A Million Steps

The first thing you have to understand is that I'm a finance guy buy training and an accountant by trade.  This means that I generally view the world in economic and monetary terms.  Failing that, I do everything I can to quantify things.  So, of course I had to sit down in St. Jean last night and figure out, based on my stride that it's roughly a million steps to Santiago.  I'm happy to report that the first 30,000 or so are out of the way.

As I mentioned yesterday, we elected to leave early so that we could beat the heat today, and that proved to be a very wise decision.  Everyone was downstairs at the hotel and ready to walk out at 5:30...except Ty.  For some reason his sleep-deprived brain (according to him) had registered 6:30 for our departure, so we waited for him a bit and were on the road by 5:50am.  

You know, I've often commented that the stairs at Pepperdine don't get any easier no matter how many times you hike them.  The same is true of the St. Jean to Roncesvalles stage of the Camino.  It was just as difficult as I remember.  Fortunately, it was a beautiful, clear day.  Unfortunately, it was incredibly, unbelievably windy, which made it quite the struggle.  Compounding this on my part was the fact that I also managed to underestimate the amount of food I would need to get over the mountain.  Fortunately, I had my ample supply of gummy bears, and Paul and Anna (my RA) shared their snacks).

This stage of the Camino is a bit deceiving.  You leave St. Jean and have a nice walk through the countryside for the first two miles.  Then, about the time you think "hey, this isn't too bad".  BAM.  20% grade, and you're reminded explicitly exactly how out of shape you are.  Everybody did pretty well, but at one point we were presented with something I just call "typically European".  A very middle-aged man, not in great shape randomly appeared, walking with his wife.  In a speedo.  And a backpack.  Ew.  Just ew.  I suppose I wish that I had that much self-confidence about my body, but even I did, unless I looked like Cristiano Ronaldo, I don't think I would "gift" everyone else on the planet with that particular image.

After getting over my sudden desire to vomit due to "Mr. Europe 1965" we continued climbing.  And climbing.  And climbing.  As I said, the wind was pretty ferocious, but we had herds of sheep and goats and wild horses to entertain us.

The descent into Roncesvalles was its usual treacherous self, this time with a 25% downslope, but at least it was wooded and shady, as by this time it was getting quite hot.  We arrived in good time, around 12:30, and settled into the hostel.

Then I spent the afternoon drinking Sangria, sleeping, making sure the kids were settled in OK and tending to a couple of potential strains and sicknesses.  After pilgrim dinner at 7 and the Pilgrim Mass at 8, which is in the 15th century church next to our hostel, with a multi-language Pilgrim Blessing, it is time to go to sleep.  We have a shorter day tomorrow: 13.6 miles, and still lots of up and down, but without the epic climb and hopefully without the Mr. Europe 1965 sightings we had today.  I'd upload pictures of our walk today, but the internet here is too slow.  Perhaps tomorrow!