As you know, I've been promising myself a hike on my own between St. Cirq and Bouzies and then back up to St. Cirq over the causse for quite some time. After a week of rain, I got the grass cut by the hardest on Saturday and then decided that Sunday was the day. I packed a nice lunch, my favorite Cahors wine, cork screw, very nice wine glass, and headed out on the 9:15 bus to Tour de Faure. I was hoping for a solitary trip to recapture the valley and maybe exorcise a demon or two along the way.
I picked up a couple of noix pastries at Isabelle's and then stopped in to tell my friends Jean-Luc, and his Mom, Odile hello.
Our coffee put me back a little in that schedule in my mind, but it didn't matter. I was out to enjoy the day however it came my way! 
I like hiking alone because I'm much more tuned in to the beautiful photo opportunities. I don't mind stopping and taking my time when I'm alone...evidence the close-up of the beautiful old door in the sunshine. There's a point at which you can walk along the river or take the paved road. I chose the river. This farmer was out with his dog, and I couldn't resist! He also had a garden patch that looked very colorful from a distance. I thought he had placed seed packages beside the rows, but when I got closer you could see that they were actually tall,
multi-colored plastic water and soft drink bottles meant to keep 4-legged creatures at bay...just not 2-legged photo hounds! I had forgotten this was a holiday weekend, so much for no crowds. I ran into many other hikers on the path and even families with babies in strollers trying to maneuver the wet, damp and irregular-sized stones. The tow path and Bouziers felt like old friends, and with the sun beginning to bear down I was able to de-layer to the point of sleeveless to begin the climb back up to St. Cirq and lunch at the look-out. My feet were starting to get tired. I had great shoes which I had tested on the stones when I bought them at Cabella's, but the socks were a huge mistake.
I'd add good socks to good shoes when hiking this far! I made it to the lookout and was really excited when I arrived, ready to throw my table cloth and crack open my wine, but as I neared the stairs I could see stair steps of four heads. Two young couples had beat me to "my" spot.
I was undaunted though. I said "bonjour", offered them some of my wine once I got set-up, and took a photo of the foursome before they headed on ahead of me.
I had some alone time, but the hot sun and no shade had done its duty and I was ready to get moving on and maybe stop at a few shady spots along the way. I straggled into Lou Bolat's at St. Cirq Lapopie to relax and have my favorite crepe for dessert...this time I ate it all by myself. It was wonderful to be remembered by the staff from both of my recent visits and leave with an "à prochaine fois"!
It was only 3:30, so I window shopped a little and then headed back to spend the time before my 6pm bus with Jean-Luc and Odile. Jean-Luc told me that he reads my blog from time to time and enjoys it. His English is very good and he has helped me with my French regularly. It is nice because he knows how much progress I've made since my first trip here. Although this summer will be 11 years since I spent those 5 weeks at Wendy's, we sorted out together that my first trip to the Lot was in May of 1996...13 years ago now-Mon Dieu! While we were waiting for the bus Jean- Luc asked me what the words in my blog site title mean. So, en français...SOAR-planer...DREAM-rêver...and FRANCE is always France. I am wondering if my soaring bird of prey in the photo is dreaming of France, or just feeling really lucky that he lives here...just like me!
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