Journal

Saturday May 4 The beginning... At 12 noon on Saturday May 4, Ray and Black were outside the café du midi, preparing to leave (see foto right). A jazz band played, entertaining people who sat in the sunshine enjoying a midday drink and meal. Then, late in the evening, Ray and Black… I hesitate to use the cliché, rode off into the sunset at the start of their journey. Wednesday May 8 Telephone call from Ray. He reports that after a good start he unfortunately got lost in the mountains. He ended up at St. Martial, where Domonique, the owner of La Terrasse, offered him a meal and rest at his restaurant. Photo: Cristina Loghin Domonique has an autistic child and was really thrilled to be able to help in some small way. Ray was 'phoning from Stevenson's, a café in Caffagnas. Ending the short conversation, Ray said they were now heading towards Villefort. He added a PS, that he had literally bumped into Paul Puech, an extremely helpful postman, who was able to show Ray the way across the terrain. He has also been grateful for help given by Jean Paul of Le Bouquet, Barre des Cevennes. e-mail received Thursday May 9 "My friend and I met Black and Ray just about 200 meters outside the "Hameau de Cremadet" between Barre and Cassagnas. We changed a few words and got his web site adress by reading it on his belly! He was in very good shape and so was his horse. We wish him and his horse al the best and a good sense of direction. Try to stay on track Ray otherwise it wil be a long way to Switzerland! Our tour in de Cevennes is over by now, yours only will take just a little longer! Good luck!" Andre Verheyen, Armand Janssen Dilsen-Stokkem,Belgium Friday May 10 It's really cold!!! Ray is in the Bar Cevennes and finding the night time is cold. Sleeping outdoors for the night he awakes Saturday morning to find the ground covered with frost. Saturday May 12 Ray's finding the going tough, with no signposts and just wild terrain, it's sometimes quite difficult to make sure you're on the right route. But he's thoroughly enjoying it. He finally finds his way to the restaurant "le Ventadou" in Jal Creste. The owners Didier and Anne Marie make Ray very welcome, and Ray has time to give an impromptu concert for guests. Monday May 13 Tonight he stays at a wayside small stop-over at Les Bastides. It's a sort of equestrian centre and Ray has been offered excellent hospitality by the owners, Marionette and Sandrine.

