Wednesday, November 3: Spoleto to Ceselli

 Good morning all.  Got a good night's sleep and was raring to go.

If there is a bad day in hiking, then it was today.  It began raining about five minutes after leaving my hotel and continued all day, turning a 14.6 mile day into a tortuous struggle.  Although I thought I found the trailhead yesterday, it turned out to be the wrong way around the closed viaduct. There was a Camino Angel while I was still in Spoleto.  I had directions from Camino Ways on how to get around the closure, but I couldn't find Plaza Dell’Olio.  This really nice blond lady (think Nancy Laird pretty) walked about a half-mile out of her way, in the rain, to show me where the plaza was.  She didn’t speak any English but had a charming way about her — like Nancy. 

This little piece of art was in the Plaza dell'Olio.  It looked so odd tucked in the old buildings near the cathedral. I still don't know what it is?  I couldn't find anything on the web about it.

Unfortunately, Camino Way's directions led me up a steep mountain, and it just didn’t feel right, so I backtracked (after about two miles of pant-pant, gasp-gasp up) and finally found the correct trail. This little wrong trail cost me about 4.5 of the 14.6 miles that I walked. I wasn’t sure, however, that this new trail wouldn’t lead to another dead end. I thought that if this trail was wrong, I would take a taxi, but in my heart, I knew I wasn’t giving up just yet.  Sometimes hardheaded and stubborn is a good trait, just not always. This is looking back at the Roca Albornoziana Fortress from the wrong trail.  At least, I got a good photo of it.

The climb up the steep mountains was difficult, to say the least, and there were some times when I didn’t think it was ever going to end. Every time I turned a corner, it was further up. I kept having to stop to catch my breath.  When I did stop, I kept sliding back. By the top of the mountain, I was soaked both inside from perspiration (glowing as we southern belles ahhhmm supposed to claim) and out from the rain.  The cold rain had begun to creep up my pant legs and under my rain poncho. 

 Going down, I began to get cold.  I couldn’t get my down jacket out of my backpack because I knew I would really be soaked before I could get the poncho back on to cover me, so I just kept walking — and walking. I also couldn’t get to my water or food for the same reason.

I think this would have been the best mountain day of all except for the rain.  Even in the rain, it was awe-inspiring magnificent.

The clouds below as I look down on the Tiber and Nera River Valleys.

Maybe, my favorite photo of the day -- high up in Sibylline (?) Mountains

 The downhill was pretty steep and covered with slick rocks and wet leaves. I spent the whole downhill looking at my sopping cold feet. In the entire hike, there was not one house, never mind a bar, nor any semblance of a shelter or cover that would allow me to don my down jacket.  By the time I got to my little apartment for the night, I was darn near frozen. Oh, did I tell you that it was windy?  I don’t think I realized how cold I was because I practically ran the last 2.5 miles when I got to the road.  When I finally found a covered patio, I couldn’t get my fingers to work to take off my backpack.  I am well aware of hypothermia, so don’t worry. I don’t think I was at that point, but I wouldn’t have wanted to be out there a lot longer.

There was a funny moment just before I found the Casa Rustico.  I saw the sign but couldn’t figure out which the reception was. I saw a door open, and I walked up on the porch as this elderly woman came out.  I think I scared the wits out of her.  Here I am in this enormous grey-green poncho, soaking wet.  She looked positively frightened because I am sure I looked positively frightful, wet hair and all. I pulled my hood off, and she realized it was a woman and relaxed.  She kindly pointed me to the right location.

I have this little apartment all to myself tonight.  I swear it took me an hour to warm up, and I finally got in bed with my dry clothes on. Because there is no restaurant in this town, my hostess made my dinner.  I had the best lentil soup ever.  I really do think it was good and not just because it was hot and I was starving.  I also had steak, thinly sliced and pan-fried.  Yum!

So include me in your prayers tonight.  It is supposed to rain tomorrow, but I am not going over any huge mountains, so it should be easier.