Orrison to Roncesvalles

There were no storms or rain today in the Pyrenees as the weatherman predicted but we did walk through the clouds.

Breakfast was a small pilgrims breakfast of bread and jam. I think the boys had hoped for more. But we grabbed our sandwiches for lunch and took off up the mountain following the yellow arrows. Most of us were prepared with waterproof backpack covers but Jon sent his pack ahead with a courier because he was worried about his backpack getting soaked. He went with nostalgia when he chose his backpack because it’s the pack he had carried through Europe many times. He didn’t have a cover for his as a result like the rest of us. He enjoyed a pack-free hike today as a result.

We climbed and climbed into the clouds- only seeing sunshine at the very top before heading back down on the other side. My hair and raincoat were soaked but everything else stayed dry. Along the way we could hear the baaa’s of sheep and mooo’s of cows and especially the eerie sounds of the low ringing from the bells they wore around their necks. We could only see them when they were very close because the fog was so thick but we knew they were around us.

They trail was tough but as we climbed higher and higher there were safety stops for shelter in storms or for calling for help. I think many people have died en route (we saw a few memorials) and this is a modern solution. Wells for water are plentiful too. There was even a food truck in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere. It was on our map and a true landmark on the trail. We bought a mid morning granola bar from him and used his WC (a rock behind the truck) and got another stamp and felt refreshed for a few more hours of hiking.

We made it to the old monastery in Roncesvalles by 1:30 and reunited with many of our Orisson friends. The alburgue is very old (end of 12th century) practical and clean. Extremely efficient. No shoes inside at all! We sleep in cubbies of 4 bunks in huge rooms. Each room holds 100 people. I used my Z-quill to sleep last night and it worked great so I think I’m going that route again tonight to drown out the snorers.

We had a snack on the patio of fried food and beer while we waited for the room to open at 2pm and now await the evening meal by showering and taking an afternoon siesta. (We are in Spain by the way now.)

Dinner was a 3 course meal (The hungry pilgrims were very pleased except for the poor vegetarian at our table). Again we sat with some fun Americans we roomed with last night in Orisson (one is a middle school math teacher) and a fun German woman we met in Orisson. I’ll be sad to lose them when we pass them up in Pamplona.

Speaking of… I have heard rumors of fires driving pilgrims off the road near Pamplona. That could be the next obstacle.Read more