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Day 17 - The waterfall

Sutri → Campagnano di Roma (24 km)

If you missed the other days, you can access them here.

Today I felt like I reached limits, mental and physical. And then I took another step. And another one. And only so, I managed to get to Campagnano di Roma. My ankles hurt like hell last night. I wasn’t sure if I would make it without taking the bus this morning. But it would be against the rules, I said to myself and ploughed on. Luckily, there wasn’t much elevation and the ankle support did its job through the Frying Pan. Boy, did the sun burn.

Once you walk for a bit more than 4-5 days, the radio host on Mind FM starts remixing: contemplations, conversations, ruminations and all the things you’ve recently read, heard and watched. All the good and the bad stuff. The show can keep on going for days. And then you reach the limits of your mind.

That’s an interesting place. If you’ve cut inputs, kind of like on a silent meditation retreat, where does the attention gravitate to? What are you drawn to? On a walk, it’s not necessarily a state of zen and being one with everything. It’s that thing we forgot exists: boredom. Others have said many clever things about boredom and how necessary it is, especially for creative endeavours. But today I realised how boredom is a bit like my aching ankles.

About 18km into the walk, there it was – the waterfall with its calming noise and foam going in all directions. Water poured over the rocks at high speed. So much of it. Litres, gallons, pints, hogsheads and jeroboams of water, cooling the rocks and in a moment, my feet. This is not medical advice, but it felt like the best treatment for my aching ankles.

I sat there floating my feet in the ice-cold water, keeping them still like the rocks. I remembered that line: for some things to change, others need to stay the same. Just like rocks in a river. The funny thing about waterfalls is that on the whole, they look so harmonious. But then focus on a particular spot and you see the chaos, the foam bubbling and the messiness of it all. The waterfall cooled me down and reset my ankles. Afterwards it felt like stepping on clouds. Better than wearing Allbirds.

Then back into the frying pan for the rest of the walk. Not much happened. I saw some cyclists powering up the hill, their speed not matching the intensity of their legs going very very hard at it. I might have had a smirk on my face. Then I got scared by some hunters and their bangs.

The waterfall reset my feet. The walk did the same with my mind, in some ways. Now, I won’t lie, I’m ready to go back to a good dose of on-demand music and information. I guess I just have to remember to stop by the waterfall from time to time.

Tomorrow’s the last night before Rome. I’m going to synthesise a few thoughts on writing on the walk. Maybe a bit meta, let’s see.

I hope you find your own waterfall,

Florin