Estella to Villamayor de Monjardin

Estella to Villamayor de Monjardin

We left Estella this morning after spending the night in an Albergue de Perigrinos parish hostel which is run by the parish of San Miguel. It is a small hostel with 30 beds and we opted to stay for the night once we met our hosts.

These are medieval cities which have a few modern conveniences in the middle of the plaza. Last night we sat with some fellow pilgrims and travelers, a family practice physician from the UK, and enjoyed a nice glass of wine and good conversation. We watched as children played in square, couples gathered for an evening out, old men and old women chatting with each and... just life in the this small village. We head to Villamayor de Monjardin tomorrow.

Once we stopped in Villamayor we knew this was the place where we would stay for the day. It is stunning and quiet and everything you imagine a small Spanish village would look like. We had fresh tomatoes, local cheese and salami, french bread, and a cold glass of beer for lunch. The sun warmed our bones and we just decided to stay. Two o'clock and we called it a day...because we can...because it was just exquisite here. We have decided to stop and enjoy beauty whenever we can. And, just to make it so very special, there was a violinist playing the most beautiful violin music on the street tonight in front of the old church. Thank you God.

Buen Camino

Zubiri to Pamploma

Zubiri to Pamploma

We are developing a routine for our days. We get up early and are on the road by 7:00 am. We begin enmass and quickly the crowds disperse and everyone finds their own pace and place on the Camino. We move at a pace that is comfortable for us wishing those who pass us by buen camino...good road/way to you. We find a place for a cafe con leche and a light snack and continue on while the morning is still cool. We will walk for a few more hours until we find a bar/albergue and stop for a light lunch. We connect with our friends and enjoy lunch and delightful conversations. We have two Spanish friends, Pepe and Victor who are teaching us about the best food in Spain.

We are now connoisseurs of some of the best salami in Iberia along with some of the most savory cheeses in this region. We pull out our knives and cut a few slices of each, cut us a piece of crusty bread and we are set for hours. We enjoy this time with our friends. The social aspect is as satisfying as the meal itself. Soon we are back on the road moving in our own worlds and at our own paces.

Tonight we will stay in Pamploma. We are reminded of a valuable lesson here. We can easily get caught up in the plans of our fellow peregrinos and where everyone is meeting and staying the next day that we forget we are not on a schedule. Part of the joy of this journey is being in the moment. Our moment. I think there will be days we do not move with our 'group' and will connect with the next 'group' of peregrinos we meet. We are excited to see what the days ahead bring us.

Buen Camino...

Ronchavalles

Ronchavalles

There was nothing as beautiful as turning the corner and seeing the monstary and church at Ronchavalles. It had been a long and emotional day and we looked forward to being still for awhile. The alberque had recently been remodeled and so as we entered the old monastery we found nice, comfortable accommodations. We were excited to lay our stuff down for awhile. We are trying to develop a routine so the evenings move with ease and we do not forget anything. We set up our beds and quickly washed our clothes. They were serving a peregrino dinner and we were famished.

We sat at a table we with people we had met along the way. In a group of ten people, five countries were represented. We shared a dinner of a wonderful, warm vegetable soup, roast duck, potatoes au gratin, fresh fruit and one of the best red wines I have ever tasted. Conversations were lively and we enjoyed our companions and could relate to the stories they had to tell of the day. I love the way community is formed when people come together with shared interest. We were an eclectic group but bonded over our events of the day. It was fabulous and we are happy to be here.

Tomorrow we head to Zubiri which is about a twenty mile walk. I am sure we will rest well tonight...Buen Camino.

Lessons Learned

Lessons Learned

We left St Jean de Pied Port at about 5:30 this morning. Neither one of slept well in anticipation of the day ahead. I will admit, we had heard so many of the young people say that they were taking the less strenuous route, that we began to wonder if we had made the right choice. I am here to say, we made the right choice.

First, it was hard, but hard is not a bad thing at all. The beauty of this area is like a dream. I could post picture after picture but you would not be able to capture all that is the Pyrenees. Instead, I shall have you over for a meal or warm drink and tell you the stories of this place. There was a beautiful mountain fog that enveloped the valleys of this range and in a moment it would clear and the views would take your breath away. We knew the moment when we crossed from France into Spain and only took our photo as this was all you could see. We walked about ten hours that day but we stopped several times for coffee, bread, salami, cheese, nuts, fruit, and an occasional beer. It was like heaven...

