St Prevat de Allier to Sauges

Bonjour, mes amis!

So what I forgot to tell you about last night was that our Hostelier served homemade walnut wine as an aperitif.  I was highly suspicious.  It was a dark red in color and tasted like a $200 a bottle port.  She said she made it from the skins of walnuts which I took to be the green covering of walnuts.  The walnut wine was delicious.  Who knew? 

When we left for the trail this morning, I offered to let Jerry (the Lothario)  ride in the front seat but he insisted on the back seat next to Jacqueline.  It totally amused me to see this large man with his knees around his ears sitting in the backseat so he could make goo-goo eyes at Jacqueline. 

This is what the book said my hike looked like today. The only downside of today is that for the last two hours of yesterday, the ugly head of tendonitis ready itself.  Today, my knee hurt from step one.  By the end of the day, I couldn't find a way to step comfortably.  Oh, well, whats a (crazy) girl to do.

Bloom where you are planted. This flower is growing out of the rock on the steep side of the mountain.

My first crosses of the day.  Prayers.

Incredible scenery and I am not even at the top yet.

A small village along the way.  

Lots of color.

 Looking back.

This bridge located in Ponts et Bracs à Monistrol was designed by Le Pont Eiffel.  Yep, the same guy who designed the Eiffel Tower.

Isn't he cute?

One of the more spectacular rock faces I have seen.

Such a beautiful cross.  Today I saw several of this lacy-looking design.  Very French.

This scenery is so beautiful from on-high.

Okay, Okay.  I'm not going to bore you with any more cats (well, for today) but look t this expression.  He looks like I feel when it is time to pay taxes. 

Talk about the odd duck.  Do you think that he believes himself to be a sheep? I guess notbody has told him.

Trail Art and maybe the most interesting that I have ever seen.  Look at the shell right in the middle.

I am staying at a very nice but unassuming hotel.  It is off-season, and I expected dinner to be good but I wasn't expecting it to be incredible.  I started with what I can only describe as a savory donut topped with a mushroom gravy that made you want to lick the bowl.  Then I had a chicken breast (most of which I will backpack for lunch tomorrow).  The chicken breast sat atop red cabbage.  It wasn't at all sweet and sour but more buttery.  It was accompanied by the most wonderful mashed potatoes. I never met a potato that I didn't like but these were special. Rimming the plate was a buttery caper concoction and decorating it was such a swizzle of quality balsamic reduction.  Even the bread was light with a crisp crust.   Heaven...I'm in heaven.  The next course was three local cheeses, two of which are in a baggie in my purse for tomorrow.  If you like rice pudding, you probably would have loved this one.  I am not a fan but I ate the whipped cream and blackberry compote on top. It was really good.

As I was eating, a Nun in full grey habit approached my table to ask if I was American.  So was she.  She was from Illinois, near Paducah.  Almost my birth town of Dyersburg, Tennessee. Such a sweet girl. It is a small world!  She told me that she would pray for my success!

So today was a mere 14.8 miles without a flat spot anywhere.  I even had to climb stairs to get to the hotel.  I am pooped but the good news is the hotel has a bathtub.  Great for those aching muscles which I have an abundance of.  I knew I was going to pay for being a lazy bum this winter and undertraining.

Until Tomorrow!