Day 4 Rest Day
Courmayeur

I’ve skinned my elbows. Not from tripping and falling down on the trail, which might be predicted and/or expected, but instead from erasing 46 years off my age and choosing to go down the children’s slide. Some may think that’s an odd choice for my age, but how often does one get to slide down a tube when at 7,000 feet? This is an opportunity that cannot be passed by, even at the cost of a bit of skin. It was that or my bum hitting the dirt at the bottom in a blinding puff of dust, so I think I chose wisely.

Today is our “off” day in Courmayeur. We have hiked 30 miles in 3 days, ascending a total of nearly 9,000 feet and descending nearly 10,000 feet. Not surprisingly, there won’t be much rest on this Rest Day, given the combination of traveling with Gina and Alpenwild, who have planned some “restful” activities. Although admittedly, taking the cable car up to 11,000 feet was a bit easier than hiking up there.

We have ridden the Skyway Monte Bianco to the Punta Helbronner, the Eight Wonder of the World according their website. I will give them that, given the breathtaking (literally) views in every direction. From the panoramic terrace we can see back toward the valley we hiked down yesterday when we crossed into Italy, up toward the top of Mont Blanc, and given the fabulously clear skies, all the way over to the Matterhorn. The Matterhorn! This is nuts. These Europeans really know how to engineer their viewpoints.

After being treated to a most pleasant lunch of more pasta and cheese, followed by a cappuccino of course because we are in Italy now, it’s back to town for what else, but more food – gelato to be exact. The carbo-loading has gone a bit off the scale, but with 10 more miles of hiking looming for tomorrow, I see no reason to start a diet right now.