TMB 7: Forests, Gnomes, Chalets, Mushrooms, and Real Swiss Villages

This was a "through the forest and town" kind of day with some exciting cliff trail chains on the rock side to hold on to tossed in (thanks to the walking4fun.com photo!) Lovely fairly easy traveling through a few real Swiss villages with gardens of gnomes and miniature stone buildings up for display to the hikers. On the last climb, there were several large carved critters on logs encouraging us up the hills. We also passed some huge ladders and caves where mining was a big deal for decades.  First time I have ever seen so many mushroom informational signs. We in the US are so frightened to eat many of them for fear of getting the poisonous one. In grocery stores here, there are many varieties packed together. We get to Champex Lac and find a sweet little hotel with good hot showers and a view of the beautiful lake and northern range. WiFi here so I catch up with the kids on Whatsapp and Vern watches French TV (our first TV since we've been here!)  Pretty funny to see mostly American shows with French dubbed onto their lips. Run into several familiar faces over dinner - main conversation, once again, is tomorrow's weather. Shaping up to be a rainy one. Today's elevation, 2,100 up and 2,000 down.

TMB 6: Packs are so light because we are WEARING nearly everything!

Lovely breakfast for about 120 people. I look around and count maybe 20 who are under 30 years old. Quite the crowd! It is snowing and emotions are high. We put on three or four layers top and bottom and all our rain gear, neck gaiter, and mittens. I think I would rather have snow than rain at this point. Off we go slipping and sliding down the track. I entertain my first worries about inadequate shoes - am wearing Altra zero drop hiking/tennis shoes - recommended by REI but they seem VERY lightweight compared to what I am surrounded by. Soooo comfortable for my wide/bunioned feet, but not very good for ice and snow. About halfway down, after landing on my butt once, I get a little panicked. I absolutely HATE to fall and am super careful going downhill - having a hip replacement 27 years ago stoked that fear in me - but, well, what can I do? Fortunately we come out of the worst within a couple hours. After a hot chocolate and latte at the base of a mountain pass, Vern said the caffeine turned me into a climbing beast - lol!  I was actually just ready to GET TO THE NEXT PLACE. Today's elevations were 3,000 feet up and 4,400 feet down. Snow stopped and sun started to come out as we arrived at the sweetest little refuge called Gite la Lechere where a large wooden flowered "boot" welcomed us! Had a wonderful shower, hung things to dry, and enjoyed the wood stove. We share our place with an Aussie dad, his two young adult kids and two ladies from Estonia here to celebrate 25 years of friendship together (they are 28 years old).  Dinner is huge white sausages (delicious), salad, potatoes, and poached pears. We learned so much about Estonia! It is the tech capital of the world (birthplace of Skype), 99.7 percent literate, highest number of super models per capita, free public transportation, one of the cleanest places on the planet, highest number of startups in the EU, and the birthplace of the first Christmas tree! Wonderful conversation. It's incredible to see so many young people from around the world doing big adventures abroad before they settle into careers. Of course, they are not laden with thousands of dollars of college debt like our US kids are. Hmmmmmm...
Our hosts keep us up until about 10:30 pm with their raucous games of Rummy Cube - go figure. It's usually quiet by 8:30 pm at the large hostels but these old codgers have the nightlife!

TMB 5: Leftover Italian Pizza with STELLAR Views :)

This was, hands down, Vern's favorite day. He made me put up all three of the mountain photos from our lunch spot - even after I said no one wants to look at THREE! Ah well. Pretty easy and much shorter trek today (7 miles) flanked by views of the Val Ferret range showcasing Mont Blanc and it's buddies in all their glory. Sat for a long time in the grass eating our leftover pizza and drinking berry flavored yogurt. Made time for a few selfie photos with our Palestinian friends and stopped to pick mountain blueberries/huckleberries. Ended the day with a final hike up to the coolest refuge yet, the Walter Bonatti Rifugio. They were serving lunches of polenta covered with big sausages in marinara sauce when we got there. I was in line behind a rather aloof and disgruntled (at times) Welsh couple we had met on the first day of the hike and exclaimed how fantastic that polenta dish looked and were they getting it? They looked at me rather snobbishly and said they were vegetarians. Ooops! They were not in good moods the whole afternoon and actually left separately. This hike can make or break ya! I can't believe that Vern, who loves his private room and seperate bathroom, actually liked this refuge best. We were in a large dorm room with 12 twin mattresses on one side of the room and 12 on the other side with lockers in between. He nabbed a bed next to the wall, but that meant we had to walk a LONG way to the bathroom in the middle of a very dark night. I was scared I would accidentally slide into the wrong bed!? Even the bathrooms were shared with both men and women - toilets, sinks, etc. It was rather disconcerting to hear someone hacking and brushing their teeth at your elbows. But all was good. Funny, though! :) Meal was the best yet with FOUR courses. Two really nice mountaineers next to us from Ireland and England. They have been friends for years and one had a brain tumor removed this year so they were "taking it easy" - lol! Very cold weather predicted tomorrow. Uh oh. But I am going to dream happy dreams and put in my earplugs. Bound to be snorers in a room packed with 24 tired hikers.

