Camino Day 1: SJ to La Vierge d’Orisson

Miles: 7.25
Elevation gain: 3182 feet
Weather: 40s and 50s with a cool breeze at my back. Excellent

My original plan was to walk to the albergue at Orisson but I was unable to reserve a bed there. At the suggestion of someone on the Camino forum I reserved a spot on a shuttle, which picked me up another 2.5 miles up the mountain and returned me to Saint Jean. I will take the shuttle back to the same spot in the morning and continue on to Roncesvalles tomorrow. Many people walk all the way to Roncesvalles the first day but I thought it wise to start slow. After training in flat OKC this feels like one of my better decisions. Orisson would’ve felt too soon to stop, my feet didn’t hurt until the very end of the walk, and I’m happy to have the steepest climb out of the way before tomorrow.

I was awake way too early again so I was up and on the trail by 7am. It was an amazing day. The views walking out of Saint Jean are just extravagantly beautiful . I would’ve been slow even if I were more fit, as I kept stopping to take pictures. I took fewer as the walk went on because it wasn’t quite as pretty and I was working too hard!Read more