Today was a day of reunions! I have not and probably will not catch up to the folks who powered ahead of me the day I had to call it a short day in Lorca, but there was another group of my original Camino family that was behind me because they took an extra day in Pamplona.

My cold seemed to be under control and thanks to whatever it is that the pharmacist gave me, I was feeling good. The day was split into two roughly equal segments of 10k each. The first would take me to Viana, and the second would get me to my ultimate destination of Logroño.

On the way out of town, was able to see the outside of an eight-aided church that is believed to be built by the Knights Templar, a military order of the Catholic Church that operated between then 12th and 14th centuries. Their primary role was to protect Christian pilgrims in both Jerusalem and Europe during the crusades. They amassed huge fortunes in their roles as protectors. Unfortunately the church wasn’t open so I didn’t get to see the inside.

The sun was just starting to rise as I left Torres Del Rio and I was excited to see a vineyard where grapes were being harvested!

I was feeling great and was thrilled when Stanley and Esme from Singapore came up behind me. I probably hadn’t seen them since Pamplona and have fond memories of walking up the foothills of the Pyrenees with them on our first day.

We caught up on who was where and soon were separated again.

Because pilgrims carry everything they need on their back, most have very few pieces of clothing thus you see people in the same thing every day and, honestly, it helps remember who people are.

I have been pretty amazed at how well I have been able to remember everyone’s names. It isn’t because I have a gift for that kind of memory because I don’t. I think it is because I not only remember the person’s name but also their story. They have gone from being just another face to a real human being.

I have come to depend on little stands set up by locals offering drinks and fruit. And, they always seem to appear just when you need a break.

This rest area was particularly interesting because of the huge number of cairns or small rock structures the proprietor had made.

Most of these stops are donativo meaning that you pay whatever you can or feel it is worth.

I was really intrigued with the patterns of this field with the interspersing of grape vines and olive trees.

The stacks of hay bales always make for a great pictures. I just cannot figure how they stack them so high??

Look closely to the right side and you will see Viana!

But of course, just because you see a town, doesn’t mean that you are going to be there soon. Often they are miles away as was the case with Viana. Sometimes you feel like you are just walking and walking and never make any progress!

But then, from behind be I heard a pilgrim coming up quickly and turned around and it was Henry from Florida!

He had stayed an extra night in Pamplona so I was ahead of him for a few days.

Then we ran into the group I hung out with in Lorca and got a picture of them all together.

This is Kira, Kyle, Damion, Angela, Urban and Hughs. They were excited because they had booked an Air B&B apartment for the whole group for that night in Logroño.

We walked into Viana before noon and found a cafe in the square in town and I had my first Spanish Tortilla because my mom kept insisting I had to try one. It is very similar to a frittata, but it has a lot of potatoes in it and, at least the one I had, was cooked very nicely so it wasn’t dry. It was delicious!

That square was amazing because as I sat there in walked many people I knew! Above is Stanley and Essa and Dion (who I also hadn’t seen since Pamplona).

After lunch we headed out the pilgrim gate on out way to Logroño and the Rioja region of Spain.

I found the snail behavior fascinating (hey it gets hot in the afternoon and you need something to take your mind off of walking).

Until you look closely you just assume the white puffs are some type of flower on the plant, but they are actually hundreds of snails!

Logroño is in site, but as a big city there is a lot to walk through to get to the old part of the city.

And then the fun started! With about 2k to go Ray texted me to say out mail server was being flooded by a Chinese hacker submitting hundreds of forms from our website every minute. Hmmm, I hadn’t planned for this problem.

I sat down in a park on my way into town and Ray shared his screen so I could see it on my phone and we managed to find a temporary solution until I could get to my Alburgue and come up with something permanent to stop the hackers.

Whew! Disaster averted!

Logroño is a fabulous city! The Alburgue I stayed at was right next to the Cathedral which is an amazing structure with an equally impressive interior.

It also has a little known secret! There is a painting by Michaelangelo behind the alter. For 50 cents you can light it up to see it.

I was hanging out with Henry and Dion when Gerrold and Natalia, also from our original group, showed up and joined us for a drink.

They are from New Zealand now but Gerrold is originally from England and Natalia was born and raised in Russia.

We hit a few taps bars and called it a night.

And, I just had to include this picture because this guy reminded me of my favorite Dalmatian – Nickel!

Reflections

The best laid plans…the server problem we had was serious and needed to be fixed. This is one of the few downsides of our business; we are tethered to our computers. Before I left, I had spent a lot of time documenting how to solve problems should they occur, but problems like we had with the Chinese hackers cannot be anticipated. They need to be dealt with when they occur. But we got through it and Ray did a great job “driving” as I guided him through the software to fix the problem. Thank goodness for technology like GoToMeeting!

Glorious! That was today in a word. If I had more words to describe it I would add that it was hot and quiet and beautiful and peaceful and HOT!

I started feeling like I was getting a cold last night and luckily I had brought a small supply of cold medication that would tide me over until I could get to a Farmacia. I slept well and felt better in the morning (although I am starting to fade again tonight). But the cold didn’t get in my way of walking and I was feeling really good; feet and all.

I just can’t get enough of these old buildings. I love examining how the stones fit together and how incredibly well built they are.

