I found this online today and was moved by it. It speaks truth.
Blessed are you, pilgrim, if you find that the Camino opens your eyes to the unseen.
Blessed are you, pilgrim, if what concerns you most is not arriving, but arriving with the others.
Blessed are you, pilgrim, when you contemplate the sights of the Camino and find them full of names and of new dawns.
Blessed are you, pilgrim, because you have discovered that the true Camino begins at its end.
Blessed are you, pilgrim, if your backpack empties of things as your heart doesn’t know where to fit so many emotions.
Blessed are you, pilgrim, if you discover that a step backwards to
help another is more valuable than one hundred forward without awareness
of those at your sides.
Blessed are you, pilgrim, when you have no words to give thanks for all the wonders in every nook of the Camino.
Blessed are you, pilgrim, if you search the truth and make of your
Camino a life and of your life a Camino, after Him who is the Way, the
Life, and the Truth.
Blessed are you, pilgrim, if in the Camino you meet yourself and make
yourself a gift of time without hurry so that you may not neglect the
image of your heart.
Blessed are you, pilgrim, if you find that the Camino is rich with
silence, and the silence is rich with prayers, and the prayers are
encounters with the Father that awaits you.
Thursday, September 13, 2018
Sunday, August 5, 2018
The rest of the story
For those of you who were/are following this blog, I apologize for its abrupt lack of content. My days walking the Camino did not allow as much time to write as I would have liked and very sketchy network connections made it very difficult to upload videos and entries.
I did record with my GoPro along the way and tried to splice the videos together, showing a day or so of the journey at a time. Uploading those to YouTube proved to be formidable. Sometimes allowing them to upload all night, while I slept, wasn’t enough time, even over wifi.
But I now have what I’ve produced uploaded and available. Some I posted on Facebook, but not all. So, if you’re still interested, below is a list of video links that I don’t think made the blog yet. I hope you enjoy them. I had a blast making them.
I may still write some post-Camino thoughts on this blog, but not until after I’m home on the 8th. Thanks for your interest. Comment or ask questions as you like. I’ll try to respond as appropriate.
Buen Camino!
Sunday, July 15, 2018
Bercianos Del Real Camino, Mansilla de las Mulas, and León days 22-25
The three days walking to León have not been particularly memorable nor exciting. Unless you’re excited by walking alongside roads and highways. They have not been uneventful though. Before Bercianos we came to a junction that is very poorly marked. One way takes you on the main Camino, the other on an old Roman road which is longer with a 24km stretch with no towns or services. 50% chance of choosing the right road, 100% chance of getting it wrong! We figured our error out in time to take a cutoff that returned us to the main path, but it cost us about 2km in the end. It was already a longer day, and it was hot, but we survived.
We also passed a milestone. The town of Sarria marks the halfway point on the Camino. Passing through the gateway means we have more Camino behind us that ahead. It’s a good feeling and somewhat hard to believe.
The next night in León they joined us again, along with several other pilgrims, at a Mexican restaurant with Jose and Dante that they’d heard about. The food was fantastic and the company fun. At Jose’s urging, we all loudly sang Cielito Lindo, much to our delight and that of the purveyors. It was an amazing night, and exactly what the Camino is about.
As I write this we are near the end of a rest day in León. Jose, Dante, and others walked on today, others also took a day of rest. We don’t know if we’ll cross paths with any of them ever again, but we all have shared moments with each other that are now cherished memories of our Camino. This is the Camino, perhaps we will see them again in Santiago, or sooner. Perhaps not, but we look forward with anticipation to those dear friends that we’ve not yet met on our journey.
We also passed a milestone. The town of Sarria marks the halfway point on the Camino. Passing through the gateway means we have more Camino behind us that ahead. It’s a good feeling and somewhat hard to believe.
