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I recommend that you be safe and don't take the slippery slope on the left. Take the gentle route to the right.You have only just begun. Mind the slippery slope down to Roncesvalles if you take the left path after the summit.
You have only just begun. Mind the slippery slope down to Roncesvalles if you take the left path after the summit.
What she said. The best way to NOT mind the slippery slope is to take the path to the right.I recommend that you be safe and don't take the slippery slope on the left. Take the gentle route to the right.
Yes! A lesson that I learned was to look back at where you just came from. More than once I noticed things that I had missed on my way forwardWishing you well on your way Héctor. I remember this wonderful first day from SJPP so clearly. Sure and steady and remember to look back once in a while
Enjoy every step that you take.I made it to Orisson! Took me 6.5 hrs because we (me and lovely people I met on the way) took our time, rested frequently, but it was very hard and arduous. But I made it, so did they.
More later. I need a well-deserved rest.
Tonight I’ll sleep in the Pyrenees. Tomorrow I will cross them
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What a wonderful picture of your first day! Your posture says it all! I'm sure a majority of your anxiety and fears are melting away.I made it to Orisson!
Wonderfully put. Buen camino pilgrim.because tomorrow I’m going for a walk…
Buen Camino have fun!My name is Héctor. (I’ve been called many things)
I’m a 64 y/o retired Hispanic gentleman about to embark in something I never thought I could do.
But I’m here, in SJPDP, on my last night before starting my Camino early in the morning.
I don’t know fully why I’m doing this, but something has been calling me to do this, even though I’m not clear.
I attended the mass at the SJPDp church. The service was in French with Euskera /Basque songs, ending with a Pilgrim blessing. I didn’t understand any of it, just like there are so many things in life I still don’t understand. Perhaps the Camino will teach me something, provided I’m teachable.
Just as the initial segment to Orisson is steep, so is the learning curve. This isn’t a walk in the park, but a journey deep within as I attempt to heal and unburden myself from that which I don’t need.
I am grateful for the advice and support I’ve received in this forum.
I must now try to get some rest, because tomorrow I’m going for a walk…
This is a good sign that you are "pacing yourself" well and have done the proper planning. Google says the "normal walker" (whatever that might mean?) takes 2 hours 23 minutes so you are at 37% of "average" which sounds to me to be about right for age 64.I made it to Orisson! Took me 6.5 hrs because we (me and lovely people I met on the way) took our time, rested frequently, but it was very hard and arduous. But I made it, so did they.
In my experience, the 8 km (5 miles) to Orisson was the steepest of this stage. Yes, there will be quite a bit more uphill after Orisson, but not as steep.Well done Faithful Pilgrim!!!
Tomorrow even harder climb so pace yourself accordingly.
I read that there's quite a heat wave going on right now. How did that affect you?Arrived safely in Roncesvalles, but I’m totally exhausted. It WAS definitely an ordeal.
I’m too exhausted to post, more later.
That was yesterday, on my way to Orisson. Today was much cooler which helped but it really kicked my butt.I read that there's quite a heat wave going on right now. How did that affect you?
Yes indeed but he does not report much "getting lost" so looks like he IS using a reliable app or whatever but has not mentioned it to date.you might try the interactive map on the Camino Ninja app
Yes, Wise Pilgrim, Buen Camino, and the Gronze Map app all show your exact location on (or off!) the Camino.If you’re concerned about missing markers, you might try the interactive map on the Camino Ninja app, which shows where you are relative to the Camino. It can be reassuring if you haven’t seen a marker for a while. I think Wise Pilgrim has that feature too.
If you do happen to look up at the right moment, and see the church of San Esteban in Zabaldika de Arriba... go on! It won't hurt...say hello to whoever is on duty at the church, and imagine the zillions who have traced the path before you...Arrived just now at Zubiri exhausted after a most grueling day. I’ll post more later if I’m up for it
It is amazing how quickly the body can recuperate! And I'm glad that the rain did not come to pass.I was surprised that despite my rough day yesterday, I was feeling energetic and had a brisk pace when I started walking.
