The Way to Roncesvalles

This leg of our journey started out in the rain at 9:00 a.m. It stopped about two hours into our walk, only to be replaced by sleet. The wind was probably in excess of 60 miles an hour at certain points.

We learned at dinner later that in the past someone was actually blown off the trail by the winds and perished (as depicted in the 2011 movie, The Way). Fortunately no such drama occurred for us.

When we spoke with others who are walking the Camino, it was incredible to learn how much planning they put into this journey. Several of the pilgrims have been planning this for three or four years. Many of them had to cancel their plans due to COVID. That’s why it was incredibly painful to watch one woman walking back down the mountain after she injured herself. We didn't speak, but the anguish was written on her face.

Spence and I ran into another woman named Debbie as we were going up the mountain. She was struggling to make her way through the windy weather up the incline. We took her along with us, and while it slowed our pace a bit, it was a pleasure to help keep her in the game. It was also a delight to hear her story and share conversations along the way.

Another good thing about having Debbie with us was the slower pace, which was probably better for my knee.  We really took time to enjoy the scenery. Once the weather cleared there were incredible vistas.

The climb up was a slog in some places, but the descent was much more perilous as the slope was notably steeper on the way down. The use of tracking poles made all the difference.

Once we started into the valley we could see our hotel. It is actually a converted monastery.  The majority of the complex is a hostel (or albergue as they are called here), but we stayed in a portion that was a hotel. Once again, we had our own room with our own bathroom. We are in a very small community called Roncesvalles – there is little here other than the converted monastery.

As hikers enter the main courtyard, volunteers are available to point you in the right direction. One volunteer commented that we weren't real pilgrims because we were staying in the luxury building. While that might sound a little offensive, I took it on a positive note. Sleeping in a bay with 60 other people might be part of the true experience, but I'm comfortable with some isolation at the end of the day, after spending six hours meeting lots of interesting individuals.

Even after only two days, it has become obvious that each person has a unique motivation for making this trek. Some are deeply religious, while some, like myself, are here for the challenge and sense of accomplishment that comes from walking across a country and getting to see so many different landscapes.

We ate a communal pilgrim meal in the dining room. The choices were soup or pasta and then trout, chicken, or pork in a cafeteria-style experience. Spence and I sat next to two French women who gave me the opportunity to practice my language skills, along with a Korean gentleman and a couple from Arizona.

I am more exhausted than I was yesterday. Tomorrow’s journey is 14 miles, but mostly across flatter terrain. We are two days in, with 33 more to go. It has been a very positive experience so far. Spence and I are fabulously dealing with the roommate situation. I'm just surprised that I haven't gotten on his nerves yet. I will update that as things progress. 

Both of us went through two pairs of socks today from the rain. This is the luxury way of doing laundry on the Camino.

The pillow is calling out to me. I think the bed and I will meet as friends very shortly. Thank you for taking the time to read my journal.