samedi le 18 mai 2002 Centre Equestre, Villefort Just a few days behind schedule, but morale and health okay - except for Black, who was a bit tired and has a skin infection. It's not serious but I need to watch this closely and get treatment. As it's now raining buckets, and I have a small gathering here tonight for concerts, I don't think I will be starting my journey again before Monday. Well, here's the news up to date. I'll start from Day 1, Saturday, May 05, when we had such a good send off from the Café du Midi. From there we arrived at Pont d'Hérault Saturday mai 11 and met Paul Puech, the postman. He gave good clear directions to climb upwards to Pinauche-Castenet. On Sunday I met two charming young girls; 13 year olds Julie St. Pierre, and Laure Ebuterne (see fotos on news page). They helped me pack Black and cross the road. They also helped say goodbye to the dame in the locale epicerie, who kindly charged my portable and offered café - which I accepted gratefully. I found Castenet, and now I wanted Vallerauge. There are three tracks, but none marked. Merde! So I take a guess and spend a day and night travelling only to arrive next morning a kilometre from Pinauche! Back where I started. Double Merde! I'm then put on the right track by a local guy, and off we go. But, Black has had enough so we stop for a few hours. Then, off we go again - but, dead end, so back track, another piste, wrong, back track again…*?*!@! I take a small track down, like a falling snake on heat, find the road and camp for the night. This is at a beautiful spot 'tween Sanissac and St. Martial. Everything a man and his horse needs - grass ("umm, comfy"), water (cleeeen), the sun and stars (no stripes!)…. Next day, I have to meet the television people from FR3 National at St. Martial, and get there just before they do. So, shots of us here, and there and everywhere, the, lo and behold, Paul Puech the postie arrives. So he's on tele' too! We eat Chez Dominique "La Terrasse", who offers us lunch for the cause. He knows someone who has an autistic child. Black and I then leave for Barre Cevennes, long and arduous, but we get there, and for once, no mistakes. One night au bon repas at "Le Bouquet" centre equestre, and we're on the road again for La col de Jalcreste. We stop at "l'Espace Stevenson" and rest for two hours. Trés sympa! On again to Jalcreste, 100 metres du resto "Le Ventadou" and Black rolls on his side. The hill is a little too much. I took off all our baggage and the saddle and he lies quietly for 20 minutes. Then he's up on his feet again, eating the grass. A woman stops and takes the bags and all our gear to the top. Black follows me and I tie him up to graze, while I have a beer in the 'stop-for-horsemen. I then go to the "Ventadou" where the couple who run the place, Didier and Anne-Marie, offer me a room for the night. This is gratefully accepted, as it is now p…..g it down. They were very good to me and I stayed three days, waiting for the rain to stop. Some friends arrive from Gabian - just to see how things are. So, I gave them my room and I slept in the attic. They ate in the resto with some friends of Didier and Anne-Marie, and I gave a small impromptu concert. Sunday I was off to Les Bastides, Col de Croix de la Berthal. We got lost twice so we pitched camp at 1,300m. That night it froze! But, it was magnificent - sunshine 'til 20.00hrs, sleep, and sunshine at 06.00. By 09.00 hrs we were washed and dried and on our way to "Les Bastides". I had found the right track the previous day, so we arrived near midday. La patron Marionette and her daughter Sandrine were very kind. We decide to stay the night as Black still had a small skin problem so we decided to wait for the vet. After treatment, we set off to make sure we get to Villefort for Thursday May 14, and early Tuesday morning we arrive at L'Auberet, an empty, ancient fortified farm. We camp by the river, exhausted. I read the map wrongly and was directed wrongly, and realise we have done 3 kms down a pretty steep hill. So we have to trudge all the way back up. With 3 hours of repos, we take the GR1 for pedestrians and horses, direction Mas de Larbarque Impossible! I can't find any track, and it's very dangerous for Black. Just rocks and a whacking big mountain facing us! No indication of piste - nowhere! After two tries with Black, he don't want anymore, so I tie him to a tree and re-trace the way we had come - around 3 to 4 ks. I also go over the mountain and try 'depiste'. No luck. I go back, re-baggage Black, and back to L'Auberet Phillipe, a guy I had met at Jalcreste, said I should look up someone called Yves the knifemaker, at La Vialas. So I leave Black and walk 2ks where I had a wonderful welcome. A young guy working with Yves took his car to pick up my things I had left, and I fetch Black. I had a stopover and dinner. Yves is a great guy. Ex-sailor (merchant) and originally from where he now lives - his grandfather's house. We ate his own food - he has rabbits, chickens and others, and he is known internationally for the knives he makes. He now lives wisely and simply. Next morning to Mas de La Barque. Black keeps stopping, and we rest often. We meet a Forest Ranger and he shows us a short cut AND takes Blacks baggage in his van. Painfully, Black manages to follow me as I lead him, until we arrive at Mas de la Barque, where Jean Chambon is going to help us get to Villefort for the next day. Black is in a field having a good rest, and he grazes and sleeps. I eat at the resto with the three guys who work there - they are very good to me. Jean Chambon lives at Villefort and has asked Nicholas at the centre equestre to pick up Black so there are no problems. It's only 15 ks but we are anxious to have Black to a vet. The guys at Mas de la Barque - Sebastian, Christophe and Joel, won't let me pay for anything, so I leave for Villefort with Nicholas. When I arrive I find I have a room to myself for two days. It's in the Municipal Holiday Home. Mme. Marie-Jo-Martin, Vice Mayor, welcomes me and tells me that they have arranged for me to give a concert 1t 10.00am the next day. In the afternoon, the vet tells me that Black need 3-4 days rest, so, with Nicholas the patron of the Centre Equestre, and his wife Greet, we organise a concert at the market in Les Vans, my next stop. This is a concert for Tuesday night in "la Café de La Poste" Chez Guisou. So we'll see… I should mention that the Vice Mayor, Mme. Martin, gave a donation for the cause and at L'Auberet, Barrie and Sue Kaye, who have an antiques booksellers in York, UK, who also made a donation. (kbooks.uk.com). Many thanks. I'll close this letter now and be in touch later. I hope to raise a few bob tonight, as I'm giving a small concert for just over 30 people. But a big thank you to everyone who has helped so far, including Nicholas and Greet, Marie Laure, and a painter called Manu, who gave me a painting 'for a song'. Well, quite a few songs actually. Cheers et a bientot, Ray (and Black of course)

