On to Roncesvalles - Day 2 (April 15)

What? It is 1:30 in the morning and I think I am still in Washington. I am certain I must be, after all the door is rattling like the walls of our house during the winds that are so frequent to our world there. But suddenly I hear Inga rattling at the door to try to secure it. It is then that I realize I am indeed on the Camino and have not one, but two pair of my Darn Tough wool socks (the best wool socks ever) hanging by their very lives at the end of some wimpy clothespins. I worry that I will wake our roommates if I go out and retrieve them from certain death but finally decide that it is better I interrup their sleep than that I walk sockless. So out I go.

Sleep after that was difficult. Eventually I did succumb until the alarm went off at 6:50 in the morning. Just enough time to engage in the necessary hygiene activities and head up for breakfast which was served from 7:00 to 7:30 only. Breakfast was meager - bread toasted on an interesting conveyor belt type machine and coffee which was served in bowls.

Much to our chagrin, the wind had not stopped by the time we were ready to head out. In fact, if anything, it had now become almost gale force. But head out we did, joining many other pilgrims with us. There was a definite clue as to what we were facing ahead as the little daisies that were along the roadside where definitely sheltering themselves from the wind. They were all closed. Smart little things!

Although the path was not as steep as the day before, the relentless winds created havoc with our bodies and with our poles. Every step was deliberate to make sure the wind didn't turn our poles into a weapon to be used against us. I even had to give up on my Tilley hat, that I love by the way, that has straps front and back. It turned into a noose around my neck and another method of my demise.
But up and up for the 800 meter elevation gain we went head looking down at the path instead around us so we could brace ourselves from the wind. Frequent stops to catch our breath were our opportunity so see the beautiful views of the Pyrenees. As we walked, we passed several crosses and memorials for persons who had lost their lives walking the Camino.

There were many places on the path to the top that were snow covered so walking was a little difficult. We ran into a gentleman from England who had traveled this path many times. He said it can become addictive. We will see how we feel once we reach Santiago.

We stopped a number of times so I could take pictures and eventually found ourselves traveling without any peregrinos in sight. At one point we thought maybe we were not on the right trail but soon came upon a sign that assured us we were.
We were excited to reach the summit and start our descent into Roncesvalles. And what a steep descent it was. When we tried to go slow to save on the knees the thighs balked at having to endure all that pressure, especially with extra 20 pound load on our backs. If we tried to speed up, the knees complained. The knees won.

In addition to being steep, the path was strewn with rocks. It was as if a giant had been eating rocks and then had to sneeze, depositing them in all sizes and shapes on the path in front of us. The good thing was that we were now protected from the wind so we didn't have that to contend with.

We arrived in Roncesvalles about six hours after our start, about 3:00 in the afternoon, to the shout of our new-found friends Ayala and Jean Robert. We checked into a very nice albuerque in a monastery and were shown to our bunks, one of four in a cubicle, one of 172 on our floor. It was newly renovated so was very clean and the hospitaleros were amazing.

After paying our 20 euros for our beds, we were down to about 10 euros so turned our attention to how we were going to pay for dinner. There was a bar/restaurant next door, The Posada, that accepted credit cards so we had a couple of beers each and a bag of potato chips. We also made reservations for dinner later in the evening.

Every village has a church so we had to check the one here. It had a crypt downstairs that was interesting but didn't allow pictures. When we headed back up from the crypt there was a Spanish service in session and although we couldn't really understand thought it would be rude to just walk out. Lulled to sleep, my phone fell out of my hand and decided it was probably ruder to stay so off we went.

Back at the alberque, we thought we would wash clothes before dinner so asked one of the hospitaleros for directions to the lavandera. He said they would wash them for us for just 2,7 euros and they would be dried and ready for us in two hours - what a deal! So we gathered our clothes and Fred took them down. It was then that I turned what was a simple project into a fiasco. I suddenly remembered that I had left a stick of anti-friction cream in the pocket of my shirt. I knew it would be okay in the wash but would melt in the dryer. So..... off to look for the hospitalero that helped us. Nowhere to be found. Explaining it to another hospitalero, he brought me to where he was - their breakroom where I again explained my situation to not only him but a whole host of hospitaleros. My plight was now known to the entire alburque! But my clothes, and Fred's, were saved from certain ruin!

From there it was back to the Posada for dinner - wonderful pork chops and the best french fries we have had on this trip. Who would guess, Spain has better fries than France!

