June 30. Day 3 Walking.

20.3 km (though guidebook says 24km) and 284 floors. The kms on my phone is consistently less than the guidebooks so who really knows. Felt like more anyway. 😂

Blister 1: left foot, second toe from baby. I thought the first victim was going to be my baby toe, which I’ve been nursing but I was tricked! I first noticed my second toe this morning, at the start of Day 3: fixed it at 3.5 km. My shoes are guaranteed against blisters. Salewa brand…imagine it could be worse without them? My socks are Smartwool and Icebreakers. The thinner, ankle biter Smartwool pair seem to work better so perhaps my socks are too thick? Otherwise, the shoes are quite comfortable. Will I ever find a “perfect” fit?!

I sent about 1 kg home this morning: my puffy down vest, a pair of hiking pants, the guidebook (nothing in it that’s not experiential or on the Net) and my coffee mug. I think I can feel a difference…maybe the lighter weight gave me the blister? 😂 Also had a shopping stop at 3.5 km for lunch, dinner, breakfast food this morning.

Blue sky with occasional clouds all day. Completely gorgeous day!

Stopped for lunch at 10km at a little pilgrim hut, where we met Karin who hosts the well taken care of hut. Sleeps 3 people.

Today’s trail included: urban asphalt, asphalted town trail, dirt and gravel roads, asphalted country roads, wooded mosquito havens, beautiful farmers’ fields. Wind kept the mossies and horse flies away while we were out of the woods. In the woods, the mossies were little, aggressive monsters!

I listened to some Gabor Maté on my walk. Today’s talk was about healthy anger as boundary setting. It occurs in the present. I reflected how I have perhaps left teaching as a function of setting boundaries: no, I no longer wish to tolerate this type of treatment and this chronic stress. Unhealthy anger is holding on to the anger. I’m letting it go.

I walked barefoot through some grain fields…gorgeous! While walking barefoot, my feet felt free but I noticed a lack of support in my arches. Then, when I put my shoes back on, my feet resisted the structure and felt squished in, constrained. Haha! Grass is Greener effect.

My toes are getting pressure from the shoes, the big toes. I’ll try cutting the nails shorter.

Stopped for another break at 17.8km (Noderhov Kirke). It’s difficult to get going after a break. My body hurts where the backpack presses on my hips and collarbones. Takes about 5mins of walking to feel okay again. Not a lasting pain. Blister still there under the bandaids but not bothersome…just feel it.

We have a cute little, super basic hut tonight. The property, Lisletta, is owned by Gro and Thor. Very kind and down to Earth. There are horses here too. Beautiful and open space with sun warming us and drying our sweaty socks.

Dinner tonight was a little less exquisite than last night’s, but satisfying. Tomato soup and bread.

A great day overall! The scenery was beautiful and diverse. The weather fantastic! The people were super friendly.

Drained my blister tonight and hopefully it will dry out a bit. Still a bit puffy, and almost covers my whole toe. Odd that it’s under the toe. Not sure I’ve had one like this. Otherwise, still doing relatively great. Took two Advil’s yesterday and today later in the day. That really helps the stiffness in my knees.