Today is our 11th anniversary, the second one we celebrate on the road, we are still happy and still enjoying it.
As usual, we have a busy day ahead; two vie ferrate to do ending it up with a nice dinner. The restaurant is yet to be chosen. Luckily, we will be in Lyon tonight, a city famous for local exquisite cuisine.
I am not particularly excited about this morning’s via ferrata, it is an easy one; grade 1 and 2. But we have had challenging ones recently, I am sure our bodies will welcome a break.
Last night there were no cars, this morning we have awoken with ten around us. One of them a big van, with 15 people in it. They are bound to slow us down. We had better wait around to give given them a bit of a lead.
One hour later, we get to the base of the climb and guess what; the group has not yet started.
The last person in the group speaks a little English; we are a group of fifteen people, we will be a bit slow, you have to patient. Had you come a few minutes later, you would have been all right. He says.
We waited for an hour after you left, we thought you would have done it by now I angrily said.
I don’t know whether it was the tone of his voice or a language thing but I think he is slightly rude and selfish. He doesn’t seem to appreciate the disruption they are causing. At least they could have split up in groups of three and spaced themselves out. But no, they stick together, chatting, making jokes and taking photos. It is absolutely pointless, we could be here all day. So we get out by taking the first escape route we encounter.
It is 12.30 by the time we get to the car park. I cannot believe we have wasted so much time faffing around up there for nothing. Our next and last route in France is only one and a half hours away and it will take three hours. We stop at Carrefour on the way to get some bread and have a bit of lunch. By the time we finish, it is a bit late to do the route, so we spend the rest of the afternoon doing some cleaning in Dora. The end of the trip is looming, the more we do in advanced to get her ready for sale, the better.
We get to Hostiaz, our starting point for tomorrow’s route at 18.30. A British motorhome is also parked here, which is a bit weird. We haven’t met many Brits or Spanish doing this type of climb. Gary goes off to photograph the sunset, although I think he just wants to meet his country fellows.
He comes back with nice photos and impressed about the fact that they British couple are in their sixties and ferratist fans. They have done the route today, well, only him, she has a bad hand.
The next day, once again, awakes bright and sunny. We like French weather, it is very reliable.
I mentioned above that today is a special day. It is our 11th anniversary and the second anniversary we spend on the road. Last year, we’d just started our travels, this year, we are about to finish them. We cannot understand where the year has gone. But we have done so much, we have shared so many experiences, we have so many lovely memories.
Where were we at this time last year? Kayaking at New Quay. We got ourselves in a bit of trouble when going back to the coast line. I so lively remember fighting against the sea current, surrounding by inquisitive seals, I feared we would end up being rescued (see our post 10th Anniversary) Today, we are climbing a grade 4 via ferrata, challenging and demanding. It will be another adventurous anniversary.
The approach to the route takes only ten minutes. On the way, Gary remembers; Happy anniversary, baby. I did remember too but I waited for him to be first, typical woman! 
The reality is she forgot, but the tired old excuse is the same. The cards are really stacked against the husbands! GDR
The route today consists of two stages. This time we will do both, we promise.
For good or for bad, you will see a few close pictures of me today. Gary wants to get different angles, different moves.
Stage A is grade 3 and it is meant to take one and a half hours. Initially, we walk down through the woods for ten minutes. This section has already cabled but we don’t really need to use it.
We then leave the path to get on to a wide ledge, which soon after starts to narrow.
The route traverses along the cliff for three hours. This will give us a nice panorama of the valley.
Although there is a fair amount of climbing involved right from the start, the main feature of this route is the overhangs. They are short but strenuous and frequent, typical of a grade 3 via ferrata. I am liking it.
The ledge has almost disappeared by now. I can just about use the end of my boot to stand up, but that is enough. My boots are stiff enough to hold my bodyweight without bending.
25 vie ferrate has given me the ability to develop good technique, to balance nicely on the rock, to clip and unclip quickly and easily. I am glad we’ve found a new sport that we both like. Sadly, it is so far away from home to practice it regularly. We have already done our research. In the UK, there is only one via ferrata, in Wales, which is four hours drive from London. Not ideal for a weekend. Driving our 4×4 to there could be as expensive as flying to France. So we may come here more often.
Hmnnnn. Not so good for the planet! GDR
It is so nice being in control.
Susana is developing some really nice arm muscles. GDR
My least favourite element of vie ferrate; a balance beam. I am so used to them I could cross it with my eyes close.
I still feel a bit tired says Gary but the route is quite enjoyable. He sounds surprised when I tell him about the grades of the routes. I forgot these were 3 and 4!