The building I stayed in last night was over 400 years old; they don’t know the exact age. I commented that it must be a nightmare to maintain, but then rethought my comment. 400 years ago it was simply a structure that was constructed out of stone. A box with a roof and some stairs and holes for windows. It has stood for over 400 years. The maintenance that takes a lot of work is all of the stuff associated with modern day conveniences – plumbing, heating, electricity.

Above is a picture of where I stayed last night.

One of the first things I walked past today was an ancient olive tree. Look at that trunk! I would love to know how old it is. And look at the way that new growth is bringing this granddaddy of a tree back to life.

Then as I walked down the hill out of town I noticed…

Elderberries to the left of me….

…grapes to the right…

…and there I was, stuck in the middle with me!

I have to keep reminding myself to turn around every now and then. Often the scenery behind me is as beautiful as what is in front of me. Here is the village I stayed in last night with that abandoned castle all the way up at the top. How in the world did they built it??

Then I saw my first almond tree!

I was so tempted to pull off an almond, crack it and see what it tasted like. The tree seemed to be growing wild. But, even so, if every pilgrim who walked the Camino took an almond from the tree there would be none; so I passed it by.

Next I passed a garden, out in the middle of no where. I had been seeing a lot of these artichoke looking plants as I have been walking past gardens, but I think that they are cardoon. I will need to do some research when I get home. Notice how dry and brown the ground is yet how lush and green the vegetables are. It is quite a striking contrast.

And, here is another mystery. What do you think is in the small screened box?

I think that it is Swiss chard, but what it needs that protection for, I have no idea.

I am surprised at the number of pilgrims who just walk by all of these amazing examples of agriculture without the slightest amount of interest. I am so happy that I have gained an appreciation for growing food over the past several years.

Here is one that really stumped me. If anyone knows what it is, please chime in.

Initially I thought that this was dill, but I rubbed some of the fronds between my fingers and there was no smell (unless my cold is so bad, I can’t smell it) and it’s growing habit isn’t the same as dill. Then I noticed a few red berries. I am stumped.

The Way was very quiet this morning with very few pilgrims. Part of the reason is being “off-stage” as I described yesterday. Part of it is because some people have Camino-ending injuries and rather than wait until they are better, they go home (a good argument for the importance of travel insurance!).

Today I would only be going through 2 towns on the way to my final destination of Torres del Rio. The first town was Los Arcos, but it was 12k away from where I started in the morning. On the Camino I have been walking about 3k an hour so that is 4 hours; a long time to go without a rest. And then this appeared.

So I stopped and had a cafe Americano, a fresh orange juice and a Jamon Boccadilo (cured Serrano ham on a delicious baguette).

I ate half the sandwich and saved the rest for later and headed on down the trail.

Soon I came across this! Does it look familiar?

It is what I used for the banner for this blog! But I hadn’t been on the Camino so I purchased it from iStockPhoto. And here it was!

I find these huge bales of hay that are stacked so high to be fascinating. I would love to see what equipment the use to get them stacked.

At last I was in Los Arcos and had a slice of vegetarian pizza for lunch.

While I was there Hugh and Urban who I wrote about a couple of days ago came along.

Urban had climbed up to that castle on the hill before starting his walk today. He showed me his pictures which were pretty amazing.

I quickly stepped into the church on the way out of town.

The next town would Sansol and my final destination, Torres Del Rio was less than a kilometer from there. The sun started getting pretty hot and I was disappointed I hadn’t dressed for a warmer day because I felt like I was baking.

There was very little shade.

But, there is nothing you can do but continue on. Ultreia is an ancient word that pilgrims use to mean forward or onward. So ultreia I did!

This was one of those days where you see the town in the distance and it never seems to get closer!

But eventually I found myself walking into Sansol and my town was literally just behind this town.

Sansol is up on the hill and I am taking the photo from the window of my room in Torres Del Rio.

The Alburgue I and many other pilgrims were staying at had a pool!!! I turned my sleeping clothes into a bathing suit and went for a dip. I wasn’t at all conscious of my “bathing suit” since some men were out there in their underwear. Who would want to carry the extra weight of a bathing suit?

Here are Steve and Kyle hanging out by the pool.

Reflections

This was the 8th day of my Camino and I have seen so many people soldier on with blisters, sore knees, and after bouts of food poisoning. You simply don’t have an option. You are out in the middle of a field or climbing up a mountain and you just have to will yourself forward to the next stopping point. So, yes, I am bummed that I have this cold, but it can’t really stop me since I have to check out of the Alburgue by 8 am tomorrow. Either I can sit around until 2 and check into another Alburgue and lose a day of my Camino or I can move on. I just need to be careful not to spread my germs to others. Ultreia!

I started out today with the plan to walk just 8k to Estella, but decided when I arrived in the town that I would go farther to Villa Mayor de Monjardin. Because I had shortened my walk yesterday, I was now “off stage.” In other words, I wasn’t traveling with the masses of pilgrims who were all starting and stopping where the guidebooks suggest.

I think that being off stage works well for me. I started around 8, but there were no other pilgrims around. I ended up walking most of the day by myself which was lovely.

I fueled up with a cafe con leche and fresh orange juice at the bar across from my Alburgue. After that, I left the town by myself and exited Lorca which will forever be special to me for being there when I really needed to stop.