The most exciting surprise of the day was when I was looking for some change for our unique lockers (you put a euro in the slot, close the door, take the key, and it gives you the euro back when you open it), I found my pewter heart. So happy! Didn't find my rock but picked one shaped like a mountain on our trek through the Pyrenees so am good there.

At 10:00 the lights literally were turned off. Our not so subtle hint that it was time for bed. The end of a great day!

Lesson for the day: When the storms of life have you looking down, it is good to take a breath and look around - there is beauty there!

 

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Today Starts the Journey - Day 1 (April 14)

I awoke at 4:00 thinking I remembered where I might have put my rock and pewter heart. Although my sleep was interrupted by this obsessive thought, it quickly turned to another - the realization that I needed a trip to the bathroom. But there was that door and the man sleeping beyond it. And it was dark and I didn't take my flashlight out of my backpack. Thankfully my stirrings awoke Fred and he did have the foresight to pull his flashlight out of his bag so away I went.

My alarm went off at 6:30 to make sure we would be down for breakfast at the appointed time. But it was dead silent, no one was stirring. And that door was still there. At 10 minutes before seven, we decided we could wait no longer. Got cleaned up and bags packed and downstairs by 7:30 so we thought we were doing well. When we walked into the dining room, our formidable but entertaining hostess, pointed at the clock displayed in a prominent place on the wall and said "Seven".

We shared our meager breakfast of bread with butter and coffee with a couple from Quebec. The wife lady provided us with some humor as she had bought some pants for the trip but hadn't tried them on and they were way too big for her. She said if we found some pants along the trail, they would likely be hers. When we met up with her again on the trail, she had bought a belt.
We had to have our suitcases to the Camino office at 8:00 in the morning for pick-up which we managed easily since we were right next door. While there Jean was very impressed with the holster I had purchased for my camera and brought all the other staff members out to look at it. I must admit, I am really pleased with how it is working. With the four anchor points, in additional to securely and making my camera easily accessible, it also provides some additional support for my backpack. The only issue was the connectors sometime slid off, a problem I remedied with a little duct tape. Already a valuable item to bring with.

By 9:00 after a quick stop for a baguette and a couple of croissants we were ready to head out for the challenging 5 mile climb up the Pyrenees to Orisson. Ran into a pilgrim who had run the Paris marathon so was also only making this day's journey to Orisson.

I can't even describe how beautiful the scenery was as we made our ascent. Beautiful mountains and valleys with large grassy areas and white houses scattered about. Grazing sheep and cows. Small daisies and tiny purple flowers and of course dandelions were in bloom. Stopped several times to take pictures, a sneaky way to catch our breath. The views were just simply amazing!

About halfway up there was a respite where we had a cup of coffee and ate our by this time crushed croissants. A very nice break from the relentless climb. While there, Fred discovered a chain ring that someone had lost. Recognizing only a crazy person would go back to try to find it, I added it to my finger as a omen of good luck on our journey, especially since I lost my rock and heart.

We arrived at our auberge at 11:30, impressed with ourselves that we made the first day's journey in even less time than expected. A beer with our baguette on a deck overlooking the valley while we waited for the 12:00 check-in hit the spot.

Our room has a double bed and two singles so we will be sharing space with two others. We had just finished showering and washing clothes when we were introduced to our roommates - a man and woman (not a couple) from Denmark who were traveling together. Their names were Inga and Steen.

We had quite some time before dinner so decided it would be a good time to journal and blog. Finishing that project, we joined the other pilgrims on the deck. At this point we learned the names of the Quebec couple that we had shared breakfast with - Jean Robert and Ayala. We really connected with this delightful couple and had several laughs over our preparation for the Camino and the differences between how men and women approach such things. I felt better about trying two boots for this epic journey, Ayala had tried four!! We both chose the same back-up shoes, a pair of Ecco sandals. I actually saw several people with Ecco sandals so they must be a Camino worthy shoe.

Although we could have purchased some snacks, we had misplanned our money, forgetting to consider that we needed to pay cash to forward our suitcases to Santiago. So after we paid for our auberge for the night, it didn't leave us with much. There is purportedly an ATM 4 km past Roncesvalles so we will have to stock up then. Luckily many of the auberges in Roncesvalles take credit cards. Otherwise, we will become beggars on the street!

Dinner was very tasty with a potage of some sort (I think bean) and chicken stewed in mushroom sauce, noodles, and an apple pastry for dessert. After dinner was complete our hospitaleros (hosts) had each of us stand up and say where we were from and why we were walking The Camino. People were from all over - many from US and Germany but also from Italy, Taiwan, Denmark, Canada and South Korea.