The second thing I learned this day was that we don't need to have everything we want nor do we have to have everything we need. We just need to figure out how to do with what we have. Tom's trekking pole malfunctioned 100 feet into the trip. It was dark, we were alone and he could not get the clasp to stay put. At home we would just grab a screwdriver and fix it but we had no tools with us. We improvised and the pole is working just fine (yes, it has to do with a butter knife).

We are taking in all that is before us. The hours of quiet are giving us time to think and contemplate all that is around us. We are savoring each and every moment, even the hard ones. Every beautiful places reminds us of you...we carry you in our hearts.

A Few Things First

A Few Things First

This is just a quick note of thanks to all who have helped us reach this place. To our family, most importantly...thank you for believing in us and/or teasing us along the way. Your encouragement means everything to us. Thank you for your help on the home front. From watching our home to writing and sending pictures once in awhile you mean the world to us and we miss you like crazy.

Thank you to our places of employment/ministry for graciously allowing us this time to be together. Your kindness in this area will not be forgotten.


To those us helping in our preparation, you rock! REI in Fresno-thank you Patty, Jordan, Lindsay, Dre, and the gang for all of your expertise. We have appreciated you more than you will ever know. To our neighbor Kerry, thank you for all you training, nutrition, massages, treats, and mostly for just being the beautiful girl you are to us. To Curtis Cookingham-your advice has paid off and we are doing well. MASH trainers, thanks for never grimacing as we showed up week after week in full garb. You guys are awesome and we love you so very much. To Gib, my special friend, your love and encouragement carries me through so many things. I hold the special gift you gave me. Not because I needed a reminder...I have you me in my heart. Lois, I am listening to violin music everyday...thank you. Judy and family...thank you for your prayers, always.

We carry each of you with us each step along the way. You are what we look forward to upon our return home...Buen Camino.

Leave Nothing Behind

Leave Nothing Behind

Back in my running days, there was a saying my daughters and I would say to each other before we would run a long and grueling run. These words  could inspire and instill the greatest encouragement, confidence,  and inspiration. It was three simple words which could evoke the deepest of feelings and emotion. It was merely...leave nothing behind. Today those words came to me in the most unusual place.

We are still in St Jean and tomorrow we head out to Ronchesvalles. It is probably the most difficult climb we will have while on the trail. We met many people today and all of them are taking the easy trail up this route. Tom and I were a bit perplexed because we have chosen the traditional way which is a bit steeper. I began to wonder if perhaps we have made the wrong choice...

After dinner there was a free concert at the cathedral in town. It was the choir from Bayonne and they were singing in the Eglise Notre-Dame-du-Bout-de Pont. They were exquisite to say the least. I thought about how long there had been music in that cathedral and how many people had sat on the wooden pew I was now sitting on listening to these same beautiful sounds. My thoughts went quickly to our walk and then I realized that many people had made the same pilgrimage that we are about to begin. While we may take other journeys in our lives, this is probably our only time for this one. We will give it all we have, both spiritually and physically...we will leave nothing behind.

We are enjoying the beauty of this moment and all that is yet to be. We don't know all that lies ahead but we will not fret. We will take each day one step at a time and enjoy it for exactly what it is. There is so much ahead of us...Buen Camino.

St Jean de Pied Port

St Jean de Pied Port

We were refreshed when we woke up this morning to the blue sky and sunlight coming throug our window. We are staying in a bed and breakfast at the recommnedation of our friends Jean and Colleen Errotabere. The area is stunning and we are happy that we have landed here for a few days before we begin our journey.

The area has quite a history dating back to the days of Charlamange who was the Frankish ruler in 768 AD. He lead his troops into Moorish Spain and it is in this area where he entered into those battles against the Muslims. Most Spaniards   believe to this day that it was their patron saint, St James who was responsible for this conquest.  It's history is still spoken of today.

We were able to take a small tour of the town today on an open air bus where we were able to see many historical sites. This area is charming and today it is filled with tourist. There was a traditional Basque parade which came through town and tonight a free concert in the museum. It is quaint and we find this very refreshing.


We have spent a leisurely day and are catching up on much needed rest. Tonight we will head into town for a little night life and traditional Basque dinner.


Buen Camino.