More of this Feature • Getting There • Day 1 • Day 2-3 • Day 4-5 • Day 6 • Day 7 • Photos

Related Resources • Christina's '97 Review • Gary's Ireland Walk • Gary's Luxembourg Review • Gary's Viborg 2-Day Walk Review

From Other Guides • Europe for Visitors

Elsewhere on the Web • Hærvejsvandring

Day Seven. What a feeling as we left the breakfast hall and headed for the road. No trails, just pavement and gravel, smooth, heading straight for Viborg. I passed a benchmark in my marching and I was exhilarated at having gotten this far. My step was long and confident. AnneMarie was in high spirits and you could feel the energy of my colleagues as they slipped by. The Hills of Dollerup were a minor obstacle as we closed the gap between Schleswig and Viborg. The ruins of Hald Castle passed by, and then the outskirts of Viborg. I passed several points of recognition from my Viborg 2-day march and I knew I was home. Just inside the city limits we stopped long enough to get our luggage and put them aboard the appropriate busses. A marching band was on hand, and we formed up behind it for the march into town. I got a handful of small American flags as is my custom for the children. OK, for the young ladies too. I'm a guy, I can't help it.

The band led us through Viborg towards the City Hall and into history. Viborg is one of the oldest towns in Denmark, and it has been there for so long you don't step up into a house, but down, as the streets have been re-paved over the centuries and the sidewalks rest many inches above the original foundations which have also sunk somewhat into the earth.

The Mayor was on hand to greet us, and of course there were a few speeches. The staff and support teams of the march were recognized, and then those who had completed the march in increments of 5 years were brought forth and awarded separately. After this phase the Fodslaw staff form two lines and the "firsties" "run the gauntlet". In this case we were subjected to handshakes, hugs and enthusiastic applause. Shouts of glee from our experienced colleagues drowned out the applause and cheers of the crowd, nearly 1,000, from the town. The chain was placed around every first year participants neck by the Mayor.

Done. Finished. "Never again" I thought. Well, that was what I said when I completed my first Nijmegen two years prior. Funny how things turn out. Nijmegen was two days away. I thought myself mad in a wonderful sort of way. Metta asked me if she would see me next year and I told her no. "This is nuts", I said. "Not with a two day break between this and Nijmegen". She smiled with understanding, nodded, grasped my hand and said, "see you next year" and walked away.

Hey, I'm an American. We don't do things like this, do we?

Yeah, we do. And we love it as much as our European brothers and sisters. And perhaps, maybe, I will do it again. Two days before Nijmegen.

On to Nijmegen.

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Photos copyright 2001 Gary Nelson