Today was supposed to be the most physically challenging of the journey so we are feeling confident about tomorrow. Looking forward to what the day brings.

 

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On to the Camino - April 13

Although we enjoyed Paris we were excited to be headed in the direction of our true purpose for this trip - The Camino!

I remembered this morning that I had not yet set up my phone for international connectivity. So I spent some frantic minutes while I still had WIFI to get that set up. We had arranged the night before for a taxi to take us to the train station, arriving about an hour early for the 10:28 train to Bayonne. We discovered our first fellow peregrinos - two sisters and a sister-in-law (Carol, Valerie and Sharon) from California. They were close to our age and they too are just going to Orisson the first day. Us old people have to ease into these kinds of things!! Kind of like walking slowly when you first get up out of a chair!! At any rate, it was fun to meet the first of what we hope to be many individuals sharing this pilgrimage together. With a little guidance we found our way to the correct platform and were on our way.

The trip was about 5 hours through the French countryside. I kept looking for grape vines but did not really see any which I found surprising. I did see lots of mistletoe in the trees and fields of yellow. Since I was very tired, I thought I would sleep most of the way but surprisingly only dozed for a bit.

Our original plan was to stay in Bayonne and continue on to St. Jean Pied de Port on Tuesday but we opted instead to continue on via the 6:00 bus along with many other pilgrims. On our arrival around 7:30, we made quite a spectacle of ourselves as we dragged our suitcases through the cobbled streets of St. Jean, definitely not in line with the Camino philosophy to walk far, carry less.

Fortunately, we were relieved of this debacle quickly as we obtained the last room in the auberge right next to the main Pilgrim office. Having deposited our embarrassing items, we got in line for the office to open. Excitement prevailed. We struck up a conversation with a young girl, Ye Ling, from the Hunan province of China. She spoke excellent English which she said she had picked up from her travels. She had been traveling across Europe and shared our sentiment about not enjoying that part of the trip as much as she would have if the true purpose of her travels was to do the Camino. She was so sweet and gave us each a gift - neat bracelet she had made. Such a great start to the community of humanity that is the Camino!

To get a Compostela, the certificate of completion of the Camino, you have to walk a minimum of 100 miles of the path. To prove you actually did walk, you get your Credencia stamped at each stop you make along the way. The first stamp is obtained at the start of your journey, in our case at the Camino office in St. Jean Pied de Port. Jean, the staff person to help English speaking people get their first stamp, was fantastic! He arranged a room reservation for us in Orisson as well as for our bags to be transported to Santiago for pickup when we arrive. He also gave us each a scallop shell, the symbol of the Camino, to hang on our backpacks. We were ready to start our Camino!

I am really not sure how to describe our auberge hostess. A sprig of a French woman, she spoke virtually no English, although she did know one important one for a businessowner - money. She found such humorous ways to communicate, I found myself laughing most of the time. We did manage to understand that we had to be back to our room, showered and lights out by 10:00 and to be down for breakfast at 7:00 in the morning.

Our room was on the third floor and we had to go through a fellow traveler's room to get to it. I'm sure he loved that! Plus the door had an extremely noisy handle just to make sure he knew we were there! Maybe that was why the room cost us only 25 euros. Sure hope the guy whose room we walked through was even less.

By the time we were done at the Camino office, it was 9:00 and we had not yet eaten. Quite a race to find something we could eat quickly to meet our 10:00 deadline. Found a place close by that offered a pilgrim meal which we devoured, making it back to our room by 9:30 - barely time for a quick shower. We still had to do some repacking - moving items from our suitcases to our backpacks and reviewing our packpacks one last time for items we could dispense of. In going through my backpack, I could not find my rock or the pewter heart I brought with. Very disappointed. Hit the pillow, which was as long as the bed was wide, by 11:00 and fell asleep dreaming about our journey.

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Museums and More Museums

Our day started with breakfast back at the Cafe de Marche where we had our first wonderful French croissant along with a ham and cheese omelette. From there we hit a tobacco shop to purchase a two-day museum pass that allowed access to most of the museums in Paris. In addition to saving money, we were told the passes had the added advantage of skipping queue lines. We liked the idea of that!

Another order of business was to obtain our rail ticket to take us to Bayonne on Monday. The five hour train ride will bring us very close to St. Jean Pied de Port and the start of the Camino. At this point, our timing will likely be to start the Camino next Wednesday.

