Day 15 Rest day

Day 15 Rest day

Train from Santo Pieve Stefano to Assisi

Walking statistics: steps:16,242, distance: 7.83 miles/12.53 km, Climbed: 590

Walked to the bus stop. Bus to the train stop. See grafiti train. Take train to bus. Bus to another train. Train to train station. Train to another station. Then shuttle bus to AssisI. All that for about 10€ for 80 km. And I didn't miss a connection!

AssisI is an amazing town. Go to the 5pm pilgrims mass then a slice of pizza with Fanta orange soda and some gelato.

Then off to bed. Long walk tomorrow

Day 14 The Long Descent

Day 14 The Long Descent

Della Verna to Pieve Santo Stefano

Statistics: Steps: 37,011, Distance: 17.55 miles/ 28.0km, Climbed 1,560

After walking 42 km yesterday to Pastor Angelicus, my leg muscLes are really sore. More sore than anytime in the Past two weeks. I hobble up he impossible climb to la Verna chapels. It's a tough climb. The path continues to climb modesty for a couple of kilometers. Then is all downhill for the next 2 kilometers.

I notice some pain in area of the right knee and quads. Time to stop and see what's happenimg. There's no
sign of anything of anything wrong. No swelling. I massage by right thigh and doe some stretchs. Clive and Maya strike on to Pieve Santo Stefan. My Parkinson's
Medicone was taken hours ago and I should have taken another dose an hour ago. I take a dose now but it will take 45 minutes , in the mean time I will hobible down the path.

I follow the path until I see sign for my B&B. Then the crazy trail to the B&B. You really need a GPX file To find this B&B. I find it, but that's part luck and part skill.

We check in and then head to the centro to get some food. After a satisfy meal. Time to go to bed And try to catch up on these blog entries.

Day 13 The Deers

Day 13 The Deers

June 13, 2017
Stia to Della Verna

Statistics: Distance: 42.6 km/26.3 miles. Steps: 51,623
Climbing: 4,580

Up early and packed and out of the house by 4am. The plan is to do 3 days of walking in one day! It sstawrets with a climb of 10 kilometers. About 3 km into the hike I frighten two bIg deers and they both bolt away from the path. The path goes through a young forest until it reaches he summit then it turns into a forest of BEEch trees. I hear the.sound of water flowing, turns out to be a nice stream and its deep enough to sit in the water and cool off. I take a break,

After the 10 km climb - my energy is pretty tapped by the time I reach the Monastery of Eremo Camaldoli. The place is eerily quiet. Two pilgrims are resting near the entrance. The main building is being repaired with no talking. The monastery maintains a strict no talking even for the ciinstruction workers. Behind the main buildings is a small village of monks living a life of solitude.

I Hustle down to the end of the trail. There’s a cafe and I order a hamburger and French fries. The waitress is really busy, it takes forever. I start the second days trail late at 2 pm.

It immediately starts climbing going up five hundred meters over 2 kilometers. It's's a brutal climb. What little energy I had is completely gone now, it's apparent there's no way I'll be able to complete the 30s walk this afternoon.

The first day’s hike took me aeight hours.The second days hike takes me four hours. I've done the mileage and the climbing of three days in one day. IAustin losses Time to find a way to get to Verna. Time is running out it's 4 o'clock in the afternoon. There's one more bus in 45 minutes. I buy a bus ticket at the bar and a grande Italian beer.

The bus comes last bus to Verna leave The bus driver tells me that leaves before we get to it so I'll be stuck in the next city. After the bus driver drops everyone off then drivers me to the edge of town.
I start hitch hiking and I get picked up in five minutes by Andrea. He speaks English and he drives me right to The front door of the convent .

It is 7 o'clock The day.Is finally over.

Day 12 The Forest Hike

Day 12 - The Forest Walk

June 12, 2017
Consuma to Stia

Statistics : distance: 14.4 miles/ 23.04km , steps:30,663. elevation climbed: 1,160 feet weather: sunny 80.



After the initial climb, the walk from Consuma to Stia is mostly a forest hike through a 50 year-old forest with sparse views.The last 5 km is along a road on the valley bottom.

The hotel manager made us coffee and provided a sugar crust croissant. A nice kick start. The 30 Germans at dinner last night are nowhere to be seen.

We head our at 5:15am and immediately start climbing. It looks like most days start with climbs. We quickly enter a forest and stay under trees for most of the day.

Mostly two track trails and forestry roads. An ocassional tree harvesting using selective clearing. I count the tree rings and it's 50-65 rings or years old trees. Very few buildings.

Lots of ups and downs. We arrive in Stia by 10:30am. It's a very nice town. Nice people. Great central cafe with wifi.

Day 11 - Climb, Baby, Climb

Day 11 - Climb, Baby, Climb

June 12, 2017
Pontssieve to Consuma

Statistics : Distance: 14.7miles/ 23.04km , steps: 31,313. elevation climbed: 3,360 feet weather: sunny 80

Todays hike is through open wine orchards - of course with constant climbing. The day starts with a climb of 500 meters over the first 6 km to reach the charming little village of Diacceto. The bar is opens. it's part convenient store and part bar. I order a capaccino and some yogurt. Dynamite view and scenery.

