Start 07h40 · Arrival 19h19. 24.9 km, +1,479 m, -1,044 m, 9h26 of actual walking and 11h39 in total. One of the longest days. The long break facing the lakes probably saved the end of my day.
On paper, this day deserved real respect. From the Col de Vergio you don't string together a single, simple stage: you double up to reach Petra Piana by the end of the day. The plan was to leave very early and keep a comfortable margin.
In reality, you never get up quite as early as planned. The fatigue of the first few days, the relative comfort of Vergio, the need to recover a little better — all of it weighed in. We set off at 07h40. Fine, but not ideal for such a long day. We knew right away that we'd have to be clean in how we managed our effort.
« Sometimes, pushing forward at all costs is the wrong answer. Stopping at the right moment can save the end of a stage. »
The weather, for its part, decided to help us out. Very mild conditions, no violent wind: the day gave us beautiful landscapes, lovely light, that feeling of crossing one of the great sectors of the northern GR20. The pozzines, the water, the relief, the sense of space: visually, it's a day that gives a lot.
But even when the scenery is magnificent, the body eventually presents the bill. That day, I hit my first (and, in the end, my only) real physical and mental low of the GR20. Not just a brief flat spell. A moment when your legs turn to lead, when your head checks out, when the distance still to go feels far too great.
That's when Benjamin made a decision that completely changed what followed: we stopped for a long while facing the lakes of Melo and Capitello. Not a quick pause to swallow a couple of bites. A real break: time to drop the pack, eat, breathe, take in that incredible scenery, and let the body come back down.
That break was essential. It put me back on the right track, physically and mentally. That moment facing the lakes remains one of the most important of the day — not only because the panorama is huge, but because it shows just how much pacing matters. Sometimes, pushing forward at all costs is the wrong answer. Stopping at the right moment can save the end of a stage. That day, Benjamin had the right instinct.
After the break, I set off again far more clear-headed. The fatigue hadn't vanished, but it became manageable. We carried on toward Petra Piana without trying to push further on to Onda. The goal for the day was clear: arrive in good shape, drop the packs, recover.
When we reached Petra Piana at 19h19, the relief was huge. Almost twelve hours outdoors. There was still the bivouac to set up, food to make, water to manage, gear to sort out, but the main thing was done. The big stage was in the bag. And I'd survived the only real low point of my GR20.
