Hardest day so far with all the ups and downs and many of the ups were very steep and just drained me of energy (no shade and temp at 80+ didn’t help). Ended up walking nearly 10 hours and for the last two miles, needed to rest every five to ten minutes—really pathetic, but I made it. Oh, and when I arrived at the Town Center, I was momentarily blocked by a policeman from going to the hotel only 20 meters away: Big Festival going on. (They’re called Palio Festivals, that involve traditional games competition among its four historic districts.) They didn’t have to do this for me!
Along the way (see the pics below), there was a metal 20-days to Rome marker, to indicate to pilgrims that they have 20 more days of walking! Then I ran into my first grape vines that have pretty much been all around me since. And the fountains (I think there were 3) were a savior: they helped cool me off by splashing over my head and adding to my water supply.
I saw Olive trees/ orchards planted near vineyards, a long tradition in Italy for multiple reasons, including their natural ability to act as windbreaks, protect against heat and frost, and provide shade for grapevines, which improves pollination and fruit development. It’s also known as companion planting.