As we plodded on we crossed paths with old and new Camino friends. This is really the magic of the Camino. Jose, who we encountered again, introduced us to Francisco and Gabriela. Francisco told us on a conversation with another pilgrim where he said that the Camino was about the stops, and that he agreed. I’m inclined to agree as well. It’s at the stops, along the way and at the end of the day, where you meet “old” and new friends and share moments from our Camino and our lives. Andie and I walked into a restaurant in Mansilla for dinner only to find Toby and Rachael waiting to be seated. The four of us shared an amazing vegetarian dinner (they’re vegetarians too) and great conversation. Toby is a teacher in England and when he mentioned an English researcher named John Hattie I burst out “I know about John Hattie! I’ve read several of his articles and his book”! Teacher nerds are the same worldwide.
The next night in León they joined us again, along with several other pilgrims, at a Mexican restaurant with Jose and Dante that they’d heard about. The food was fantastic and the company fun. At Jose’s urging, we all loudly sang Cielito Lindo, much to our delight and that of the purveyors. It was an amazing night, and exactly what the Camino is about.As I write this we are near the end of a rest day in León. Jose, Dante, and others walked on today, others also took a day of rest. We don’t know if we’ll cross paths with any of them ever again, but we all have shared moments with each other that are now cherished memories of our Camino. This is the Camino, perhaps we will see them again in Santiago, or sooner. Perhaps not, but we look forward with anticipation to those dear friends that we’ve not yet met on our journey.
Life is good and the Camino is full of love and magic.
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Población de Campos, Carrión de las Condes, and Lédigos days 19, 20, and 21
Three more days on the road, similar landscape, rolling hills reminiscent of the palouse, but very different walking conditions. Mostly due to the weather. Monday was clear and warm, with a breeze but not too hot. 
We climbed a large hill out of Castrojeriz. It was “Orrisonesque” in its steepness in places, but the entire hill was only 1.25 kilometers long. The view from the top was almost worth the climb. On the way down we were passed by a group of Americans who were going through seminary. They were all dressed in black robes, with packs, and were singing as they walked. They looked hot and tired.
We are getting closer now, almost halfway. Today presented a challenge in the form of a 17 km stretch with no services, dead straight with a slight upward slope, through farmland. It is somewhat famous for driving people crazy, and were were concerned about high temperatures. I carried 3 liters of water and some fruit and cookies to sustain me.
The walk didn’t go as planned. The morning started partly cloudy and breezy with temperatures in the mid 60’s, perfect for walking. We barely got out of Carrión when Jose and Dante caught up to us, so the next 9 km passed quickly and pleasantly with good conversation. Andie and I stopped at a rest area for a break and they continued on. We caught up to them at a new “bar” on the way where the owner was barbecuing sausages. The sky was looking ominous so we donned pack covers and jackets. Good thing because for the next 9 km we walked through a thunderstorm! Lightning all around us, and directly above. One bolt was followed less than a second by its LOUD thunderclap. The winds picked up and the sky opened and it RAINED. Hard. Very glad for my North Face jacket, it earned its keep today. All in all though, it was a pleasant day of walking, even with the tempest. The temperatures stayed in the 60’s and the walking was wet but easy. You just never know what the Camino will provide!
We climbed a large hill out of Castrojeriz. It was “Orrisonesque” in its steepness in places, but the entire hill was only 1.25 kilometers long. The view from the top was almost worth the climb. On the way down we were passed by a group of Americans who were going through seminary. They were all dressed in black robes, with packs, and were singing as they walked. They looked hot and tired.
Yesterday was hotter, and while we only walked 17km, it really took a lot out of us. Heat (with pardon requested from my students for the commonplace use of the word) really is the culprit for difficult walks. Most of the day was spent walking along a path that paralleled highways or along a canal. Not exactly a glorious walk.