Not too long after Diacceto the path enters the forest. Occassionly there's
a clearing but.mostly forrest. We run into tre two Danes near Consuma. They stayed in Diacceto last night.

We go to grocery store many times in Consuma. Eat well and sleep well.

Day 10 The Cammino Begins

Day 10 The Cammino Begins

June 10, 2017
Florence to Pontassieve

Statistics: Steps: 42,608 Distance: 19.88 miles/ 31.8 km
Climbed: 1,690

We leave the flat at 5:00 am and walk through the city of Florence heading towards the countryside. Block by block the landscape becomes more and more rural. It's so early that we see just a handful of people. We reach the beginning of the Cammino Francesco around 6:30am. There's a nice view of the city from here. 5 minutes later we reach a bar with gelato. It's 6:30am and I feel like a gelato. Yum yum, what a perfect way to start this walk. It hits the spot. It's up and down but very minor. After 12 km we react Ellera. There's a charming cafe with two very nice ladies working behind the counter. They make a great cappuccino.

Sigh, what a nice day walking through Italy. We finish the walking and Clive makes some delicious pesto pasta.

A very nice day.

Day 9 The Duomo

Day 9 - The Duomo

Florence
June 9, 2017

Clive heads out at 7am to do some sightseeing. I have some chores to do first then I head out. Buy a bus to Ticket at the bar. Head to the bus stop and jump on the
first going to the centro.i get oft at the train station and walk to the Duamo.

I wait in a line that will allow entry when it opens in 35 minutes. The outside of the church is truly impressive. The decoration is endless and Ornate. The inside of the church is simple and void of even normal decoration. I take some picture and I head on to the Basilica of the Holy Cross.

It turns out to Closed for lunch. It's complicated but they alsp Require thighs and shoulders to be covered. I head across the river for athe panarama views from Piazale Michelango. It's a decent climb but the Views are to die for at the top.

I head back to the Airbnb via the covered market bridge. All the bridge stores are high end brand jewelery stores. I catch the right bus and back at the flat in record time.

Just one more thing a nite gelato. Then is complete. Bed time.





Day 8

June 8, 2017

Train ride - Siena to Florence

Statistics

Steps= 22,953
Elevation climbed= 840 feet
Distance walked = 17.8  miles or 28.6 km.

Notes:

Sightseeing

Decathlon - new pack

Plaza de Campo



Day 7

June 7, 2017

Monteriggioni to Siena

Statistics

Steps= 29,552
Elevation climbed= 300 feet
Distance walked = 14.0  miles or 22.5 km.

Notes:

beautiful rural route

Nice Sunrise

Guy and girl

Breakfast on roadside

Fast walking to Siena



Day 6 - The Castle

June 6, 2017

Gimignang To Monteriggioni

Statisticsa

Steps= 43,024
Elevation climbed= 910 feet
Distance walked = 20.4  miles or 32.8 km.

Notes:

Long day

Dehydrated at the end

Forest walking

Lack our signs

Eric +2 bicyclers

Spaggetti  dinner



Day 5 - The Crown Jewel

June 5, 2017

Gambassi Terme to San Gimignano

Statistics

Steps= 51,122
Elevation climbed= 1,230 feet
Distance walked = 24.2  miles or 38.9 km.

Notes:

New hat

walk together.

Old church

Long walk into town

The towers

The monasteries

The bass and accordion players from argentina

Fruit cake

Eric drinks with dinner

Ronald/dutch teacher



Day 4 -European soccer champions

June 4, 2017

San Miniato To Gambassi Terme

Statistics

Steps= 36,420
Elevation climbed= 1,650 feet
Distance walked = 17.2  miles or 27.7 km

Notes:

The croissants mine or yours?

Dehydrated entering town

Arrive early

Pizza

Groceries

Nap

Clive and maya

Nice dinner

Eric, Ronald, Girl

Gelato

Pizza



Day 3

June 3, 2017

Massa to Pietrasanta

Statistics

Steps= 45,166
Elevation climbed= 2,070 feet
Distance walked = 21.3  miles or 34.3 km



Day 2

June 2, 2017

Train Levanto to Maasa



Day 4 Cinque Terre

June 1, 2017

Statistics

Steps= 21,023
Elevation climbed= 710 feet
Distance walked = 9.94 miles or 16.0 km

Notes:
Corniglia
Vernazza



Day 3 Cinque Terre

May 31, 2017

Statistics

Steps= 37,586
Elevation climbed= 840 feet
Distance walked = 17.8  miles or 28.6 km

Notes:
Riomaggiore
Groppo
Manarola



Day  Cinque Terre

May 30, 2017

Train Milan to Monterosso, hike to Levanto

Statistics

Steps= 37,586
Elevation climbed= 840 feet
Distance walked = 17.8  miles or 28.6 km



Day  -   Milan
May 29, 2017