Author Topic: The GR10, pigs and a present for myself!  (Read 6111 times)

youradvocate

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The GR10, pigs and a present for myself!
« on: 14:48:09, 13/08/15 »
I started hiking the GR10 sabout 20 days ago . It is really good but really hard in places. The food, wine and the locals (and the other tourists) have benn wonderf. I always thought that, like us, the French don't do languages. It is not my experoece on this walk, they all seem to want to help me and want to try to offer it in English as well

On my 8th day I had t had to wild camp in thick fog and pouring rain. At dawn I heard 'grunt' 'grunt! Three large domesticated pigs tried to take my tent apart! I had to whackone across the nose with my walking stick. I was soaked but at least they left!

On the 10th day I suddenly realised I had a hernia! What a bummer!

I hitchiked into a small town about 40 miles away and managed to buy a truss (81€!)

which has worked fine.


youradvocate

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Re: The GR10, pigs and a present for myself!
« Reply #1 on: 14:49:55, 13/08/15 »
Sorry pressed wrong button. I am on a rest day in St Lary Soulan today Back on the trail tomorrow

youradvocate

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Re: The GR10, pigs and a present for myself!
« Reply #2 on: 17:39:51, 13/08/15 »
I received a message by email a few days ago. Sorry but I have not been able to acess it as I cannot work out how to access it on this tablet. To email me direct send to www.werightwrongs@yahoo.co.uk. Ta!

christer

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Re: The GR10, pigs and a present for myself!
« Reply #3 on: 13:59:07, 14/08/15 »
Really good to hear from you, and kudos for continuing with a hernia.


I so want to do this route.....look forward to updates!

youradvocate

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Re: The GR10, pigs and a present for myself!
« Reply #4 on: 12:28:22, 03/09/15 »
I'm back home now, the TGV train from Perpingnan was fantastic. My first time on one, 300km an hour, really enjoyed it.

The GR10, glad I did it but today I really do feel 70! I have no physical problems (other than a hernia and one small blister that developed on the last hiking day) but what I did underestimate is how damp/wet I would be from continious daily perspiration. Adding the rain, mist and peasouper fogs to the experience kept me feeling wet almost everyday.

I bought a pair of Alpkit carbon fibre walking poles for the journey, one shattered after 3 weeks, I then just carried on with one. Although I kept ahead of keeping my clothes washed I felt there came a point where every bit of fabric seemed to be deeply impregnated with sweat.

At the ski resort above Bagneres I had an incident with a cow, with real horns!. Her calf was feeding from her so I decided the give her a wide bearth but made an error. I hesitated as I reach them both and the calf panicked and ran off. At that the mother went into rage mode and charged straight at me! She head butted me straight in the chest and knocked me completely off my feet into the grass at the side of the track. I was so lucky that she did not persue me. I managed to roll over 3 times in the grasss, stand up and then legged it away quickly! I can tell you that honestly, for a few seconds I was scared! As I was wearing my hiking waistcoat with pockets full of cards, papers, passport and so on, plus my tablet around my neck this absorbed the main impact. I then had a really bruised thumb for a few days and I think one of her horns got me in the right thigh, I was in real pain from that for a while but thankfully nothing else other than my heart fluttered for a while.

I almost decided to wear hiking shoes but at the last minute played safe and wore my almost new Brasher lightweight leather boots. I'm glad I did, there are an awful lots of rocky mountains to get over and numerous boulder chaos to walk accoss and the safety of ankle protection was for me, comforting. The soles are now worn out, well worn down badly on one side of the soles so they will be thrown away later today. Very good boots, no trouble and for me totally waterproof, except for damp feet caused by perspiratioin. I kept ahead of that by changing my socks every day and fitting dry liners everyday as well.

What I did find really helpful was my rain skirt, it did rain and drizzle a lot and it proved to be so easy to just put on and take off in an instant. I did get a lot off attention when wearing it, a few sniggers but mainly people who were interested in this 'innovation'.

