Liverdun - (just before) Grémecey
Effective distance: 37 km
Extra distance (off-route): 3 km
Elevation: 550m up, 450m down
Min altitude 191m, max altitude 403m
Active hours: 10h24m (this is fitbit data over the whole day)
Steps: 62239

The day started slightly cold but sunny. I got chased out of the reception area somewhat aggressively, took me a moment to realize they wanted me to wear a mask. The night before, no-one had bothered. But I got my bread, and a bottle of water (forgot that I have to buy water in these parts, due to their adding chlorine) and left the campsite at 8.15. I started with the part I could not do the last time I was here, that was funny. It ran through a nice forest. went shopping in Custines because of a lack of water, then after a climb that was steep enough to be tiring, a WWI military road through a forest - straight, flat, and somewhat boring. Until the route took a small forest path off the road, so suddenly I almost missed it. After more forest and paths I did something wrong (apparently, I took the wrong steeply descending path on the left) and to use GPS to fix it. Turns out the GPS track of the route I have is outdated in places (I later found I wasn't using my newly downloaded track). But in the end I found the markings again and the GPS and map went back to agreeing. After that, I reached Amance pretty quickly, and it was only 15.30. I was supposed to find a (wild) camping spot near there, but those 23km just weren't enough, so I went on.
Into another forest, where I kept meeting the same person walking three (beautiful) dogs, on to the 'étang de Brin' (étang = pond or lake), which had no water but a lot of plants and a sign saying 'fishing forbidden'. Then Brin-sur-Seille, where I took a break, made dinner and tried to decide where to sleep. In the end, I decided to go on and camp in the forest. On meant a path of very sticky mud that felt as though my sandals brought along half the path. When I reached the Bois de Bioncourt where I had planned to camp, there were notes about an 82-year old who vanished in the nearby bigger forest. Though I think it more likely they were confused and lost than attacked, I still didn't feel comfortable sleeping there so went on for a bit longer. I had to find a camping spot as it would get dark soon. In the end, I picked a patch of grass between a (harvested) grain field and a sort of ribbon of trees and brushes (with a cow pasture on the other side). I'm pretty sure foxes live in the ribbon. I don't feel entirely comfortable here either, but I have to sleep somewhere. And foxes at least are no danger to me.

Geschreven door Jewaontheroad