Friday, May 18, 2012
8:28 AM Arizona, 5:28 PM Spain
I’ll start with struggling up the road from the river Nive on May 16th. Upon reaching the town we scout around for an Albergue. We meet a fellow, Jorge, from Germany who tells us where it is and that it will not open for a while. I lock up my bike and after talking with our new friend head to the local shop that serves as a restaurant and market which is called Benta. I order a nice cold beer to drink while basking in the afternoon sun while Lisa wanders around the town. We purchase lunch stuff along with a bottle of local wine than head to an overlook in the middle of town for lunch. While sitting there the German fellow, we met earlier, comes over to tell us he has the code to get into the Albergue. All us sit for a while talking as Lisa and I finish lunch, then head to the Albergue finding it to be a wonderful place about two years old. The Albergue Luzaideko has two rooms filled with enough bunk beds to sleep 24 people; both rooms have bathrooms attached with several showers, sinks, and toilets; however there are only three of us in the whole place. We sit in the dining room/kitchen taking and have finished the wine purchased earlier so I head up to the store for another bottle. It is local wine that sells for 1.59 euro you can’t go wrong there.
Jorge tells us of his family and offers to cook dinner for us. We offer to split the cost of the food but he declines and heads to the store to buy the makings for dinner while we relax. Jorge makes us a wonderful meal and we have polished off two bottles of local red wind. After spending a good amount of time on the internet telling our tails with our bellies filled it is time for bed in hopes we’ll get up early start our second day on the Camino. Tomorrow we will travel to Roncesvalles, hopefully find that Lisa’s bike is waiting for us, spend the night, and then start riding toward our destination. It has been a long day filled with beautiful scenery, good wine and food, pleasant talk, and now it is time to shower and get some rest. Lisa’s feet have not fared well on this first day out. She has accumulated several blisters and the surgery foot is quite tender. I am wearing Teva Sandals without any socks, which so far have not caused me to have any blisters or tenderness although my right ankle is treating to start acting up. I have two leg issues that could cause me problems. In high school, I played Soccer and received several kicks in the ankle that required me to tape up both feet. Over the years, my right ankle acts up from time to time becoming quite painful when I walk. The second problem is damage to my left knee from a car accident in the sixties. Again, ever so often tenderness occurs and walking or riding become troublesome. There is no rhyme or reason to this so when it happens I take it easy for a while. Since I ride a bike on my travels in Europe neither of these have bothered me much over the years. I felt twinges in my ankle today and being off it for the evening may hold off any problems. There will be not taking it easy on this trek since we are on a tight schedule due to Lisa’s having to get back in 20 days.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
We wake up around 7 AM as Jorge wants to get off early, he tries to be quiet, but it does not exactly work. We begin to eat breakfast and the owner of the Albergue Luzaideko comes in, puts out some breakfast food and coffee, collects 5 euro from each of us, the cost of staying there for the night and breakfast, and stamps our “passports.” If all the Albergues are like this one, I am going to be one happy camper. We get on the road around 8 AM and begin part two of our assent of the Pyrenees Mountains. We have decided that it would be easier on Lisa’s feet if we stick to the N135 to Roncesvalles. I’m walking my bike up the switch backs leading to the top at 1057 Meters or 3648’. From time to time we look back at the Valcarlos which is in a valley now far below us. Upon reaching Ibaneta, the top, it is time for a siesta as it has been a long hard walk and Lisa now has blisters on blisters. My arms and chest hurt from pushing the bike all the way up from Valcarlos. Where we are, the two routes from St. Jean merge then head down to Roncesvalles. We watch as Pellegrinos who have traveled the Napoleon Route walk by. Then a bus pulls up, drops off about 20 people who wander around the area before heading down to Roncesvalles via walking. Well I guess there is more the one way to do the Camino.
From there it is downhill into Roncesvalles kind of, as we will only drop down around 100 m. The road is kind of like a washboard, little ups and downs before we get to the “town.” We arrive in Roncesvalles, which is consists of a couple of hotels, a monastery that also serves as an Albergue. Roncesvalles is famous in history and legend for the defeat of Charlemagne and the death of Roland in 778, during the battle of Roncevaux Pass, when Charlemagne's rear guard was destroyed by Basque tribes. Looking around, we do a lot of that, we find Hostal La Posada de Roncesvalles where Lisa has made reservations and had her bike shipped to. She also sent a package from Madrid with stuff for the bike she purchased in Flagstaff. Thankfully both the bike and package are waiting for her. The clerk tells us that the bike is in the barn across the lane. After putting our stuff in the room, we get a glass of wine then put the bike together mounding the items in the box. After we finish both bikes are placed in the barn and locked up, now it is time for dinner.
We have paid 9 euro for a Peregrino (pilgrim) dinner, called The Meal of the Day which is common fare along the Camino, will be served a 7 PM. The table gets a bowl of spaghetti to share, then we each get a plate with a fish surrounded by potatoes, finally salad, and desert. Most restaurants in Spain open around 7 PM, I am not use to eating dinner so late, but will have to get used to it. At the table are two non-talkative French men along with Mike and Jerome from Holland. We have a pleasant conversation with Mike and Jerome over several bottles of wine during dinner. Since there are other pilgrims waiting for their meal the server hurries us through dinner then out the door. We say good night to Mike and Jerome, wishing them a wondrous journey. I find out the Wi-Fi is only available in the bar or right outside in the courtyard. Lisa chooses to sit outside, I opt for inside in the bar area. After ordering, another glass of wine it is time for reading and writing emails, making notes on Facebook and logging the activities of the day before heading off to sleep.
