Day 7: Estella to Los Arcos

Miles Day/Total: 13.6/89.2
Weather - Warm & Sunny

6:45am start out of Estella got a good start up the hill to Bodegas Irache. This is a pretty famous spot on the Camino where there are 2 free taps, one for wine and one for water. Being the wine enthusiast that I am I could not pass it by. Since it was only 7:30ish, I only sampled half a glass, it was an awesome Tempranillo. Look for Bodegas Irache from the Navarra region of Spain at your wine store I suspect you will like it.

The next portion of the walk was a moderate up hill climb rhrough the towns of Azqueta and Villamayor de Manjardin, moderate by recent standards so nothing overly challenging.  

The scenery on the walk today was stunning. Freshly cut fields mixed in with vineyards all with the backcast of Spanish Mountains and Skies. The beauty wss breathtaking.

Lots of time for contemplation and prayer today...most of my energy was directed toward my family immediate and extended. One generation ago we were all connected to the Church in some way, if only loosely. Today very few of us have any connection, a few attend Protestant churches, most are completely devoid of any religious life. Today was a day of prayer to open some of your hearts to return.

They say that what goes up must come down this was the case today with the up to Villamayor de Monjardin the downslope was another 150 meters but gradual, it was doable.

At the bottom of the slope, I stopped to tend to my feet (no problems), eat a lunch of a banana, an apple and a delicious piece of Chorizo sausage. Delicious! At this point, I realized that I lost my hat. Not good with the strong sun today. I decided to schmeer my scalp wit some sun screen and put some hustle in my step and scurried the last 10 km into Los Arcos at a very quick pace. Arrived feeling very good.