Monday, March 21, 2011

The ¨House in the Wilderness¨

Okay, okay... you have already heard me speak that the Camino de Santiago has a lot desolate, remote areas.  You can walk for miles without seeing a soul.  Well, amidst all of this desolation, there is actually a locale called ¨The Wilderness,¨ and that was the goal for Saturday, March 19th.

It was a 12-mile hike, with only minor ascents and descents.  Compared to the day before, this was seemingly a piece of cake.  Just like Gilligan's Island, it seemed easy enough (a ¨... three-hour tour...¨).

We should have known better as we were heading to a gîte called ¨House in the Wilderness.¨  That would make the ordinary person think twice.

Daniel and I left Saugues early and were walking at a good clip.  We had to fend off a few wild dogs, but that's an almost daily occurence on the Camino.  The terrain wasn't too bad (mostly rolling hills), but then the rains came... and came.  I was wondering if I could build a small ark just using my leatherman.  It rained almost the entire time, with temperatures in the low-40s.  Even with rain jackets we both eventually got cold and wet.  Couple this with a heavy backpack and there was more than a fair amount of misery.


On a long trip, all of us have heard children say, ¨How much farther?¨  Well, that was me on Saturday.

About a mile before our destination, the freezing rain began pelting against my face.  I thought, this is a heckuva way to spend my 50th birthday!

The name of the area lived up to its reputation.  The principal structure was a 13th century chateau.  One could hear the wind howling all around.  It was like "Little House on the Prairie" except the place was made of stone, and there was no Ingalls family present to welcome us.

Since the ¨House in the Wilderness¨ is the only thing open for miles around, it gets its share of hikers.  I imagine that during the summer the place is packed (and it can hold 40).  The only two guests there that night were Daniel and myself.

No meal is offered, so you have to cook.  But of course there is no grocery store around.  Therefore, all the food has to be purchased from the Madame.  It's like having a company store.  There was a washing machine available, but guess what?  You have to buy the detergent from her.  You get the idea: she has the corner on the market.  If I were a wealthy man I would open up a gîte right next to hers, just to give some competition!

But she was nice enough and the place was warm.  Daniel and I did our laundry, using every available radiator to dry our clothes (and wool socks just don't dry quickly!).

It was certainly a memorable stay... and I will never forget how I spent my 50th birthday!