We are getting closer now, almost halfway. Today presented a challenge in the form of a 17 km stretch with no services, dead straight with a slight upward slope, through farmland. It is somewhat famous for driving people crazy, and were were concerned about high temperatures. I carried 3 liters of water and some fruit and cookies to sustain me. The walk didn’t go as planned. The morning started partly cloudy and breezy with temperatures in the mid 60’s, perfect for walking. We barely got out of Carrión when Jose and Dante caught up to us, so the next 9 km passed quickly and pleasantly with good conversation. Andie and I stopped at a rest area for a break and they continued on. We caught up to them at a new “bar” on the way where the owner was barbecuing sausages. The sky was looking ominous so we donned pack covers and jackets. Good thing because for the next 9 km we walked through a thunderstorm! Lightning all around us, and directly above. One bolt was followed less than a second by its LOUD thunderclap. The winds picked up and the sky opened and it RAINED. Hard. Very glad for my North Face jacket, it earned its keep today. All in all though, it was a pleasant day of walking, even with the tempest. The temperatures stayed in the 60’s and the walking was wet but easy. You just never know what the Camino will provide!
Sunday, July 8, 2018
Atapuerca, Burgos, Hornillos, and Castrojeriz days 15-18
Spotty wifi and sleepy afternoons. So I haven’t been great about my blog. We’ve walked about 355km (220 miles), so far, about 44% of The Way. It’s hard to tell because different guide books, my iPhone app, my gps and roadside signs all disagree with each other. How far to Santiago? Who knows. 
Beautiful countryside, as usual, and the weather has been conducive to walking; temperatures in the 70’s and even some light rain. At night we’ve seen some thunderstorms, fortunately we’ve been inside.
We hiked on to Hornillos del Camino where we got another private 2-bed room in the hostal (we do that whenever we can. I’m old and I like my creature comforts) and discovered another wonderful restaurant! This one run by an Irish woman who walked the Camino, fell in love with a Spaniard and moved to Spain. A lovely place with homemade comfort food. Tomato lentil soup, curried vegetables, and bread and butter pudding. Well, after all, a pilgrim must suffer. We returned for breakfast and got to chatting with our host and walked off without paying! When we realized it about a kilometer later (you do NOT backtrack on the Camino) were were horrified. Thank goodness for Facebook and Paypal. We were able to contact her and send a PayPal payment. All’s well that ends well.
Beautiful countryside, as usual, and the weather has been conducive to walking; temperatures in the 70’s and even some light rain. At night we’ve seen some thunderstorms, fortunately we’ve been inside.
In Atapuerca we found a wonderful restaurant that serves a gourmet 3 course meal to pilgrims for 15€. The chef is an artist; I had a goat cheese salad, curried lentils (he grows his herbs in his garden at the restaurant) and a tart lemon sorbet for dessert. Water and wine were of course included. It was a fabulous meal which we shared with our pilgrim friend Alice.
We took a rest day in Burgos. It was well received. One thing I remember about Burgos is that they seem to love to party! They don’t really even get started until midnight and go all night. Very loud all night. Didn’t sleep as well as we’d have liked, but oh well. We toured the cathedral (my second time) and it still defies description. We later hiked up to the Burgos castle (yes more hiking). It was very interesting and offered a spectacular view of the city.
We hiked on to Hornillos del Camino where we got another private 2-bed room in the hostal (we do that whenever we can. I’m old and I like my creature comforts) and discovered another wonderful restaurant! This one run by an Irish woman who walked the Camino, fell in love with a Spaniard and moved to Spain. A lovely place with homemade comfort food. Tomato lentil soup, curried vegetables, and bread and butter pudding. Well, after all, a pilgrim must suffer. We returned for breakfast and got to chatting with our host and walked off without paying! When we realized it about a kilometer later (you do NOT backtrack on the Camino) were were horrified. Thank goodness for Facebook and Paypal. We were able to contact her and send a PayPal payment. All’s well that ends well.