Jesus he made me jump. I didn’t realise he was so close to me.
I carry on enjoying every single moment of our last via ferrata in France. We will try to do some in South Germany but I have the feeling that they may not be that great there. They don’t have big mountains like the Alps.
We must be mad of enjoying traversing such a vertical rock simply by walking on small bits of metal.
One of the few moments I stop on this via ferrata.
to see how far we have climbed and;
to admire the hundreds of metres fall beneath us.
Stage A gets a bit tricky at the end. A subtle overhang forces my muscles to work a bit harder to keep my balance, whilst I have to unclip and re-clip from the cable which takes a few seconds . But fortunately, we are still walking horizontally and not going up. That makes the move less awkward, less risky.
And just after going around the corner, the route finishes. We are heading off to Stage B but not without asking Gary whether he is okay to continue. Stage B has a crux towards the end I remind him.
Let’s carry on although I am not sure about the crux. Is he joking or is he serious? Sometimes I don’t get him, even after eleven years of marriage.
Stage B route continues to traverse along the cliff, opening up to the other side of the valley.
To start with, the route doesn’t feel too strenuous for a grade 4. It is more up and downy than the previous stage but the exposure is the same.
Perhaps it has a few more overhangs but they are still short and well spaced out.
A few more technical moves are required but the protection is generally good; there are stemples available for hands and feet, there is hardly any contact with the rock.
It now feels particularly out there but today, I handle these tricky bits better than yesterday, I feel energetic, really up for it.
A sign warns ferratist that the crux is coming.
It is round the corner and it consists of another overhang. This one, longer, on an airy corner, with stemples more spread out.
We go through it quite agilely. The guide has described todays route quite accurately, unlike yesterdays which they definitely underestimated.
A French via ferrata is not the same without a three cable bridge.
What can we say about this type of bridges that we have not already said. We are so used to them that walking on them is like walking on ground.
The route has pretty much ended. The return path to the car park is only a few metres up the rock.
Very satisfying climb, very sad of leaving France
but very happy of having had another adventurous and quirky anniversary.
We have done the route half an hour earlier than the estimated time. It is still 12.30, still quite early. Our next destination, Lyon, is only a couple of hours drive,so we fit in another hour cleaning Dora.
Then head off.
Gary has fallen in love again with another piece of engineering. French build beautiful bridges.
To celebrate our anniversary proper, we will go out for dinner in Lyon but we don’t know where yet.
It is only 17.00 when we arrive at Lyon. We could probably fit an hour or two of IT before dinner. We have been writing quite a few posts recently, so we are falling behind on the routes. But to work on Google Earth we need a reasonable good Wi-Fi connection. McDonalds’ is not quick enough. Decathlon’s is better. We find one store in the outskirts and, it seems that we can pick up a fairly good signal even from the car park. Isn’t it great? We don’t need to get out of Dora!
We are in a lrage out of town retail park, when we arrived the height barrier was opened, but when we go to leave the exit barrier is well and truly locked. Dora is trapped. We have to make a dash down the entrance route, hoping no irate French shopper isn’t coming the other way! GDR
We find a restaurant online, Pointe de Reve, with very good reviews at only 30 minutes drive. It looks really nice, small, local and French. Luckily, the restaurant is located in a residential area with a few backstreets around, quite peaceful and fairly isolated. There is also a bus stop five minutes walk away. That will do us. We won’t have to walk far back tonight and we can easily get public transport to visit Lyon tomorrow.
The restaurant is packed, luckily we booked a table before we had a shower. The menu is very straightforward; set menu of either two (€17) or three courses (€20). The a La Carte menu has the same dishes on offer but each dish, €3 more expensive. So we go for two course menu.
For starter, I have the Goats cheese salad, very French.
Gary’s starter looks more sophisticated; a cheese pannacotta pot with smoked ham.
For the main course, I am tempted by the pancake and a poached egg, but I am advised by the waitress it is a little bit hot. So I would rather be conservative and have the white fish with a herby crust and stir fry vegetables. Absolutely delicious.
Gary once again, more adventurous, has lamb wrapped in a thin leek leaf, with roasted vegetables and mash.
He ends up having a three course meal. The chef’s speciality was too tempting.
Over dinner we go over this years travels that are gradually coming to the end. Has this year changed our attitude towards home? Towards life? Have we now prioritised what it is important for us? I think we have. This year has made us reflect upon all aspects of our lives, upon the way we want to live. Are big changes coming up?
SM
11/09/2015