Following the advice of our hotel concierge, we forged a path from Napoleon's tomb to the Rodin Museum to the Orsay. The Dome of the Invalides which housed Napoleon's tomb was part of a complex of buildings, all military related. It was originally built as a home and hospital for unwell soldiers. The Saint-Louis-des-Invalides Cathedral, also part of this complex, was created as a chapel for them.

Napoleon's Tomb

Rodin's museum was really as much a garden with his famous sculptures strewn about as it was a museum. The Thinker and The Gates of Hell were probably the two I appreciated most. Just as we were exiting by The Thinker, I noticed a man sitting on his roof in line with this famous sculpture. Could not resist taking a picture of this odd juxtaposition.

We loved seeing the impressionistic paintings of Gauguin, Van Gogh, Picasso, Monet and many others at the Orsay -so cool to view original paintings by these infamous artists. I did have a moment of panic when we went through security and the gentleman asked me for my camera. I don't take kindly handing my camera over to someone else's care but it turned out he ways just trying to get a reaction from me and I didn't disappoint.

About halfway through the Orsay, my stomach decided to turn on me. Not sure if it was something I ate or just travel fatigue but I was appreciative of French water closets rather than the typical American stall-type bathrooms. Much more privacy.

By the time the museum closed my stomach was ready for a settling agent so we headed back toward our hotel in search of a beer. Found a place where I enjoyed my Leffe and it seemed to do the trick so now we added food to our search. Had a light dinner of roasted chicken and French fries. Must say that while all other French food has amazed us we have not been impressed with the food identified by their name - the fry!

Eating our way through France we added another stop to our journey back to our hotel - dessert and coffee. A lovely apple gateaux with Creme Fraiche hit the spot.

Already I am running a day behind on my journaling/blogging. After such full days, I can't seem to stay awake to complete my thoughts. I appreciate that I can post date my blogs so my entry dates match their occurrence. Tomorrow will be the Louvre!

 

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Arrival in Paris

It was with much good fortune that we arrived in Paris at our appointed time. We learned afterwards that there was an air traffic control strike that resulted in 40% cancelled flights. So glad ours was not one of them.

With the successful arrival of not only us but our checked bags as well, we decided to spend the extra money to take a cab rather than taking the metro or bus so we would get an introduction to the city from a Parisian. We were not disappointed as he had an obvious love for his city and gave us a "lay of the land" as well as pointed out some major sites as we drove by. I even got a kiss on the cheek from him. French men do seem to cater to women! This was further evidenced by our hotel manager at Hotel Eber Mars who checked us into our room. He gave us multiple maps of the city with detailed instructions on how to use the bus and metro system to access the major Paris sights. Very helpful. Oh, and we can see the Eiffel Tower from our room!

Although extremely tired, hunger overruled our need for sleep so once settled we headed out to Rue de Cler in search of a good restaurant. Found one in Cafe du Marche. Something we noticed there was how conversational the French are with each other. Much more talking and less looking at smartphones and iPads - refreshing.

With our stomachs no longer directing our actions, we decided we would walk over to see the Eiffel Tower up close. What an iconic, city-defining site! A huge tree-lined grassy promenade provided nt ony great views of this beautiful structure but also a place for people to gather and picnic. Unfortunately, tours going up to the top were also a casualty of the strike with it closed until evening. By this time we were so tired by lack of sleep that we weren't even appreciating what was around us so we headed back to our room and got a couple hours of sleep.

When we awoke, it was twilight and headed back to the Eiffel Tower to see it lit up. It did not disappoint. Simply beautiful! Walked along the Seine River for a bit before we stood for a late night snack of bread, cheese, wine and that most wonderful French created dessert - Creme Brûlée.

One thing we are struggling with is that mentally we are ready to be on the Camino which is having some impact on how we are viewing our time in France. Tomorrow we hope to be more "in the moment" of París as we don't want to cheat ourselves of of the beauty of this iconic city. For this moment, I am still tired so calling it a day.

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Departure Day

The day of our departure has finally arrived! We must be excited as we were at the airport before the check-in counter was even open - a rare state for us.

We felt quite comfortable leaving our house and our cats as they are in very good hands with John and Mary Schierman staying there in our absence. It was quite a stroke of luck for both of us as they just sold their house and are temporarily without a home. A true win-win!

We leave for Frankfurt in about an hour. A very long flight at nearly 10 hours. I think there is definitely a nap in my future. From there we fly to Paris which is a city on my bucket list. Going to be pretty low key time there though as we want to save our legs and feet for the Camino. Mostly people watching and eating with the Eiffel Tower and Louvre thrown in.

