Most people would say that the walking was the hardest part—we covered 103 miles and ascended 32,000 feet as we looped through France, Italy, and Switzerland—and the walking was certainly taxing. At altitudes over 8000 feet, my heart fluttered like a frantic bird, and I gulped at the inadequate air without ever getting enough of it. Our legs were sore, and we were furiously hungry. But the looking was even more strenuous than the walking. I’d trained for the hike, but nothing could have prepared me for the almost intolerable onslaught of beauty. My looking was a net, and precious things kept slipping through.
Read Full Article »
