The title of this post indicates the way I felt about the hike on this day. Lots of hills and valleys. It was almost as if we were climbing just so that we could descend. And as mentioned before, often the descents are harder on the legs than the ascents.
It was another custom-ordered day: sunny, with highs in the mid-70s. Ideal hiking weather.
I hiked with the German couple (Christian and Margret) and a twenty-something Japanese woman (Sathi).
About two hours into the hike, Margret mentioned that the Pyrenees were in sight. I looked and saw them. They were even more magnificent than I had anticipated. They were so noble and strong-looking. I couldn`t believe that I could see them from so far away. nly God could create something so beautiful.
I spent the night at the community gite in Pomps. Pomps is a very small town (maybe 100 residents). The gite was very hard to locate, as it was hidden behind the community (sports) center. When I arrived I was the first one there. All the doors were unlocked, and everything appeared to be in working order. I also spied a washing machine with laundry soap. I should mention here that finding this combination is gold to a hiker on the Camino. At most every hostel I have to do my own laundry, quickly washing (with soap), rinsing and wringing everything out in a washtub, then hanging things on a line, hoping that they`re dry by the evening. But using a washing machine is so much easier. What a luxury it is to have washing machines!
So I took a shower and waited for the washing machine to finish the load. When finished I then hung the clothes out on the line. Still, no one was there. I was beginning to think that this was a `self-service`gite! Finally another man (Frank, from England) showed up. Then others came. So this quiet gite was now hopping with life.
Aside: Frank told me that along the route he had encountered a gite that had a gite sign out front but was all locked up. He and a fellow pilgrim finally entered by climbing through a window. It was only when he had left the next morning did he discover from the neighbors that the gite had been closed for some time!
Back to the story: But there was a problem: the person who was supposed to cook the meal didn`t arrive. This didn`t really bother me, as I had bread and dried sausage to tide me over (as well as sufficient fat in my stomach). But when the mayor`s wife came to collect the money and found this out, she was upset. She called the proprietor of the town`s only grocery store (which was closed, since it was Sunday), and asked the owner to open up for the four pilgrims needing to eat.
Within 15 minutes we had a dozen eggs, mushrooms, and ham. Add to that some bread and wine and we had a feast of ham and mushroom omelettes! It was great fun cooking with Benedique, Michel, and Frank.
This is one of the great things about France: you never know what you`re going to get, but when it arrives, it`s always btter than you expect!
