Charging windmills....

  Today I left Pamplona and you climb up to this ridge lined with power generating windmills and also art figures of pilgrims and the Camino. My recollection of it 3 years ago was how hard it was with trail conditions and steepness of the climb, but this morning I went up it with fair effort, but not nearly as bad as I had expected. I met Alfonso and his wife Patricia up there for pictures and then lunch again later. They are the Spanish mt. biking couple that I see almost daily and sometimes several times today. Patricia showed me her bruises from two days before from falls she took in the pass. 

  There were a few hard up hills today, but what got me was the heat. High 80's and with the uphill sections, I just roasted. I ran out of water twice and saw a vending machine in a small town and put a bunch a money in for bottled water to see me through. 

  I came across this small chapel in the hills right before Estrella that I went to on my last trip. It was very poignant then as it had notes inside left by pilgrims. I went in and the same as before. I read some of them and decided to leave my stone I bought the day before in Pampalona. 

  I'm in Estrella tonight and staying in the same small pension I stayed at before. Clean but very basic rooms. I met a couple from Sacramento in town, Chris and Jenny and we had dinner on the square. Chris turned out to be a Cal Poly grad so we traded some stories about college and wine in Paso Robles.

Buen Camino

Dave

Staring out in the morning sun

Rocky section I had to walk

Stone piles made by pilgrims

Chapel with notes

115 km done 668km to Santiago

For Pauline

Running with the Bulls...

  Yes, I'm in Pampalona Spain. The running of the Bulls is supposed to take place in a few weeks and I will be glad not to be here. I hear it's an absolute madhouse with outrageous prices for hotels. I visited the cathedral today and took a self guided tour. It was really impressive with excavations of 5th century Roman ruins in the foundations. They had mosaic floors excavated along with rings, jewelry and pots. The cathedral and attached cloisters were impressive as well. 

  Today I started out from Roncesvilles and shipped my carry on bag to Santiago, so I guess I'm committed now. The Camino was so nice this morning almost as if to make up for the incredible hard day yesterday. Many nice parts going through a forest and around the countryside. Then it got a bit rough with some sections steep and rocky downhill that was rideable but kept me on the edge of my seat and walking a few sketchy places. I came across many pilgrims in the morning, but by about 10am has the trail mostly to myself which was pretty nice. I came across a pilgrim dressed simply and was walking barefoot on the Camino, clearly, a serious pilgrim.

  I rolled into town about 3 today and decided to get new pannier bags. The clip in one of them was starting to break as the Camino is really tough on everything from equipment to people. I had my bike looked at while I was at it and it's ok...showing some more wear on brake rotor, the metal disk the brake pads push on. Seems a bit warped but ok to continue to use. 

  Didn't really connect with many people today partly by choice. I decided to ride by myself today just to take in the Camino. I did come across a Spanish mt. biking couple a number of times today. It was kinda nice to see them a few times. The girl was pretty bruised up on her legs from falls the day before coming down from the pass. 

  Anyway, I bought a stone today as I forgot to bring any from home. Pilgrims traditionaly place them along the way or especially at the "iron cross" which is about halfway along to Santiago.  They can represent loss, grief, past sins, hopes or dreams, or loved ones. They are a part of the Camino. Anyway I bought a stone engraved with gratitude to place someplace along the way. 

Buen Camino;

Dave

I'll take a pass...

  I'm here! In Roncesvalles on the far side of the pass. Weather was great and the pass was so much better than the last time I did it 3 years ago with snow and mud along with a light rain back then. 

  It was hard enough today just grinding uphill (up to 20% grade), but the good weather made it better. I'm so happy to say that I rode the whole way with about 4 times of walking 10-30 feet when it was too steep or rocky. One of the harder parts was very steep, rocky downhill that kept my brakes very hot and smelly. 

  There is some kind of rite of passage doing the pass. Kind of a trial by fire for all pilgrims but especially those who started in Saint Jean and it's their first day. There were many we saw and talked with today from Ireland, Canada, France, Germany and a few from really interesting places like Lithuania and the Caribbean. 

