Episode 8-Ruta de Pedra en Sec, Day 1

Everything is going just fine considering. Fernando is terrific. He showed up this morning with a backpack half the size of mine with everything he needed.

I immediately jettisoned half my stuff only to realize after a couple of hours on the trail that I should have left the pants and shirt I’m wearing and worn the pants and shirt I left behind. Oh well live and learn, live and learn.

The trail is really beautiful, so quiet, so remote and peaceful. We saw 3 women hiking towards us this morning and a Swiss couple hiking in our direction but otherwise we’ve seen hardly a soul other than mountain goats in over 6 hours on the trail.

The Refugio Son Amer is actually quite nice.
We arrived at about 4:00 dropped off our backpacks and headed over to see the incredible 13th Century Monasterio Lluc before dinner at the Refugio.

The Refugio has beds for 52 but so far it’s just me, Fernando and the Swiss couple. 5 other people have reservations here tonight but haven’t arrived. They stayed last night and left this morning from the Refugio de Tossal Verd (where we are headed tomorrow) so they may be lost.

Honestly it’d be easy enough to get lost. The Ruta is well marked but only sporadically and there’s no one to ask for directions if you get confused.

I’m really glad I’m not doing this on my own. Fernando is a wonderful guy, he’s Mallorquin but lived in New Hampshire for 4 years in his early 20’s, has a great sense of humor, knows the flora, fauna and history of the area, likes my jokes and is a good listener so we are having a great time.

Tomorrow we head to the Refugio at Tosssal Verd. It’s only about 16 kilometers but it starts with an ascent of over 800 meters followed quickly by a decent of similar magnitude.
Fernando says it will be our most challenging day.

I asked Fernando if we could start really early like 7 AM because I’d like to get the ascent out-of-the-way before the heat of the afternoon sets in.

I’d like to write more tonight. I actually have a lot of really interesting, clever and funny things to relate but I’m just completely exhausted, so tired, not sure why but I am, totally and completely.

So I’m going to finish this little glass of hierbas that Fernando gave me and hit the sack.

Duermen tranquillo, hasta mañana!