‘M off….bus wnkr hike.

You’re lucky to be able to be there in the first place. :thumb2
Both my knees are totally shot and I used to do a lot of walking / hiking. I have to go on my emtb now. There’s no way I could get to some of the places I used to.
Make the most of it while you can! :thumb2
 
Inspirational stuff, thanks for sharing.

Most people are good & kind, most people get a buzz from helping others. It is nice to be nice!

The views look spectacular, “keep on buggering on” and enjoy the peace of a slower pace.
 
Good news on many fronts.
I'm looking forward to more updates, thank you.
Enjoy yourself as much as you can, take care and stay safe Comrade.
 
This morning at about 7.15 I arrived back at the point that I’d left the trail the other day.
I had a banana and a couple of bars and set off. The first couple of kms were along a path between the river I’d crossed the other day and the road that had taken me from and brought me back to the GR11.
After that the path headed up a very steep path with rocks and roots and the enjoyment went out of the task straight away.
That made me think about stuff and it probably took me about 45 minutes of climbing to stop and admit it.
I was at the end. My end. I was concerned about my tiredness too. Three days rest hadn’t put much back in the tank so….I stopped. I turned around, headed back down and started my journey home.

This adventure, and it has certainly been one of those, is the toughest one I’ve tried. Did I succeed? Did I fail? You decide what you think, I’m happy with my efforts, disappointed of course but as a certain Mr Eastwood said “a man’s got to know his limitations “

I found mine this time.

More to follow
 
It wasn't a small task you set yourself, better to realise now than somewhere remote with difficult access.

Perhaps spend time in the Lakes, the Highlands ort' Pennines, when you're fully recovered.

All you've done up to now looks bloody good, are there any lakes or spa's you could recover around?
 
You certainly didn’t fail in any respect at all!
Just look at what you’ve achieved up to that point. A hell of a lot more than most will ever do! :thumb2
You have some great memories and pictures to remind you of that.
Well done for stopping. If you’d carried on you’ll probably end up making a costly mistake and getting injured.
Get home to the missus! :thumb2
 
A spa? Nah. Me being me, once I’m done I’m done.

I started walking back to Bielsa and tried my luck hitching. I walked about 7km before a French couple in a very nice BMW stopped for me and took me in to town.
I then walked to the main road to try and get to Ainsa and then on eventually to Zaragoza where I could get home from.
I could have gone north towards Toulouse but I’m more comfortable with Spanish so that made it easy for me to decide.
Anyway, just 10 minutes walking saw someone stop for me, another French car, a Toyota this time, and they asked where I wanted to go.
I said Ainsa which they’d never heard of and when I mentioned Zaragoza they said “oh, we’re going through there on the way to Madrid”.
In I got and the two French English teachers had no problem conversing, obviously.
By 13.50 I was at the main station in Zaragoza and gave them some lunch tokens (Euros of course) and sat down to ponder the options.
No flight from Zaragoza until Thursday.
A 28 hour Flixbus service leaving at 2am Wednesday morning or where I’m sitting now, the train(s).

Another new experience for me, paying that much for a rail ticket yes, but also going this far by train.

At 14.50 the first of three trains set of in time. It’ll take me to Narbonne in France. I’ve then got an overnighter to Paris and should be back in that London by 10 o’clock tomorrow morning.
From there it’s an hour and a quarter ish back to sunny sunny Whitstable.
30 minutes walk and I should be home in time for lunch….and a shower…and deodorant, I need deodorant.

Thanks for following along. Thanks for the encouragement. It really helped. It’s a shame that I didn’t get further ‘cause you’ll have to all go and find some other idiot to follow now.

Humbly, OnHellas.

ps having just taken the selfie, I’ll be having a shave pretty damn soon after getting in doors too!!
 

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I’m happy with my efforts
A definite win from where I'm looking in.....and the above says it all. What a great adventure.

Knowing when to stop is key....I can imagine you sitting in a shackletons high seat chair in 5 yrs, unable to walk properly, can't ride anymore etc etc...but at least you kept on going on the GR11....and totally screwed your ankles, knees, hips and head !!
 
I concur with what others have said. You went, you pushed yourself, you saw some wonderful stuff and met some terrific people. You also knew when to stop before something really bad happened. I see no failure.
Sitting on one's ever increasing fat arse, continously adding to a 'Must do list' without actually doing any of it is my idea of failure. DAMHIK.

Thanks again for taking the time to post the pictures and keep us updated. 👍.

FWIW doing a long trip by train is also on my 'To Do' list so that's another step you are ahead of me.
 
