Tag: trekking
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The Way of St. Francis: A deserted pilgrimage
The red line has led us through trials and celebrations, more medieval villages than we can count, and memorable meetings with gracious Italians brimming with enthusiasm. We have met friendly and fascinating fellow trekkers, but many days we have not seen even one. We have yet to meet another American walker. We have not talked…
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The Way of St. Francis: Are We There Yet?
The dawn of a new day found us three days out from our last rest day in Rieti, with just three more days to walk until we reach Rome, our final destination. Our feet are tired, our hips are sore and barking dogs are getting on our nerves. But we’re still doing it…uphill and down,…
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The Way of St. Francis: Pizza, pizza, pizza!
Local Italian culture filled the tiny Pizzeria da Paldo next door to our B&B Thursday night in Rieti. We thought we ordered four pieces of pizza and a salad, but the enthusiastic man behind the counter served up a platter double-stacked with four kinds of pizza and a big plate of ensalada mista. We ate…
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The Way of St. Francis: An Easy Stroll Along The River
After our marathon day yesterday, we spent a leisurely morning, enjoying the hospitality of the folks at 3 Archi Hotel. Our day was a short one, just over 6 miles to our next stop in Arrone. We took one last look back toward the mountains we had scaled yesterday, thankful for our flat, low altitude…
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The Way of St. Francis: It was going so well
Our Sunday began shortly after 8 a.m. when we departed our Spoleto apartment for a detour from the usual Way of St. Francis. A 2016 earthquake left the Roman acqueduct unsafe to cross (actually, Sue was relieved she didn’t have to cross the narrow walkway over a deep gorge), so we went downhill and…
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The Way of St. Francis: Over The Hump
Yesterday afternoon we arrived at our hotel in Trevi so incredibly soaking wet that the owner simply handed us our key. No passports, no check-in, no formalities. Plenty of time for that after showers and hot tea! We awoke to more rain this morning and grudgingly donned our rain gear as we set out to…
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The Way of St. Francis: Spello Spelled Fun
The charming hilltop town of Spello stands guard over acres and acres of olive trees that the Angelini family (pictured above) is passionate about. We would also learn of their passion for wine. Yesterday our path took us through the olive groves on our way to what would be a delightful and educational dinner at…
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The Way of St. Francis: The Way to Assisi
The Way of St. Francis led us into Assisi yesterday, our ninth day of walking. We’ve covered 109 miles and endured 37,046 feet of elevation change. While the above photo appears to show a pleasant downhill stroll, in reality our day began and ended with steep climbs. All a distant memory today as we enjoy…
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The Way of St. Francis: A puzzling Assisi reception
Our arrival at one of the most important religious places in the world did not go as expected. It left us puzzled. The Basilica of St. Francis stands on the mountaintop in Assisi and sets a high bar for spectacular settings. We had completed the 109-mile pilgrimage from another icon of Catholicism, La Verna. Now…
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