Vinsman

My Adventures Walking the Camino de Santiago

Camino 2013

Roncesvalles to Zubrini

The albergue in Roncesvalles is very nice. It has plenty of hot water, free wifi, and best of all for €2.70 the hospitalleros will wash dry and fold your clothes. A treat for sure. I attended to pilgrims mass, it was totally in Spanish but I got most of it.

I was up early on Thursday as is normal and off to Zubrini by 6:30. The walk was 22.7k and mostly down hill. That sounds great but it was very steep and muddy. My right knee is bothering me big time. Hopefully with a little rest it will get to feeling better. I took a 3 hour nap which helped.

The walk to Zubrini took 7 hours. I really began to hurt in the end. I had a really nice meal at a little restaurant in town. Garlic soup, pimiento stuffed with bacalao, and yougert for desert.

Tomorrow I will head for Pamplona or if I feel up to it Cizur Minor.

– Posted using BlogPress

Day one Saint-Jean-pied-de-port to Roncevalles

April 3, 2013

26.2 kilometers with a 952 meter altitude gain.

Today is supposed to be the most physically challenging day of all. The Route Napoleon is closed due to weather conditions so I will be taking the Valcarlos route. The map provided by the pilgrims office is below. My route is the green route.

After a long travel day or two I was able to fall asleep at 8pm so I was up at 4:30 rested and ready to go. I will get started by 6:30. The sun does not come up till 7:30 so I will us a headlamp to start.

Valcarlos


All in all a brutal but satisfying day.

Dedication

It occurred to me while I was enjoying a great Easter with my family tonight that in fact I have already witnessed amazing strength and and perseverance.

My mom has always been a very strong person. She never complained about anything, always had a very positive attitude and just did her thing. My brother and I always saw it but frankly just took it for granted. Mom always was busy with a successful career as an interior designer. She traveled the country as we were growing up working with clients, and helping young designers become more successful through a system that she designed. She was very active.

Mom had always been a runner, but one day decided to get serious. She began to train for a marathon and over the next few years ran in and completed several the last in 2008.

Sometime around 2008 or 2009 she began to faint when she stopped running. She was diagnosed with low blood pressure but she still kept going. The challenges continued but my mom always kept a smile on her face and that same big positive attitude. In 2010 her diagnosis was changed to Multiple Systems Atrophy (MSA). MSA is currently incurable. The disease attacks the autonomic systems of the body. My mom has stayed strong and positive even as this evil disease has continued to attack her body.

Today, she must stay laying down with her feet elevated to keep from passing out. Her voice is now beginning to go, and yet she is still positive with a great attitude.

Today as I sat at our Easter dinner table I realized that my mom was the strongest person that I know. If I can be only half as strong and determined as my mom I should have no problem completing the Camino.

I know you are with me Mom. Love you.