Wandering Loose in Italy: Just one darned poggio after another.
Poggios are big hills, and in Texas we would call them mountains. The trails constantly take us there. Physically this has been a hard trail. Trail markers are only useful in combination with the gps track from the Cicerone guidebook written by Sandy Brown. Of the many routes possible, we picked his. Yesterday was not as much up: 334 meters (1100 feet) and 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) and took us 7.5 hours. It was hot and we all ran out of water. There were no services available enroute.
There are more pilgrims on the trail now, we are meeting 10 or so daily, most are German and Austrian. We are projecting Assisi on May 15 and Rome on May 28.
robertcdeming 
Hi Robert
After Assisi, are you taking the Via Francigena trail to Rome ?
No, we are on the path described in the Cicerone guide (Sandy Brown). There are many paths.
Magnificent scenery.
Surely you know the legend of St. Francis and the starving wolf!!! Maybe it’s my San Francisco heritage but that was early childhood storytelling no matter what “creed”. ..but better late than never amidst such beauty!