Camino Frances, Day 1

 My Camino Frances has begun. It’s been a long journey to get here. Wanting to do this back as far as 2021, but that thing called Covid intervened. Even though me & Maryann were fortune enough to do the Camino Portuguese last yr. The Camino Frances was my dream and today that dream began.

I didn’t sleep well last night due to my roommate was snoring like a bear in hibernation. Now I understand why we slept in hotels on our Camino last yr!! But I wanted to experience to true Camino experience. 

I got up around 6:15, took all my gear into the bathroom, as not to wake my Smokey the Bear, to pack, get dressed in the light. I headed down to the lobby to grab a quick bite to eat before I headed out. Gulped down a chocolate croissant and a quick cup of coffee, then headed out to begin my epic journey.

7am, I was not out side 30 secs when this guy comes up behind me and says are you leaving now. I turn to him and said yes, boy was that a mistake. He said I’ll join you… ahhhh okay. His name was John from Rome NY. Oh my god, this guy proceeded to talk nonstop for the next 8 miles we walked😱. If you know me I am a pretty quiet person, and to be honest I just kind of wanted to walk by myself just to take it all in and enjoy the process at first. Don’t get me wrong, John, was a nice guy, but dam dude. I was actually able to separate my self from John when he ran into someone he met on the bus ride yesterday. That was my chance I booked ahead🤣.

Okay, enough about John. The morning started overcast, with a little mist in air. We made our way out of the city passing through the ancient city wall old gate. Turned slight left and there it was, the dam rode went up & up & up & up. The mist got harder & harder, my breathing got heavier & heavier. I felt like I was back in the High Sierra’s. This went on for 4.5 miles.

By now I had to take off my fleece jacket and go with rain jacket, and also my pack rain cover. I was never so happy to reach Orrison. Took off my pack and my back was drenched from the sweat. Headed into the cafe and had a glass of fresh squeezed OJ, Cappuccino & a Croissant. 

After a 20 min break, we started back up the Mtn. For  the next few miles the climb kind of leveled off, just a mild incline, that I can handle. We were incased in the fog, could only see maybe 20-30 yrds in front of us. We kept hearing the ringing of cow bells in the mist, but it was actually horses grazing on the grass. At the 10 mile marker, we veered off the road and started going up a trail, and up and up we went again. After a couple more miles, we reached our second stop. A water fountain to refill my water bottle, ate my apple, I had purchased yesterday, and a granola bar. This is the area where I left John to fend for himself, not really he hooked with another hiker. This where I also crossed into Spain

I put my ear buds in and off I went. Continue up & up, but by now the fog/mist was clearing out. I took some pretty pics of the fog coming up the surrounding canyons and through the trees. At about the 12 mile marker I spotted the only patch of snow. It had snowed up there just a few days ago. I had awesome views of the valley below me now, and saw the snow capped Pearanees Mtns in the distance. Around the 13 mile marker, I started to go down, down, down. Knees, hips, calf’s, feet feeling it now. A black snake crossed my path, whooohooo. The views were awesome. I was under the tree canopy of the forest trees.

At this point I was getting close to Roncesvalles, I looked at my mileage app, 15 miles done with about .5 to go. Finally I came out from under the trees and there was the Monastery I made it!!!! By this point my shoulders were screaming at me to take dang pack off. I walked into the Monastery, I was told drop your bag and leave against, then wait to see someone to get me checked. That process about 20 min, I pick up my pack and tracked up three stories, it’s torture, to get to my bed. Found my bed, dropped my pack down, first thing took some advil, my body would thank later. Headed for the shower, I didn’t was any clothes in the shower today, I’ll just do all my laundry when re-hit Pamplona in a couple days. 

Found a nice outside cafe/bar, ordered a nice cold beverage and had a huge ham/cheese sandwich, that hit the spot. I watched some of the hikers that passed earlier on come dragging themselves in. The walking dead!!! I made it back to my bed and waited for our pilgrim dinner, which consisted of pasta or soup, then the main course, Pork or Trout w/ scaloop potato's. I went w/ the pasta & Trout. It was all pretty good, oh yeah unlimited wine👍🏻

So Day 1 in the books. This is supposed to be the most strenuous walk of the total 500 miles. Nothing like getting your ass kicked the first day!!, now it’s all down hill. Well not really, I have more hills to traverse tomorrow.

St Jean Pied de Port—> Roncesvalles, Stage 1

Distance 15.8 miles

Duration- 6hrs 38min

Elevation- 4, 646 ft

Snacks- 2 bananas, 1 apple, 1 glass OJ, 1 Cappuccino, 1 Croissant, 1 oat bar, 2.5 litters h20  

On to Day 2 tomorrow. It’s supposed to be around 17-18 miles