A little out of town I found myself walking with a Korean couple who have lived in the US (Silicon Valley) for 50 years. Huan and Gene are in their early 70’s and leisurely walkers, but I enjoyed talking with Huan while Gene followed behind singing something I hadn’t heard before.

We passed a fairly large vineyard and winery. The modern building was striking and unexpected.

I passes a chestnut tree, or as I remember calling them as a kid, a monkey ball tree.

Because I seem to stop every 5 seconds to take a picture, Huan and Gene got ahead of me a little. But I love watching others walk the Camino and seeing how they are taking everything in.

At one point Huan bent down to look at a hairy black caterpillar. She even took a picture of it. She went on to tell me that when she was a young girl there was an invasive and aggressive species of caterpillar that was eating all of the foliage on the mountains.

The government decided that the most number of people in any category was elementary school children so they turned eradication of these pests into a school project. Huan said they would collect the empty c-ration cans left behind by the US soldiers and their “schoolwork” was to fill the cans with the caterpillars. At the end of the day they would turn the can into the teacher and the one with the most would get extra credit points. It worked! Today the hills in South Korea are lush and green thanks to this effort by some of the country’s youngest citizens.

Here is Huan and Gene crossing a medieval bridge in Villateurta.

After that I am not sure what happened to Huan and Gene, but it is typical. Pilgrims come and go as you walk. So, I thought that I was all alone and then I heard bells. I looked up to where they were coming from and surprise!

Here are some other beautiful sites before we even reached Estella.

I wish there was time to stop and learn about every church we pass, but in many cases, they are not open and if they were, it would make for a much longer Camino. I hope to do some research on the churches when I get home so it is nice to have these reference photos.

I thought this was an interesting water system. Something else to research when I get home.

Estella is a fairly large and modern town, but still has a charming historic area.

While I had contemplated a short day with a stay in Estella, I was there well before noon and you can’t check into alburgues until 2. I didn’t want to wait around when I could be gaining more ground rather than just killing time. Since I was feeling pretty good, I continued on to Villamayor de Monjardin. That turned out to be a great decision.

Henry, who was part of my original Camino family, told me about a metal worker right before Irache. I was thrilled when I came across his shop/studio.

He hand makes small jewelry and mementos so I bought a few things that seemed small and light and I moved onto the famous monestary with the wine fountain

This is another of those major milestones along the Camino. The wine flows freely for pilgrims. I didn’t have a cup, but the Camino worked it’s magic and out of no where a woman from the Czech Republic rode up on her bike (yes, you can do the Camino by bike) and poured herself some wine and offered her cup to me first. Little acts of kindness go so far on the Camino and in life.

While we were there a small tour bus pulled up and the guide said loudly, “Look! There are some pilgrims now.” I felt like I was an animal in the wild who was being hunted for photographs. Yes, they did sneak picture of us, because, after all, we are real live pilgrims.

Past Irache I got a little disoriented and ended up on a alternate to the main route that would take me past my planned destination and would have resulted in four hours more of walking than I wanted for today. Luckily I figured this out in the first 1/2k and I was able to correct my course.

No sooner did I get back onto the right path and Damion and Kyle showed up. These are some of the people who adopted me into their Camino family last night!

Kyle from East Stroudsburg, PA is an interesting guy with well thought out opinions on the drug epidemic, gun control, minimum wage, affordable healthcare and a whole host of other issues currently facing the US. He is a student and world traveler. Damion is a school teacher from Perth Australia who is on a one year sabbatical. I really like walking with these guys and they were very sweet in encouraging me during the last few tough kilometers.

Luckily our destination was not that castle on the top of that hill. Actually, tonight I learned that the hike up there isn’t that bad and it affords a 360 degree view where you can see 28 ancient towns and villages.

The place where Kyle and Damion were staying didn’t have any private rooms which I what I felt I needed tonight so I continued to the next Alburgue and was welcomed with open arms and a foot bath!

While they didn’t have any private rooms, Jan, the owner said he would give me a room that he would try to keep private for me. This is the first time I have really felt like a pilgrim. I was taken in, given a room and fed a delicious meal. This is a special place

Jan welcomes everyone and explained that the alburgue is part of a community of people living their lives as devout followers of Jesus Christ. He wasn’t preachy; but he shared his moving story of what brought him here and how he has put his life and those of his wife and children into God’s hands. He is a wonderful man and, while I don’t share his deep religious convictions, I respect them.

Dinner was delicious and filling. There were lots of fresh vegetables in the stew and the meal started with a salad. You can tell when food is made with love, as George Schenk of American Flatbread has taught me.

Reflections

I do believe that everything happens for a reason and that was proven today when I got lost for a short time and once I was reoriented I bumped into Kyle and Damion. They were important in helping me get through that last few kilometers today. Had I not made that unintended detour I would have stayed less than a kilometer ahead of them, not having any idea they were right behind me. As frustrating as it was that I walked all of those extra useless steps, it turned out to be a good thing.

Today was humbling, but wonderful, all at the same time.

I was up and would have been out on the Camino by 7, but the girls I was sharing a room with were getting a good nights sleep so I laid there writing part 2 of my entry about the Pamplona to Puenta la Reina segment. Once we were up and moving, Ayna suggested that we stop for pastry and cappuccino on our way out of town.