We are definitely going to miss our family and friends while we are on this pilgrimage and are thrilled many of you will be following us and hopefully surrounding us in prayer along "The Way".

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Preparation

Since we decided to take this journey over a year ago, we have been doing a great deal of preparation to hopefully increase the probability of a successful endeavor. Getting ready has encompassed not only the obvious physical and practical, but the emotional and mental as well. Sometimes, the effort has seemed all-consuming and the idea of being in the moment of the journey itself in a few days is much anticipated.

I write these preparation notes so not only do we have a record of it for ourselves but also for those who might be considering such a journey themselves.

Physical

Although it would seem that physical training would be of utmost importance, it has really taken a back seat to other preparations. In addition to routine distractions, our training was disrupted when I had surgery the last day of January for a meniscus repair that had been plaguing me for months. Prior to, and for several weeks after, I had serious doubts as to whether I would be able to complete the journey. A return trip to the doctor for a cortisone shot on Monday has helped alleviate those concerns and left me feeling more confident.

For those days when we have managed training hikes, our favorite trail has been the new Badger Mountain Trail. It is 6 miles round trip and probably most resembles what we anticipate finding in Spain. We plan to take a minimum of 40 days to walk the 500 miles which means about 13 miles each day, only twice the distance of our longest training hikes, but hey, who's worried? We will just have to complete our training as we begin our hike.

Logistical and Practical

It has been said that you should not "pack your fears" and we are trying hard not to do that. With the recommendation to carry no more than 10-12% of our body weight, choosing the right equipment has become an all-consuming activity in and of itself. REI must love us, given the number of trips and money spent on the quest for ultralight "everything" - sleeping bags, backpacks, trouser, shirts, underwear, rain gear, headlamps, containers, utensils, etc.

With only a day away from our departure, I finally decided between two backpacks. This does indeed show the "obsessive" side of me and the battle that can sometimes ensue. In this case, it is a battle of backpack weight vs. structure. The Go-Lite weighs just over a pound but is frameless pack which sometimes doesn't keep weight off the shoulders as it should. The other, an Osprey, weights two pounds but has a frame which could make a heavier load feel lighter. I opted for the Osprey, primarily because I like the way it packs better.

Another difficult gear choice for me has been the boots I plan to wear. I bought both Vasquez and Keen boots, each with their advantages. I decided on the Keens, however, primarily because of their added toe room and a little more cushion in the heel. I was also challenged as to which backup shoes to take and just today chose some Ecco sandals, figuring my toes might appreciate the wiggle room!

We plan to be gone for a total of 65 days. As for logistics, we will fly into Paris and spend four days there before we head off to the start of the Camino Frances in St. Jean Pied de Port. We also built an extra 10 days in Portugal that we can use if it turns out we need more than 40 days to complete our journey. We figure slow and easy is sure to finish. Yes, we plan to be turtles.

Mental and Emotional

Preparing mentally and emotionally for such a long distance has probably been the most challenging. As I have been thinking about the possibility of walking much of the trail with knee discomfort, I reflect on my brother who, despite his physical challenges, achieved so much in his 20 years, inspiring all who knew him. Therefore I have decided that I am going to make this journey in honor of him and the impact he had on my life. Hopefully at those time of inevitable discouragement, when I think of my brother, I will get the encouragement I need.

One of the traditions of the pilgrimage is to carry a rock from where you live to deposit at the Cruz de Ferro (Iron Cross). I have chosen a small rock with a fissure shaped like a cross that I discovered on one of our training walks. Fred is carrying a rock from his dad and each of his brother's gravesites which I think is really neat. In addition to my small rock, I am also carrying a small pewter heart like one I gave each of my sisters in memory of our mom.

Another attempted preparation has been to learn Spanish. I was told some time ago by a young person that I was too old to learn a foreign language and despite much determination, I am beginning to think they were at least partially right. After six months of spending significant time on it, while I may know many more words than before, I would most certainly be thrown into a panic to try and converse in Spanish. Oh to have the mind of a young person!

We have read several books written by previous peregrinos (Camino pilgrims) over the past year to provide some insight as to what we might expect in our journey. Blisters, missing toenails nd sore knees were a common theme. Our favorite was "The Way, My Way" by Bill Bennett. We loved the humor he had in challenging situations and also the way he embraced the entire Camino experience.

I have downloaded the daily devotional, "Jesus Calling" of which I have a hard copy that was given to me by a dear dear friend. I hope to continue the daily spiritual guidance it has already provided me.

I am certain there is much more in the way of preparing for this crazy journey but I must call it good, for the moment anyway.

 

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