Day 8

I must of needed the rest day more than I thought.  All I did was snuzz and then I pulled my boots and went to bed.  We did a smart thing in leaving the Alberque in Estella and finding a hotel.  I never realized that the Spain bike race was on and it took up all the beds in the town.  I did love the town though, very nice people.  Once again got up before the butt crack of dawn and headed out.  Just like in the, movie the way I stepped out onto the side walk and went the wrong way.  Had to turn around and follow the outher pilgrims out of town.  I left Peter the Doctor at the hotel he wanted another day of rest.  I actually forgot to pack socks but I did have  two pair.  Several days ago I was in a little mom and pop and they had some so I bought two pair.  I knew they were very thin like dress socks and I almost through them away.  This morning I got looking at them and decided that they may make a good skin sock.  Soil pulled them on and then put my heavy sock over them.  Worked like a charm.  My feet did so much better I may have to pass it on to pilgrims are us.  The pull out so Estilla was quite steep as usual but once I got out it was not so bad.  I was worried about today in that the last five miles there is no water taps, no food, no shade.  But St James was smiling at us poor pilgrims and caused it to be a high over cast, so it was a lot cooler then the other days we have had.  I didn't even need to wear my hat until about noon.  I pinned my ball hat to the pack and wore my floppy hat for shade, worked very well.  Just out side of town the Monks had a wine fountain.....see picture.  Yes free, can you imagine how happy that would make the residents of Pioneer Park in Salt Lake City.  Several pilgrims were toasting each other with cockle shale full of wine.  Some what traditional I guess.  After the fountain the road split, one could either go through the mountains or stay down low.  I was worried as to more rain so I took the low road.  In a  other couple of miles I stopped at a mom and pops and met up with about eight people from the first night in Orrison.  Hugs all around.  I must look like hammered ow.l shit in that every one asked me again how I was holding up.....no Im getting concerned.  And once again people would not believe I was raised in Utah....the accent thing again.  Coming across the valley it was wide open all I could see was the curvature of the earth and I just kept thinking where the hell could this town be hiding.  And then wa-la it was nestled in a little valley.  One of the great things the road out side of town was lined thick with black berries.....tasted so great.  I couldn't figure out why the villagers are not out picking.  Finially got into Los Arcos and found the Alberque where I could stay, but no bottom bucks, not on my room any way.  I left my small pack on the bed and went back out for the big pack when I came back I was challenged by a German lady if the pack was mine.  So I guess I am among honest people.  I told her I could tell her every thing in the pack, even the things that smelt the worst.

For all of you that's concerned I am well and looking forward to tomorrow.

Lesson for the day;  Just like pick up trucks, a man can't have too much hat.

More rest day.....

I finially figured out how illegals learn English so fast, it's through necessary things like wanting to eat or get some water.  I came out of my room at 2:00 the place was deserted, now at four, it's a mad house again.  Tried to find a shop to get a wider cooler hat...not going to happen. I see some pilgrims coming in looking for a room.  Yep we all walk the same.  I have a drug store across from my hotel I need to get some sun lotion if they ever open up.  It's true they all take a nap during the heat of the day.

I will tell you what old pilgrims (over 60) out number the younger, why I have no idea.

Need to go wash my socks.......

Lesson learned.......you can't shop when you want.......

To be continued......... 

Day 7

While getting ready to leave the alberque this morning I bumped into Peter from Austria young man in his late twentys and a medical doctor that speaks Spanish.  He noticed that I was holding back and I explained that I was going to have a rest day.  He said he was taking two in that his feet and legs were trash.  He went on to explain that the first pair of boots that he bought had cut the circulation off and his toe went numb so he bought a new pair. Just two weeks ago.  Not being broken in properly they lamed him.  He is going self medicate and then if that doesn't help he wil bail. We agreed to find a hotel or "pensioner" together.  He could hardly walk.  Across the stree from the Alberque was a little. Very clean bar that sold real sanwiches a drinks to the pilgrims.  I had a egg buddy a sweet roll and three cokes.  I don't want to be too graffic but I only need to pee once in the morning and once at night.  I drink real coke for the sugar and calories.  You can't believe how they slip down. While there I ran into Rich an attorney from Cal.  He's bailing.  Ran into Lucy this is her fifth time and she is bailing. She kissed me on both cheeks like the French do and started to cry. I am not sure why five times because her English is not that good, but it had to with the spirt of the way that she thrived on. Mike the strange one was in there from Oregon, he sat his bag down and was taking pictures yesterday and when he turned back around it was gone.  He spent the day with the police.  I offered him money in that every thing here is on a cash only bases.  He said he was fine that way and tapped his chest meaning he had a pouch around his neck.  He has to bail but said it's only temporary, he will be back.

Mary a teacher as Peter and I if she could hang with us today in that she needed a rest day and didn't want to be alone in the city.  She speaks Spanish very well so the answere had to be yes.  We all got our own rooms at the pensioner for 30e, works for me.  Very small ran by a very sweet lady in her late 80,s.  I still need to go back down and pay her and get my pilgrim passport stamped.  No stamp no staying at the alberques......very strict.  I have a death march to morrow of 13.1 miles the last seven miles there is no food or water.  I need to be very careful with this part.  

Lara from Panama was with us last night and I told her I needed tape for my feet.  We went in and spoke with the drugest he wrote down a note and told me to take it down the street to a different shop.  It turned out to be the tape you see on real sport people in all kinds of color.  Very pricey but well worth it.  I am well impressed with it.

Tomorrow I will be going from Estella to Los Arcos there is tow ways to go, one over a mountain and one around the mountain, not sure yet which trail I will take, but while writing this I actually feel the excitement welling up inside of me.  Could this be what they write about when they write as to the spirt of the way.  

Day six photo

Night shots......

