Big day. The finest weather. The coolest modern refuge. Life is good.
Today we traveled through all kinds of terrain. We’re above mushroom country now. Up and down, up and down into high alpine basins, deep forested valleys, high rocky windswept passes, and alongside stunning creeks at times. Will is a champ. They’re a very confident and wise backcountry traveler. It’s a joy to be with them in this terrain, on this journey.
We saw more people out hiking today but mostly we spent long stretches alone in the vast Pyrenees wilderness. The Andorran refuge was hopping. Saturday night!! Modern architecture, solar power, stunning views, cool vibes. A comfy bed, the food, the warm shelter are all gold after these long days (with light packs, another perk). We ate dinner and breakfast with 3 Brits. Men in their 50s/60s on a 4 day bros hiking trip. One was a linguistics professor in Germany, married to a French woman, and teaches Swahili. Neat conversations. Love these moments that only happen when you’re on the road. They asked me “the question” I’m consistently getting on this trip when I share that (1) I’m Canadian and (2) I live in the US. “Why (on earth) do you choose to live there?”. My answer varies from life story, to excuses, to I-don’t-know, to I-love my-friends to it’s complicated. But what’s so very sad is that strangers ask the question. Sigh. For now, I’ll just focus on the mountain paths in front of me.

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