We have been meeting some great pilgrims. Alice is a 25 year old woman from New Jersey who is about to start medical school. We walk the better part of 3 days and the conversation helped the miles fly by. Last night we had dinner with Jill (English but lives in Northern Ireland, she spotted our hosts Dublin accent straight away), who we met in Orrison. So interesting to hear how other pilgrims journeys are unfolding. Today we walked about half the day with Jose and his son Dante. He retired from teaching 23 days ago. Came right on the Camino. He was born in Mexico and lives in Palm Springs. When I told him I was trying to learn Español he told me to have a conversation with him in Spanish and to not try and decode everything, just talk. We did just that for a few minutes, talking about the beauty of Spain, and it worked! I didn’t know all of the words but I understood. Amazing. Jose is a unique man and immmediately puts you at ease. At one point he announced “Dante and I are going to sing a Spanish song and then you and Andie can sing one in English”. So, I don’t sing, but we did and yes, I’ll post the video. Jose, a gift.
Today’s albergue in Castrojeriz is delightful. The communal meal was a traditional Korean dish, bibimbap, which we ate, coincidentally, with a couple from South Korea. Delicious. Again, a pilgrim must suffer.
Another two videos:
Tuesday, July 3, 2018
To Azofra, Grañon and Villiambistia days 12, 13 and 14
Finally at a hostal with good wifi (weefee) and available electric outlets. Don’t need to conserve electricity. The past three days have been relatively decent walks. The extreme ups and downs are behind us, for now. The path has generally been wide with sure footing, a welcome change. 
Yesterday was some of the best walking yet. Such beauty, a nice breeze, and moderate temperatures made walking truly a joy.
We walked through Santo Domingo de la Calzada and took some time to tour the church there. It is where Saint Dominic, founder of the Dominican order, is laid to rest. Look up the story of the chickens! We saw them.
Yesterday was some of the best walking yet. Such beauty, a nice breeze, and moderate temperatures made walking truly a joy.
We walked through Santo Domingo de la Calzada and took some time to tour the church there. It is where Saint Dominic, founder of the Dominican order, is laid to rest. Look up the story of the chickens! We saw them.
About this time during the Camino your physical weakness start to make themselves known. We have heard of pilgrims we started out with who have dropped aside with bad knees, shin splints, and monster blisters. They’re all ahead of us, hmm. Maybe slow and steady wins after all. I am by no means left unscathed. I’ve developed two blisters; one on a toe that grew one last time on the Camino. I knew it was a problem spot so I’ve been wrapping it with paper tape every day, but it grew one anyway. It hasn’t bothered me but grew bigger every day, so I gave it the needle. I know, I know. A little Spanish antiseptic gel and bandage and Bob’s your uncle. The second is on the side of my right heel, which is a new spot for me. My insole has a worn spot right under it and I wonder if the pebble I picked up a few days ago caused it. It hurts to walk on it so I ran it through as well. Actually, Andie did that, a task I assure you she could have done without!
It is very beautiful, waves upon waves of grain, interspersed with bright red poppies. Except for the poppies, and the occasional medieval bridge, you could be fooled that you were walking through the Palouse. It feels a bit like home. We landed in the village of Villambistia at a hostal I well remember from my last Camino. I was feeling ill and I think I could have been convinced to quit the Camino. We stopped at this hostal to a break and I had a cup of hot, black tea. Maybe it was magic tea, maybe it was the Holy Spirit, I don’t know, but when I walked out I was a new man and never thought about quitting again. Andie found this place through Facebook, it’s not listed in the guides being only a couple years old. Imagine my surprise when we rounded the corner to see that this is where we had reservations! A delightful room with two beds and a full sized bathroom with shower! It’s the small things when you’re a pilgrim.
Last night we stayed at the parochial albergue in Grañon, which is where our parish priest, Fr. Kevin Codd, was a hospitalero for two weeks last summer. It was an amazing experience (read Andie’s blog for more: http://caminarasconmigo.blogspot.com), including sleeping on mats on the floor in a room of 16 people.
Today we passed into the Provence of Castilla y León.