mardi mai 21 2002 Hi Again, Hope everyone is well your end and you managed to receive my two letters - courtesy of La Poste. This is a short one. I need to again say a special thanks to Nicholas and his wife Greet, Marie-Laure and the eternal friend Jean Chambon the Forest Garden (Forestier) at Villefort. And again, special thanks to Guisou, patron of the "Café de la Poste" Les Vans, who contributed to the cause on Tuesday May 21 - the evening I played in her bar. The Journalist for the "Dauphine", the local paper, who I had 'phoned to, and came and did a beautiful story to help us. And of course many many thanks to Alain Privat-Garilhe at Folcheran, who has lodged me since Tuesday. A really wonderful person. I leave tomorrow (May 22) to try to catch up with my itinerary. Friends of Alains had a get together at the Café de la Poste on Monday lunchtime and I was invited along to do a few songs, then asked me to play for a birthday party on Sunday (May 26) in Montilimar. Catch everyone later, Bisous. Ray et Black

vendredi mai 31 - an e-mail recieved from the Tourist Office in Autrans Received in French - waiting translation to English From: offitourisme@wanadoo.fr (Office de tourisme d'Autrans) To: www.newton-smith.com Le passage à Dieulefit s'est très bien passé. J'ai été reçu par l'adjoint au maire; M. René Libre qui m'a mis en contact avec André et Bernadette Pignon. Leur deux fils sont internationalement connus dans le cercle du spectacle équestre. L'un est marié avec Magali Delgado, sa famille renommée éléve des cheveaux. Très Bon accueil. L'Office de Tourisme d'Autrans me téléphone. Ils m'attendent, donc il me faut le "Box" pour m'avancer car j'ai déjà 6 jours de retard. Le box arrive trop tard pour que je le prenne à Léoncel. J'arrive péniblement à Autrans, Black est très fatigué. Il lui faut 2 jours de repos. Il y avait un malentendu car Autrans m'attendait pour le 16 Juin. Mme Bouet , présidente d'une organisation protectrice des chevaux leur avait écrit pour annoncer que j'arrivait le 16 juin, c'est faux, sur le programme je devait arriver le 23 Mai. Le box arrive en même temps que moi à Autrans. Je dois m'en servir pour rattraper le temps perdu. A Autrans je suis bien accueilli par l'équipe de l'office de tourisme. Ils sont très généreux et me font des dons pour "Sésame Autisme" et même un billet de 50 euro est offert par Jean Pierre, bénévole. Frédérique, qui travaille à l'Office est très efficace avec Mireille et Didier. Ils trouvent l'Auberge de Jeunesse pour nous héberger. Lionel, le directeur de l'Auberge m'offre de rester un jour de plus. Kikou et Déborah prennent bien soin de moi . Je lave mon linge ! Mercredi soir, j'ai donné un petit concert à l'Auberge. Une dizaine de personnes sont venues, c'était sympa !! Demain, vendredi je vais prendre la route avec le box pour rattraper le temps perdu sur mon programme. 90 km = 1 heure de conduite = 4 jours de cheval !!! Office de tourisme d'Autrans

