Vineyards as Far as the Eye Can See

Daily miles 30.91 | Total miles 16, 089.01

I woke up after a night with very little sleep. Well, sometimes that just happens.

The usual routine followed. I carried the buggy down the steep stairs, packed everything, organized my gear, and left the campground. I knew I would be heading toward the Canal du Centre and later through the famous vineyards of the Côte de Beaune.

First, though, I had to make my way through Chalon-sur-Saône. The weather was beautiful. I felt tired, but otherwise good. Being Sunday, almost everything was closed, so I stopped at a boulangerie to pick up some food for the day.

While passing through town, I noticed a sign for St Helens in England. I found myself wondering why it was there. Later I learned that Chalon-sur-Saône and St Helens have been twinned cities since 1964. Funny the things you discover while running around the world.

Once I reached the canal, I felt enchanted as I so often do. There is something quiet, mystical, and serene about canals. I only really discovered them during my run from John o' Groats to Land's End in the United Kingdom, and they still feel like a world that is somehow unfamiliar and magical at the same time.

I love the life around them. Walkers. Fishermen. People living on boats. The slow movement of everything. I also enjoy announcing that I'm running around the world whenever I pass people. It still makes me smile.

The water was covered with algae in many places. Whether that is a good sign or not, I honestly don't know. I'm not much of a water expert.

The first few miles felt okay, but the fog in my head and the heaviness in my body made running feel unusually tiring. Sometimes fatigue is physical. Sometimes it feels like it sits somewhere deeper, making every step require just a little more effort.

When I arrived in Santenay, I stopped at a restaurant, recharged my phone, and had a coffee, hoping it would wake me up.

It didn't.

The second part of the day took me inland through the vineyards. And what vineyards they were.

I don't think I have ever seen so many vineyards in my life.

Beautiful rows of green vines stretched across the landscape in every direction. Bright blue skies hung above them. Stone walls and rock formations divided the fields, and small idyllic villages appeared one after another, decorated with flowers and overflowing with character.

It felt as if the entire landscape had been carefully painted.

Along the way I met Michelle and Guy. Yesterday I met Gi, and today I actually asked how Guy spells his name. Progress in some areas, I guess.

Cyclists passed me throughout the day. Many were riding e-bikes, but only a few stopped to ask about the run.

Then, around mile 25, when I was desperately putting one foot in front of the other, something wonderful happened.

I found myself surrounded by what felt like endless vineyards, moving slowly through one of the most beautiful landscapes imaginable, yet struggling with my energy. That's when four Brazilian cyclists stopped and started talking to me.

William, Paola, Mirianda, and Alex completely lifted my spirits.

"We are so proud of you," they said.

"Only twenty more days. You can do it."

Normally, I don't feel a need for external validation. The run itself is enough. But sometimes, when encouragement comes from a place of genuine kindness and care, it reaches you exactly when you need it.

Their words meant a lot.

It's remarkable what a small interaction can do when your own energy is running low.

They rode off, and I continued on my way. For a little while I was running again. Then the next hill arrived, reminding me that motivation and gravity are not always equally powerful.

Still, the vineyards continued in every direction. Three hundred and sixty degrees of beauty. Hill after hill. Vine after vine.

Eventually I reached Beaune.

My hotel sits in an industrial area on the edge of town, far removed from the postcard scenery of the day. But right now, that doesn't matter.

All I need is rest.

Thanks for checking in. Andrea