Reginald Spittle's Blog: See my book blog

How does ageism affect your life? Do you witness discrimination based on numbers and appearances? The link will take you to a post in Section Hiker that weighs ageism and its impact on the lives of hikers older than 60. I would love to know what you think. As a teen-ager, I experienced ageism when … Continue reading Ageism: Does a Number Define You? →

Sue and I returned from our treks in Italy and England to find the latest University of California Santa Barbara alumni magazine in our post box. I was so pleased and grateful when I found this item in the Noteworthy section with Sue’s cover and an article about Hoofin’ It on the John Muir Trail.

Five days on England’s Cotswold Way and the trail has taken us to every hilltop in sight and some we didn’t see until we emerged from dark forests. Planners largely kept the path above the quaint villages we had expected would be daily features. The tradeoff? Fantastic views, crowds of day hikers, fierce winds, very … Continue reading The Cotswold Way: To the Hilltops We Go →

Are we too judgmental of ourselves and others? For Michael, a defining moment in his life comes on the Fourth of July when he is just seven years old. The event changes him forever and he will not see his parents for almost two decades. Skip forward to when Michael is 19, and he walks … Continue reading I’m Sorry, But Please Stop Apologizing →

The final numbers: twenty-one days on the Via Francigena, 268 miles through Tuscany and Lazio, 29,000 feet of climbing. Yesterday, our final day brought us a unique view of St. Peter’s Basilica. When we arrived at the square an hour or so later, it still buzzed from the previous day’s announcement of the new American … Continue reading An Italian Ending With a Twist →

Tuscany gets attention for its beauty, but its neighbor Lazio has adorned the Via Francigena with scenes like this one. The highway signs say “Roma” now and we are just four days away from arriving at St. Peter’s Square once again. It is sobering to think we have walked 209 miles. Long, challenging days remain. … Continue reading Hello Lazio, Your Color Abounds →

Table for two. A charming aspect of distance walking in Italy is the vast variety of places we call home for a night. This dining room in a stately home in the lakeside village of Bolsena offered an omelet, yogurt, granola, jams, juice, fresh bread, coffee, and more. We felt like royalty! Our en suite … Continue reading King and Queen for One Breakfast →

The Via Francigena has delighted us in its warmth, with recent days bringing us friendships. Elena (in top photo) and her mother welcomed us to their 14th-century hilltop farm home and agriturismo with personal charm, a spacious apartment, and scrumptious meals. We had dinner and trailside conversation with Renate and Herbert from The Netherlands, promising … Continue reading The People of the Via Francigena →

Tuscany on the Via Francigena has made us work for moments like these. This morning, I shot a view from our apartment window in the spectacular mountaintop village of Radicofani. A trailside picnic was a treat for our eyes and taste buds. We have shared good times with fellow trekkers, including Luca (on my left) … Continue reading The Via Francigena Shines and Challenges →

We left behind San Gimignano—the tower city—and followed the Via Francigena to Monteriggioni—the walled city. It was a day of ups and downs, showing off gorgeous Tuscan views from a sometimes rugged trail along with many miles of arduous and even dangerous road walking. At one water crossing, longer and trickier than the one in … Continue reading The Tale of Two Tuscan Cities →