Our walks in August and their virtual parallels.
Days 62 to 66. August 1 - 5, 16.7 miles (25 km). These days of walking in Florida would have taken us through Moissac, where we stayed in 2008 and again in 2015, and on through beautiful countryside to Auvillar, where we stayed in 2015.
Day 67. August 6, 4.9 miles (7.4 km). Today we would have walked to Saint-Antoine, where we stopped for lunch in 2015. It was a rainy, blustery day there. Here today in Florida was quite nice :)
Days 68 and 69. August 7 and 8, 9.8 miles (15 km). It was a more mild morning in Florida than the recent hot, humid days. In France, we would have walked through Buvette and Miradoux, where we stayed in 2015 and on to Castet-Arrouy. It was a blustery day. We needed long sleeves all day, although it was mid-May when we were there.
Days 70 - 74. August 9 to 13, 24 miles (36 km). These days of Florida walking that have been early and hot, would have been interesting days of France walking . . . through Lectoure to Condom. We stayed in Lectoure at an old convent and went to an amazing restaurant for dinner. It was not a pilgrim dinner!
Days 75, 76, 77. August 14, 15, 16. 14.4 miles (22 km). Russ and Stela walked without me for two days. I woke up with as apparent cold and was not up to walking. I cannot imagine how I could catch a cold when I have been aggressively following all recommendations for how to avoid catching the coronavirus, to which no one has any immunity. I have no covid symptoms, but am staying home until I have no symptoms of the cold either.
These three days of walking would have taken us through Condom to Montreal-du-Gers. The trail is through farmland, mostly flat, very pretty. I remember many beautiful flowers. We stayed on a farm in Montreal, and agri-tourism site. The 91 year-old host served us floc in the afternoon. It is a local fortified liqueur, somewhat similar to cognac. His daughter cooked dinner and son-in-law ate with us in an outdoor pavillion, regaling us with stories of his days as a professional magician and puppeter.
These three days of walking would have taken us through Condom to Montreal-du-Gers. The trail is through farmland, mostly flat, very pretty. I remember many beautiful flowers. We stayed on a farm in Montreal, and agri-tourism site. The 91 year-old host served us floc in the afternoon. It is a local fortified liqueur, somewhat similar to cognac. His daughter cooked dinner and son-in-law ate with us in an outdoor pavillion, regaling us with stories of his days as a professional magician and puppeter.
Days 78 to 86. August 17 to 25, 35 miles (53 km). We have been busy with projects and not keeping up our virtual Camino, but have continued to walk each day. Over these days, we would have continued from Montreal-du-Gers, through Eauze and Nogaro, to La Grange du Dubarry. After Montreal, the trail follow a rails-to-trails path and was delightfully flat all the way to Eauze. Beyond that the trail is through farmlands, duck farms, and vineyards. The French eat lots of duck in this region.
Days 87 to 92. August 26 to 31, 18.6 miles (28 km). This week of walking would have taken us through Aire-sur-l'Adour, where we stayed at a fancy BnB, around a lake in a park, and on to Miramont-Sensacq with its century church. The countryside continues to be easy walking through farmlands.