Woke up this morning to images from Le Puy and the Via Podiensis showing snow on the rooftops and on the ground. Il fait neige! En Mai!
Like this one
And this one:
And this one, where the snow in the trail is already beginning to melt.
In a little over a week, we’ll be there. Hope the snow has melted by then — and not been replaced with rain!
After a busy week and a horribly cold and rainy Friday yesterday, I’m out again for a longer training walk along the streets, highways, and by-ways of the Fox Valley. It’s a little over a week until departure, and a few days after that when we begin walking. So the greater duration and distance are important. I’m breaking for lunch after 7.3 miles, and I’m not totally exhausted!
My outbound route took me upriver along the Fox through a wooded area below Riverside Cemetery. Due to yesterday’s strong rains, the trails were a bit muddy. And to my delight and surprise, there were trillium in the woods.
By the end of my walk, I had covered just over 12 miles — our planned daily average during our three week walk. It’s reassuring to think that that daily distance is within my reach.
With my departure for Le Puy-en-Velay not too far in the future, I’m training for longer walks. Today’s is taking me west from home and south to the Fox River at Lutz Park on a beautiful, blue-sky day.
To my surprise, there were not only Canada geese at the park, but also swans. Or so it seemed. On closer inspection they were decoys–perhaps a strategy for weakening the geese’s sense of entitlement.
I was pleased to be able to see the Main Hall cupola and the Lawrence Memorial chapel steeple (about a mile down-River) visible under the Memorial Drive bridge from the riverbank.
What a beautiful setting!