Queen's Bridge

Day 2- Zubiri -Cizur Menor
8 hours 40 minutes-26.7 km

Day 3-Cizur Menor-Puente de La Reina
7 hours 15 minutes-19.6 km

Today was another strenuous walk, with very few trees, so we spent the day in the blazing sun.
We had a steep climb to Alto de Perdon (the hill of forgiveness). The mountains here are covered with windmills. We had great views looking back over the valley and Pamplona. It seems like you can see for ever and it's hard to believe we have walked so far and so high.
Our music for the day was the gentle whirring sound of The giant windmills.
We walked for 3 hours before seeing our first person. Then we met Madas from Latvia. He doesn't stay in the hostals. He prefers to sleep at churches under whatever cover he can find. He has a huge backpack and says it weighs 40 pounds. He doesn't carry a tent.
He walks much faster than us, but he slowed down to walk our pace throughout the steep up and down
slopes. We had great conversation. He speaks many languages. We stop for a meal, Madas moves on. I hope we see him again.
We spend longer than usual for lunch and by the time we are back on the Camino there are many Pilgrims.
Another long and steep decent today, but the knees were up for the challenge and never complained.
Tonight we are staying in Puente de La Reina (Queen's Bridge). The town has one of the most picturesque medieval stone bridges with 6 arches which span the ever present Arga River.

I wish you peace, love, and laughter
Rita
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Powerfully Simple and Glorious

Again we started our day walking by the light of the waning moon, but we were under deep forest cover which made it very dark. We were walking on very uneven, steep terrain wit lots of loose rocks. It was a day to use headlamps and flashlights, and of course mine was at the bottom of my backpack. So I followed in the light of a few other Pilgrims.
It was very rough and rocky terrain with lot of steep ups and downs. But they were never too long, and the magnificent views made up for the rough walk.
During this part of the journey, the Camino crosses many times the Arga River, so we crossed over some beautiful medieval stone bridges and we always had the background music of the river song.
The last several hours of travel was on busy roads and through the city of Pamplona. The noise of the traffic whizzing by at what seemed like frightening speed after the tranquil mountain and forest trails. The noise of the city was sharp ana annoying, and the heat of the day rose from the pavement making for an unpleasant walk for an already exhausted body.
My feet didn't want to go any further and my knees were cranky all day. I had to put on my knee brace early in the day.

It was a much more physically challenging and tiring day than this old body cared for.
My lesson for the day was that our bodies are far more capable of the physical challenge than we give them credit for. And that if we concentrate on God's little treasures like birdsong and mountain flowers and the majesty of a countryside; that the physical pain and exhaustion is diminished and we are left with something powerfully simple and glorious.

I wish you peace, love, and laughter
Rita
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Peak Moments

Day 1-Roncesvalles to Zubiri
22.5km-7 1/2 hours
There are reports of 200-300 Pilgrims coming through St Jean and Roncesvalles over the past few days. There are so many Pilgrims on the Camino that beds fill up fast.
We got to Roncesvalles so late last night we had to stay in the overflow area. Six sets of bunks in container type trailers. The also had huge green tents for some folks. I am glad we got the bunkrooms.
It was a very rushed and unorganized night. As soon as we got a bed, we dropped our things and went to the Mass and the Pilgrim blessing. It was in a beautiful chapel that I believe is part of the ancient Monastery. Six priests officiated the Mass. They welcomed the Pilgrims and read the names of all the countries represented, it was an impressionable list. It brought tears to my eyes and I noticed that I wasn't the only one. Another emotional moment was at the end of the Mass when all Pilgrims were asked to come to the front of the chapel for the Pilgrim blessing. The priests prayed for us and wished us a wonderful and safe journey in many different languages.
We had a Pilgrim meal after Mass, then called it a night.
We were up this morning shortly after 6AM and walked in the dark by the light of the moon. It was cold enough to see your breath, but by the time the sun came up we saw many Pilgrims removing layers and we were in short sleeves and shorts long before noon.
Today's walk was mostly through green forest and mountainous terrain. A picture book scene around every corner.
For me, the highlight of the day was when we stopped for a drink of water at the top off a high mountain pass and looked back at the mountains and valleys we had crossed. The scene was majestic; dotted with herds of cattle, some close, some way off in the distance. But even better was that in the stillness was the distant symphony of cattle lowing and the many different tinkling sounds of cowbells combined with the gorgeous view. I was completely absorbed in the moment. No words are ever adequate to describe a peak moment, but this one was one that I won't soon forget.
I wish you peace, love, and laughter
Rita
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