It is very beautiful, waves upon waves of grain, interspersed with bright red poppies. Except for the poppies, and the occasional medieval bridge, you could be fooled that you were walking through the Palouse. It feels a bit like home. We landed in the village of Villambistia at a hostal I well remember from my last Camino. I was feeling ill and I think I could have been convinced to quit the Camino. We stopped at this hostal to a break and I had a cup of hot, black tea. Maybe it was magic tea, maybe it was the Holy Spirit, I don’t know, but when I walked out I was a new man and never thought about quitting again. Andie found this place through Facebook, it’s not listed in the guides being only a couple years old. Imagine my surprise when we rounded the corner to see that this is where we had reservations! A delightful room with two beds and a full sized bathroom with shower! It’s the small things when you’re a pilgrim.We figure we are two days out from Burgos where we will take a rest day in a hotel and enjoy the city, including the amazing cathedral. Burgos was my favorite city on the Camino, after Santiago, last time. I am looking forward to it.
Saturday, June 30, 2018
To Logroño and on to Ventosa days 10 & 11
Leaving Villamayor de Mondarin is a tough thing. It is a special place and it would be easy to tarry for a day, a week, a month.
In fact we met someone who did just that. She is from Norway, I can’t tell you her name; she told me but I could not wrap my brain around it. She was walking the Camino until she came upon the hostal and decided to stay. She is a lovely gal and now volunteers at the hostal until the spirit moves her along. So Camino like.
Along the way we met a gal carrying her young daughter. She had a great setup for carting her and was having her luggage transported ahead. I guess you have to look for a reason to not walk the Camino!
We entered the Provence
of La Rioja, which is wine country. We passed through kilometer after kilometer of vineyards, just getting ready for next years vino tinto. Beautiful. Logroño is a modern Spanish city, and I could hardly wait to leave it behind. Nothing against the city but it felt hurried and stressful after so much time in the country. I’ll take wheat fields, vineyards, and quaint Spanish villages anytime.
In fact we met someone who did just that. She is from Norway, I can’t tell you her name; she told me but I could not wrap my brain around it. She was walking the Camino until she came upon the hostal and decided to stay. She is a lovely gal and now volunteers at the hostal until the spirit moves her along. So Camino like.
The stay at Torres del Rió was refreshing. A nice meal and a pool. After a long hot walk the chance to stay in a hotel room (in a hostal) was nice. Andie enjoyed the pool and I enjoyed a nap and a washer/dryer.
Along the way we met a gal carrying her young daughter. She had a great setup for carting her and was having her luggage transported ahead. I guess you have to look for a reason to not walk the Camino!The walking the last two days has been on good paths through rolling hills. Not without challenge (especially for an old, fat man, such as myself) it was nowhere as tough as we’ve done. Intermittent rain cooled the day, but made it muggy. Today we encountered the Korean band, still going; one of them commented that walking in the humidity was like swimming. Hard to cool off when sweat doesn’t evaporate.
We entered the Provence of La Rioja, which is wine country. We passed through kilometer after kilometer of vineyards, just getting ready for next years vino tinto. Beautiful. Logroño is a modern Spanish city, and I could hardly wait to leave it behind. Nothing against the city but it felt hurried and stressful after so much time in the country. I’ll take wheat fields, vineyards, and quaint Spanish villages anytime.
We crossed paths with Ramon, the photographer from Madrid who blessed us with an amazing gift...
Two!
Thursday, June 28, 2018
Torres del Rió day 9
Walking. This is what you do on the Camino. Walk. That is what we did today, for about 20km. The walk, while beautiful, was uneventful. Just 20km under the sun. 
We came across a “bar” I remembered in the middle of nowhere. Really just a food trailer with some seating in the shade. It was a welcome respite and a chance to get a snack to sustain us. We saw the owner come out of the trailer and give the bums rush to a couple of pilgrims who tried to sit at his tables and eat food they brought with them. He was having none of it.
