Hiking Begins

I have to share with you Matt's journal entry from our first night. 

As the sun sets on my day and evening cloaks this small village tucked into the side of the sprawling swiss alps, the lights of cottages dot the landscape as stars light the sky. My body is weary but my spirit is high as the hospitality of an inn keeper welcomes us in. The sounds of laughter and chatter fill the background and flickering candles dance on tables. Curious eyes play prey to my attention as two wayward backpackers from America sneak to a table to tease our taste buds with a swiss delicacy of chocolate that makes one feel sinful for just enjoying its pleasure. We sit and speak of our journey riddled with excitement and adventure and sigh at the lack of shut eye. Anticipation for tomorrow brings sparkle to our eyes as the realization that this evening must draw to a close and our eyelids must draw shut. The chapter of today is finished and dreams of grander await. My lovely says she loves me with her eyes her lips never move. The silence is perfect for sweet conversation and as we lay down our heads the moon says good night.

 We left St. Luc the storybook heaven, now for the real hiking adventure. We left rather late (at 10a). Up the funicular by 11:20a and off we go down this country path. We thought it far too easy and big. We were in for a big day. This woman was so happy Rachelle and I had been hiking together for practice. It got me prepared for these all day hikes. Here are some stats; 36 years old, still nursing (so pumping throughout the day) and started period today, 17 pound pack on my back. shesh what else can one woman have go on with her body.
In my mind I had 9 miles stuck in as our distance to hike today. However after we had gone 9 miles and no hut I checked the itinerary. No not 9 miles but 11 miles is the goal.

 Here is our turn off point. We head left behind this cottage and up the slope through the cow pastures. There were huge cows that dotted the hillside. They all wore these amazingly huge bells that told the farmer where they were. The fencing was not well done and really not needed here.

 We had stopped her as our overlook point. Funny story; I needed to pump now and was facing the view eating lunch and pumping on the hillside and Matt was to be my lookout. You can already see where this is going huh? He starts talking about "tippy toe" this episode in Seinfeld about Jerry being the lookout and having a code word for someone is coming. He was talking and enjoying the view and I say, "Matt is anyone coming?" as he has not looked up past me in a while. With wide eyes he half looked caught in trouble and half laughed. "Yes, there are like six guys coming. I'm not kidding." Quickly I put myself together and looked like I was innocently eating lunch like Matt and enjoying the view and then the guys were past us and gone. They were the last people we saw hiking on the trail that day. So in the future Mr. "tippy toe" cannot be trusted with the lookout. :)

All the rocks up here above the tree line had this florescent lime green moss on them. Beautiful. We are very high up on the mountain ridge. Our day is just perfect. Not difficult. A little hard to breath at this altitude, but a great day.

 This is their sophisticated fencing system. Thus the bells. The first time we passed the cows at the head of the trail. I was so unsure of passing them so close, even though I knew they were female and safe. I just couldn't make myself go by them. They had these horns and were so tall. I had watched Matt walk by to give me courage and know they were fine. But my feet wouldn't move. Then this group of french ladies were walking up, they were a little timid too. I grabbed onto this ladies arm and walked with her. So funny. Matt just laughed and laughed at me. There was no request from me or words spoken. We just both chuckled. She played the role of my mother for just that brief moment.

 I walk way around these cows, they were just too big. And I'm a scaredy cat. Matt loved the novelty of it all.

 I am getting a blister already and we stop for treatment.

"We are in it now!" I kept saying this all day. I just could not believe that Matt and I were hiking in the Swiss Alps and that we were going to hike over these mountains. And that we were in the alps hiking over a mountain pass. It was crazy to me. And insanely beautiful.

As we were hiking up to these mountains I was like okay, taking it in stride and going up over. Matt told me later that in his mind we were not going to hike over those ridges but that surely the trail was to go into the v of the rock where you can't see somehow. But oh yes we went up and over.

 Here we go! We made it to the top of Meid Pass. As you can see on the sign only 3 hours and 30 minutes to hike to Turtmanhutte. It took 1 hour 30 minutes to ascend the 2,200 feet to the top of the pass. We were feeling great.

