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21 September 2026 - Faycelles

This morning was probably rock bottom of my trip. I really didn't think that there was a reasonable chance of making it to Moissac on Sunday anymore, so I started to look at other options. There was an evening flight Monday from from Toulouse that could give me an extra day. Or a train station in Cahors that would mean another trip back to complete the last few segments. Only 18 kilometers yesterday seemed so far from recoverable with only a week left. And I've come down with a cold to boot. So I started the day with yoga to limber up my stiff body, which helped. And then there was a triple point along the trail at Bos-Vert where I was able to step into the Cantal department for a few minutes and cross that off my spreadsheet. Small victories can give a boost. And then in Montredon I was able to get coffee and a sandwich, relieving some of the food anxiety I'd acquired yesterday. It's amazing the confidence a reserve sandwich in you backpack can give you.

It had been a climb up to Montredon and on the steep downhill after that I passed Tom for the first time. He caught up to me in the flats after that and wee started chatting. Tom was from Wisconsin and recently retired. He also used to do Iron Man competitions. Talking with Tom kept my pace up and he enjoyed the conversation enough to wait for me as I visited a cathedral and took a snack break. Funny how the protestants don't like to go into the Catholic cathedrals, but an atheist like me has no problem enjoying the architecture and art. Tom would not let me stop either, and his spirit really carried me to Figeac. We arrived in time for lunch with over 20 kilometers for the day. And in Figeac he passed the place he was staying for the night to join me for lunch on the riverfront. Tom really made me believe that Moissac was possible and turned my whole perspective around. It's just one of those small moments on the Camino that showcase the best of humanity. After lunch he went to go have a nap and I read for another hour before getting on the road believing I could do another 10 kilometers that day. In the end I would end up doing 32 total, to put me at just under 400 for the trip.

Figeac is on a river, but I was surprised to discover later that it wasn't the Lot, but instead the Célé. I probably should have realized the flow of water was significantly less than I saw in Livinhac, but I just figured there was another dam like the one past Estaing and I had technically been swimming in a reservoir yesterday. This was not the case though. I hit the grocery store in Figeac for snacks, breakfast oranges, a bottle of wine for the evening, and much-needed TP. There was a steep climb up from Figeac, but then rolling hills after that. By sundown I had made it to the edge of Faycelles, where I camped in a park for the night. Unfortunately yesterday's stomach troubles returned in full force over the night, which did not make for great sleep.