That's Corsican for "across the mountains."

And that's what I'll be doing come June: Trekking across the mountains of Corsica (a French island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of France and west of Italy) on what's called the GR-20 Route or Grand Randonee 20.

The GR-20 is reputed to be the most difficult long distance trek in Europe. In 125 miles over the course of 2 weeks there is an astounding 70,000 vertical feet of elevation gain and loss.

Jeez, my back, knees and feet ache already! And a peek at the maps of the route does little to comfort me.

Fortunately, however, I am well into my usual pre-trek training regimen of walking daily to and from the car and consuming as much pizza and beer as possible in order to be in peak physical condition.

So far the training has been quite a success, and I'll no doubt be ready to tackle the rugged ups and downs of Corsica, enroute from Calenzana across the rugged interior of the island to Conza.

Corsica you say?

Why??

I'd never have put Corsica on the top of my hiking list, much less even on my list, had it not been for my friend Dr. John, a retired physician from the UK, who I met while trekking the Haute Route through the Alps from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn in 2000.

John was spending his early retirement traveling the globe and walking as many of the world's best trails as he could. And in the handful of nights that we and his group shared in cozy Swiss huts over mugs of Cardinal beer and glasses of red wine, he kept coming back to Corsica.

The GR-20 route was, he said, the hardest hike he'd ever done, and the most beautiful. It beat the crap out of him, but he loved every step of the way. The jagged peaks and lonely cirques, alpine meadows and high lakes, the mix of fellow trekkers from around the world that he met each day on the route, and each evening in the bergeries and gites. And the lovely, friendly, accomodating Corsican people.

The idea stuck. It made "the list." And my good trekking buddy Phil and I have kicked it around ever since the Alps trek. Threatening, ever threatening to go.

And now we are.

Maps and guidebooks have been purchased. So have airline tickets from my travel agent pal Nancy at AAA in South Portland. The packing list is on the table and gear is being sorted, evaluated, organized.

It's really happening. The GR-20 across Corsica. A dream come true. I can't wait.

But first I must continue my rigorous training...

Picking up my plane tickets to Corsica from Nancy, my awesome AAA travel agent.

Trekking friends from Britain pause for a photo and a laugh atop the Meidpass along the Haute Route in Switzerland, September 2000. Dr. John, the idea guy behind my upcoming Corsica trek, is at far left.

Yours truly descending into the tiny village of Gruben-Meiden, Haute Route, Switzerland, September 2000.

Toasting the completion of the Haute Route beneath the Matterhorn after 13 days and 150 miles of hiking. I trust that Corsica's GR 20 route will bring more great scenery and similar revelry.

Fra li Monti!