mercredi le 05 juin 2002 From: barreg@wanadoo.fr To: info@newton-smith.com Hello David, Ray has been staying with us since Saturday evening. We send a copy of an article that was in an edition of "Isère du Dauphiné Libéré", one of our newspapers. It is a very good interview with Ray and was in two times - also in the "Journaux de France Bleue Isère" this morning. (see NEWS PAGE for more information) We are now waiting to see if another interview is shown on French television, channel TF3, the interview is about his concert this evening (04.06.02) in Morestel. There is much more to tell you but Ray will give you more details the next time he talks with you. A bientôt. Bien cordialement Gérard Barré, webmestre des domaines : http://www.justacriollo.com http://www.worldtrailrides.com2

lundi le 10 juin 2002 Received in French - waiting translation to English From: Ray et Black To: info@newton-smith.com Hello David, Depuis Autrans dans le Vercors, je suis arrivé aux Échelles, sur les contreforts du massif de la Chartreuse - Je m'arrête au bord de la rivière, pour manger. Déjà commencé, un tournoi de foot oppose les enfants. J'observe leur jeu un bon moment avant de proposer au plus curieux de ces gosses de monter Black. Tous profiteront du manège de fortune que je leur offre, nomade comme le forain qui viendra ici le 14 juillet. Il me faut reprendre la route vers Yenne. Pourquoi, détourner mon itinéraire plus à l'ouest, vers Morestel? Pour m'arrêter à Veyrins-Thuellin chez Gérard, le webmaster de worldtrailrides.com, sa conjointe Gisèle et Jérôme, leur fiston. Je suis bien accueilli à la table où sont réunis quelques amis et ne peut m'empêcher d'accepter l'invitation à chanter lancée par Gérard. Il pleut des cordes quand nous décidons d'organiser un concert. La météo ! Mauvaise, elle laisse prévoir trois ou quatre jours encore d'un temps de chien. Tout prêt d'ici, le village de Saint Geoirs en Valdaine et ses alentours ont été ravagé par de violents orages - Zut, merde alors ! Avec Black, nous sommes coincés ici dans ce trou, agréable, certes. Mais, je suis déjà tellement en retard. Une semaine de perdue - sur quoi ? Lundi, on m'attend à Bellegarde sur Valserine. Que faire ? Mais, je voyage à cheval et c'est comme ça - planning in the trash - Vivre ! Mercredi 5 juin, le concert réussi s'est très bien passé et lundi approche, il me faut reprendre la route. Au boulot mon Black, on the road again ! À bientôt saddlepals…

Monday, June 17 2002 Telephone conversation with David Newton In a telephone call this morning, Ray gave details of his progress these last few days. He said he had enjoyed giving a concert - sort of country music he said, on June 11. This was at the Relais de Bugey, Chatillon, near Bellegarde. He is feeling well, but a little tired. Black seems to be fairing better than Ray, and is okay. Travelling near the Swiss border, as he had been doing for some days, he said the landscape was really spectacular. This morning he was on the road at 05.00, wishing to travel as much as possible before it got too hot. Although at 2,000 metres, the temperatures have been in the thirties the last couple of days, and today started off no different. When 'phoning he said he was just outside Les Rousses, near Morez, and he has plans to stay the night at Chapelle des Bois. The next schedule large concert venue is next week - on June 26 at La Chaux-de-Fonds, there will no doubt still be plenty of impromptu 'concerts' before then. I also told Ray of e-mails I hade received, in particular, some from Fere Scheidegger of Hot Strings, which gave details of concerts he had arranged in Switzerland (click here for details). I also received an e-mail (click here for Site Noticeboard) from one of Ray's friends in the village; Lt. Col. Georges Bartoli, Mayor of Gabian. Unfortunately it arrived later today - too late for me to pass onto Ray. However, I did ask Ray to go on-line and read the messages and items of news when he was in the next largest town, and he said he would.