There is a big hill with little or no shade, BUT there is an alternate mostly shady route along the river that I really enjoyed last year.Tomorrow, Pamplona. 20.4 Km of mostly flat terrain. Or so they say
Pilgrims In The Mist…
(copied and pasted from my FB entry minus my pics)
A very intense day leaving the Orisson Refuge, continuing the climb up the Pyrenees, bound for the Monastery that runs an Albergue in Roncesvalles, Spain. It was a foggy day all day, the temperature was much cooler than yesterday, but the climbs were still very hard. It was magical to see herds of goats, sheep, horses and cows roaming freely, although it was unnerving at times since I’m not familiar with farm animals.
The fog gave everything an ethereal quality, and it was magical to see pilgrims way up in the distance, climbing up a slope that I knew I must also climb. I was glad to encounter landmarks that I knew about, like the Virgin of Orisson, the food truck, Roland’s Fountain, and the yellow Roncevaux sign which leads you off the main road.
I was not prepared for how treacherous the rocky terrain is, but I was grateful for those trekking poles.
Entering Spain was a great moment, and a passerby pilgrim took a picture of me by the Navarra stone marker (difficult to read).
The walking continued endlessly, until I finally reached the highest point of this route, the Col de Leopoder (I have to look up the elevation).
From that point, I had the choice to go left, which is a shorter but much more steeper (and dangerous road), or to the right, which is longer but easier. It was NOT easy. More rocky terrain, walking in close proximity to cows and a bull that was placidly resting facing the other direction, but the fog got worse, it got very windy and I couldn’t see the markers. Just when I’m starting to panic, I heard a French voice. A young man was a few yards away, he spoke some English led me through the rest of the way. I was exhausted, and was having more and more difficulty navigating treacherous terrain, my legs were getting weaker, but he patiently waited for me when I struggled to catch up.
Eventually, we made it. I was almost crawling from exhaustion, but a gentle hospitalero gave me a glass of water and led me to a bench.
I checked in, took a shower, then went to the Pilgrim Dinner, then the Mass with the Pilgrim blessing.
I’m now on bed, tired but at least I know I won’t have to climb mountains tomorrow…
…it’s going to rain
I forgot to make the FB public. I just made it public so it should be visible.Zubiri to Pamplona
Just getting settled into my Hostel in Pamplona, after walking 13 miles (20.9 Km).
The morning was more challenging than expected, not just because of the rain, but, contrary to what I have been told and read, there were lots of uphill stretches with rocky terrain, and the rain added the increased risk of slipping. On the plus side, the temperature was pleasantly cool down that helped. I did have to put my poncho but my legs were still wet. Eventually the rain let up and I took off the poncho, but I didn’t feel like taking off the backpack just to put the poncho back in, but a passerby most gently did that favor for me.
Curiously, I passed by several towns but everything was closed. I think the reason is that some towns designate a “rest day”, when I asked, they told me about a town down the road which had open businesses. It was frustrating because I really needed to use the bathroom and I wasn’t quite ready to hide behind bushes (I know the time will come eventually but I wasn’t prepared for that particular rite of passage just yet). Finally I found the town that I was told about.
When I got there, (Zuriarin), st the entrance was a bar cafe and just about everybody I had met the last few days was there, even some folks I hadn’t seen in days. So it is at the Camino, pilgrims wind up leapfrogging over the days and towns. It was a joyous occasion to have lunch together.
The highlight of the day so far was that the bar owners recognized me from my FB posts and they know I play piano. They showed me a selfie I just had taken at the Santiago road sign, it was cool but humbling to be recognized. Of course I got a selfie with Maria José and Antonio (please forgive me if I don’t remember the names correctly),
I also got to try out an accordion, but bring that a pianist is so different, it didn’t go well but it was fun to try,
It was time to keep moving, so as the afternoon went by, I kept trying to negotiate upwards and downwards slopes with rocky, steep, and wet terrain. There was a man in the middle of the woods with an ice cooler selling water, sodas, and fruit. Very colorful person, I bought from him an apple.
There were several more challenging stretches, and I kept company to another pilgrim, so that helped keep my mind off the hardship. There was a very nice, cool breeze, we finally found level ground and made it to the Pamplona suburbs of Villava and Burlada. The grueling walk had become a pleasant stroll, which made the end of this day unlike the previous two, which ended badly. The icing on the cake was when the cutest boy, about age 8-9, accosted us on the street and asks us point blank; “Sois Peregrinos?” And when we answered “yes” he gave us the most adorable “Buen Camino!” which he seemed very eager to do, an it was most appreciated.
Finally we made it to Pamplona, and it took me a little while to find the hostel, but I finally showered and I’m writing this before getting something to eat.
