Into Puente La Reina

Today we left Pamplona and walked up up up to the Alto de Perdón, which is where that famous metal monument is that you see on “The Way.” It wasn’t as tough as we thought it would be. Going down was rocky and slippery though! There were so many windmills on the ridge up there. We were excited to get close to them so we could hear the sound they make. They were almost entirely silent until we got really really really close. And up close they make a sound like an airplane flying overhead. It’s quiet though. If you live right next to those windmills, I think he would disregard the sound like any other kind of white noise.

We stopped in a town along the way for a sandwich and soda at an albergue and bar. Two Israeli men invited us to share a table with them. We chatted for quite a while and learned all about how Yom Kippur, which is today, is celebrated. Some people fast but not them.

Over the last five or 6 miles between the bottom of the hill, and the town that we’re staying in, it was quite hot. The temperature was probably about 85°F. There wasn’t much shade so we were pretty exhausted from walking in the sun. we both put on sunscreen which was great. Unfortunately I missed a little spot on the back of my leg and it is a very bright color of red.

We are going to stay in this town, Puente La Reina, for two nights to rest our feet and legs. So far it doesn’t seem like a very exciting place. The church is pretty. Everything was closed on Sunday yesterday. Today everything is closed because it’s Monday. I’m not sure how that works! We went to a bar and the woman there told us if we come back at 8 o’clock she’ll sell us a hamburger. So right now we have walked 19+ miles and we are eating chips and cokes in our room. Hopefully we are able to get some food tonight! We did stock up on non-perishables in a little store along the way. We have a mango, some dried pineapple, and some granola bars now too. And as much as David made fun of my skittle purchase, they came in handy today when we were tired and hot. I think skittles and Lifesavers are foods that deserve their own food group! Foods that are terrible for you that elevate your blood sugar really quickly when you are doing stuff that burns through fuel!

We’re looking forward to a rest day tomorrow. Our intention is to do a little as possible! Our feet and our legs are a little sore, but basically in good shape. We purposely chose a sleepy little town to take a rest day in, so we would not be tempted to go all over an interesting town like Pamplona and see all the cool things.Read more