I am exhausted. Paul Chinn’s guidebook and Sandy Brown’s guidebook are right. The climb to Radiocafani is tough. For me, it isn’t the mileage. I break the hike into two sections so that my last day from Galina is only 11-12 miles. The elevation gain is the killer, over 2000 feet with probably a 1000 feet gain during the last hike up to the village. The village is on the main ridge line between Tucany and Lazio. If I had walked from San Querico, I would have walked over 20 miles. Ouch.

Two inauspicious events on the way to Radiocafani. To begin, I forget my water bottle. Last night, I place it in the refrigerator to get cold; this morning, I forget it. Oh welll….. The second incident is my first dog encounter. As I approached a farm house, I see a dog in the backyard. Cautiously, I walk quietly and move to the far side of the road. Unfortunately, he spots me. Within a minute he is within thirty feet of me. Ears back, teeth showing, and growling. As I turn and face him, I yell and then progressively louder as he approaches even closer. Finally, the owner comes out of the house and calls the dog. It seems to me that the dog retreated rather reluctantly.

What a relief to reach Radiocafani! It is a beautiful village. Since the village was bombed during World War II, the towns people rebuilt the city after the war. Stone after stone after stone. It is a beautiful stone village. I have a delightful meal; I have a comfortable place to stay.

The fog begins to drift into the small village.

The next morning, I’m refreshed and eager. The fog still encloses the village. Before I leave, I grab my camera and walk around the village for 30 minutes. Since it is before 8AM, nobody is on the streets. I have the opportunity to walk around the village in the early morning with the fog obscuring the village. I can’t see the castle tower; I can’t see the end of the streets; I can barely make out the top of the church. I take some evocative photos of the fog enveloped church with fall leaves on the stone steps, a haunting World War I Memorial, and red-cloth tables and chairs from the plaza cafe which pop in the fog. Wonderful!

I return to my lodging, grab my backpack, and start down the Via Francigena. From Radiocafani, everything is downhill. After a few hundred yards of sidewalk and roadway, I hit the broad gravel trail. No big deal. I use my two poles; I walk diagonally down the gravel trail like a skier. But…. falls happen so quickly. I begin to slide on the gravel. With a 25-pound pack, I can’t recover. Down I go, head first. Dang! I brace myself, but my knees hit the gravel. My wrists hurt, but they are okay. My right knee hurts. I nervously check the knee and see that my pants are ripped and there is some blood. Fortunately, I can bend the knee without too much pain, just a gravel burn and scrape.

Falling is a problem for anyone; falling for an older hiker on the Via Francigena is a serious problem. I’ve learned that often when older folks fall they often break their wrists as they try to brace themselves. The hiking couple from Alpharetta, north of Decatur and I-285, has had to stop hiking because the wife slipped and fell. The person who tells me about their mishap thought that she may have broken her nose. I also fear falling because I might reinjure my right knee. Several years ago, I tore my meniscus and did not have surgery. The last thing that I want is to be back using a walker! No more Via Francigena if that is the case!

I’m fortunate. I wash the knee with some water and continue walking. Because of the slow and constant motion, I keep the knee loose while I walk to Aquapendente. I’ll be sore tomorrow, but I can continue to walk! I even manage to appreciate the beautiful views and the colorful Via Francigena signs!

My fall happens in a millisecond. Down I go. I’m reminded of how quickly accidents happen. Once the accident happens, the consequences can change one’s plans dramatically. Again, fortunately, I can continue. Slower and even more cautious than before.