I need to decide where I’m going tomorrow. I have made reservations until today since I didn’t know what to expect. I thought about asking for an extra night because I need a rest day, but it seems like a very busy weekend coming up and the Hospitalero told me everything is full. So maybe I’ll try a short walk tomorrow, so I can catch up with so much. All this walking feels like a full time job. But at least from now on, I have more flexibility and that should help
Thanks for all the support I’ve got here and other forums, it means a lot to me!
Here’s the FB post for pics and videos!
Hector Barreto
Zubiri to Pamplona Just getting settled into my Hostel in Pamplona, after walking 13 miles (20.9 Km). The morning was more challenging than expected, not just because of the rain, but, contrary to...www.facebook.com
Argh…
I was planning to have a short walk today, to Zizur Mayor and spend the day at a nice hotel I found at a good price, so I booked through booking.com. Everything seemed fine, but after midnight I got up to use the BR and checked my email, and discovered that I had made the reservation for the same day (yesterday August 14) rather than today, (Pilgrim Fatigue) so of course I’m a no show and it was a non-refundable reservation. I’ve tried to contact the property, who told me to contact booking.com, which took several tries. They will try to send them an email trying to get a refund and directed me to contact them to alert them of their email, but the lady at the property was cranky (understandable since it’s 2 AM), but essentially there was nothing I could do. I get that rules are rules and I’m ok with losing the money, but now I’ve been scrambling to figure out where to stay. I tried looking for places within a similar distance, but places seemed booked up. I know I could try showing up to a albergue but I have to know in advance where to send my cpap machine. I figured I might as well walk all the way to Puente La Reina, and I found a place at there, but that means another long day of walking instead of a short day with time to rest. I’m disappointed that the lady showed no effort or desire to help, but I know I can’t expect kindness all the time.
So my day has already started on a sour mood, on the plus side, it seems that the weather will be nice and I’ll still stay in touch with my friends.
But I’m grumbling…
Sorry about the rant, but I’ve now been awake since 2 AM.
Fantastic accomplishment!I made it to Orisson! Took me 6.5 hrs because we (me and lovely people I met on the way) took our time, rested frequently, but it was very hard and arduous. But I made it, so did they.
More later. I need a well-deserved rest.
Tonight I’ll sleep in the Pyrenees. Tomorrow I will cross them
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A tip on dates: note that the Spanish calendar has weeks going from Monday to Sunday. If you are used to a Sunday to Saturday week you could be a day off if you reserve visually instead from the actual date shown in the box.I messed up the dates so I ended up being a no show,
Hector, enjoy your rest day. There is a bit of a slope up when you leave Puente La Reina the day after tomorrow. I am sure you have planned out your camino. Maybe some spokes will buckle - one already did, when you had to face having a wrong reservation date!Text copied from my FB post today
Pamplona to Puente La Reina, officially 14.86 miles or 23.9 Km.
Note: I’m trying to limit the number of videos because they seem to make the post difficult to upload.
Also written while nodding off
I wasn’t planning to do this stretch today as I wanted to take a rest day. Unfortunately my Hostel didn’t have availability for a second night. I thought about trying a very short distance but I messed up the dates so I ended up being a no show, and the hotel I had reserved was unwilling to work with me, so I decided to just walk the recommended distance to Puente La Reina.
As I walk out of the city, I was enjoying the breathtaking sights of distant mountains, sunflower fields, old structures, and my foul mood was soon forgotten. I was really enjoying the walk, the path was fairly flat and smooth.
As I got closer to the mountains, the windmills got bigger and tantalizingly closer, the path became harder and steeper, but finally I made it, greeted by other pilgrims I’ve met, it was a breathtaking sight and a memorable experience. It was also windy and cold, and it went downhill from there. Literally.
The descent from the windmills on the other side is through way I can only be described as a river of rocks, loose rocks to constitute a falling hazard. It took me at least an hour to reach smoother ground.
I was now walking very comfortably, and since at the moment I was completely alone, watching the seeping vistas, I started singing even though I’m definitely not a singer. But it was very inspiring.
I then walk into the next town and they were having this loud Mexican fiesta, which I found weird because they were all dressed in traditional Basque colors of red and white. I walked into a very crowded and nonissue bar and asked for…a coke.
The afternoon wore on, I kept walking and I was fine with it even though tired. I felt that I’m reaching a breakthrough point.
