Day 2: Orrison to Roncevalles

Miles Today/Total: 9.9/19.2
Weather: Rain and wibd for most of the walk, sun for the last 30 minutes.

Today's walk had it's own challenges, weather was about the same as yesterday except for the last half hour walk. Send another 600 meters but the climb up was not as difficult as yesterday. Weather about the same as yesterday, a cold misty rain with fog, plus some strong winds mixed in for fun. The ascent was more tolerable as it was not a steep and there were some patches of relative flatness.  The descent into Roncevalles was a different story, it was steep to the point of being treacherous.  Thank goodness the sun came out for the last portion of the walk it would have been not fun, it wasn't fun with the sun. The 800 meters down was very steep and seemed to go on and on, bordering on unbearable.  The lesson I took from todays walk is if you think you've reached your limit and cant take anymore you are almost certainly mistaken, if you persevere you will get there.

It was good to arrive in Rocevalles all of the folks from Orrison eventually rolled into the monastary complex with various physical issues but a huge sense of accomplishment. My issues were a couple of toe blisters,  I was frustrated because I could not feel them and only discovered them when I removed my right sock. During training I mastered tge art of avoiding heel blisters, now I will soon add toes to the resume.

The monastery held a Pilgrims Mass,  it was sensational. A Catholic Mass done with passion and solemnity is one of the most beautiful things there is, the monks hit a grand slam. Even the non-Catholics in attendence were moved you need to be either dead or hateful and closed-minded not to have been.

After was a Pilgrim's meal I sat with Feliz and his girlfriend from Leon and David from Italy. I am happy to report that the investment I made in Pimsleur Spanish paid off, obviously not fluent but held my own. The meal was mushroom soup, trout with potatoes and a nice yogurt based dessert. All nicely paired with a yummy Navarra (Spanish Basque) vino tinto, sin sulfites. Yummy.

After hit the bed and co tributed to a snoring Symphony.  The amount of snoring in the Pilgrim's Albergues is impressive.  Tomorrow on to Zubiri, let's hope for no rain.