The bakery was really sweet and the food and drink delicious.

With the bakery on the camino’s exit Ayna and I were like the goodbye committee. We saw so many people we knew.

I was especially excited to see Lianate from Brazil who I hadn’t seen since Roncevalles. I had lent her my super lightweight daypack (it is a good to always have a daypack in the event you need to ship your main bag ahead for any reason) in Orisson because her knees were really bad and she was shipping her bag ahead and didn’t have a daypack. She was feeling much better when I saw her today but because I had already replaced the pack when I was in Pamplona, I suggested she keep the one I let her borrow and she was grateful.

I just adore Ayna. For those of you from the Valley, I think you will know what I mean when I tell you I am quite sure she is Serena Fox’s soul sister. She even looks like her.

With a late start, I felt like it was in a deficit before I even started. But I soon forgot that when I saw the beautiful 6 arch bridge that was built in the 11th century.

This bridge was built in the Middle Ages when over a million people a year passed this way on their pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. The bridge gave pilgrims a free and safe way to cross the River Arga. Prior to the bridge pilgrims had to rely on barges that were operated by people of dubious character who would often require large sums of money to cross or would rob pilgrims once they were on the barge.

Ayna said good-bye and moved on when it became obvious I would be taking a lot of pictures which would slow down our walking.

If you have been to Italy you know all about hill towns that were built at the top of mountains for protection and to be able to see for miles and miles 360 degrees. The ancient villages in Spain are similar.

That is Cirauqui up at the top of that hill and of course that is where we are going! Up up up!

After Cirauqui we got a little taste of Roman Roads.

This road system was built over 2000 years ago and served as a way to move troops and supplies and foster communications throughout the Roman Empire.

For quite a while today the pilgrim path went through farm fields, olive groves and vineyards. Often there was a foot path right next to a gravel road. I was walking mostly on the gravel road because it was easier, but then I thought I should walk for a while on the foot path to see if I could feel the energy of pilgrims who have walked on those same stones for over 1000 years. I was rewarded with a message.

Sometimes the arrows can get creative.

Here is some fairly new technology that I found fascinating. The sign says it is a canal. I will need to do research about this when I get home.

And another Roman Bridge.

Then a memorial to another fallen pilgrim. This time a Danish man who took his last steps on earth on the way to Lorca in 2011.

The 5.7k walk from Cirauqui to Lorca seemed to last forever and of course there was a climb into town. The first thing I noticed when I got to the top was the smell of freshly baked bread!

But alas, this was a wholesale bakery with no sales to the public. So I continued walking eager for a bar and just as I was running out of town, there were two of them!

I went into one and saw a couple of guys I had met in Cirauqui and they said they were done for the day and staying there. With my original destination of Estella still 8k away and seeing those guys enjoying a beer and Paella, I asked about a private room and lucked out! I got a private room with a shared bath and by 2:30 I was showered, my clothes were cleaned and drying and I was ordering my first Paella of the trip.

I was in heaven.

And now the magic started to happen.

First, I met Theo. He is a 76 year old Swiss man who started the Camino just 3 days ago in Saint Jean Pied de Port. This is his 7th Camino; all but one have been on the Camino Frances. He ordered a slice of Tortilla and a beer. He had walked so far from Cizur Mayor today and was going to Estella (that town 8k away that I couldn’t make it to!). Theo averages 40k a day! That is 25 miles!

He had fallen in Pamplona because he passed out from not eating breakfast. His hand was wrapped up and he had a few stitches that needed protection.

After he moved on, I talked with Urban, a danish man who showed me a beautiful 85 foot wooden restored sailboat that he was supposed to have been on. His friends invited him on a 15 month sailing journey from Denmark, down the European coast, across the Atlantic to the Caribbean and the up the US coast and the Canadian coast and then to Greenland, Iceland and eventually back to Denmark.

A month ago they were somewhere near the English coast and their sails were up and a strong wind pulled the boat over and Urban said within seconds the boat was sunk. He and the other 12 passengers all survived thanks to a rescue by the coast guard. Two weeks ago they had the boat raised and brought to dry dock where they retrieved their things. The clothes he was wearing today had been in that boat when it sunk. Urban, who is 54, was quite emotional telling the story as you could imagine! So he still had 13 months of leave left and friends urged him to walk the Camino.

I had heard about a guy who crossed the Pyrenees barefooted. It was Urban! He sometimes will use shoes but he is much more comfortable walking on grass and the Roman roads with their rounded worn stones in bare feet.

Then I met Hugh, a 27 year old Frenchman. Hugh had intended to walk from west to east across the Pyrenees (Appalachian trail style) over 10 days but then met three pilgrims on the train from Bayonne to Saint Jean Pied de Port who said “Hey! Why don’t you walk the Camino with us.” So he got rid of his tent and camp stove and became a pilgrim.

Reflections

While yesterday it felt right to push myself to my original destination, today it didn’t. My knees had started to hurt, just a little and I didn’t want them to become a problem. My toes are still sore, but feeling much better with the sandals. Stopping today felt right.