The afternoon was heating up, my feet were killing me , but I was fine with the heat and even the pain. It seems that so far, my biggest struggle is with rocky, difficult terrain.
I eventually reached Puente La Reina, grateful for making it another day.
I reserved an extra night so tomorrow is a rest day.
I need it.
I earned it
Link to FB post for pics and videos:
Hector Barreto
Pamplona to Puente La Reina, officially 14.86 miles or 23.9 Km. Note: I’m trying to limit the number of videos because they seem to make the post difficult to upload. Also written while nodding off...www.facebook.com
Hector (my nickname at school) you have not told us what info (eg guides) you have read but I bought the Brierley Guide from this forum to assist my understanding of the Camino Frances and if you go to page 60 you will see a graph that from a cursory glance says yippee it's all downhill, BUT above the graph it says Total Ascent 360 m which is quite a climb as you found out.The morning was more challenging than expected, not just because of the rain, but, contrary to what I have been told and read, there were lots of uphill stretches with rocky terrain,
Yes, it’s work in progress. What I’m finding is that the biggest challenges for me are first and foremost negotiating treacherous, rocky terrain, also up/down hill, but the terrain thing seems the worst. I can’t comprehend how I see people just breeze by seemingly effortlessly while I’m struggling with staying balanced, relying on my poles for dear life, to just advance a couple feet. Leaving Pamplona, going past Cizur and Zizur, on the way to Alto del Perdón was a piece of cake, until I got closer to the windmills. It was a bit of a struggle to climb the very last portion before the windmills but I was fine with the effort, but navigating that rock river going down took me about an hour. I can deal well with the heat and the distances, but I don’t know what kind of terrain I’ll find. It seems that the Meseta will be much easier for me, but I’m not there yet.I do believe you are still not done finding your stride. It will get easier once you do that so you'll be able to better judge how you walk.
That is a total pain to pack and unpack each night, with the tubing, masks, cords, the machine itself. It can fit in my backpack but it’s bulky so I have to find a way to arrange everything so it fits. I imagine that by the time I get to Santiago I’ll be a pro at this…(ah yes there is your CPAP machine)
Don't comprehend! simple as that. The terrain on Frances is "crazy" to say the least. Don't know how other people do it, I guess some have "a gift" (and BTW on my recent TMB while I was justly taking my time I saw folks RUNNING down the slopes-What I’m finding is that the biggest challenges for me are first and foremost negotiating treacherous, rocky terrain, also up/down hill, but the terrain thing seems the worst. I can’t comprehend how I see people just breeze by seemingly effortlessly while I’m struggling with staying balanced, relying on my poles for dear life, to just advance a couple feet.
See above. You'll have another really treacherous descend from Cruz de Ferro into Molinaseca and couple of others as well as asends - the jury of course can and will be out as to "how bad" a given one feels to folks; then again you don't "need to know" what kind of terrain you'll find - assume the worst at any given moment, Pray to The Lord that you will not be caught on one of the "worst" ones during some deluge and concentrate on your daily walk., but navigating that rock river going down took me about an hour. I can deal well with the heat and the distances, but I don’t know what kind of terrain I’ll find.
AMEN! And speaking of - the Castrojeriz hill before you really get into the "flats" although I'll caution you that there are still enough "bumps" in the terrain. I'm telling you - you are doing fine! more than fine! One foot in front of the other - thats all....It seems that the Meseta will be much easier for me, but I’m not there yet.
Taking your time on the decent from Alto de Perdon was wise. In 2015 I met a German peregrina who had fallen on that slope and had to be stretchered off. That was the end of her Camino as her leg injury required a long rest from walking.Yes, it’s work in progress. What I’m finding is that the biggest challenges for me are first and foremost negotiating treacherous, rocky terrain, also up/down hill, but the terrain thing seems the worst. I can’t comprehend how I see people just breeze by seemingly effortlessly while I’m struggling with staying balanced, relying on my poles for dear life, to just advance a couple feet. Leaving Pamplona, going past Cizur and Zizur, on the way to Alto del Perdón was a piece of cake, until I got closer to the windmills. It was a bit of a struggle to climb the very last portion before the windmills but I was fine with the effort, but navigating that rock river going down took me about an hour. I can deal well with the heat and the distances, but I don’t know what kind of terrain I’ll find. It seems that the Meseta will be much easier for me, but I’m not there yet.
