Woke up the next day in our sleeping bag liners and found ourselves thankfully free of any bed bug infestations.

Le Pontet

Organized our bags, caught the pastel sunrise, packed our lunch tins and consumed our breakfast of cheese, meat and bread.

Le Pontet

Bright eyed and bushy tailed or something close to it.

Le Pontet

Leaving the campsite as we saw other hikers breaking down their tents to get ready for another day on the trail.

TMB Trail

We crossed the bridge to start our hike for the day.

TMB Trail

Chico using the trail telescope to make sure we were going in the right direction.

Notre Dame de la Gorge

This Catholic Church as we know it today was rebuilt in 1699 and also serves as a place of prayer for safe passage to the Col du Bonhomme mountain pass.

TMB Trail

Yielding to vehicular traffic on the trail. You mean we can ride instead of walk?

TMB Trail

Mari using her “magic hiking sticks” on the trail. This part of the route was supposedly taken by Hannibal of Carthage who traversed the Alps, once thought impossible; with 30,000 soldiers, 15,000 horse mounted cavalry and 37 war elephants in 218 BC against his war with Rome.

TMB Trail

We briefly stopped at the bridge to watch the stream flowing below us and then rain made its thankfully brief appearance.

TMB Trail

Looking at a 16-point buck mounted on the outside of the cabin we were passing. I’m sure that was the buck of a life time for whatever hunter that bagged him.

TMB Trail

“Deb, tell me why this is fun?” I don’t think I ever heard the answer the whole time on the trail. Enquiring minds want to know.

TMB Trail

Headed up the trail with the 8,818′ summit of Aiguilles de la Penaz to our right.

TMB Trail

Watching a cow get its mineral nutrients from a salt lick. Much like how hikers need electrolytes.

TMB Trail

Passing the Refuge de la Balme, no iced coffee?

TMB Trail

Hiking next to a river fed by glacier melt.

TMB Trail

Pushing up the trail with the alpine forest behind us.

TMB Trail

We waited for the rest of the group to catch up, so Chico decided to climb the nearby power line tower. There were no trees around to climb, so he had to make do with what he had.

TMB Trail

Perhaps it would be prudent not to sit next to a sign that says falling rocks. But then again, the risk can’t be any more than being electrocuted or falling from a tower.

TMB Trail

What do you call a sheepdog without sheep to herd or guard? Just a dog.

TMB Trail

Hikers coming up separate paths which will eventually merge together. Just like in life.

TMB Trail

Group photo with our alter ego characters.

TMB Trail

Standing in front of Tumulus Plan des Dames which it turned out is a burial mound containing two English ladies who perished in a terrible storm sometime in the last century. Custom is to throw a pebble at the site to ward off bad luck, not an apple.

TMB Trail

Mari treading carefully.

TMB Trail

Some took it slow and steady on the trail.

TMB Trail

Others elected for fast and furious.

TMB Trail

Having our lunch of sandwich and applesauce. Somebody had a kanak attack. Sylvia suggested we not dawdle too much as the weather forecast was predicting thunderstorms this afternoon.

Col du Bonhomme

Partial group photo at our second mountain pass at an elevation of 7,641′, which resulted in the largest ascent gain of 4,300′ in one day.

TMB Trail

Leaving the pass behind us to go climb another pass.

TMB Trail

Following the trail as it wrapped around the rocky flanks of the Rocher du Bonhomme.

TMB Trail

Taking the high and lower trails where the clouds soon erased any visibility.

TMB Trail

Robin standing in place of a tree. Organic tree.

TMB Trail

Sylvia said the trail was going to get technical and to stay together. Technical as in Kalihi Saddle technical?

TMB Trail

Technical as in uneven terrain and wayfinding. Throw in a little rain for good measure. Sylvia directed some other hikers on the correct path as they were about to go “exploring.”

Col de la Croix du Bonhomme.

Standing next to the cairn which marks the 7,900′ mountain pass. No views to be had.

TMB Trail

It was a hop, skip and a jump towards the next mountain hut, but the stench from the outhouse hit me before the actual standalone structure. Hard pass.

Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme

The refuge was originally built in 1922, destroyed and looted during WW2, rebuilt in 1965 and expanded in 1992.

TMB Trail

Leaving the hut behind us along with the clouds and rain as we made the long and gradual descent into Les Chapieux.

TMB Trail

Coming down from the mountain. No metaphorical transition here, just a literal descent.

TMB Trail

Deborah crossing over one of multiple streams cascading down from the mountains.

TMB Trail

Soaking in the views of the beautiful Alps.

TMB Trail

Traversing over a short boardwalk over the uneven slope.

Chalets de Plan Varraro

Passing another mountain hut on our way down, they didn’t seem open for business.

TMB Trail

Is that our ride down there? Wishful thinking.

TMB Trail

The predicted thunderstorm finally made its appearance several hours later but thankfully only 15-20 minutes before our exit.

TMB Trail

Leave no man behind. Where’s Patrick? We got to our shuttles just as the storm in thunderstorm turned on the faucets full blast or as the French say “Il pleut des hallebardes.” Somebody didn’t appreciate the “rough” drive to the lodge as they got motion sickness. Better to be nauseated than soaking wet.

Hotel Base Camp Lodge

Perfect timing. Arriving at our modern lodge for the night just as the storm passed. Clean rooms. Clean bathrooms. Clean everything. First world problems.

Hotel Base Camp Lodge

Dinner was served in the form of bigger than your eye portions of Caesar chicken salad, sausage and pizza and sorbet for dessert.

GPS Tracks

Our second day on the Tour du Mont Blanc trail covered 10.33 miles through more beautiful scenery and terrain. Somebody else wanted to take a zero day on the third day. Is this catching? Economic and language motivation won out again.

Photos taken by Aida Gordon, Chico Cantu, Deborah Tom, Ferlino Carinio, Mari Saito, Patrick Tom, Robin Farr, Roger Schiffman, and yours truly. Not necessarily in order.

Note: I have been made aware that some hikers have been using my blog as a hiking guide and getting lost on the trails. Please note that this blog was made to document the hike for the crew(s) that did it. That is why some of my comments will seem to have no relevance or meaning to anybody outside of the crew(s) that hiked that trail. My blog was never meant as a hiking guide, so please do not treat it as such. If you find inspiration and entertainment from these hikes, that is more than enough. If you plan on replicating these hikes, do so in the knowledge that you should do your own research accordingly as trail conditions, access, legalities and so forth are constantly in flux. What was current today is most likely yesterdays news. Please be prepared to accept any risks and responsibilities on your own as you should know your own limitations, experience and abilities before you even set foot on a trail, as even the “simplest” or “easiest” of trails can present potential pitfalls for even the most “experienced” hikers. One should also always let somebody know of your hiking plans in case something doesn’t go as planned, better safe than sorry.