The Rota Vicentina Way

THE BEGINNING,   It feels strange, with the Covid pandemic and two years of minor isolation at home, I finally get to go and do one thing I love,,,,WALK. Not just to walk, but to Ultra Walk, to experience new countries and new people, to get that warm burn in my legs from the uphill climbs, and the ache at the end of a long day of hiking on the "way", To drink local red wine at sunset and to eat clean food in a tiny local  beachside cafe with my friends. Im sitting on the carpet of my office looking at Leonard, for those who have followed me before, you know Leonard, "Leonard the Girl Elephant". Leonard my backpack has done every step of all my walks that count, there are new designs and lighter and better materials on backpacks today, but the thought of upgrading and leaving Leonard behind isn't an option, we go till there is no more walking left, she and I. I like my blogs to read in order, so I date them backwards, this way the first intro page always comes u...

 It’s been a long day and night from South Carolina to our starting point, so it’s time to relax and catch up. I have not seen Patty in about 3 years, and Bills visit to SC was a year ago. We all arrived in Lisbon early this morning , them earlier than me, we left 4 hours late so BP went on to our start location and got our accommodation . I spent 2.5 hours in the emigration line, half way down I decided to video half the insanity that was ahead of me. I’m now out of a taxi in Lisbon and onto a regional bus for two hours, and all I’m getting is photos of the two of them at a cafe drinking white wine. I have not slept for 32 hours so I’m pretty knackered  It feels good to be back on the adventure trail again-yet I’m somewhat apprehensive.  Maybe because it’s been two years and I have not put in much training . No big deal, it’s going to be great. I have to say, flying with that freaking mask on is no fun for 9 hours, but apparently Portugal has just dropped the mask mandat...

  The hilltop castle Santiago do Casem is this cute village that’s very typical of the rural area of the Alentejo region, it’s old center is all cobbled streets that head up to the castle atop a prominent hill. This town became part of Portugal in 1217 when the then king, handed it over to the local Christians. Today we walk, and I am so ready. Little did we know what was in store, my guide book is as useless as tits on a bull, the info is wrong and so is the distancing. It took the three of us to make sense of the day and make it to some accommodation. Me and my book, Bill on google earth, and Patty on Stingy Nomade. we were not ready for today, we thought it was to be an easy first leg with a rest stop at 3 miles where we could buy water and snacks. It took us 13 miles of hard hiking before we saw our first break. We ran out of water and I think the fact I had an apple with me saved my bacon. It was surprisingly rough and we both made, and lost elevation the whole day. This secti...

 10-17-21 After yesterday, we were a little apprehensive for this leg. Started out earlier and made our way to the trail. In order to find accommodation, we had to go 5 miles off trail, today we have to back track that and get back on the trail in order to get to Cercal.  Lucky it’s overcast today again, but our spirits were a bit better after a great meal last night. I am not sure what it was yesterday , was it really that bad, or am I getting soft after two years of not walking?, I think it’s a little bit of both. Anyway, I knew better, what I was in for this leg, and we all just walked it out.                                                          Breakfast We were looking forward to a section at the huge lake, as we could walk along the water, this would be pretty and cooler, but low and behold, when we go to the lake, it was mo...

 Do I have a story to tell, an easy 18 km day, pretty straight forward all the way to the coast. Bill and I set out early as Patty is going to rest her blistered foot and meet us in Porto Covo. We checked the book “ the freakin book” and headed out. We both commented that it felt like a day on the Camino, cute tidy country lanes and lots of little farms and flowers etc We climbed up through areas of aromatic shrubs and past a local artists home, eventually we crested the brow of this hill, grateful to reach the top and ,,bang, there it was, we could see the ocean for the first time. It was a great feeling and I could feel a pep in my step. Ahead we saw some guys from Luxembourg, so we said hi and started a conversation. They told us they had met a Dutch guy  earlier and he was going to Porto Covo but was on the wrong trail, we said we were going to Porto Cove, and it got awkwardly silent for  a second, oh, so your also on the wrong way, they said. Son of a ,,,, the book s...