| :: The Leonetti Family - August 2015 :: |
| Day 3 Trek from Rifugio de Valmasque to our car... Yes, I am pointing at the pass we just came through at +2500 meters. And then we dropped down to the Valle des Merveilles which is home to many ancient stone drawings. Park rangers appeared out of no where in the middle of no where to tell us to put our hiking sticks away. There are issues with vandals. We had to drop down, down, down to 2100 meters and then had to climb up to 2500 meters and then down again all the way down to 1700 meters and our car. My knee did fabulous but my Achilles Tendon was killing me and my feet and my shoulders. End of trek traditional victory power pose. Dirty and in need of soap but very, very happy! |
Never in all our trekking have we seen anyone airlifted from a rifugio. Well on day 2, the weather turned stormy, wet, slippery rocks coupled with being dead tired is a dangerous combination. So we watched not one but TWO people airlifted from Rifugio de Valasque. Neither injury was serious but serious enough to make it impossible for them to walk the hours back to civilization. |
Day 2 We left Rif. Nice at 7.00. Heading up to Baisse du Basto at 2693 meters. We passed wild horses and a lot of stambechi and chamois goats. I was extra careful about my knee. I hate my brace but really I had no issues with my rebuilt knee. Hooray. We cleared the pass, stopped and had lunch, got rained on and passed several beautiful mountain lakes before arriving at Rifugio de Valmasque at 2233 meters. |
| Trek 2015 Valle De La Vesubie Parc National du Mercantour France We have trekked in Germany, Switzerland and A LOT in Italy. Finally, because of my love of French cheese, wine and mountain culture, we were brave enough to venture over the border and do a trek in France. I have been studying French, it is very close to Italian, thankfully, but of course the pronunciation is totally different. I had practiced my, "Je ne mange pas du viande."/ I don't eat meat. Unfortunately, the rifugio peeps would deviate from script and just start speaking full speed French at me. "Pardon?" I need to study A LOT more. Day 1 We departed from Pont du Contet at 1700 meters and headed up to Rifugio Nice at 2230 meters. Me: Joe I'm carrying 2 kilos of nuts and goji berries can't you carry them? Joe: No. Me: How come? Joe: I'm carrying the dice. ps: he was secretly packing a gorgeous bottle of Italian wine which we shared with our rifugio friends and a bag of peanut M&Ms. He's the best. . |
| :: Mangialonga 2015 :: La Morra (Barolo Country) Italy 30 August | My Birthday! But before that... |
| :: Two Nuts at the nut fest :: Sagre di Nocciole :: Cortemilia, Italy August 2015 |
| Let the Birthday Festivities Begin!!!! I took the train from Pavia to Varazze on Friday. I reserved two beds in the front row and laid in the sun waiting for Joe to get off of work and join me for fun weekend events. |
| Saturday we drove up the hill to the holiday house, where renovations are almost done (I have been saying that since May). We had no food in the house so we drove up to Roccaverano because there is a darling restaurant with outdoor seating. Well, we were in luck because they just happened to be having some sort of secret, not advertised, fest. Local foods, local arneis wine and fabulous live music. I was in heaven. |
| :: First Day of School of our last year at the American School of Milan :: Zaven is a senior and in his 2nd year of the International Baccalaureate program. Send him positive energy - it is tough and stressful. 31 August |
| Hamming it up! "It's my birthday!" |
| :: Mangialonga August 30th, 2015 :: What a perfect day! It was really, really hot and sunny - but still perfect for a long walk around La Morra and the vineyards. Stopping to sample local cuisine and drink local wines. Ok, I couldn't eat much because I don't eat meat. "Is there meat?" "Yes!!!" No, that's a bad thing. But there was other stuff and lots and lots of amazing wine. |
| Tanti auguri a me! The Barolo producers are singing to me! |