Well done fella....feel good about what you've done

Those aches and pains are your rewards...just make sure to exaggerate the pain for the other half to look after you
 
Well done fella....feel good about what you've done

Those aches and pains are your rewards...just make sure to exaggerate the pain for the other half to look after you
Already waayyy ahead of you on that one 😂😂😂
 
Well done, you achieved a great walk and saw some wonderful sights, but your greatest achievement is knowing when to pack in.
If only some others would have took a leaf out of your book ie, Capt.Scott, also Mallory and Irvine. They would have lived to tell the tail, their biggest enemy was probably their ego's which took them past the point of no return.
This comparison may sound OTT but the same rules apply and you stuck to them, that first beer is well deserved.:beer:
:beerjug:
 
I thought that I’d updated my return journey above but as one that tries to respond to requests.

The journey home.

I gave up walking the trail and turned around to head home.
I walked back to the Refugio de Pineta to see if anyone was heading in to Bielsa…I quickly determined that that was a no so carried on walking, sticking my thumb out hopefully at each passing vehicle.
A few km down the road, after cake and cold drinks at a campsite, a car pulled up. A nice shiny BMW with a French couple on their way home. They’d enjoyed a couple of nights at the Parador back up the road.
They dropped me in Bielsa and I immediately walked along to the main road, next stop Ainsa. I’d found a ride share on BlaBlaCar for 3pm that could take me to Zaragoza for €20.
Main road, thumb back out and the fifth vehicle to pass pulled up. French again, on being asked where I was going I said Ainsa. They’d never heard of it and I said that Zaragoza was my target.
Their reply was the best. “We’re going to be passing through Zaragoza on our way to Madrid, get in”. So the two French English teachers, I know, how lucky, took me to Zaragoza. They even dropped me at the station!!

At 13.50 I walked in to the building, found a bench to sit on, opened the Trainline App and booked my ticket to London.

14.50 Zaragoza to Narbonne on the TGV.
Arrive at 18.45

20.35 Narbonne to Paris Austerlitz. Arrive at 06.40 the next day. The couchette wasn’t the best but I think that all six of us in the compartment managed to sleep some. The window being open helped I’d say.

Paris Austerlitz to Paris Gare du Nord on the Metro. I got slightly confused and struggled to find a staff member. I managed to keep my ‘tiredness’ at bay.

08.40 Paris to London St Pancras arriving at 10am.

The train was about 12 minutes late which helped for the 10.20 train that I could get to Whitstable. Luckily this was delayed due to earlier signalling issues so there was time to purchase a cold drink and some chocolate raisins. Nice.

By midday I’d arrived back in sunny sunny Whitstable, the other half was there to pick me up and I was soon indoors, in the shower de munting and putting on fresh clothes.
A cup of tea…nice.

I then booked an appointment with Frank, my favourite barber to tidy up the Barnet and get ride of the multi chin hiding device. The beard.

I also called the dentist as I’d broken a tooth, a molar, on an olive stone and it wasn’t very comfortable.

It all seems a while ago now, I am missing the hike. But I’m glad to have stopped because my leg is still not right and wouldn’t have repaired if I’d pushed on.
I’m also minus one tooth, the first I’ve lost, as it was to badly cracked to be repaired.

As to the GR11….next year. Maybe?
 
The cost of the rail travel.
Zaragoza to London. £368 as one purchase. The three legs in order were £114.51, £32.84 & £214.
There was a Trainline fee too.

The St Pancras to Whitstable would have cost £16.50 in advance but I waited and bought it on the day just in case there were delays or whatever. That ticket then cost me £38! A bit of a jump.

I could have waited a couple of days and flown but with hotels, food, maybe a taxi and then the train home from the airport it didn’t work out to bad. Plus there wasn’t any ag with walking poles as hand luggage and even my half full gas canister made it home again.

And the dentist? £164 for an extraction. It took a while as it was well rooted but at least it’s sorted. Salt water mouth wash isn’t so nice though.
 
Sorry, I missed the reply to the ‘how are your feet’ question.

Absolutely fine. No pain, no blisters, just a few scabby bits from over scratched mozzie bites.
 
Thank you for the great story (it’s more than a write up) of your personal journey. Glad you made the decision to stop. As you and Mr Eastwood say a man needs to know his limitations.
You certainly put some miles in on your travels.
The longest walk I’ve done is the Cleveland way at 100 miles it’s a gentle stroll compared to your walk.
I do want to do a long train journey in the next couple of years though.
Thanks again for keeping me at least entertained with your story.
 


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