X-Pyr J+1 Ichère Pass
What to say … The theme of the day? The rain … no need to look for thermal baths to relax, we are already bathed in humidity up to the tip of our toes. Anyway, overcast sky as soon as we wake up which definitely doesn’t announce anything good, after a breakfast and a quick packing of the camp, it’s time to set off, Thibault on his feet and us in a van on pursuit.
Thomas quickly decides to go with him on foot and drizzling rain is coming that breaks all hope of being able to fly, at least a “top to bottom” flight but, everything considered, there’s not even too much relief in the area that would allow us that.
After 60 kilometers on foot already covered yesterday, we swallow kilometres one after the other in a good mood. Despite this very changeable weather, we have the opportunity to discover wonderful landscapes scattered with clouds at all heights. We also experience some encounters. Some human ones when we meet other competitors or their assistants who go back and forth.
Some more animal ones like cows, sheep, horses… some less fierce than the others and among them one in particular. He first tries to rob Thibault’s wrap before attacking our van with his head. Then he rounds up his friends to prevent me from going away. A break in the rain allows us to make a glide to win some kilometres and to save our feet while going down. This was the first…and the last sky clearing of the day. The rain remains with us until the end. Nevertheless we have some short dry pauses but no relief is workable, looking more like fully green heaps than anything else.
We finally stop at 8:45 pm at the foot of the Ichère Pass to spend the night there between hay bales and river. We try to treat foot blisters and tendons as best as we can following the advices we received from everywhere. We take a very stimulating meal, swallow a camomile tea and go to bed for the night.
Results of the day: 70 kilometres on foot, 1980 meters of d+ – no way to speak about d-! – some foot blisters and a slightly inflamed tendon. Tomorrow, a visit to the pharmacy will be necessary to find something to calm it all, anti-inflammatory cream, straps, talc powder… we take everything! Otherwise, morale is high, music and laughter.
