Day 8 / Chateau Porcien - Reims / 41.50 km

Yesterday evening I arrived in Château-Porcien. The first village with spicific pelgrim logging . Unfortunate I forgot to take pictures so you will have to wait to see how a Pelgrims looks like when I sleep in another one (imagine bunk beds).

I wake up after a good sleep. Look outside to check the weather. No rain but the sky is gray...After breakfeast I prepare my backpack. Preparing my backpack is becoming some kind of ritual ; I take all the stuff out, make sure that all individual items (clothes,sleeping bag,electronics,...) are neatly packed in their separate waterproof bags. Next step is to put all the separate bags with a certain order in the backpack. The order is based upon the item’s weight if I will need it during the day and finally the item size. I’m not yet at a stage that I have given a name to my backpack but don’t be surprised I do.

The distance to cover to reach Reims is roughly 42 km. The day was a variation on the same theme of the last days :

Start running, after 8 km rain, continue to rain until km 35,endless roads,  villages with most of the shops/bars (permanently) closed. 

Concerning the French road signs : French roadsigns are not consistent. Sometimes  the distance is indicated, often not. If indicated the distances differ often (sometimes significantly)from gps distances. The distances indicated on subsequent roadsigns or often not logical : it can be that the on a first roadsign the distance to a village is 5 km, 3 km further a second roadsign the distance indicated to be 4 km. Anyway, The road signs to Reims were available plenty. Unbelievable they all indicated the same distance : 21 km.

As mentioned the day was a variation on the same theme of the last days. After 4 km I ran some along a very nice canal which  I would have enjoyed it more was It not it started raining again.

Due to rain my  main focus is to get from point A to B ADAP (as dry as possible) and find some shelter and warmth between the different stages. The challenge though is that in the villages I pass most of the shops and bars are gone, closed or non-existent so there is no real possibility to stop. As result I keep running. I hope that the next days the weather will change as I’m not able to take the rest as I should do.

Most of the roads I ran today are like the picture above. Due to the rain it not possible to take dirtroads for the time being. The advantage of the roads above though is that you can make great progress. Disadvantage is that they are quite monotone. This is not a problem as long if you encounter on regular intervals a village ( closed shops or not). Yesterday I had one stretch of 15 km with nothing. Today I was more lucky as every 4 to 5 km I passed a village. 

After 30 km I got my first sight of Reims, still 12 km away.

7 km before Reims It stopped raining an some sunlight was produced. This allowed me to enter Reims in style : no rain pant and sunglasses. The road into Reims was a typ: one chain shop next to another, gradually including more houses until only city houses and shops. I had expected the shops in the city to be open but most seemed to be closed (I assume the shops in France close for the weekend Saterday afternoon). The city makes a death impression to me.But maybe it is because it t started raining again.

Finally I reach the Cathedral. My first milestone to Santiago after 297,1 km running. Monday I start running towards Vézelay roughly 300 km further.

I briefly visited the Cathedral but will do a more extensive visit tomorrow. I’m staying 2 nights in Reims to rest and site seeing. After I receive a stamp I head to the youth hostel I booked. After taking a shower and a long talk with Jo I do some laundry. I’m surprised how fresh clothes can smell after some thorough washing....

This evening I will treat myself with Pizza and Champagne !

Lessons learned :

- French signroads are not to be trusted.

- It’s raining to much. I’ts raining to much. It’s raining to much,.......

- Running 40 km every day with a backpack is feasible and most of the time fun (if not raining)

- Thanks FaceTime !

- No answers yet why I’m running to SdC.

- Not a lot of other Pelgrims around thus far.

- The youth hostel offers separate pelgrim prices during the pelgrim season. Was not aware there is something as a pelgrim season.

- Receiving regular support of friends and family is key to succeed.

Song of the day : Fly - Machiavel

T.

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