  I happy to say I'm in Roncesvalles Spain with the boarder crossing in the pass being a unremarkable cattle guard. I am staying the night in a hotel here, but secretly wishing I had stayed in the community hostel with many of the pilgrims that made the journey today. 

  I got a call from Mary this morning wishing me well and giving me a pep talk that I appreciated. I have to say, I'm so glad I chose to do this even though some parts have been very hard both physically  and emotionally.

 Good thoughts for those back home. 

Buen Camino

Dave

Starting out in St Jean at 8am

Orrison about half way up. A good break place and the only place for food and drink

Road that never ends...

Near the top

Where the trail breaks off from the road

The emergency shak for people getting caught in weather 

This is the part I slid down on my butt in the snow of 2013

On!

  After having the night to think it over; I have decided to continue on hopefully to Santiago. Tomorrow is a BIG step. Out of St. Jean; you climb up to a Pyranees pass that was used by Napoleon and Rolland in past times. The road and then the trail climbs up about 4,000 ft in about  12 miles. It doesn't let up except for a short flat about 7 miles in and then up to the pass summit and steeply down the other side to Roncesvalles on the other side. I'm going to do it with Helmut who I've been riding with the past few days. 

  The weather is supposed to be good which is super important as conditions can change quickly in the pass. Last time I did it some of you remember my scary time sliding down a snow bank. I don't think there is any snow in the pass now and expected good weather should make it just a tough day and a workout. Thanks in advance for your good thoughts. I'm so fortunate to be here doing this. I have had a bit more numbing and pain in my right hand, but seems to be holding its own and a nights rest seems to recover the day before. 

  Helmut and talked a bit about how we kind of rushed the past few days just riding the roads and riding most of the day. For me, quite frankly I wanted to be here so I don't feel like I missed that much, but the Camino experience and a pilgrimage is all about time to reflect and connect with place and people. I want to be much more aware of this from here on. 

  I took time today to prepare myself for the upcoming journey, getting my bike tuned up, doing laundry, sorting through what to take and what to ship forward to Santiago. Bike is almost embarrassing clean, laundry is done, I'm having dinner at the place I had it before my last Camino, a bit nervous but I know I have done this before and know I have trust that I can do it again. 

Buen Camino

Bon Route

Bon Nuit

Dave

Saint Jean

Shadow of my former self

Pilgrim dinner

Way to the pass

Home is where the heart is...

  

  I'm here! Saint Jean Pied de Port. It feels a bit like home having started my Camino here in 2013 and visiting a year later and hiking the first 5 miles to Orrison and back. It seemed so far away physically and emotionally a week ago when I was struggling so much with an impossible trail, rain and mud along with being alone in a small French town. 

  I continued a day at a time and with the thoughts and encouragement of you back home; able to be here. Thank you. I feel like I have got what I needed  to, allow for some physical and emotional healing to take place. I've dropped some weight and feel a bit more resilient against adversary. I've regained my confidence for biking and the ability to do some real mt. biking instead of just making do with roads. While the last 2 days have been on the road rather than the trail, riding with Helmut pushed us both to put in full days riding to make it to Saint Jean. We were able and maybe wanting a bit to jump back on the trail this morning. In a bit of irony, we hit two places of short hike-a-bike. Nothing like the conditions I faced early on, but a reminder of what I went through to get here. 

 I don't know yet where I'm going from here; whether to continue on the Way or not. I'm going to take a day off here and think it over. Thank you all for your thoughts and support. 

Buen Camino

Dave

Back on the Way

This guy in a Citroën 2CV honked at us and cheered us on as we were reaching the top of s huge hill. 

In front on my Gîte in Saint Jean

I made it! All 752km + some (466 miles)

Pilgrims office in Saint Jean

I lit a candle for myself in the cathedral here. I had a "moment"

Sign out of Saint Jean to the next very hard step over the Pyranees