 On the descent down we heard the tinkling of sheep bells and saw some fish jump in the lake but little else. It was so peaceful and quiet. God's beauty is unparalleled.

 We see the glacier off in the distance and know that is our destination.

 It misted a little before coming over the pass but otherwise perfect weather. An overcast day that made for a little sunburn on my face. We were to get rain at the end of our day.

 The streams were cold and clear. Perfect drinking water, so we didn't have to carry much water but just fill up when we needed.

 Matt was in his element and such a good companion. We could not have been more blessed this day.

 These humongous slugs were everywhere on the trail. They were so big.

 The tail was very steep here along the tree line. This picture is looking down at the trail that did a switch back.

 I didn't take any pictures till this last turn up the trail to our hut because the last two hours of our hike were rainy. Enough to get out my poncho and then even drench my pants and run into my shoes.

11miles came and went and still no hut. I wasn't terribly worried because I knew that the pictures of the hut were near the glacier and we were headed to the glacier. I kept saying it is just around the next alcove. We came to the base of the glacier at the lake and look for the trail. In my mind the hut was on the right side but we see this building lit on the top of the cliff to the left. I jokingly say there is our hut. Well instead of lightening the mood Matt's whole body just sank. Wrong thing to say. And not many steps later that statement proved to be true. The fog was rolling in and the sunlight fading. We needed to get up that path soon. The sign said 35 minutes to the top. 45 minutes later we were at the door to the hut. 3/4 of the way there I was just so worn. My spirits had pretty high the whole day. But now I felt the burn in my muscles and remember my stats part above. I was just worn. Matt offered a snickers bar to get us through and I jumped on that. It did satisfy :) That bar and prayer and songs of praise got me up the rest of the way. I kept saying to Matt to be careful. It was getting dark and the rocks in the path seemed slippery and I was worried about Matt falling with that big pack. But God was with us and we ended our day non too soon.

Pictures of the hut and details of dinner tomorrow.

Swiss Houte Route

The Swiss Houte Route is a very famous trekking trail. This would take 14 days from Mount Blanc , France to the Matterhorn in Zermatt, Switzerland. The hiking and hut trip that Matt had found is a five day hiking experience that hits the end of the Houte Route and that would hit most of the highlights and views of the swiss alps. 

 Here is part of my journal from the first night in Switzerland;
I sit in the most amazing hotel that nestles into the side of the swiss alps. I am drinking a Swiss hot chocolate handmade here in the mountains. As we walked toward our hotel the sparkle of the mountain danced in my eyes and the weary journey of the last 36 hours walking-bus rides, train rides more hiking and a sleepless airplane ride have all melted away and we are over come with the beauty of God's mountain.

Our morning views.

there were no blow driers or curling irons for this girl for the entire 9 days.

 Matt couldn't help but drink in our fairytale accommodations and lazy morning.

Original homes at the village of St. Luc

 Taking the funicular up to the beginning of our trail.

The Swiss Alps

 When Matt was dreaming about a destination backpacking trip for his 40th birthday he had kept this hut and hike trip in Italy out of his Backpacker Magazine. (One of his favorite pieces of literature to read). As the time to make reservations and plans began to approach he changed his mind and dreamed of Switzerland. Both places where exciting to me and really sat on the shelf in my mind thinking we would not be able to go. Matt invited friends to make the journey with us and being as we, all have families and no idle money to devote to travel, no one could join us. Matt decided to work extra hours and make this dream of his come to life. It was a decision of the deck or travel. I always vote for travel, but did not pressure at all and he chose to travel for his birthday. With three months to plan I became the Murphy travel office and got things all lined up.

It was very difficult to plan a backpacking trip to Switzerland as A: I have never been to Switzerland, B: I have never done more than one night of Backpacking and C: I do not speak French or Swiss German. With my adventurous spirit and the excitement of international travel I plowed ahead. Most of my summer has been researching backpacking gear that I needed, mapping out and booking huts and travel and training for our hike. We knew our trip would be about 50 miles of hiking and also knowing I had recently given birth to a new little boy; weight loss and preparations were required. I also spent a great deal of time preparing those who would have my children with schedules and details and a newly written will. yikes! Preparation is key.