While there Carly, from Ohio, walked up. We met Carly in Bayonne when we rode the bus up to St. Jean Pied de Port. We had a nice visit as we walked together until Los Arcos.
We came across a “bar” I remembered in the middle of nowhere. Really just a food trailer with some seating in the shade. It was a welcome respite and a chance to get a snack to sustain us. We saw the owner come out of the trailer and give the bums rush to a couple of pilgrims who tried to sit at his tables and eat food they brought with them. He was having none of it.
While there Carly, from Ohio, walked up. We met Carly in Bayonne when we rode the bus up to St. Jean Pied de Port. We had a nice visit as we walked together until Los Arcos.When we finally arrived in Torres del Rió we checked into a private room at a Casa Rural with a restaurant and pool. Andie took advantage of the pool and we later had a great meal from the pilgrims menu.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Villamayor de Mondarin day 8
The walk today was a short one for us, only about 15km. We started very early and managed to stay ahead of the worst of the heat.
Along the way we passed by the famous wine fountain at Bodega Irache, just passed Estella. It was a bit early for wine, but hey, how often to you pass a wine fountain? After a leisurely lunch in the previous town, we arrived here at around 1:00, only to have to wait until 3:00 for them to open. Time to chat with fellow pilgrims also waiting.
Along the way we passed by the famous wine fountain at Bodega Irache, just passed Estella. It was a bit early for wine, but hey, how often to you pass a wine fountain? After a leisurely lunch in the previous town, we arrived here at around 1:00, only to have to wait until 3:00 for them to open. Time to chat with fellow pilgrims also waiting.Every now and then, and not commonly, you come across a very special place. The Albergue Hogar Monjardin is such a place.
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
To Villatuerta day 7
After a restful night we headed out for Villatuerta. We came into Puenta la Reina after about 2km where we were finally able to get some cash.
It seems a that my travel ATM card does not work, but my regular card does. Good thing I brought it. I will call the CU later to see if it can be fixed. After Puenta la Reina came a long grinding climb, mostly in the sun. It wasn’t too bad it makes me look forward to the flat meseta to come.
We passed through several towns, each one hotter as the day wore on. By 4:00 when we arrived at our albergue we were really ready to be out of the sun. This albergue caters to vegetarian pilgrims. Dinner was incredible: a mixed salad packed with wonderful vegetables and an incredible table-sized paella vegital that was shared by all. It was fabulous. Now to bed for an early start tomorrow. Hopefully we can beat the heat to Villamayor de Mondarin.
It seems a that my travel ATM card does not work, but my regular card does. Good thing I brought it. I will call the CU later to see if it can be fixed. After Puenta la Reina came a long grinding climb, mostly in the sun. It wasn’t too bad it makes me look forward to the flat meseta to come.
We passed through several towns, each one hotter as the day wore on. By 4:00 when we arrived at our albergue we were really ready to be out of the sun. This albergue caters to vegetarian pilgrims. Dinner was incredible: a mixed salad packed with wonderful vegetables and an incredible table-sized paella vegital that was shared by all. It was fabulous. Now to bed for an early start tomorrow. Hopefully we can beat the heat to Villamayor de Mondarin.
Monday, June 25, 2018
To Obanos
After a well appreciated day of rest in Pamplona we made our way to Obanos, a 24km hike that had us on the road for 10 hours. It wasn’t so much the terrain, which was up and down with stretches walking on baseball sized loose rocks, but rather we took our time and several longer breaks.
Who is in a hurry? Alto del Perdón is on a high ridge with a strong breeze and provided a welcome spot to rest after a long climb. We met up the Korean band again and were extras in a video for their documentary, part of a line of pilgrims marching behind the drummer. Fun!
Who is in a hurry? Alto del Perdón is on a high ridge with a strong breeze and provided a welcome spot to rest after a long climb. We met up the Korean band again and were extras in a video for their documentary, part of a line of pilgrims marching behind the drummer. Fun!