Thursday, June 20 2002 Postcard received from Ray - card shows Morestel Hi David and Cristina, As you know I left the company of Gérard Barré two weeks ago, heading for Bellegarde. Here old friends looked after us. Rose and Jean Pierre Medico were great. The concert at the Relais de Bugey went well. We left Bellegarde a week ago and now on the road to Morez or Les Rousses. 'all for now, Black et Ray

Sunday, June 29 2002 Message from Ray The last couple of weeks after we left Bellgarde were really hard and difficult. We stayed in Surjoux in fact, with Bernard and Gillian - friends of Rosy and Jean Pierre in Bellegarde. They looked after Black whilst Rosy and I organised a concert in Le Relais du Bugey, in Chatillon. The concert went extremely well, and we made over 100 euros for the charity. But, we're on the road again. We stay at Challex near the Swiss border, just south west of Geneva. It was there that I met Marcel, the bulldozer driver. He kindly allowed us to stay on the gravel site where he worked. The Rhone runs past this site at a furious pace, swollen by the heavy rains that had caused so much damage in the area - and soaked us for three of four days! The other side of the river - Switzerland! We stayed on the site until June 17, before leaving for Gex. Altitude 2,000m, and very cold. Brrrr. Facing and looking across the Alps, a beautiful magnificent view, we slowly continued towards Les Rousses. We stay one day at Les Rousses, next to the lake. Unbelievably it was 37 degrees. What a change in a few short days! We leave at 5, with fresh morning dew, for Chapelle de Bois, a charming village which even out of season has plenty of people who arrive to walk and ramble around the countryside. We stay a while, as we leave tomorrow for Mouthe, a two day hike. We're on the Col de Faucile, a huge mountain of a hill, a very beautiful plateau. For those who take walking seriously, this is the GR5. It was one day after leaving Mouthe that Black managed to find a cable that was partly buried in the ground. He finished up with this wrapped around his back leg, and this caused him problems when walking. I give him some first aid treatment and we managed to make it to Villers-le-lac within a few days, where I was able to get proper treatment for him. We leave Villars-le-lac on June 25, to be in La Chaux de Fonds where I give a concert at the Petit Paris nightclub on June 26. We're very well received by Bill Holdman, an American musician, who coincidently played in a Boby Lapointe show in Pézenas that I once attended. Small world! The 28th. We're in Tramelan, with our first concert with Hot Strings. The concert went down really well, and the hospitality given to us by Raoul and his mother - and everyone else at the Hotel de la Place, was fantastic. Many thanks folks. The 29th. Phew!! We made it! We're here in Berne, Switzerland, after some 1,300 k of travels. We are very, very happy, but oh so tired. We give one small concert in Berne, before we do the BIG UN! This is on July 1.

Saturday, July 13 2002 We're in Pézenas, where it all began all those weeks and kilometres ago. A homecoming party had been arranged by my friends and family. It is good to be back. Even better to know that over 6,000 euros has been raised to help autistic children. There are many musician friends who have come along to give an impromptu concert for people on the terrace of the Café du Midi. There are also loads of locals who had turned up for the occasion. At the end of a beautiful day, I sat back and thought to myself - what a wonderful adventure. And no, perhaps not my last after all.

Tuesday, August 20 2002 A postscript from the webmaster... During this time, there have been literally hundreds of good luck messages from people who have visited the website. Thank you. However, we must say there was one really unexpected one. This was waiting for Ray when he arrived home in Gabian. The visitor to the site wrote to say that as she was surfing the internet, she came across the website Black-et-Ray. She thought to herself, this can only be the Ray Everitt that I once knew. She wrote to ask if he remembered the occasion when she was wearing a purple trouser suit, with flared trousers, and a John Lennon hat. Did he remember that time when she left her pint on the bar in a pub in Fulham, to go to the Registry Office? She got married there, and went on to catch the coach carrying the Twickenham rugby team, who were playing the British Army team that day. She said; this must be the Ray Everitt I married on that day! Our wedding breakfast was at Ronnie Scott's (old club). She added that although she had no wish to re-enter his life, he might like to know that his daughter, who he hadn't seen for 30 years, is now married with 3 daughters, 8, 14 and 16. They would be delighted if he could come and see them. And he did. And they were!

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Ray Everitt, le troubadour, et son cheval blanc Black partent en croisade au bénéfice des autistes