Yes there is an elevator. A local brought us to it when he saw us staring at the steps. It is on the left a block further along. I dropped a pin at the location for you. You can see it in the background and it's ascensor sign in the foreground with Street View.if your legs can cope with the steps do go up to the wonderful San Pedro church although I have a vague recollection of a lift from/to the street below.
I don't usually reserve and I usually don't ship a bag and I have a CPAP and have never been without a bed, but that "not knowing" is really uncomfortable for some people, so be true to yourself.Question:
How hard or easy is it to find an albergue without reservations? At least in these next few stages (from Puente La Reina).
I just sent to Ivar a package with excess things I won’t need, so if I put my cPAP machine back in, the weight might not be so unmanageable. That way I avoid having to decide in advance where I will be that night, so I won’t have to worry about sending it to a town too far than what I want to walk. In other words, I just want to walk until I decide to stop, not having to keep walking just because my luggage is 10 km away.
I’m currently in Puente La Reina, and I can try to make it to Estella (or even further), or I could decide to stay wherever I feel like stopping. I think I might combine long days with short days depending on how I feel. At least I have a few days of heavy walking under my belt, and I carried my cPAP over the Pyrenees, so I hope it should be easier than that.
I don’t think the Camino is crowded at this time, but I don’t know from previous experience.
So, how’s the crowding situation seems to be?
There is also the Anfas albergue in Estella which is nice and proceeds help people with disabilities, but I would break Puente la Reina to Estella into a shorter day. You don't have to stay in the traditional stage towns unless you want to.If you are using Gronze you can see that the first two albergues listed in Estella don't accept reservations. The municipal Albergue del Peregrinos has 78 beds, and the Albergue parroquial San Miguel has 32 beds. Plus there are quite a few other albergues and pensiones in town.
I stayed at Anfas on my first Camino and really enjoyed it.There is also the Anfas albergue in Estella which is nice and proceeds help people with disabilities, but I would break Puente la Reina to Estella into a shorter day
Same here. It seemed like a long time to get down while even older pilgrims (it seemed) passed me. Good job on how you are adapting to your Camino.Navigating that rock river going down took me about an hour.
There is also the Anfas albergue in Estella
At the time i stayed in Anfas i was still writing a diary. I noted down that it was my first night of good sleep on the camino. We were 3 pilgrims in that big room which was pleasantly cool in a pretty warm and pretty busy May 2019.I stayed at Anfas on my first Camino and really enjoyed it.
I originally was disappointed to find the albergue in Monjardin full as it was a favorite with its terrace looking out over the landscape. It was suggested we cut over to Luquin and were pleasantly surprised. It was a new property in 2017 and my family had the whole place to ourselves.After that I recommend the alternate route to Luquin (14km). Casa Tiago is a nice place to stay there.
The Camino can be challenging but it's not a second job! Shorter stages may be worth checking out.For a slower walker like me, that means I get to my next place tired with little time to do anything other than shower, eat, and get ready for the next day, then there’s bedtime.
I just want to walk until I decide to stop, not having to keep walking just because my luggage is 10 km away.
Wise. That's the most balanced way to walk, and the best thing about carrying your stuff is that it allows that kind of flexibility. Not needing to override the body when it says 'stop' is such a blessing - and you can stop at 2PM if you want. It gives much more space in the day.I could decide to stay wherever I feel like stopping
It depends. Municipals and paroquials often don't take bookings. I haven't walked a complete Camino Francés in 9 years, but the connecting pieces of it I've done since then have often surprised me. Albergues just sort of or just after a guide-book stage ending pueblo can be half empty, even when the nearby town is chockablock. Especially if they are simple without any flash modern conveniences.How hard or easy is it to find an albergue without reservations?
This.You don't have to stay in the traditional stage towns unless you want to.
Don't comprehend! simple as that. The terrain on Frances is "crazy" to say the least. Don't know how other people do it, I guess some have "a gift" (and BTW on my recent TMB while I was justly taking my time I saw folks RUNNING down the slopes-- apparently there is a "running" way of doing that trek supposedly only 3-4 days!!!) but it matters not. Stay the course, absolutely use the poles for stability and balance, watch where your foot goes - just deal with it one step at-a-time. You sill have way-lots-of kms to go. Feet are more important than...say your CPAP machine... heck they are more important than food you eat!!!
