Climbing shoes, sandals, ankle boots, sneakers, and then my stilettos for Friday nights at the Zulu Kangaroo bar. That's my suitcase packed with footwear for my next trip! I still have room for two pairs of underwear and a carabiner.
This winter, I went to warm my toes in Spain, that faraway country, known for its abundance of rock of every kind. Laura and I were expecting leisurely strolls in sandals under an eternal sun. However, heavy snowfall delayed our arrival on the other side of the Pyrenees.
As soon as the road was clear we went to console ourselves at Mont Rebei. We were welcomed by two dream walls, split by a river in a deserted setting. The magic of the place is that its modest walls don't mean short days. Our topo - borrowed from a friend - written in Catalan (everyone's mother tongue) had a first day of adventure in store for us without us ever finding the base of the route. Scree fields, ledge systems and even more loose rock postponed our project to the following day.
Laura on the approach to Mont Rebei
The right approach shoe
Ah, this beautiful side of Spain that you don't visit in sandals… I had my doubts, but Laura (Van Bruyssel ed.) quickly advised me to put on my La Sportiva Boulder approach shoes that I had just bought.
She herself was hiking in 5.10s. We started walking at dawn. An hour and a half of trekking leads us to the base of the CADE route. Before us, nearly 500 metres of sparsely bolted limestone, cracks and dihedrals to overcome. In the last pitches, I could no longer bear the pain of my too-tight climbing shoes and so I slipped on my trusty La Sportivas. The solid toe box and rigid rubber helped me power through the last chimney pitch without too much worry.
What goes up must come down
Our interpretation of Catalan had promised us a return to the car in less than an hour: mistake. At the summit, we quickly discovered that a long traverse by moonlight (great when the headlamp battery is in the red) was going to wear out our shoes. At the start of the descent we found ourselves stuck by a 25-metre section of 4th grade rock. We tackled it head-on, without climbing shoes, without protection (but with a certain clear-headedness), so as not to lose time. After 3 hours of hiking, it's still with a smile on our faces - and without sore feet - that we arrive in the dead of night at base camp and start cooking.
A few weeks later - with spring approaching - we find ourselves among travel companions at La Pedriza, a national park just north of Madrid. On the agenda: granite slabs as smooth as a mirror. Despite the incredible friction that eats through climbing shoe rubber and the angle that resembles a staircase, you don't dare fall for fear of getting grated. Deep within this landscape of hills filled with boulders and ibex, a small face appears in the shape of a bird. Drawn by this mystical figure, Klaas, Ruben, Frances, Laura and I decide to spread our wings and set off in pursuit of it. The next morning we hit the trail. For the record, the formations in this valley share a common characteristic: they are very deceptive. Our little group gets lost, an hour's walk quickly becomes two. We navigate through several passages in a labyrinth of granite. Then, dripping with sweat, we all burst out laughing when we realize we're already standing on the bird's beak. All in approach shoes, it went faster than expected. So we were able to descend the other side to tackle the bird on its steepest face and fly away with it.
The light 4x4 shoe for every unexpected situation
Whether it's an approach or a proper hike, it's great to move freely no matter the terrain or the weather. Sometimes a single pair does the job of three and compactness goes hand in hand with style. I think people perhaps didn't appreciate my style when I tried to hitchhike back to Belgium from Malaga. In any case, I was glad to have the right shoes on during those 4 days of thumbing rides on the roads. Tuesday morning in the south with its 30 degrees had turned into a freezing night in Lille by Friday, but I didn't shiver. I warmed my heart and my toes at the Zulu Kangaroo bar - thank goodness I had my stilettos.
Walking with a sure step