We had so many doors that God opened for us to take this trip by providing money through an extra job, at the last minute a travel agent helping us get some tickets and contacting the man who wrote and mapped out our trip in the alps all paved the way for our journey.

As with all journeys there are windfalls and hiccups. I will enjoy describing both.

I could probably write a book with the details and information that I would love to share. I approached the computer tonight with a mind gushing full of excitement and stories I wanted to share.

Switzerland is just amazingly beautiful. The best way to describe it is to imagine a storybook setting. Imagine Heidi. In fact we meet a couple that live in the town that the story Heidi came from. You will see some of the beauty in our photos but being surrounded by the alps is such a once in a lifetime experience.

Flew out of Louisville, KY on Sunday, September 7th at 2:45p
   We caught a ride to the airport with a good friend and left our children with continual "one last hugs". This was going to be a long trip. Only a 1hour lay over in Washington D.C. then over the ocean to Geneva and arriving at 8am. The flight was only 9 hours but we were also flying into the future as they are 6 hours ahead of us. So our time was actually 2am arrival. I pushed for us to continue our day if we were to acclimate to this new time.

Taking the train to the other side of Geneva Lake we made stops at Vevey and Castle Chillion in Montroux.

Lake Geneva was beautiful and very cold. I saw this guy swimming by and thought I wonder what the water feels like here. I think my toe turned to ice the instant I touched the water.

 I had so looked forward to having Matt all to myself this trip, I have to share him with four little ones now, not to mention his phone. No distractions here in Switzerland. Here is the happy couple.

Here is Matt's pack weighing in at 38 pounds and my smaller blue pack weighing in at 17 pounds for the pack and 2 pounds for my camera bag in the front.
(Just think I have lost 17 pounds in the inform class this summer! So you can visualize the weight I lost. Crazy) Since this was a backpacking trip there was no place to leave your bag. We carried these packs for 9 days everywhere we went.

 This was definitely the walkers path here by the lake. We were ment to find this little market that Vevey was known for, but they were closed on Monday. So we found a lunch spot and had pizza by the lake. Then trained over to the castle stop.

Charlie Chaplain and Audrey Hepburn both had homes along Lake Geneva. Here was  a little rose garden in Charlie's honor.

Matt is messing with his fancy hiker's watch he bought for the trip. This would map out our path and mark our way points and keep track of miles. Also a compass in case of our need for mapping issues.

 The flowers on the path to the Castle were gorgeous and well kept. Behind Matt's head is our hiking destination for the castle. Both of us were wearing down and getting tired of walking already. Not very much sleep was to be had on the plane and just plowing through our sleepiness to enjoy our new adventure.

 This castle was built in medieval times; whoever lived in the castle were the ruling principalities of that time. Even Lord Byron was there and wrote a famous poem about a prisoner there.

We decided to get ourselves on the train and get to our hotel for the night in St. Luc. Our starting place for the trail the next day. It was God again who gave us this nudge because we ended up catching the last bus our of Sierre to St. Luc that night. Again, I am not the professional travel agent and we didn't have bus schedules or train times laid out for us. I had not micro planned our trip in that kind of detail. but we were to know that later on our trip.

The bus ride up the mountain from Sierre to St. Luc was incredible! I could not believe the steep ascent that we were to make. I watched behind the drivers seat in a Swiss tarc bus as the town of Sierre in the valley became smaller and hidden while we climbed the switch back road up the side of the mountain to this storybook village. Matt had fallen asleep on the bus and I sat wide eyed at many points and closed eyes praying at others. The bus would swing wide toward the cliff to make its long body turn on the hairpin curve as I would gasp in disbelief. Guardrails were minimal to nonexistent and the road itself was not wide enough for more than the bus we were on. Many points other vehicles waited on wide random shoulders while the bus continued on. I couldn't imagine riding this route up and down the mountain everyday as workers and students around me do. I was telling Matt of the picturesque path and views he missed. The sun was setting and we were ready to sleep.

One more small connection to climb to our small village and then a short two block walk to our glowing hotel. We had gotten a bite waiting for the bus in Sierre, so a hot chocolate and coffee was on our mind before shut eye.

End of Day 1