See above. You'll have another really treacherous descend from Cruz de Ferro into Molinaseca and couple of others as well as asends - the jury of course can and will be out as to "how bad" a given one feels to folks; then again you don't "need to know" what kind of terrain you'll find - assume the worst at any given moment, Pray to The Lord that you will not be caught on one of the "worst" ones during some deluge and concentrate on your daily walk.
AMEN! And speaking of - the Castrojeriz hill before you really get into the "flats" although I'll caution you that there are still enough "bumps" in the terrain. I'm telling you - you are doing fine! more than fine! One foot in front of the other - thats all....
I love your posts Hector ! Your factual description combined with a great sense of humour makes great and informative reading. I'll be doing the Camino in mid April. I hope I have resilience. You are teaching me !Roncesvalles to Zubiri 13.3 miles 21.4 Km
(Copied from my FB post)
It was supposed to be an easier day but we were expecting rain. Thankfully the rain never materialized, I was surprised that despite my rough day yesterday, I was feeling energetic and had a brisk pace when I started walking. It was a gorgeous day, and I enjoyed watching these little colorful Basque towns. There were flowers everywhere, making things cheerful and beautiful. I enjoyed my first cafe stop at the entrance to Burguete, where I had my coffee and croissant surrounded by fellow pilgrims I’ve already met. By the time I got to Espinal, I stopped at another cafe, this time I had orange cake and freshly squeezed OJ.
I could get used to this. Still, no signs of rain. The blue skies, the lush landscape, and the colorful Basque houses that adorned with bright flowers was a visual banquet. The day started to get warmer, and there were a few hills that I wasn’t happy about but I was OK with. I kept meeting Pilgrims, some I’ve already met but some new ones, from various nationalities.
The high point of my day was reaching the river crossing at Biskarreta, because it is over several large blocks, and I’ve always been terrified of that very part, as my balance is not the best. Thanks to the encouragement of other pilgrims, I did it!
The day took a turn for the worse when I reached Linzoain. I was running out of water but luckily I found a potable water fountain.Then I had to climb up a steep concrete street, with heat radiating everywhere, then into the forest, more hills, it seemed endless as I’ve been told that the road to Zubiri had some hills but a lot of it was downhill, but there seemed to be one uphill after another. I was worried about running out of water, even as I was trying to ration it. At a road crossing, I spotted a food truck. The lady spotted me and told me they she was closing, but she sold me a Coke snd a bottle of water. I gulped the Coke and filled my water bottle and drank the rest.
This energized me, and I was able to resume a reasonably brisk walk, thanks to the sugar and caffeine, but I was tired. About that time I started hearing thunder rumbling in the distance, but the skies around me were fairly clear. I was hoping to finish my walk before any rain, but the terrain ahead was a veritable obstacle course due to the rocky terrain and curious geological formations that have been nicknamed “dragon’s teeth”. It took me probably an hour to negotiate the treacherous terrain. Further along, there were rocks that can get very slippery with rain. By that time, I was alone, but at least I remembered some pointers my French savior from yesterday had told me. Even though I thought I was alone, eventually other Pilgrims went by. The rain never materialized.
I finally made it to Zubiri. I wasn’t in such horrible shape as yesterday, but I was a messy sight to see.
I checked in at my Albergue, where some Pilgrims I’ve already met were staying, and I got a cheer and a hug when I made it.
Hot showers are so therapeutic! Then I had the Pilgrim dinner,where I met more lovely people, then needed to arrange for lodging for tomorrow, as well as for luggage transport. Had a nice chat with a very friendly Spanish man that was my bunkmate in Roncesvalles, snd now I’m going to bed.
The rain finally came tonight…
Tomorrow, Pamplona. 20.4 Km of mostly flat terrain. Or so they say…
I’ll attach the FB link for pics and videos when it finishes uploading.
I will be very surprised if you don't run into the people you have already met, again. Just watch!Copied from my FB page
I decided to take a day off so I can rest, process, reflect, and recalibrate how I walk the Camino. I also need to catch up on mundane things like emails, pay bills, and such. I’m sad that people I’ve met will go on, but as has already happened many times, people that have left me behind reappear, which is always a joyous occasion. So I wish the wonderful people I’ve met so far a Buen Camino, I have been blessed by having the oppoopportunity to meet you, however briefly. I already know that I’ll have the opportunity to meet even more people, in what will hopefully be a mutually enriching experience. So, I’m enjoying my Cafe Con Leche (OMG it’s so good) as I try to let these experiences sink in. It’s not about rushing to the next town, but about rethinking how I live life.