Thursday, May 17, 2013
It’s time to mount up and head out. Little did we know when we headed out just how much time we would spend mounted! It is hard to ride the path as it is full of ups, downs, tree roots, rocks, and lose gravel. We pass other Pilgrims who we talked to at the Albergue last night but are now climbing up again, thus walking the bikes, the pass us. Nevertheless, we give it a go as best we can until we agree it is time to ride on the road. This seems to be bothering Lisa as riding is doing the Camion the way it should be. Lisa tells me we have three more days of this, which is not what my map shows. We reach Burguete and then take to the path again doing more pushing of the bike’s then riding. Somewhere between Erro and Zubiri we give up and take to the road again which is much easier going. We reach Huarte, stop at a market then have to find our way back to the Camino as we are now far to west. Upon entering Pamplona, we pass the bull-fighting arena then a wonderful statue of the Running of the Bulls. After getting directions, we are back on the Camino ending up southwest of Pamplona in Cizur Menor. I spy a Refugio, that I learn later was once Lepers hospital, however at this point who cares. We are exhausted and hope there is room for us but, because we have bikes we are turned away. Just around the corner is Albergue de Maribel en Zizurthat takes us in without any problem.
After checking in, paying five euro, and given a bed assignment, I receive a key to the room where our bikes will spend the night. It takes us some time but slowly we figure out that we have traveled 56 Km or about 36 miles. This is Lisa’s first long ride on a fully loaded bike through some really rough terrain, and busy highways. She handled it without complaint, so I am proud of her accomplishment today. It has taken an emotional toll on her, she is crying while talking on SKYPE, which I really understand. The first year I came to England my first ride was so hard that I ended up sitting on the side of the road crying. I just wanted to get rid of the bike put my bags on a plane and go home which seems to be where she is now. I am thinking she needs some space so head to the local store for a few things for dinnerLisa, very much, wants to see Parque Eolico Del Perdon on top of Monte del Perdon so I ask the woman who runs the Albergue how to get to them. She frowns as she tells me “no es possible,” something I’m going to hear many times, on a bike and we should go around the mountain. Later she gives me a map showing me how to circumvent the mountain. This is not going to happen because Lisa wants to experience the Camino, not ride on roads, and must see the Parque Eolico Del Perdon. So, that is what we are going to freaking do! Come hell or high water we are going to the top of the mountain tomorrow!
After dinner, we have a little talk about what we have accomplished and some decisions that she needs to make to accomplish getting to Santiago. Since it has been a long hard day Lisa turns in early. When I arrive sometime later I find we are in a room full of snorers. Most of the occupants are still awake giggling at one snorer who does not take the hint when someone yells for quiet. Sleep comes slowly tonight but it does come.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Today we are up, showered, breakfast eaten, and riding out of town heading toward the mountain. We are on the Camion path again which is dirt, but not to rocky. The path keeps crossing roads and each time Lisa pull out her map and asks if we should just ride the road. Nope! We are taking the Camion path to the top of the freaking mountain. As we ride, which is getting more difficult now, we meet a man walking his dog. He too tells us that it is very difficult to get to the top of the mountain by bike. He shows us a road that will take us to the top of the mountain however; it is a much longer route. We talk about it but decide to continue on the Camino path to reach the top. From time to time we must walk the bikes as the climb is getting stepper and the path narrower. Soon we are only pushing the bike up a narrow path on the side of the mountain.
In the move The Way the actors have reached the top of the mountain and are talking when the character “Host” spies two bike riders pop up from the trail we are now traveling. He says, “What you can ride a bike, why are we walking?” Well we were not going to be doing any popping as we pushed the bike up toward the top. At one point, we had to walk the bikes down some stairs cut into the path that was dangerous due to lose pebbles and dirt. It was push then stop and rest, then do it again. Slowly I make it to the top then check to see how Lisa is doing struggling below. She makes it to the top and begins to cry with happiness that she is at this spot, which she so wanted to see. We hug, take pictures, nosh, and then begin the decent to our next stop Puente La Reina where we will spend the night. The path is somewhat rideable, but again there are times we must walk. Lisa rides on ahead as I am unwilling to bounce my bike along, at time, such a stony path. After a while, I catch up to her and we ride into town.
Upon entering the Puente Le Reina we come to Albergue Jakue but I am looking for a campground that is supposed to be here. Lisa and I ride around for a while trying to fine it. Then I cannot find Lisa! I stop and ask a man walking down the street if he knows where the campground is and he points to the top of a hill indicating it is up there. The hell with that I am going back to the Albergue, but first I spend some time looking for Lisa. Cannot find her so I think she has headed back to the Albergue because she is not camping out. I arrive back at the Albergue the same time Lisa does and we check in, pay five euro, and unload the bike. Her bunk is on top of mine, we get our stuff sorted out then I head to the bar for a beer, Lisa goes off to the balcony. There is internet in the bar so after ordering a beer and a snack I settle in check emails, Facebook etc…
The place has a Buffet style Meal of the Day that costs 9 euros. We have purchased a ticket to get the buffet, which opens a 7 PM so we wait. We dine together talking about the adventure of the day among other things. There is a bottle of wine at our table, which is not that great. There are lots of salads, meats, fish, and deserts from which to choose. The food is O.K. but nothing to write home about. We have had better at some of the other Albergue’s so far. Lisa finishes before me and heads off to SKPYE her boyfriend. After dinner, I am back in the bar to chat with Mark on SKYPE, and then it is off to bed. Lisa has talked more and more about using the road rather than the path. Let us just see what tomorrow brings.
Buen Camino!
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