Roncesvalles

So I slept for 8 hours, got up, ate a bun and started walking at 6.30 a.m.    It was raining, but not too hard, just steady. After the first 10km it started to come down like crazy. It rained so hard my rain jacket didn't help. I had to stop and buy an umbrella. A couple of times it was hailing. Think I didn't ask myself what I was doing here?   Just so you know I almost waved down a taxi but some more people came up to me and we talked for a bit and it seemed to revive me.   That was only 4km from the end of the days travel.    Going up 1000m  over the distance I walked today, doesn't sound like much but that was a never ending hill.   Every bend you would think it had to stop going up but it didn't. I walked from 6.30 till 1.30. I only had 4 people pass me so I guess I wasn't that slow. In fact as I am writing this it's 5 and there are still people coming in.    I thought I was dragging my ass you should see some of them.

This was when I started this morning.



The scenery was great except for the rain and fog.

Looking ahead at the mountains I have to go over. But you can't see the rest of them they are hidden in the clouds.

I thought it was neat how you would walk right by a farmers  buildings.

This was looking back down from were I had come from  earlier, and I thought that was a ways up. That isn't even the start of the climb.

So the rest of the walk I didn't take pictures it was just pouring and I had a hard enough time keeping myself dry never mind the camera.

This is where I am tonight. Roncesvalles.

I guess they can sleep a couple hundred here. We are in little cubicles 2 bunks I ended up on the bottom. 

This is what I am eating tonight not sure what it is I'll let you know.

A long day

I finally made it to St. Jean Port de Pied, France. 

This was one long day it's 5.15 pm.  I have no idea what time that is at home. I do know I am a day ahead.

I walked around town and went to the pilgrims office. I found out I can't walk over the mountain because it's snowing up there. They are telling everyone not to go over it. So I guess I will be taking the lower route tomorrow. It follows the road and only goes up to 1000 meters. I came that way with the taxi today and it sure did look steep.

I walked around the city and took some pictures. This is the river in the centre of city.

The old bridge has  been there for hundreds of years. I'm not sure if it was one that the Roman's built.  Right now it is too much work to look it up.

The city still has some of its wall this is a walkway under it.  This walkway is in a scene from the movie The Way.  

See the angle on the street?   I was tired just walking it. Could be from no sleep. I am hoping that.

That's the Church and the walkway under the tower.

I knew I was in France when I saw this car. No idea what kind it is.

This is just to show what the mountain looks like. Even if I could walk over it I wouldn't be able to see anything.

Tomorrow is the start of the walk. I only have to do 24km in the rain up 1000m should be an easy day.

Saturday I walked 6k on the beach, it will be the last walk there for 6 weeks. 

Then we headed down to do the Rankin Cancer Run. We didn't run, like most of the 11 thousand participants we just walked the 5k. That's Brenda in the centre and her sister Bernita on the left and my sister-in-law Patti on the right.  Leo was there some place but I didn't get a picture of him.

The 2 slowpokes at the finish line.

Then Sunday we went to the Niagara Gorge below Niagara falls. Brenda thought I needed to do some hill walking. She is right I did need to do more hills but it's a little late now to be worrying about that.

It's pretty amazing what great scenery we have in our back yard.

And I got to practise following the markers. The Camino has many yellow arrows that guide you. I found out I suck at this. I'll probably end up in Greece or Russia. I think I better follow some one else when I get over there. Maybe the problem is these markers were squirrels not arrows.

That's Lara and Leo, these 2  can get anyone lost.

We got to watch the rock climbers. Lots of them head down there to practise.  There are so many rock faces for them to climb.

Look at Brenda's walking log, I said she should get a walking stick and she picks up a log to use, too funny

Here they come climbing up the last stretch.

Well tomorrow morning I leave. I have packed and unpacked, weighed every thing 10 times, but nothing got lighter.    I removed some of those things that were 'must haves' when I started packing but now after carrying that pack I really didn't need.    And yes I am taking the tooth brush.   Because of all of you who need me to blog I am carrying an extra 4.5 pounds.  By adding the computer and a better camera it's hard to believe it's that much weight. Thanks everyone.  :)   So my plane leaves tomorrow at noon and then the long day begins.   I still don't know when I am suppose to sleep tomorrow.  Oh well what's one day with no sleep.

Getting ready

This has been quite the learning experience. I didn't know that I would be packing and unpacking my backpack so many times. Or weighing every thing I have and trying to decide what I can live without. The most popular belief is the backpack should only weigh 10% of your weight. Who new that.  To get to 10%   you have to decide if you take things like shaving cream that well get rid of  56 grams plus the razor another .5grams. Do I take underwear or maybe I can live with one shirt and who really needs deodorant.   How about tooth paste or even a toothbrush.  So at some point you get to this is what it weighs and I will have to live with it. I wonder if I can hire someone to carry my pack as long as I find a fat person it will only be 10% of their weight,  I thought I should gain a lot ( note to self eat more ); so simple, why didn't I think of that a month ago?

Tickets are bought. I leave 11.59 am on the 29th Toronto to North Carolina change planes  after a 3hr layover fly to Madrid land at 7.10 am on the 30th,  2.5 hour layover then fly to Barcelona,  1.5hr layover then fly to Pamplona,  arrive at 1.05 pm then I have to find a ride for the remaining 45 kl. Sounds like an easy day and a half.   Oh ya then I have to find a place to stay.
Sounds fun so far, then sleep get up and walk  a mere 26 kl over a mountain.  So far it all sounds easy.

This is a map of where I am walking. The little squares show legs or days walk this one shows 36 days to Santiago with out stopping . and 40 days to Finisterre The coast or the end of the world. The distance from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela is 789.1 km or 490.3 miles.

This is a list of Albergues ( Hostels ) Some I well be staying at.  Other times I will be splurging and staying in hotels or Motels.     http://wisepilgrim.com/camino_frances/albergue_directory