Day 29 / Saint-Priest-la-Feuille - La Besse / 37.42 km

I wake up early. Today I will go to La Besse, where I will stay 2 nights, to get there I need to climb a mountain of around 650 meter. The definition of a mountain is a hill higher than 300 meters above sea level, in the Benelux mountains should be  minimum 600 meters above sea level. It’s not yet raining but Monsieur Agricole predicts rain from 10 o’clock onwards, with the heaviest rain at the moment I will be climbing the mountain.The yesterday news predicted snow from 800 meters onwards. With a 150 meter margin I should be fine. I have a meagre breakfeast (bread, coffee, butter, a hard boiled egg and some jam which I had to ask for).One thing which struck me during breakfeast is that French often don’t provide a plate for breakfeast. Maybe it is that a French breakfeast often hasn’t a lot to put on a plate.I hit the road around 8.30. 



This morning my legs are feeling rested. Maybe it  also helped I consumed a considerable quantity of pasta I prepared myself yesterday. Although a lot of climbs running goes great. It’s raining but not to hard. I’m able to run at an average of 10kmph and after an hour and half I reach a village where I have a coffee and buy my lunch. When I leave I decide to I put on my raining gear. WhenI leave the bar It’s start raining. The environment remains beautiful and most running is done on small roads without any traffic.





The weather is getting worse as predicted. In the distance I see the mountains which need to be climbed. I’m able to run most of the time.When I arrive at the foot of the mountains I notice to my surprise I have ran 21.2 km with a running time of 1 hour 56 minutes. The running goesvery well today indeed.

To get to to the top it will take about 7.5 km of climbing. The top is called Saint Goussaerd. A bar-restaurant should be available, which is a nice incentive.The road,which after 1 km,changes in a beautiful path trough a forest. The ascent is steep, I’m using my running poles, but I make good progress and I’m enjoying the environment. The climbing goes almost effortless and to my surprise I rather quickly reach the top. It continues too rain harder. The bar-restaurant is closed. I can be so naive. I have my lunch under a shelter. The next 8 km is a descent to La Besse. I look forward to be run down on the trail path.






At the place where the  descent starts an arrow shows the way to a viewing point 150 meters away. Unfortunate I’m not rewarded for my detour. I guess that without the fog, clouds and rain the panorama is spectacular. I return to the descent point and start running down. The trail runs though a forest, a mix of leaves and rocks are covering the path. It’s one of the best trail paths I have ever run. Quick, by times somewhat technical, but mostly a soft underground. For almost 8 km the path descents direction La Besse. After a non-stop run of less then 40 minutes I arrive in the valley. Although the rain is pouring down, and I’m very wet,  I did/have a great time. 






The last kilometres to the place I’m staying is mainly climbing. When I get closer the rain stops and a weak sun starts shining. It offen seems to stop raining when I stop running and started doubting the concept of coincidence. 

I arrive at la ferme La Besse. This morning I learned from an old man I met on the road that the food served at the place is great. When I check in I learn that another pilgrim is expected to arrive as well today. 2 hours later Antonio arrives, the Brazilian guy some people have talked about the last days. Antonio, a retired journalist, is walking from Vézelay to Compostela. He’s is a friendly, humorous, somewhat chaotic guy. He tells me he has lost the way a couple of times so I help him to get an offline gps app and Compostela routes installed on his IPhone. He is a happy camper and I feel as a boy scout who has done his daily good deed.win-win.

In the evening we have dinner together. As a large group for a private dinner party is expected we have to eat at 19.00 and can only have the pilgrim’s menu. I’m somewhat disappointed as I was looking forward to a more gastronomical dinner experience.The pilgrim’s menu, made out simple products, is luckily very nice. I can arrange with the lady-owner to have a more gastronomical menu Sunday afternoon. 

With the gastronomical lunch arranged Sunday planning will be : sleep long, breakfeast, rest, extensive lunch and afterwards watching the “Ronde Van Vlaanderen” bike race. I will need to score some melocakes and whiskey. It will be a perfect Sunday if it rains in Flanders. 





Lessons learned :

- Even when it rains one can have a great run.
- French breakfeast does not necessarily include a plate to eat from. 
- As from next Friday Monsieur Agricole predicts 20 degrees and sun. I hope it doesn’t get to warm.....


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