I drank tons of water! I took my water filter with me and used it so many times, a great invention, a life saver and worth every penny!

As have written about weight loss before. I have lost nearly a stone in weight even though I ate and drank a lot every day.

I decided to keep to my normal walking routine, I do not cook so decided as always to go from bar to bar, restaurant to restaurant and so on. I stayed in a hotel once, a few Refuges and campsites but I also wild camped as well. The cost? Well I'm afraid I do not have much change from £1500.


Strider

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Re: The GR10, pigs and a present for myself!
« Reply #5 on: 13:07:56, 03/09/15 »
Welcome back, sounds like you had a lucky escape, how close to the cow were you?   Looking forward to the pics (of the scenery not of the cow)
Not all those who wander are lost

youradvocate

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Re: The GR10, pigs and a present for myself!
« Reply #6 on: 16:01:12, 03/09/15 »
I have taken some photos, to get a few of them on the Forum I just have to learn how to do it? Help!

Strider

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Re: The GR10, pigs and a present for myself!
« Reply #7 on: 18:10:47, 03/09/15 »
Well I use Photobucket. 
After adding some photos, hover over one and a little menu appears, select "Share Links" (1). 
On the "Photo Links" dialog box that pops up, click on "IMG" (2) to copy the link code. 
To add the photo to your report, type CTRL and V together to paste the code into the text box.

Not all those who wander are lost

youradvocate

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Re: The GR10, pigs and a present for myself!
« Reply #8 on: 18:48:46, 03/09/15 »
As general comments about the GR10 - A)  I found that generally small hamlets and villages seemed geographically further apart than in the Alps. B) wifi and mobile signals could be a bit erratic and weak, although some good signals could crop up in the oddest of places. C) Some of the cols, especially on a hot day for me were so physically demanding, both up and down. D) I was worried about the sheepdogs, I saw 2 but they never bothered me. E) The campsites were generally cheap, about 6 - 9 Euros, except for one in Ax les Thermes who wanted 17 Euros, I said No and wild camped. F) the Refuges had friendly staff, the food was OK, the wine was cheap and generally excellent. Thats basing it on my standards of course, I'm more than happy with Tesco's cheapest. G) Its a place for wild camping, I could have done the whole hike by wild camping if I had needed to. H) The French people I met were really great, wanted to try out their English and wanted all of us foreingers to have a good time. I was very greatful. I) The downside, so many yapping dogs, really got on my nerves at times, some dogs nearby seemed to want to bark all night long! J) So many smokers, nothing worse than when I was passed on a footpath by a beautiful, suntanned and fit young woman who stank like an old tin of Old Holbourn! And tattoos seem to be catching on! I'm just old I suppose!

youradvocate

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Re: The GR10, pigs and a present for myself!
« Reply #9 on: 11:53:17, 21/09/15 »


GR10 - I hope this works. Me after one whole day of warm rain, I felt wet but from perspiration, never felt dry for days!

youradvocate

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Re: The GR10, pigs and a present for myself!
« Reply #10 on: 11:59:10, 21/09/15 »
Oh dear, I'm making a mistake, sorry!

youradvocate

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Re: The GR10, pigs and a present for myself!
« Reply #11 on: 12:05:58, 21/09/15 »


Did this work?

Rhino

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Re: The GR10, pigs and a present for myself!
« Reply #12 on: 12:35:04, 21/09/15 »
Yes  :) 
Wainwrights Completed 12/12/15

youradvocate

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Re: The GR10, pigs and a present for myself!
« Reply #13 on: 14:26:26, 21/09/15 »
I'm trying to work out what I am doing wrong, are my photos not showing because I have deleted them from Imgur?

Rhino

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Re: The GR10, pigs and a present for myself!
« Reply #14 on: 15:05:31, 21/09/15 »
Hi YA
 
yes if you delete them from the website your linking to then you get the blank screen or message etc
Wainwrights Completed 12/12/15

 

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