Intermediate post - We made it...

we're back in the states - the blog will be updated soon...

Day 32 (and 33) : Goulier to Siguer

As mentioned in the last post, we were not feeling well at the start of this day, and the weather report was for afternoon thunder storms - so we were taking a short day to Siguer, about 4 hours hike away. The hike was pleasant and short after some strong wind took out some nearby branches from the trees around us. In Siguer, the city has built a free room for hikers with 2 triple stacked bunk beds and a bathroom (shower included). We napped off our upset stomachs there and bought bread from the nearby gite. At the gite, I explained that we were staying in the municiple shelter and the couple who run the gite (GR10 showed me where medicine and a phone was in case we felt worse later. They came around later in the afternoon to clean the bathroom and asked us to bring a sign written in English to a cabane we would pass on our way out of town (the owners stock the nearby huts with food and drinks for hikers). The couple who run the gite were so nice and helpful, we wondered why we were not staying there?... So we packed up our stuff and rented a room from them for the night, (for only 10£ a night) and we were glad that we did - a much more confortable place to stay with loads of food, gas, and supplies for sale (cheap). Charming and cozy - by far the best gite we have found so far. We liked it so much we decided to take an extra day off here and relax while another day of clouds and rain pass. le petite gite.

Day 31 : Aulus les Bains to Goulier

A nice cool morning hike throught the forest and up high again in the sunny afternoon. The climb to Port de Saleix was nicely graded and we took an alternate route once again to avoid walking an extra day on a long W into the storm that was forcast for the following day. The route to Auzat was nice an shady and we made good time along the soft duff trail in the valley. The map (last updated in 2001) was not 100% consistent with the trail, and we never found the forested route from Saleix to Auzat, so we took the blistery hot road for this leg. The gaurdian at the campground in town showed us how to get to the connecting trail to Goulier - the final small climb to the end of our day. Goulier is a charming mountain town overlooking the valley below. We had the nice woman at the office de tourisme in Aulus make us a reservation for the Auberge (a reasturant that has rooms for rent) in Goulier and it was a very nice place that is run by a small family. Dinner was amazing, which is often the case at the auberges we have visited. Unfourtunatly, we think the water here made us a little sick the following day. We usually filter all of the water we drink - even the stuff from the gites if we can - but we drank some water with dinner in Goulier and the next day both of us felt a bit ill. As of this posting however, we are fine - it's likely that we are just not used to the water.

Day 30 : St Lizier d'Ustou to Aulus les Bains

A great hike today with cool morning clouds and a mellow afternoon sun. Amazing views and the grade was pleasant. We definitely have our trail legs now, but the trail through the Ariege has been much more generous with the switch backs. The gite in Aulus was not open when we arrived, so we walked across the street and found a nice cheap hotel (the rando recomende logo usualy signifies cheap and nice). Nothing worked in the room, but it was good enough for us and the room was big. The store in town was pretty limited if one is looking for specific stuff, but they have a little of everything - even hotel size lotions and shampoo which we had previously not found anywhere. The shop was also very expensive, but there is supposedly nothing else for 6 days (not true... the refuge at the lake, gites at Goulier and Siguer ... ? all have decent food supplies for sale). 

Day 29 : Aunac to St-Lizier-d'Ustou

We took an alternate route up and over on a nice ridge today to save a few hours. It was a really nice day, but very scetchy - especially when wet! Hard clay and eroded trail had us moving very slow. Later we found out most people just take the road through the valley, but we made it ok and it was a really nice hike none-the-less. The campground at St Lizier was not so great, but the shop was, with lots of bio (organic) food and there is a public pool and hot tube (closes at 6). The resturaunt was closed on Wed but a good meal can be made from the shop food. We pulled a few more ticks off our legs after another day in tall grass and brush.