Link to my FB page: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/c121MUsKy6UgW8wJ/?mibextid=WC7FNe
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That is an excellent idea !!I just sent to Ivar a package with excess things I won’t need, so if I put my cPAP machine back in, the weight might not be so unmanageable. That way I avoid having to decide in advance where I will be that night, so I won’t have to worry about sending it to a town too far than what I want to walk. In other words, I just want to walk until I decide to stop, not having to keep walking just because my luggage is 10 km away.
You have already started your Camino and started it well even before your first step. ChuckMy name is Héctor. (I’ve been called many things)
I’m a 64 y/o retired Hispanic gentleman about to embark in something I never thought I could do.
But I’m here, in SJPDP, on my last night before starting my Camino early in the morning.
I don’t know fully why I’m doing this, but something has been calling me to do this, even though I’m not clear.
I attended the mass at the SJPDp church. The service was in French with Euskera /Basque songs, ending with a Pilgrim blessing. I didn’t understand any of it, just like there are so many things in life I still don’t understand. Perhaps the Camino will teach me something, provided I’m teachable.
Just as the initial segment to Orisson is steep, so is the learning curve. This isn’t a walk in the park, but a journey deep within as I attempt to heal and unburden myself from that which I don’t need.
I am grateful for the advice and support I’ve received in this forum.
I must now try to get some rest, because tomorrow I’m going for a walk…
Buen camino Hector. The Camino will do her magic in your life, just walk and let it happen!My name is Héctor. (I’ve been called many things)
I’m a 64 y/o retired Hispanic gentleman about to embark in something I never thought I could do.
But I’m here, in SJPDP, on my last night before starting my Camino early in the morning.
I don’t know fully why I’m doing this, but something has been calling me to do this, even though I’m not clear.
I attended the mass at the SJPDp church. The service was in French with Euskera /Basque songs, ending with a Pilgrim blessing. I didn’t understand any of it, just like there are so many things in life I still don’t understand. Perhaps the Camino will teach me something, provided I’m teachable.
Just as the initial segment to Orisson is steep, so is the learning curve. This isn’t a walk in the park, but a journey deep within as I attempt to heal and unburden myself from that which I don’t need.
I am grateful for the advice and support I’ve received in this forum.
I must now try to get some rest, because tomorrow I’m going for a walk…
aw, you seem like such a nice guy to chat with over a cafe con leche at a bar.. Reading your recaps make me miss my Camino. Buen Camino!Copied from my FB page
I decided to take a day off so I can rest, process, reflect, and recalibrate how I walk the Camino. I also need to catch up on mundane things like emails, pay bills, and such. I’m sad that people I’ve met will go on, but as has already happened many times, people that have left me behind reappear, which is always a joyous occasion. So I wish the wonderful people I’ve met so far a Buen Camino, I have been blessed by having the oppoopportunity to meet you, however briefly. I already know that I’ll have the opportunity to meet even more people, in what will hopefully be a mutually enriching experience. So, I’m enjoying my Cafe Con Leche (OMG it’s so good) as I try to let these experiences sink in. It’s not about rushing to the next town, but about rethinking how I live life.
Link to my FB page: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/c121MUsKy6UgW8wJ/?mibextid=WC7FNe
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It's as if you are tip-toe-ing downhill - but go slowly, and do not let your heel lead. if you have a French friend, maybe ask them for a demo.@OTH86 - hmmm, never thought of that...interesting
I guess someone would actually have to show me the technique in order for me to grasp it.
I personally use one if the two: either zig zag the width of the trail (was taught that by our Group leader on The Inca Trail) or going sideways- think of walking down the hill with skis on (was taught this one in my pre-teens)
Both require additional time but then it's a given on any treacherous path the likes of we are discussing.
Today, Navarrenx to Oloron-Sainte-Marie which is about the same distance but on basically pure flatland took me about the same time.Day 7: Puente la Reina to Estella, 14.5 miles, took me 11 hours!!! Eleven freaking hours!!!!!!
I'm sure you can and that you do. The first days of a first camino are difficult physically for everyone, but you have shown that you have the spirit to carry on.I don’t think I can do this or that I have what it takes.
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