sun rise.
Go to breakfast and eat some bread with the most delicious apricot jelly. Nice morning conversation with some fellow pilgrims.
9:34 am we start walking and my right foot is dragging. I go through my different techniques - high steps, walking backwards, big steps, swing the arms and try stopping and restarting. Well, nothing works today. Take my second dose.
The walk begins in the forest and after an hour or so emerges along a road then turns into a path paralleling the road until we reach the first town. The rest of the morning walk on dirt roads along open fields.
Walk to Saint Alban and stop for lunch at the town square. When lunch comes, we are all impressed with the size of the lunch. And the taste doesn't disappoint. I am hungry and this meal hits the spot:)
2:20 pm we decide to head to Bigose for the night another 12 kilometers. Right away my right foot starts dragging. It's been 5 hours since my last medication. I take my 3rd dose. We rest for a little while and start walking but the medication still hasn't kicked in.
2:46pm Decide to take more medication to kick start my leg. Having some right knee pain too so I take some Tylenol.
Walk through the open fields with a lively discussion with Clive.
4:30pm About 30 minutes left to reach the Gite and I take my final medication for the day. When I arrive I feel a little dizzy from pushing too hard for the past 2 hours so I drink a couple sodas.
That does the trick. All my muscles are real sore. I wish there was a masseuse here...
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