First Camino Angel

We finally arrived at Roncesvalles at 7:30, after a very long trip to get here. We had a great flight to Madrid. Got in early AM and headed for Av de Americas to get the bus to Pamplona, but the taxi driver told us that the buses to Pamplona left from a station across town. After a very long and expensive cab ride we found out that he was wrong. So we took the metro all the way back across town and missed the early bus to Pamplona. We got the noon bus and got to Pamplona one minute after the last bus to Roncesvalles left. The next bus would be tomorrow evening at 6PM putting us a day behind schedule.
I asked at the ticket counter if there was any other way to get here. He told me to we could try a taxi. He mentioned that a man ahead of me had just gone out to look for a taxi.
When I was leaving the station a man approached me and asked if I was headed for Roncesvalles. I guess my backpack was a dead give away.
He started making calls on his cell and found a van service to take himself, us and two others to Roncesvalles at a very reasonable price.
I thought all was lost and we would spend the night in Pamplona and get a late start or figure something else out.
But as luck would have it, I met my first Camino Angel who helped us out and how surprised I was when I asked him his name and he told me it was Santiago. They say don,t worry, the Camino will provide everything you need. I guess I am already finding that out.
I wish you peace, love, and laughter
RIta
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

We are on our way!

The next time you hear from me, will be ...Live from the Camino
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The Journey Begins

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step"

Lao Tzu

Yesterday we took our last long training walk. Our next long walk will be on the Camino de Santiago.

It was low tide, so we took our river walk. I tried to walk in my husband's footsteps as we walked along the riverbed. He has such a long stride, it made it almost impossible to do without falling in the muck. Now I know why he is always so far ahead of me and I have to work at it to keep up the pace.

Tomorrow we will be on a plane on our way to Spain. Today I am in a thoughtful mood, full of trepidation and questions.

Will I be able to make this long journey? Am I prepared enough? Physically, I think yes. But what about Mentally? Emotionally? Spiritually?

I live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. I have the greatest family that any one could ever ask for. Every day I give thanks for the abundance and beauty in my life.  So, why do I wander so far? Why take on such a grueling challenge, both mentally and physically? What do I expect I learn, if anything?

They say I will walk one million footsteps on my journey across Spain. But if the saying is true, that "we are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience", then wouldn't it be right to say that our life IS the journey?

So many questions swirling in my mind....

I only know that I will walk consciously, and joyfully, and thoughtfully, greeting each day as a new day, a new experience; a new adventure of my mind, my body and my spirit.  I will walk in the footsteps of all the millions of Pilgrims who have walked before me and I will be giving thanks for all that I have been blessed with every day of my life.

I wish you peace, love and laughter

Rita

Two Nice Surprises

Early this spring, when I started my training for the Camino de Santiago, one of the first climbs was beautiful Mount Major in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Although it is not a big mountain, hikers flock to it for its gorgeous views and it's "big" mountain feel. By that I mean it is a short climb, less than 3 hours roundtrip, but it is steep and somewhat challenging for the moderate hiker, both on the way up and the way down.

Here I am with my daughter Heidi and our friend Ellen at the summit. They have walked and hiked with me from the beginning, when the Camino de Santiago trip was only a dream. Their phone calls at the crack of dawn got me up and out the door for our early morning walks. They have added a playfulness and some humor to our walks and have made them fun and interesting, and both have been an inspiration to me.

During that first spring climb, I huffed and puffed on the way up and had to give up my backpack before reaching the top. And on the way down my knees were red and swollen and screaming with pain. I hobbled most of the way down the mountain. My knees are one thing that has had me worried about my journey along the Camino, as I know there are some really steep descents.

The first surprise is that we just climbed Mount Major again on a gloreous crystal clear morning. And what a difference! I climbed to the summit with full backpack with ease, not even slightly winded and the real miracle was the descent. Not even a whimper from my knees. No swelling or redness and no pain at all!!

I guess all my long hours of hiking and walking with full backpack have paid off. I also now use trekking poles, which at first I found very cumbersome; but on the descents they are a blessing.

The second surprise was that Heidi and Ellen have been saying that they would love to join me on the Camino. They each run their own business and have a house full of kids and men to take care of, so being away for more than a month was impossible. So I resigned myself to thinking that it would never be possible. Well, they did it. They just purchased tickets to Spain. They will meet me to walk the last 5 days with me (114kilometers or 68.5 miles).

Here I am with my husband on our second Mt. Major hike. He will walk with me the first 12 days, but then must return home, and since he cannot be with me till the end, I cannot think of two better people to have with me than my 2 faithful and encouraging walking partners. They have been with me from the beginning and I think it is so appropriate for them to be the ones with me when I finally arrive at the tomb of the Apostle Saint James in Santiago de Compostela.