The rest of the walk was uneventful but hot. Again we took our time, arriving at our algergue around 5:30. It’s very nice and obviously recently built. As it turns out we are the only pilgrims staying here do have the run of the place. We attempted to make an ATM withdraw but again failed, as in Pamplona. This happened to us last time too, so not too worried yet. We will look for a Santander ATM down the road, we had good luck with those last time here. After a good sleep we are leaving early to try and get ahead of the heat.
Sunday, June 24, 2018
To Pamplona, day 4
The walk from Zubiri to Pamplona was long but not as hard as previous days. It was on this stretch in 2016 that Lori and I nearly swooned from the heat and back packs that were way too heavy. It was a nicer walk this time.
The man selling oranges and cold drinks was there still, I guess some angels hang around for a while. The walk itself is beautiful (an often used word in these posts) with lots of shaded trails along rivers and over creeks.
The man selling oranges and cold drinks was there still, I guess some angels hang around for a while. The walk itself is beautiful (an often used word in these posts) with lots of shaded trails along rivers and over creeks.
As is often the case, we cross paths with pilgrims we met earlier. 
Phillip, from Germany, and Sophia, from Portugal, are two of these. We first met Sophia in Roncesvalles. She had horribly sunburnt legs which were very painful. She asked them if she could stay an extra day to heal, but the albergues don’t allow multiple night says and sent her to the next albergue 3km down the road. We next saw her walking with Phillip on the way to Zubiri. She was suffering greatly and was layering aloe vera on her legs often. Phillip was walking with boots that were obviously not new when he started and were completely broken down. The soles were just one layer of leather, it must have been like walking in moccasins. I can’t imaging enduring that on the steep decline into Zubiri with millions of loose sharp rocks. The photo shows them halfway to Pamplona with Phillip sporting a new pair of trail hikers and Sophia the benefactor of another pilgrim’s gift of a long pair of pants. I hope we see them again.
Phillip, from Germany, and Sophia, from Portugal, are two of these. We first met Sophia in Roncesvalles. She had horribly sunburnt legs which were very painful. She asked them if she could stay an extra day to heal, but the albergues don’t allow multiple night says and sent her to the next albergue 3km down the road. We next saw her walking with Phillip on the way to Zubiri. She was suffering greatly and was layering aloe vera on her legs often. Phillip was walking with boots that were obviously not new when he started and were completely broken down. The soles were just one layer of leather, it must have been like walking in moccasins. I can’t imaging enduring that on the steep decline into Zubiri with millions of loose sharp rocks. The photo shows them halfway to Pamplona with Phillip sporting a new pair of trail hikers and Sophia the benefactor of another pilgrim’s gift of a long pair of pants. I hope we see them again.
Today is a rest day, which feels awesome. Andie and I had a wonderful meal at a restaurant Lori and I ate at two years ago, followed by a blissful night of sleep in a rest bed with air conditioning. Well rested, today we will explore Pamplona and see how many pilgrim friends we meet. We found the Korean band that plays traditional Korean music, that has been carrying their instruments, on there backs, as well as everything else they need, since St. Jean Pied de Port! They are amazing and I’m looking forward to seeing their documentary.
Friday, June 22, 2018
To Roncesvalles and Zubiri, days 2 & 3
Well, we have made it to Zubiri and the Suseia albergue. It’s warm comfort and a meal with friends is a perfect conclusion to a couple of grand days. The hike up and over the Pyranees was amazing . The day started in the fog, which was a welcome change from the heat the day before. We climbed out of the fog to spectacular vistas of mountain tops and clouds blanketing the valleys. Remembering the descent into Roncesvalles Lori and I took, Andie and I took the path to the right instead of the “treacherously beautiful” path straight ahead. It was a good move, much nicer.
Today was tougher that I anticipated. The first half was under a slight drizzle that kept the temperature down and the walk easier.
