Étape 8: Castres - Cahuzac, 31 kms Hot, Sunny & Wonderful! 30

Happy Feet, Happy Pelerin!

The crew was up and ready to head off to the square for a quick breakfast, partially found in  the food market that was just setting up Then it was so long to Bob and Le Trois Pelerin were off and away, eager for a new day. We followed the river out of town which a nice way to depart before the busy early morning roads.

After a bit of a harried time walking along a busy highway we found quieter ways and met the first of many new friends today. This group happily enjoyed all the handfuls of grass that we could give them!

Then back along a river for a time to a peaceful place.

There were definitely some hills to cross today, but we are heading towards an ancient lake bed where it’s more suitable for Kathy to walk. 

Walking with Kathy

Looking for the positives

Our time together


Using a tracker on Kathy’s cell phone, Bob caught up to us and took a game, but tired Kathy back to Castres for a shower and a nap while we carried on for the next 5 hours.

And then there were two. We arrived into the village of Viviers where we stopped at the city hall and had our credentials stamped and they were really pleased to see us. A very nice reception and a very Chemin oriented stamp, as have been many on this way. We’d read that often this wasn’t the case, but so far it seems to be the norm. 

Then off down country roads...

...and surprisingly we passed by this very old former windmill, now part of a farming complex.

We walked onwards, all the while my boots were getting more and more comfortable. My crushed toes slowly stopped hurting, even the small one Ken. Nice shiny boots that will look slightly different at the end of this adventure. Funnily enough, Annemarie and I have ended up in the same boots! Never saw that one coming.

We stopped at Dourgne at a posh restaurant for a cold drink and were seated at a plastic table away from the dinning British folks. Can’t say I blame them. It was hot and no doubt we were probably not at our best:) We were just happy to sit a while and enjoy a cold beverage, on ice no less! We then retired to a bench in the square where we shared our baguette chicken sandwich we’d purchased this morning. So good!! 

After our all to brief rest we headed back out into the heat. How hot was it? Look at what happened to these sunflowers,

Annemarie’s 2nd Conversation with Kathy

We had just met a woman on the road who wished us well. Although our French is poor, and her English appeared non-existent, we understood each other well enough to learn that her mother had died of Alzheimer’s. This triggered my next conversation with Kathy...I asked her what reactions and responses she gets when she tells people she has Alzheimer’s. She kind of shrugged, and I told her about the range of reactions we’ve experienced (see following piece - Responses and reactions). Yes, she said, that was what she has experienced as well. She said that when people shut down, they just need more time. And then we talked about those who respond with “I’m sorry to hear that” and she said that’s another way of ending the conversation, and those people need more time too. She talked briefly about losing contact with some family and friends because they don’t know how to respond to her, especially since she has lost the art of conversation...more on that tomorrow.

Responses and Reactions: When we have told people about our Camino for Alzheimer’s Awareness, we typically get one of three responses; a) people are excited or inspired, b) they indicate that someone close to them has Alzheimer’s and we have a discussion about our experiences, or c) people shut down completely. We had the latter experience a few nights ago over dinner when we were chatting with a walker who finished his walk in Lunas. We proudly pointed out the Camino for Alzheimer’s Awareness on our shirts, and he immediately shut down and turned away. I have heard from members of my support group that this reaction is not uncommon, adding to the feelings of loneliness that people with Alzheimer’s and their families experience. It was a good reminder to us, and reinforced the importance of building awareness.

I want to add that Kathy and Bob did meet us in Cahuzac, both napping in the car:)

Lastly, we also want to say a particularly special hello to my cousin Gord and his wife Karen up in Prince George, BC. They were to have met the four of us in Castres to walk onwards to Toulouse, but fate intervened as it often does. About two months ago Gord experienced a stroke which changed everything in their lives for a time and has impacted the whole family. The support and response from family and friends has been wonderful, clearly indicating the high regard they are held in. I’m delighted to hear from their daughter Melanie that Gord has worked very hard and behaved well enough to earn weekend passes! We speak of you both often as we walk, knowing that you will, in time, find your way back to your passion for walking. As the French say to us when we pass by, “Courage!”.

Bon Chemin