Day 6

The beauty in the land I see is too much accretlly die scribe.  I have brought Somers camer with me and have a chip that's will hold three thousands shots.....I will need them.  It seems strange not having Tony and Peter along any more but with out them I am actually moving faster.  The temp is still in the low 90 and I feel it.  I have been very cautious as to my water supply.  The air is so not that my mouth drys out very quickly.  I bought some gum on my last stop, but it don't help much.  Soon as the flavor is gone I spit it out.  I now carry twice as much water then when I started out.  So in taking on more weight I need to take off some weight so I discarded my rain jacket.  I really think that now I am over the Pyrenees I won't need it any longer.  I also donated Somers camping pillow.  Sorry Som I will replace it when I get home.  My hoody will be the next to go. Came to a river that was very easy accessible.  Several pilgrims were in it but I knew if I did I would never get out so I passed it by.

Got into a small village that had a large fountain with three spicket going at the same time into a troph about waist high.  I stripped to the waist and held my head under a tap.  Oh by dee hell it felt good.  Couldn't get enough of it.......neve.lasted long though.  But I did replenish my supply.  A Spanish woman was trying to tell me it was stright from the mountain and good to drink.  From her broken English and gyrations I was sure she wanted me to touch her breast.  Something to do with the water was as good as mothers milk.   By the time I left a dozen pilgrims were all over it.....the fountain.

By the time I got into Estilla I was so tired I had my head down while looking for the municipal alberque.  I jhear some one holler hay mr Utah ( no one here remembers names) it came from the window of the Alberque I needed so I checked.  Cheep only 6e but again no food.

Rested up some, took a shower, and then went to dinner.  A lady from Panama ordered for me, it was only 8e and I couldn't eat it all.  Bought some tape for my feet and came back.  Door locks at 10:00

My plan was to walk six days and then rest one day.  I thought that instead of resting a full day I would just do a short walk, but in checking my map their is no where to stay and I am faced with about six miles of no water and no trees.  Si I decided to just hang back a day and give my legs a rest.  We need to all be out by 10:00 so I will check out to some camera stuff and then check back in for the night.  By dozing this I will see new pilgrims on the WAY in that we all are playing leap frog with each other.

Lesson learned........all the signs don't point in the right direction..

To be continued.......

Day 5

It was like  dajavou all over again.......Yoge Beare New York Yankies......

Peter announced at dinner he was done.  He tried to justify more to him self then to me.  It was just as well the heat would of gave him a stroke.  He and Tony walked me to the out skirts of town then we shook hands all around, and then shook hands again and then for a third time....I will miss them both.  It wasn't hard for me to find my way.  Every 10 feet they had pLaced a stainless steel disk in the side walk all you had to do is to walk one to the other until you found the path.  The second way was just watch the pilgrim in front of you.  To get out of the valley we had to clime from 400 to 800 Kim's.  Just like the   Pyrenees I beg my body to give me 20 steps then I would rest for 15 sec.  I counted.  Then I would give it another go.  Just before the top the friends of the camino placed a couple of benches in the shade of a large tree in the memory of someone who died on the trail.....that's good news.  I was poring my extra water into my filter bottle, hold the receipicunt between my knees when the bottle spun around and dumped my water on the ground.  I was screwed, I had about half cup in the giver bottle.  I thought the trail went past a farm house but to my rescue on top where the monument is was a lady selling drinks and snakes I was saved.  I bought two cokes and to bottles of water and sucked them down.  Bought two more water for the trail and was on my way. Cutting through the next town I lost the trail.  I knew I was going west so I kept on the move.  I kept looking to my left for fellow pilgrims but spotted none.  Then I found a sign again and in doing so looked to my right and they were all coming down the hill......so I wasn't far off.  Walking in to Puente La Reina I took the first Alberque that I spotted.  That was my best luck of the day.  I bought a dinner tickets for 13e.  While waiting I was taking to a lady from Panama.  A group of 6 pilgrims came up to our table and asked, where you from, we are trying to place your accent.  I told them I was from the States, they asked what state and I said Utah.  One of them said bull shit I live in Colorado and I have never heard any thing like it.  I laughed and told them I was raised in a little farm community that had their own language.  

But om hell the dinner was five stars hands down.  Your choice of beef, chicken, or fish.  Soup table and a do it your self salad bar,and then hand dipped ice cream....

Lesson learned......if you hold coke in your mouth until it goes flat it's the same as flossing.

Day 4

We have found that we need to be where we are going by no later then 4:00 P.M. In that if we are not then all the beds will be taking.  I don't know why they call it a walk across Spain, it should be called a walk up and down Spain.  The heat was killing peter and even with that we moved as quick as possible.  We got into Pampolna at 3:30 looking good or so we thought.  Peter had been here before and thought we should stay at the Jesus and Mary which had about 128 beds.  Peter was bushed and kept saying if you see a cab hail it down.  I seen a building on the sky line that had the cross of Jesus and pointed to it.  Look it's got to be that one it has a cross on it.  Richard, Steve says your in f'n Spain , their is a cross of Jesus on every f'n building in the city.  It seems though I was right we made it to the Jesus and Mary but no sooner we had then they put up the closed or I. Should say full sign.  They gave us a phone number to call the said no problem for four pilgrims.  We get there in a short walk and find that Joe shit the rag man and his wife went in the bedbusiness.  I just started to laugh.  Somewhere along the way we picked up wieared Mike.  Strange, strange man, but instead of leaving him on his own we asked him to come to dinner with us.  Food was great.  We usually get bread and jam in the mornings before heading out.  We were adivsed that we were on our own.  Go figure.

The picture I am attaching is not scaffolding it is braces to hold the building up.  I kid thee not.

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Lesson learned.......food is your friend, with out it you will die.