As I learned about the Camino I discovered that many pilgrims try to get to their destination by mid afternoon. Arriving in Puenta la Reina yesterday at 5 didn’t give me adequate time to rest and recover. And with the late start this morning it was going to be another late arrival if I kept to the original plan for the day.

I was sad because many of my pilgrim family made it to Estella with no problems. I don’t know if or when I will see them again. But, I am not disappointed in myself. I did the right thing and was rewarded by meeting a whole new group of people.

I am considering a very short day tomorrow I may just go to Estella, a short 8k from here and have another partial rest day. Or, if I am feeling strong, I will continue on farther. It’s my Camino.

Yesterday was toughest; perhaps the toughest. The walk out of Pamplona, the biggest city on the Camino, was quiet since it was early Sunday morning. I left with three others who were staying at the same alburgue and other pilgrims were walking at well.

Soon we could see the ridge of windmills and it was a little daunting to think we would be right up there with them soon!

Partway up the mountain there was a town where we stopped for some coffee and snacks. I needed to take some action with my feet because my big toes were hurting with every step. But what options did I have? Those TEVA sandals I bought in Pamplona! I have read how some people do the entire Camino in sandals and always was very skeptical about how that would work with the varied terrain, but I had no choice.

I kept the gel caps on my big toes (think of them as condoms for the toes) and slipped my feet, socks and all, into the sandals. Obviously you get no pints for style on the Camino.

Ahhhhh, my feet instantly felt better. Now to see how they work walking.

The sandals worked really well as I made my way up the mountain. I was shocked!

There was an interesting display of rocks as I neared the top.

And then, there I was at the sculpture of the pilgrims walking agains the wind. It was commissioned by the electric company that put up the 40 windmills on the spine of this mountain range.

You can see the town of Pamplona in the background.

I rested for quite a while enjoying the view and contemplating the descent which I was not looking forward to in the sandals, but there was no way those shoes were going back on my feet. So with a heavier pack (because I was now carrying my heavy duty shoes) and less protection on my feet, down I went, very slowly picking every step I made and relying heavily on my poles.

It took me a long time to get down and many people (including those biking the Camino!) passed me, but I didn’t care. Falling on my way down was not how I wanted my Camino to end.

Halfway down my toes started hurting again and the only thing I could think of doing was to remove the gel caps. I think that the downward motion was making them tighter and tighter on the toes. So at the first place I could sit, I took a little break and freed my toes. They once again felt pretty good, but were even less protected.

At that time, as I was having a snack and some water I contemplated the rest of my day. I could stop for the night in the next town or continue for the remaining 8 kilometers of the Brierly stage (Brierly is the author of the guidebook I am using and when you talk about a Brierly stage, it refers to his recommended stage).

I thought about my nephews and how, in their football careers they have pushed themselves to the point of physical exhaustion and then gave even more that they didn’t know they had.

I have done that with work, but never with physical activity. I decided that I would let them inspire me to push on to Puenta la Reina. It is a good thing because the alburgues I passed were “completo” (full) and I would have had to trudge in anyway, but no doubt with a bad attitude.

It was getting late and there were hardly any pilgrims walking nearby. I ha dot be really careful keeping focused on the arrows and making sure I didn’t miss one. I was in contact with Ray and he was motivating me saying, at one point, that I just have a walk to Gib and Sue’s (Mountain Valley Farm on Common Road) left, but there is no “dip” to tackle. I am so happy I had those types of references from my training.

I passed a small olive grove and vineyard.

And some kind of wild (mutant zucchini Ray say) ????

I walked past a church built in the 1500’s.

Both of the women I was sharing a room with in Puenta la Reina had long since arrived and were texting me to see how I was doing and to motivate me. It was so sweet. Very touching.

Finally, just before 5pm, I walked into the alburgue and checked in.

My sandals earned their keep yesterday and already look well worn even though they are just a day old.

I had walked from 8 am to 5 pm. It was a long day and all I wanted to do was eat and sleep.

But, there was a festival in town and there would be a running of the bulls at 6. How could I miss it? So I showered, washed my filthy clothes and took the “5 minute” walk into town to meet the gang, my Camino family.

They kept sending me picture of where they were and we eventually met up.

This was definitely small town running of the bulls and Ayna and I left to get dinner back at the Alburgue because all we could see was how cruel this “running of the bulls” was to the animals.

Dinner was a buffet! All you could eat. I swore those off several years ago, but last night it was perfect. We all agreed it was one of the best meals we ever had! It is amazing how your perspective changes when you are really hungry!

Reflections

I think yesterday was the toughest yet. Keeping up with the Brierly stages is feeling tough, but I pushed on and my body responded.

Desperation forced me to think differently about my footwear and the solution worked really well! I loved having to work with what I had and making it work.

Today kicked my butt! Toughest stage yet, but a real milestone.

After walking out of Pamplona, our next big landmark was the Perigrino Sculpture at the top of the mountain range we had to cross.

It is iconic and I was washed over with emotions when I got there.

Prior to staring the assent there was a short break in a town for coffee and provisions and at one of my fellow Camino’s suggestions I took off my shoes. I didn’t want to because I didn’t think I could ever coax my foot back into the shoes.

Turns out, I didn’t need to! I had bought those nice TIVA’s yesterday in Pamplona to replace my shower shoes. My friend Christine has been wearing her sandals for the past few days and it is working for her so I thought I would give it a shot.

