I made my start time at 8AM. I think that I was the first person to leave the hotel. I caught up with Jean Jacques and Fred who were just ahead. (I did not know that Fred is a French name.) I have seen them everyday since Condom when I took their photo eating lunch on the D’Artagnan statue at the cathedral. You can tell the temperature went back up — they were in shorts like the majority of the walkers.
I bid farewell to Nogaro and Bib, the Michelin man, before I left the town limits. I dove into the forest following the white over red blaze. I appreciated that the blaze stood out. It was larger and used a brighter tone of red than other blazes from earlier stages. Somebody got the memo.
The tree tunnel lasted for about two miles. Most of the rest of the way was either open fields or trees on one side of the path. I saw 10 others on the trail during the day. I do know that others were farther ahead or behind me. But in my immediate zone, I was alone for almost the entire walk.
The no peeing sign was a surprise — the first this far along in the Chemin. It was about as effective as the curb your dog signs around town. On this stage, the one available toilet was at nine miles — the halfway point. No bar/restaurants were open. We were warned to carry adequate food and water.
The scenery was wide open for much of the walk. I included some images that interested me like the irrigation equipment. This was the first time that I had seen these watering monsters. I did not see them in vineyards or crop fields or on the Aubrac plains.
Within five miles of Aire-sur-L’Adore, I made a right turn before what are now unused train tracks. Along the tracks were two rest stops that some kindly people tended. Besides drinks and food, chairs and benches were provided. Most of the time you lie out on the side of the path. If you are lucky, a stone wall or some logs may become a make shift seat. I love the trumpeter with his scallop shell, the symbol of the Chemin/Camino. Thank you good people.
I arrived at my hotel at 3PM on the dot. Seven hours that included a few water breaks and one for fifteen minutes in a shelter during a quick rainstorm. So far, it has rained three days of 25 days; only once required rain gear for two hours. Even though the high temperatures have often been in the high 80s, I would take that condition over heavy rain.
The hotel did not offer dinner. The desk clerk recommended an Italian restaurant across the Adour in the old section of the town.
The hotel is located on the Chemin route. As I started down the street, I spotted a metal marker. Like the pebbles of Hansel and Gretel, I followed the arrows to the bridge. At the roundabout, one of route signs said Pau, the major city in southwestern France. I was closing in on the Pyrenees.
The first course of calamari was ok. But the lasagna was top notch with tomato sauce complemented by a layer of béchamel. The pasta was al dente and it came in its own bubbling pan from the oven. Once it cooled, I dove in. After 18 miles, my body needed some substantial nourishment. A petite pichet of white Gascogne wine enhanced the lasagna’s flavors. No dessert – just another Armagnac. Perhaps my last because Aire-sur-d’Adour is the last town in the southwest corner of Gascogne.
I started dinner at 7PM. By the time I finished, I was able to capture the river just after sunset as I walked back to the hotel.
