tourdufromage

[tourdufromage]

9 days

As I stumble closer to my departure date, I am realizing how ill-prepared I am for this trip. I had grand visions of training hikes up Mt Si and Little Si, of walking up the stairs of my office building with my pack on and heavily weighted, of brushing up on my Italian and the tiny bit of French that I know and of actually reading and tabbing the guidebook for this lil’ (100+ mile) hike. Alas, NONE of those things have happened.

And yet I leave in 9 days.

I’m not too nervous about the technical aspects of the hike. I mean, I do worry about falling down a snowfield like that guy on Facebook (he self arrested and somehow caught it all on his GoPro. He’s fine.), or getting off-trail and falling down the side of a mountain like that girl from Florida (she’s also fine). But I’m comfortable on a mountain and am well-aware that this is not a race. Although I wish I had prepared a little bit more.

What AM I worried about? Running out of conversation topics with my mom. Sleezy guys on the trail (you wouldn’t think that this would happen, but it does. All of the time). The possibility that I might be forced to eat meat. The gastrointestinal consequences of eating meat for the first time in 18 years. On a trail, no less. Not being able to communicate with people. The shame that comes from being a monolingual American (this happens every time I visit a foreign country. I still haven’t done anything about it). Injuries. Not being able to complete the hike for some reason. Thunderstorms (well, the lightning, mainly).

Every little thing is gonna be alright. We’re gonna make it through (around, really) and it’s going to be amazing. 

#tour du mont blanc #switzerland #italy #france