After lunch was tough, with a steep climb followed by a horrible downward climb over loose rocks and fascinating layers of sedimentary rock that’s been uplifted nearly 90 degrees. Cool to look at but nasty to walk on. They seemed to go on for miles and miles.
Tomorrow is Pamplona and a rest day. Buen Camino!Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Orisson, first day of walking.
We climbed our way to the refuge at Orisson today. It was a beautiful day but warm. I felt better climbing this time, my body and spirit took it easier. If not for the temperature, around 85F, I might even say it was pleasant. Andie did great and was very patient with her twice-as-old dad. She seems to be really loving it so far. Despite how challenging it was it all ended well, amazing what a shower and a beer or two can do for you.
As before, the company and meal at the refuge was great. We met some interesting pilgrims, hopefully we will see them again along the way.
Sleeping dorm style can be a challenge too. I’m not having much luck with it tonight, as evidenced by the fact that I’m updating my blog at 2:57 am. Getting up to attend to nature several times just disturbes others trying to sleep and since I’m just tossing and turning in bed I decided to just get up for awhile. Who says you can’t cross the Pyranees with 3 hours of sleep. Maybe I’ll try again in half an hour or so. For now I’ll see if I can watch the stars, and upload this. Earlier this evening I made my first attempt at making an iMovie from some GoPro footage. It’s not polished at all, but the YouTube link is below. I’ll try more as we go.
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Biarritz, France
We have arrived in Biarritz after an exhausting day of traveling. Four flights and a 6 hour layover in Orly airport, Paris. Our hotel was SMALL but did the trick. I slept poorly, which is surprising considering how tired I was, still am. Maybe a bit of jet lag, it’s 9:36 am here and 12:36 pm back home.
This morning we used google maps to find the train/bus station and a post office, “Le Poste”. We have a few things we won’t need on the walk but will want later; IKEA bags to check backpacks in, a carry on bag, and not least some warmer jackets for our 3 night stay over in Iceland. Looking forward to that.
Today we are making our way to Saint Jean Pied de Port at the foot of the Pyranees and the start of the Camino. We will check in to our Gite and go to the Pilgrims Office to get a shell for Andie, a stamp in our credential, and get info about The Way. We will explore the town (Andie will love it, she’s already “in heaven” with Biarritz) and hopefully get a good nights test and head up the mountain tomorrow.
I’ll post more later, and along the way, as I can. Not everywhere has WiFi or cell service, so that will impact the frequency. We’re off!
Monday, June 4, 2018
...and so it begins...
In two weeks Andrea and I will be on our way to France to start our Camino. I am excited and nervous. Training has been sporadic and, as always seems the case, there have been challenges, mostly with feet. Andie had some foot issues, which (hopefully) now seem resolved. My podiatrist told me that I would probably develop a stress fracture at some point on the Camino. Great.
Still, there is no use worrying about the unknown. We will be smart and take things at whatever pace feels right; we've allowed six weeks to walk to Santiago, which would mean walking about 13 miles a day with four rest days. Very doable.
So, it's time to put the frosting on the cake and take care of the final and small details. You may follow us on this blog, if you want. If my IFTTT app still works, there will be posts on my Facebook page whenever I post here, just a link to the blog, not the entire post. I will update whenever I have network services, which will be most days, but not all. I am hoping to post some videos to YouTube with links to them on the blog. Follow along, comment or ask questions, if you want.
Ready or not, here we come.
Still, there is no use worrying about the unknown. We will be smart and take things at whatever pace feels right; we've allowed six weeks to walk to Santiago, which would mean walking about 13 miles a day with four rest days. Very doable.
So, it's time to put the frosting on the cake and take care of the final and small details. You may follow us on this blog, if you want. If my IFTTT app still works, there will be posts on my Facebook page whenever I post here, just a link to the blog, not the entire post. I will update whenever I have network services, which will be most days, but not all. I am hoping to post some videos to YouTube with links to them on the blog. Follow along, comment or ask questions, if you want.
Ready or not, here we come.
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