Day 12. Up Down and Around and We Are Here…Somewhere…
Wisques to Amettes. 30 km. We continue to encounter steep hills, some of which are scary to ride down. And the Google Map App doesn’t always keep us on paved roads. Ken stops wherever he can for a drink…which amounted to only one place today, in addition to a small store.
Which way do we go?La Welsch. One heck of a gas station meal. 2 pieces of toast with ham, smothered in cheese sauce and broiled with beer. Heart attack in a bowl.This is a gas station??? It actually has charm…and a bar. Which Ken took advantage of.Crucifixes in some form or another in every village.Well, they are not shells or yellow arrows but they will suffice.Monkey puzzle tree…have only seen them in Vancouver / Victoria.Local school children pasted these cow pictures onto the wall. We especially liked this evil cow by Hugo. Hugo is most likely a stinker! Kinda like Ken.Our token tourist visit to the Eiffel Tower…or some version thereof.Ken: Yes??? Terry: Non!Call to the John Deere repairman.Incredible hills to climb. Gotta admire the brawn on this guy. Not only is he “poussez”ing the bike, he is “tirez”ing Rawley the Trolley. Ken says pretty good for a fat old man.Passed a “Templar” hotel…and that is a real drawbridge over a moat.Not meaning to be disrespectful by photographing a gravestone but there is such a stark contrast between this and the ancient cemeteries we saw in England.This translates to Hanne Albert, Age 22, shot right here by a German sentry. Ken says at this time of WW2, France had already surrendered to the Germans. So why shoot this young man?Really, Googlemaplady, really???Le random rogue village chicken. Ken was terrified!Our Gite for the night. Ferme de 2 tilleuls. They cater to pilgrims. Tilleuls are linden trees.Ken pretending he knows how to hard boil eggs.Pigeon coop.Melle and Inga, Via Francigena pilgrims from Estonia.Outside the gite. St Joseph…someone tends these as there are often fresh flowers. Ken has yet another brilliant idea (Insert Terry eye roll here). Hang a car deodorizer in his arm pit so he never has to shower. Woe is me.
Song of the day: “One more mountain to climb” by Dr Music
TerryandKenViaFrancigena2022 
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