TMB 4: Mostly SPECTACULAR...with a Downhill Suck to keep us humble

Brilliant sun this am with ice on the rocky path as we left Rifugio Elisabetta. Took a turn off the main trail and UP to the most spectacular views yet. Crystal clear skies and smiles on everyone's faces after yesterday's storm...well, except for three of our Palestinian friends who missed the turn and didn't know until their three buddies yelled at them from 1,000 feet up the trail - we could see them still way down on the road. Ooopps. They are the coolest guys - and there are also several Israelis who hike with them as well - all good friends. Wouldn't it be something if our world leaders could take a long hike (literally) with our so-called enemies? So interesting to hear their constant chatter as they walk - even though they sometimes miss important turns. I told Vern I want to be like them - noticing everything and photographing it - Vern tells me to hurry up!?  Met some very large cows and a bull on the trail. Three started following me down the mountain. I think they know an Iowa farm girl when they see one.  A highlight was having the finest Italian pasta and a latte at the top of a ski lift resort, the Rifugio Maison Vielle, with a tremendous view across the valley and finding our favorite Aussie friends there. The owner told me they serve 300 lunches a day during ski season!  THEN, the worst part of the day was descending down, down DOWN about a mile under a ski lift. I think I said "suck, suck, suck" each step the whole way down - or maybe it was something that rhymes with that. 1,500 feet up today and 4,500 feet down. Good thing the village awaiting us was awesome. Stayed at the Pensione Venezia in Courmayeur, a small city which ALL of the great mountain climbers call their haven to set out from and return to after great climbs. Had a private room, white sheets, TOWELS, and a sunny balcony where we washed a dried a few clothes. Grocery store next door with dried fruits and nuts, Ritter Espresso chocolate bars and Vern's FAVORITE - strawberry drinkable yogurt. Had a fabulous Italian pizza and big salad for dinner. Lovely breakfast with our Palestinian friends who were now all reunited :)

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!

Day 2 TMB: Views just get better by the minute!

We actually felt pretty good this am. Glad we could get out of bed! Absolutely gorgeous views along a mountain stream for the first hour, then up strange flat boulders (met a pickup coming down in one place - freaky!), passed a huge waterfall drop called the Notre Dame de la Gorge, saw a stuffed deer in a strange place, then a grand canyon valley opens up and we go gradually UP a rocky trail for 4,200 feet to Col de Tricor. Gorgeous sunny day and the views just got better by the minute. Arrived at spectacular Refuge du Bonhomme in the middle of NOWHERE about 2 pm, checked in, got a chocolate brownie and cup of cocoa and sat on the hillside for a couple hours just soaking up the sun. Rain is predicted tomorrow and many are freaking out about the weather on their phones - as if there are other options! Ten miles to the next stop and there is really no choice but to walk there - don't think the local helicopter would give a taxi ride. Can you just imagine making dinner for 120 VERY hungry people? Bowls and plates passed around the table, then comes soup, veggie, main dish, and dessert. This place runs on generators and solar heaters and candlelight after dinner for cards, games, and conversation. Pretty cool!  We sit with a French couple, Pascal and Marie, and between pantomiming and sign language and bits and pieces of each other's language, we have a really good conversation. Pascal is biking across the US next year and may come spend a couple days with us! We share a room of bunks with two Aussies, a Brit woman and her mom. Will try to dream of sunshine, but psyching ourselves up for some weather...

Day 1 TMB: Up, up, up and Down, down, down...

Arrived at the Auberge des Cret in Les Houches, France just in time for a dinner of split pea soup, pasta, bread, cheese, salmon, and a chocolate pear dessert. Wow! Met some great folks at this hostel - couple of women from Australia just finishing and two fun kids, Ana and Tiago (friends from Veterinary school in Portugal) who are now living in France and England. Learned many tales of their trip (first day was the worst, where to get your t-shirt, how many socks to bring, use ear plugs in the dorms, etc.) The 10 hour time difference kept us wide awake from about 11 pm till 3 am but at least we had a nice private room with a terrific view. After a good breakfast, our roomies headed back to their respective countries and Vern and I took off!  The trail is incredibly well marked with distance given in hours. The first bit nearly killed us - pretty much straight up a mountain under a ski lift - Ana was right. Gained 4,500 feet and lost 4,000 feet over the 10 miles today which was brutal, but it's behind us and we survived. Lovely quaint homes and churches along the way and we ended the first day with a beautiful hike along a river to the Chalet CAF at Les Contamines. At the dinner table tonight were folks from the Netherlands, South Korea, Australia, Israel and England and we were served Chicken Curry with Tumeric (for those of us needing anti-inflammation assistance!) and lemon mousse in awesome little mason jars. Such great stories at the table!  We learned from the Israeli flight attendant with El-Al airlines that pilots often play Sudoko while the planes are on auto.  I will wonder about that all the time now as I peer into the cockpit when boarding...