Hi, I'm Cartapouille, a french guy in a middle of a life crisis who is co-creating and hiking the HexaTrek, 3000km to cross France through the mountains! Coming summer 2022. I previously thru hiked the Via Adriatica in 2020. I also finished a small hike on the French Pyrenees following the GR10 for 150km. This is a daily short log to reassure my friends and family that I didn't die eaten by a bear or got blown up by a landmine. Insta: @cartapouille
This is it, after 154 days on the trail I crossed France by foot. I know many of you will discover this podcast with this episode, but it's not representative. Anyway who cares, that's done
A very very long episode (sorry) about that last bivouac night. Coming back on a lot of things that happened in the past months. Hence the length
After an amazing evening by myself and a view on the ocean, I have the annoying surprise to have other campers arriving at the last moment while I recorded
Sickness seem to be leaving me alone and other stuff like walking and hiking you know
What a day! My body is giving up on me, I'm getting sick and I didn't take enough care going down and injured my knee again, but brutally. Although I saw the ocean and it was quite a show!
Found an amazing bivouac spot after a horribly rainy day. Somebody will get sick...
Didn't realize pilgrims were strict about the time an auberge closes, so I had to Mission Impossible it
I reached st jean pied de port and now embarking in a terrible experience: being trapped with pilgrims in a traditional auberge. Help
Staying in a disgusting place, but luckily sheltered from the rain after a day of pure showers.
In a cold rainy dark forest I almost had to setup on mud while I hear the horny bucks yelling in a distance
When everything is foggy, wet and cold, a non marked unguarded cabin feels like heaven. Even when it's invaded shortly after arrival by three other soaking wet hikers
Life turned insanely comfortable tonight as my three best friends in Brussels surprised me with a free night in a hotel and a meal in a restaurant from a distance. Just lovely
Today is my birthday, it started terribly but ended way better than expected. And that was needed
Sometimes you hate something for almost no reason, everything should be amazing but hate gets in the way. Like procedurally generated content
Years after my attempt at a bit of the GR10, I'm remembering a town where I had some last memories with my grandfather
Bad luck happened with the lost of Simon who had to go faster, but good luck with Franck offering me a place to stay for the night . And a shower!
Finally I could see the lake! I missed it last year and this time could sleep next to it, fiou!
I'm using more and more the sentence "well it's almost over anyway" but I'm just jumping the gun really
After a stretch that I knew but in reverse, a series of coincidences made me go for an early meaty celebration
After trying for way too long to start this hike, I managed to leave the cabin. Because qi was late I didn't do the climb I needed completely and arrived at a nice bivouac with Simon
Today I'm just enjoying life in the grandparent's cabin, but it makes me think how I want to continue hiking
I'm in a safe place and an emotional one (where I spent my entire childhood) and feeling quite lazy
Big day of hiking in the worst possible weather condition, full of rain and intense wind. But I am making again more than expected
Surprised myself with a gigantic climb after starting really late. It's as nice to be back on the trail as it's ... Kinda boring, same old same old
Tomorrow I'll start hiking again but today was full of personal emotions
This day wasn't necessarily hiking related but I could spend a bit of time in family, and that was worth it
I took the decision to jump ahead in order to visit my grandma in St Lary, before hitch hiking back to get on the trail again. But today was all about thumbs
I was looking forward for months my arrival to St Lary where my grandma would wait for me, but today I realized it won't be possible. So i had to take a decision
Gorgeous hiking day with plenty of nice views, but I tried to push to get in time a dinner I'll never see. Hence disappointment
Came back to a funny named town of Seix with childhood memories, and ended up in the amazing gîte d'Esbintz
Bivouac spots and good food make for a lot of the pleasure in the mountains
I don't like money grabbing schemes of paying to stay by a refuge in tent with no advantage. So I am ranting
Sometimes you have to adapt to the trail, like when it gives you a fake house that can turn into a real one. And so I did. And i was good without network
Sometimes hiking with a hangover is not great. Especially in the mountains, especially in the rain, especially when you're lazy
Probably the best climbing day ending in a crazy bar by the mountain
Today wasn't a good hiking day, but then again it seems to be the theme for the Pyrenees now. It'll get better
Pretty day but difficult day too! Getting back into mountain hiking after my sickness is harder than I thought, so taking it slow. Also... Simon returns! And the campfires!
It's been months I wanted to meet with Emjoto, the most resilient hiker on the trail. And I could walk again a bit!
I thought I could continue but apparently I absolutely couldn't. So I'm looking forward to get back out there
Made it down the mountain to shock Mother with my smell, before seeing my videos in big screen. And my podcast game is not on point with a mornikg podcast again
First Time I can not record my podcast yesterday or this morning because I was so dead, puking all night is not fun in a tent. So this is a special double episode to cover those difficult last 48h
It's climbing time! The high mountains are back and it's not that easy to get there without my trail legs for ascent. And i got new shoes!
Although it was a bad hiking day, it's been a great humanity day. I did lose my sunglasses though
After waiting almost a day to get my package, I'm lucky to meet the unexpected villagers of Le Vivier, from old to very very new generation
Sometimes I like to stop the trail, sometimes the trail stops me. Forced to stay in a tiny village waiting for a package, I made the best out of it and became a local
Damn talked about many things here, like introspection, other hikers' discussions and forgot to mention how gorgeous the Gorges de Galamus are! Well... They are
Left really late our improvised castle because the place was too nice, and i could interview the farmer. And at the very end this guy appeared that was an actual Hexatreker!
A clean abandoned building is rare, but one that is in the middle of nowhere is incredible! Perfect to shelter from the wind
Because of the rain I was forced to hike way longer than expected, and I arrived in an exquisite village party. But it took a bitter turn just before going back to bed
Some days go according to plan and they are boring. Some go according to nothing and you end up in the title of this episode
A pure rest day is one where you don't move and don't do much things that are "practical". And it is bloody essential. Now i feel like hiking again