Day 3 TMB: Cold, Cloudy, Steep, Rocky, Rain, Wind, Slippery, Soaked...

Well, those weather gurus were absolutely right. We took a steeper short-cut very beautiful route which went up and over the Col des Fours and a bit risky in bad weather, but since we started before the rain was to begin, figured we would be OK. All I needed to hear was it cut out 1.5 hours of a difficult, 19 kilometer day! We saw many "belled" cows, crossed into Italy and had a couple of hard boiled eggs and cocoa (served in bowls!) at a lovely little hut to prepare us for the rainy afternoon. At the very scenic point, Col de la Seigne, we encountered blowing snow and fogged in views. I will show what we saw and what we were "supposed" to see.  It was pretty slick towards the end with absolutely soaked feet because we were hiking in the middle of a stream down the trail. Ducked into a small cozy museum and a kind lady gave me a piece of a chocolate - thought of Harry Potter and how chocolate cures nearly everything!?! Finally made it to the Refuge Elisabetta which is practically hidden on a steep hillside, famous and very remote. We arrived dripping wet, took off gear in the steaming entryway with other drowned rats like ourselves and I went to check in. They did NOT have us in the book. I panicked...trying to imagine what it would be like to go BACK outside in the now crosswise sleet. Finally a lady came over and asked our names. I said Barb and Vern and she still could not find us. Then, she said "Barbara?" When I said yes, she said, "Oh here you are!"  Phew... Went to shower and came to the dining area where Vern was smiling and drinking a mug of something. They immediately brought one over for me and it was, simply, melted chocolate in a mug. OMG. Dinner was fabulous, served in two shifts, and we met some friends who I think we are destined to meet again and again - a lovely young couple, Nicola and Paul, from Australia and Ireland who are on a six month world backpack tour, then getting married in Mexico before settling in Australia. Ended up sharing a bunk bed room with them and learned their whole story. They are carrying everything needed to camp and their packs are HUGE. They only stay inside if the weather is bad. Funny, even having to share ONE shower and toilet in the women's bathroom with that many, everyone was SO happy just to be inside and warm. And by the way, MOST hikers were about our age - or even much older - with a few 20-somethings thrown in!