But, I need to get to bed. Tomorrow is a flat day and I promise an update for both days.

For now, let’s just say it is amazing and something everyone should do!

When I have heard about people hiking in sandals, I never imagined it would work for me, but desperate times call for desperate measures!!!! With socks (a definite fashion statement) the TEVA’s worked GREAT!! They saved my Camino.

So spending Saturday night in Pamplona wasn’t intentional, but wow, what luck. This town is pulsing with excitement and it is thrilling to be in the middle of it. But wait, you have to hear about my day first!

I think I have found my morning Camino groove. I get up around 6 and get coffee before 6:30 and I am on my way with the headlamp shining the way for me.

Lots of people get an early start to make sure they get a bed at their destination. For me, it reminds me of my morning training walks and I just love experiencing daybreak and the sunrise. It has nothing to do about racing to the finish.

This was my first real solo departure and I had to keep a close eye out for arrows. The LAST thing I wanted to do is have to retrace my steps because I made a wrong turn. Often the markings are clear, but not always. It keeps you alert!

I guess I should mention that I slept for 6 hours straight last night and it was wonderful! I finally felt refreshed and rested.

The first site upon leaving Zubiri was a huge mineral processing facility for mining and refining Magnesium.

Of course with my work experience being in manufacturing, I was fascinated by this huge facility. I can imagine not every pilgrim felt the same as I, but everyone stopped to take a picture. It is so much more interesting in the dark lit up so it looks like it is teaming with life than I am sure it looks during the day.

There was an uphill around the Magna Plant and at the top I stopped to peel off a layer alongside a woman I figured was Swedish. We said our hellos, bid a Buen Camino and she was on her way and I wasn’t far behind.

Some of the Camino paths are quite small and it is hard to believe that hundreds of people a day walk on them.

And sometimes it is so steep that stairs have been built to make the walking easier.

But usually people can walk side-by-side which is nice for talking and a little companionship.

Before 9am I walked into another beautiful town and then past an ancient monetary that has been restored.

I just had to marvel at some of the ancient buildings that have been standing for centuries and will stand for centuries more.

We passed a home with a variety of ducks who clearly had been trained by passing pilgrims that if they stand close to the fence line and look cute, they will be rewarded.

Throughout the region there are reminders that we are in Basque Country.

This culture is over 7 centuries old and spans 7 distinct provinces across the western Pyrenees in France and the northeastern part of Spain. The Basque don’t consider themselves French or Spanish; they are Basque with their own unique and difficult to learn language and to complicate things, each province has it’s own dialect.

You would think that living in Vermont I would have my fill of cow scenery, but not so!

Along the path I found a pair of sunglasses that had obviously been dropped by a pilgrim. I didn’t know what to do but reasoned that whomever lost them would not retrace her steps to find them so I picked them up and started asking every peregrina I saw if she lost her shades. It was a long shot and I expected I would drop them in the donation box at the Alburgue at the end of the day.

Just when I was needing a break, we came to the town of Zuriain and a bar! I got a bacon and cheese sandwich, a banana, an apple and a bag of nuts and dried fruit (thanks to my hiking coach Nancy Turner for calling me on the protein-deficient snacks I chose the day before). I washed down all but the nuts and half the sandwich with a Cafe Americano followed by an Orange Aquarius and was on my way.

I confidently headed back to the trail and then realized it was wrong and went back past the bar and up toward the road. I was lost, but didn’t want all the people at the bar to know so I tried to look like I knew what I was doing, but I didn’t. Another pilgrim was leaving at the same time. All I could tell was that he was Asian and he didn’t speak English and I didn’t speak whatever his language was. But some how we communicated enough to figured out we were going the right way and we walked together for at least 30 minutes.

It turns out he is Korean and somehow, with very few words, I learned that he is walking the Camino because he is very angry. He asked if I was walking it as a Christian and I explained that wasn’t why, but that I am walking to reflect on my first 60 years and think about my next 30. Noah and I navigated some tricky turns in the way and helped each other not get lost. It was quite remarkable.

We passed a memorial to a fallen pilgrim from El Paso, Texas and each placed a stone but the cross.

I lost Noah at another rest stop that was literally a highway rest area where pilgrims could prepare for a steep uphill.

But the payoff was worth it and in the distance we could see where we will be tomorrow at Alto Pedron famous for it’s windmills and the giant pilgrim sculpture.

I stopped at a donativo at a monetary that had fruit and snacks and water and had a banana.

The woman I stopped with early in the day when we peeled off some layers came by and I asked if she lost her sunglasses. Yes! She had! I gave them to her and she dubbed me her Camino Angel. It turns out she is from the Netherlands.

The outskirts of Pamplona came into sight and it was time to make a decision: scenic or the normal route into the city. I knew I was going to go the scenic route even though it was a bit longer. It was on a path in a park along the river that led into the city.

Everyone else walking with me at the time went the normal route. The scenic route was not well marked and soon I was losing confidence in where I was going. There were no pilgrims around so I did my best to follow my online maps.

Then from no where two pilgrims appeared and they too were unsure of where to go. They were from Brazil and were able to communicate with people on the street to confirm we were going the right way. With my non-existent Portuguese and their somewhat better but very limited English, we were able to communicate with each other and made our way into Pamplona.

