Friday, October 12, 2007

"Rest" day at the Chalet de la Maline

<reminder: photos now available at:
http://www.flickr.com/search/groups/?q=h2h&m=names
>

Thursday, Oct 11th, 2007

For, I believe, the first time so far on the H2H, we hiked on a day that wasn't a hiking stage day. Around 11 we went down into the gorge once more, crossed a graceful arching bridge over the pitiful trickle of water that in other years and seasons is the mighty Verdon, and hiked downstream along the Sentier de l'Imbut.

Whoa! The Sentier Martel was impressive, but this was even better. The gorge became ever narrower and the path ever more rugged. At times we hiked in a gallery cut into the rock walls, holding on to cables, a hundred feet above the stream. Neither Dad nor Mel would have enjoyed it :-).

At the end of the trail the river disappeared under a jumbled mess of huge boulders, which I would have been tempted to explore further if I had not been alone: the other two had refused to hike any further after lunch, apparently remembering what rest days have been traditionally used for on the H2H.

So, the hike took about four hours in total for me: an easy day. For dinner we (Russ and I) had raclette -- and Brigite assured me that despite appearances she had not given us what would usually be given to four or maybe six people. I'm feeling rather rotund.

Tomorrow we hike to Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, where I should have cellphone contact once more. This will be good for three things: I can upload these last couple of posts to the blog, I can check and see if the acquisition of a company on whose board I sit went through as planned, and lastly I can let Lidia know that we were once again not shot by hunters.

Assuming, of course, that we aren't shot tomorrow.