(Pre-Wedding) Honeymoon, Part IX - Bringing the Paine!

We awoke for our first full day excursion – we were cocky after our Ferrier triumph and opted for the most difficult full day hike offered – the famous French Valley continuing up to “The Plateau.”

Our group included the NJ family as well as a young lawyer couple from NY who were around our age and very friendly.  They live on the UWS and have a one year old son who’s home with the nanny and parents.

There was a 45 minute van ride to a lake where we then took a 40 minute boat ride to our point of departure.  I put our pack on my back (not so light!) and we were off.  We began our day in full long johns and then the sun came out.  It was brutal.  During our first stop we stripped down to just trekking pants.

This outfit was short-lived - GG would not be seen even in the middle of nowhere with me looking like that.

The hike to the plateau was long.  Very long. 
We were on a strict time schedule as we had to be back to the boat by 6pm or else it leaves without us.  No joke.  All seemed to be going well until about 130p – we were still hiking and hadn’t yet had our lunch stop after walking for nearly 8 miles or so.  

The quiet before the storm...

The wind was also quite brutal and literally knocked GG off her feet, not once, but twice.  The second of which left quite the brutal raspberry that is still taking on shape and color several days later.

Part of the group started to lose steam and we slowed our pace.  Finally around 2p we arrived at the very windy plateau, devoured our lunches (which were basic, but good), and posed triumphantly.

The French Valley and glacier - we made it to the plateau!

Then it was another 3 hours back to our boat.  That was a long 3 hours.  Miraculously, my only major fall happened as we got within sight of our port, where I took a headfirst tumble into GG on some loose gravel.  I survived with only a few bumps and bruises.

We made it.  16 miles and 6 hours later.  We were spent and a Jacuzzi, a glass of red wine, and a tasty dinner were about the only activities we had left in us for the day…we’ll see how we’re feeling tomorrow!