Which happened to coincide with Ayna and others in my Camino family arriving at the exact same time from the other direction.

We found our alburgue and hit the shower.

I then headed out to find some sandals because my shower shoes were not working for “evening wear.”

The clerk in the Caminoteca store saw my toes and told me the sandals I needed and suggested I also get gel caps for my big toes. My feet were very happy tonight.

Pamplona

I need to get to sleep so let me just say, Go! This is an amazing city full of history and life. Here are some photos.

Reflections

Today I was someone’s Camino Angel. I didn’t do anything but connect someone with her sunglasses. A little common sense goes a long way in helping others. And small acts can mean the world to others.

Today I depended on three people to find my way on the Camino. We all had a common goal and that enabled us to work together even though very few words were exchanged.

Man, I am loving this!

I love getting an early start to the walking day as I did when training at home. Here in Spain the sun is now rising at 8am so that means a head lamp is necessary for the first hour or so when leaving before 7am as we did today. We took a quick obligatory photo in front of the sign that tells us the distance to Santiago de Compostela.

Then it was off to Zubiri in the dark.

About 3k after leaving Roncesvalles, we came to the charming town of Burguete and a bar! (Remember, Bar means cafe in Spain). I had a cafe Americano and a banana and took a pain au chocolate (sorry don’t know the name in Spanish) for the road.

The town of Burguete was just lovely.

Espinal was the next town just another 3.6k later and it too was charming.

Most of our walking was done on paths similar to what we might walk on in Vermont. Some of it reminded me of the mountain bike trails behind Flatbread, especially when a group of biking pilgrims came riding past.

Soon it was time for another break and low and behold, there was a bar right when we needed it in Viscaretta (Bizkarreta in Basque). I ate the pain au chocolate from earlier and washed it down with a coke.

Looking at an elevation map, it doesn’t seem like today should have been so tough, but it felt I was constantly going uphill. And, unlike yesterday, there were no wide expanses; nothing you could gage distance with. You just had to keep putting one foot in front of the other and relish the short breaks and the scenery.

Our last stop before Zubiri was at a food truck on the side of the road. A fellow pilgrim introduced me to Aquarius. It is like a “light” Gatorade and comes in lemon and orange. It is very refreshing.

The toughest part of the day was the last 3.5k into Zubiri. It was downhill, at times steep and what made it really challenging was the ledge and huge rocks underneath that were jutting out diagonal to the path. (I was so focused on getting the heck down that I didn’t take picture to prove my fears to be true.).

The path itself was full of rocks and I had to carefully pick my way down (did I mention how much I LOVE my trekking poles?). A couple of times I banged the front of my foot against one of those immovable rocks and I knew it wasn’t going to be good.

No, I did not get a pedi and have my big toes painted blue.

We will see how those big toes are doing over the next few days. Otherwise my feet are doing great. I was lucky to have been able to work out the kinks (well most of them) with foot issues during my training at home. Others were not and many are struggling with blisters.

I was so happy to see the town of Zubiri! During our last break I told one of my fellow pilgrims that I thought I would try to get a private room tonight. I have barely slept the past three nights and felt that a good night’s sleep would help me a lot. Henry suggested I call for a reservation before getting into town and I am happy I did. I got the last private room at one of the Alburgues I had hoped to stay at. I feel like I am in heaven!

I have my own room and there is a shared kitchen and bathroom. AND a laundry machine. This is living!!!

After a shower I planned to go to the bar two doors down and get something to eat (since I only had a banana and that pain au chocolate today) and I would get to bed really early. But, there were some folks in my Camino family drinking a beer and soon I was making plans for the pilgrim meal with several of them at 7.

Reflections

While the Camino family idea felt forced and a bit uncomfortable to me the first couple of days, as we are starting to get into a groove, it is amazing how many people I keep bumping into that I know and it is so great to see them and catch up.

The one thing that is interesting is you never know when you may see someone for the last time. An injury could set someone a day or two behind, or someone could choose to stay somewhere for two nights to rest and explore (for example, that could happen tomorrow in Pamplona). Or, someone just might not be enjoying a section and taxi or bus ahead. We are all staying in different places and eating in different restaurants. It actually is quite amazing that we all keep bumping into each other when we do!

So, I am savoring every moment, living in the present because that is all I can be sure of. In fact, it is all that any of us can be sure of.

Have you tried to post a comment?

I am sorry, the security plugin I am using has gone rogue and was accusing people of not being “human.” I removed that “feature” tonight and hope it stops being so annoying. Please try again. I would love to hear from you.

I expected today to be the most challenging over my 16 day Camino. While we had half of the 1200 meter elevation under our belts on the first day, today involved the remaining 600 meters elevation plus the descent into Roncesvalles.

We left at 8 which was sunrise and up we went. There is no way to capture the beauty of this walk over the Pyrenees with a picture or video because you can’t feel the wind, smell the fresh clean air or heat the sheep and horse bells that are constantly chiming all around you.

The first landmark was Pic d’Orisson with a well-photographed statue of the Virgin Mary. While I am not doing this pilgrimage for religious reasons, I very much respect that for many this is a holy experience and has been since the beginning of the Camino. So I was touched to see this icon standing at what seemed to be the top of the world.

