July 25. Day 28 Walking.

Summary: Ry to Skogheim. 23.9 km, 414 m gain. Sunny and hot until about 3pm, then cloudy. Thunder in the distance and storm clouds from about 2 pm but they never came over us.

7:45 am wake

8:30 breakfast and pack lunch

9:30 am start walking

My feet were sore this morning from yesterday. I slept solid until about 5am, woke up with aches in my right knee and the arch of my right foot. I gave them a little pep talk and fell back to sleep.

This morning, as I began walking, the tension was in the right of my lower hamstring and right knee. It was subtle and I’m fascinated that the discomfort had shifted from yesterday’s physical discomfort. My body is so cooperative. I’m so grateful.

Country road to begin. I started writing and interacting on FB…totally not present with my morning.

The signs are limited in this municipality, so I had to keep looking at the map on my phone to find out when to turn off the road. And then I would do other phone things while it was in my hand.

5.2 km turn off to Jordlia (after Gorset).

Jordlia at 6 km. A thousand year old farm which

“was cleared once around the year 1000 and developed into a large farm and it was especially the forest that was the farm’s most important resource. Jordlia had a period of over 50 houses, but once in the 18th century, the farm burned down and the houses that stand here today were built after the fire.

Unusual to Jordlia is that the soil has never been run intensively mechanically, here the operation has until recently been run in the old way. This means that the areas around Jordlia today are an important cultural landscape with a species diversity we do not find in many other places.”

It is quite special to be alone in these types of places. An eerie sense of lingering energies. I’m happy to be here in daylight.

A beautiful forest trail leaves Jordlia. The lighting is amazing. I was reflecting on the joy of being alone in the quiet, without other human energies close by, when my left ankle gave way and I caught myself with my other leg, but felt the muscle on the inner right knee pull. I gave my knee a pep talk and asked what it needs. Slow down. Be mindful. Stay present.

The paradox of being alone but also with others who can help us. The twists and pulls were minor, and I walked them off though my knee is more tender tonight.

7.1 km, back to the road, which is accompanied by the Orkla river, known for its Atlantic Salmon. Quiet road. My foot steps, the flowing river, birds and the gentle persistent squeak of two parts of my pack rubbing.

I walked 3.5 km/hr over the first 2 hours.

9.1 km 12:10-12:50 lunch break at a pilgrim’s spot. Ice cream!

A variety of roads, fields, forest, dirt road, gravel road, paved road

I was watching the clouds to the south of me from about 1 pm. I could hear thunder. I figured the storm clouds were far enough away that I could arrive at the accommodations before they caught up. My pace went to 6.2 km/hr until I realised the clouds wouldn’t catch up. I sang the storm a song asking it to wait until I was at the accomm. It never did rain.

I like having a map but I feel I am using it too much…I don’t want to miss a turn and end up in the wrong spot.

A trailer with several cows drove by me from a farm I was going through. An image of the trains to POW camps in WWII came to mind. I felt sad for the cows. And the mommas and the baby sheep. What a life, to be raised to be killed. At least the animals here seem to have a happy life. I don’t see many, if any, factory farms. Lots of grazing.

17.7 km Meldal Kirke. A funny statue of Jesus inside and in the altar too.

18.3 km no signs but I followed the pilegrimsleden.no map to the right, up the hill.

21.1 km a little sit down and apple break (I found a small tic on me tonight…was it at this break that it found me? It was crawling on my pants, so not embedded. Ick).

22.5 km a little shelter hut. The German couple we met a few days ago had stayed there last night (guestbook). All the Germans we’ve met are ahead of us.

On the home stretch to the accommodations for tonight, I saw a field of cows. They were enclosed and the section where I had to walk, from gate to gate, was about 200m. I psyched myself up, and told myself if the cows were dangerous, the trails wouldn’t run through where the cows are grazing. I opened the gate while gently speaking to the cows. 100m, all good. I only had a few looking at me. After I was half way through, suddenly, the cows began to follow me. They grew in numbers and they started coming from everywhere. I could hear them calling out, “Brains!”

We had a lovely homemade dinner. Veggie burgers again. Fresh, local strawberries for dessert. Yum!

Three nights left! Whoa!!

Thank you for this day.