OVER THE TOP

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going

After a night of absolutely no sleep, it was actually good to get up and get out of there.  After a quick breakfast of orange juice, bread and coffee the French way, in a bowl, we were out the door into the below freezing air.  Normally the cold air would have woken us up, but we were already awake when we got up.  The cold air did cause us to move on up the hill to get warm.  The plan was to cover just over 12 miles over the Pyrenees.  We could shorten the route slightly by stopping at Roncesvalles and sleeping with about 100 of our fellow pilgrims, but we weren't doing that again.  Actually our plan all along was to stay in private rooms whenever possible and we had reserved a room in a Casa Rural in the next town of Burguete.  It in this small Basque town where Hemingway stayed on many occasions.

As for the climb over the mountains.  I had told Cathie that the first day of 5 miles was the most difficult.  It is for the most part the steepest part of the climb.  The second day, less steep but a much longer day.  Much of the route is on a one lane paved road, which was clear of snow from the overnight storm.  We were lucky and had clear skies and very little wind.  I'm not sure of the temperature, but it was well below freezing because all of the puddles were frozen solid.  A very beautiful walk, Cathie would call it a slog, over the mountains to the pass at just shy of 5,000 feet.  That may not sound like much but we started at just 600 feet above sea level.  It was very beautiful with the fresh snow. 

There is a shelter or hut near the top so one can get out of the weather.   It was windy at this point so we opted to eat our lunch in the hut out of the wind.  Inside we found Jim who we had met on the way up.  A retired U.S. Marine and a Camino veteran.  He offered to share his sausage and cheese with us, which is pretty normal on the Camino.  He noticed that Cathie's back pack was not fitting her properly and offered to adjust it for her, which he did.  This is the Camino, pilgrims helping pilgrims and sharing what they have.

Anyway we did manage to make it over the top and down the other side all in one piece.  We stopped for refreshments before finishing the last 2 miles to our room for the night.  A private room I might add.  Cathie told me that I had lied to her about the first part being the most difficult as she felt it was all hard.

Besides the blog, I've been posting on Facebook and l have received some comments that give me ideas for the blog.  After writing in the last post about the snoring and sleeping with 9 of my closest friends, one person made a comment about how they could never do that.  A person who had previously walked the Camino replied that for her the Albergues was where she made the most intimate connections with other pilgrims.  I have to agree with both persons.  On my Camino 2 years ago, I stayed in Albergues for about a week.  I could not sleep.  So on this Camino it will be private rooms when ever possible.

I do understand both opinions about staying or not staying in albergues.  I made many connections with pilgrims on the trail and in the evenings at the towns where I stayed.  The connections with other pilgrims is one of the best aspects of the Camino.

It is possible to walk the Camino and never stay in an albergues.  There are tour companies that will plan it all out for you and make reservations for the entire way.  Don't want to carry a pack?  That too can be arranged.  There are services that will take your pack or suitcase for you from town to town.  Heck, even the post office in Spain will do that for you.  It is not uncommon to see pilgrims carrying just a small day pack, opting to have the luggage or large pack transported each day or just for a few days if they get tired.  So if one has the desire to partake in this wonderful experience, it can be done.  You want my suggestion? Just do it!

 

 

STARTING UP

 

GETTING COLDER

   

 

 

LOOK! ONLY 765 KM TO GO

 

COLD