The sheep everywhere are just beautiful. Last night we got to see a herd driven through where we were staying.

The picture above was taken by a fellow pilgrim, Christine Brown.

I couldn’t stop my self from taking pictures every time I saw a flock.

I was feeling pretty damn good and the view makes the challenge so much easier.

At one point a group a six cars each with four passengers, drove by. Clearly they were tourists. There are all kinds of ways to do the Camino.

Annette, the young German girl who was my bunk mate last night, zoomed past me. Check out the size of that bag! 50 +10 liters! Oh to be young!

And we walked and walked and then, is that a food truck or is it a mirage?

It was perfect timing for a second breakfast, which is typical on the Camino. It was perfect for me since I can’t eat right when I get up. I was thrilled to be able to buy a chunk of sheep’s milk cheese and bread. It was a perfect snack along with a cup of coffee.

The only complaint I have with the food truck is the promising map that showed 1km up, 5km flat and 5km down. It really wasn’t 5km flat; in fact it was uphill. Gradual, but uphill!

Water is readily available throughout the Camino. This is the Fountain of Roland and the water was cool and refreshing.

Next came a major point on the Camino Frances…it crosses into Spain! I made it to the Navarre region of Espana!

We walked through a beech forest for a while. The shade was wonderful.

With Roncesvalles in our site we just needed to safely negotiate the downhill and we would be at our home for the night.

Total walking time was about 6.5 hours.

Dinner was delicious. The best yet.

€10 for the pilgrim meal. With wine.

After the meal we went to the Pilgrim Blessing in the cathedral. While this isn’t a religious experience for me, I will take everything I can get to help me power on.

Reflections

I am proud of myself. Not only in the walk I did today but in the training I did to be able to make this trek. It paid off!

Our Camino family is forming. It is great meeting so many people from all around the world. Most are very good with English, thank goodness.

I wasn’t sure I would like alburgue living but it isn’t bad and it is a great way to meet others. I mean, when else will I be able to bunk with three very cute 20-something Spanish men who had no problem undressing right in front of me. They were very sweet to me and even gave me earplugs…little do they know that I myself am a pretty good snorer!

Today was relatively short (as planned) and straight up (or so it felt). Kudos to Pastor Kurt for suggesting I train on Dump Road; today’s walk was steep (“but I’ve trained for this” which has become my mantra). I still have another 18k tomorrow before I can pat myself on the back for conquering the Pyrenees. Tomorrow’s uphill is another 600 meters but it is more gradual. The real challenge will be the “treacherous” downhill into Roncesvalles where I am staying tomorrow night.

Today’s Walk

I simply need to follow the arrows and I will find my way to Burgos (where I hope to get before my 16 days are up).

So I exited through the gates of St Jean Pied de Port, crossed the iconic bridge and I was off.

Leaving town I found the road steep and thought, “ah, this is what Kurt was talking about.” Ha! That uphill was merely a preview.

My Buen Camino App knew what was in store for me and the notification made me laugh, kind of. I had no idea I would get this messages from the app. Can’t wait to get the next one.

Up, up, up.

And soon, the town I had just left, was but a small dot in my sight.

Most of the walking was on pavement, but there was a shortcut through grazing pastures that was open for pilgrims so I took it. The climb reminded me of the hike up to Stark’s Mountain toward the very top. The views were stunning and made me forget how strenuous the walking was.

There was encouragement along the way.

And just when I thought today’s walk wasn’t going to quit, I turned the corner and saw my gite (French for hostel) for the night, the Orisson Refuge.

After checking in I had a well-earned sandwich of baguette, jamon and cheese along with a beer. Then I had dessert which was basque cake which I really enjoyed and will need to try to make at home.

All the newbie pilgrims are working hard to get into a routine, which, for most is check-in and then shower, do laundry and get lunch or a snack.

Tuesday, Arrival in Saint Jean Pied de Port

I didn’t have time for an update yesterday so here is a summary. I flew on Monday night from Boston to Paris and then took East Jet to Biarritz in Southern France. I took a shuttle (Express Bourricot) St Jean where I checked into the Beilari Gite.

Six of the eight shuttle members. We walked around town together and visited the Pilgrim Office to check in and get our credentials.

I bought trekking poles (didn’t want to have to check my luggage hence didn’t bring my sticks from home) and walked around the town a bit and then it was time for a communal dinner at the gite where the hospitelaro, Joseph, did a great job making the 20 of us feel at home and feel like we knew each other. As he said, it was our first “Camino family.” Elizabeth, the cook, prepared a beautiful meal.

I got my first sello (stamp in the credential which is required to stay in pilgrim alburges) at the Pilgrim Office.

Reflection

I was eager to get going today and decided to walk alone. I don’t think it is a coincidence that I did most of my training solo. I really enjoy the solitude and being able to go at my own pace. I definitely feel that the older I get, the more introverted I become.

As I sit here there is a beautiful breeze and the scenery is spectacular. In the mountains below there are cows with bells that are ringing and it is beautiful.

Oh, and the ear plugs I brought to drown out snorers…apparently I need to give those to my roommates because “I” am the snorer. Ray has told me this, but I never believed him.