It rained hard before we started and it turned to light rain for the first hour or so, then cleared off so we could put the ponchos away. This stage turned out to be a good bit tougher than we anticipated and it pretty much wore us out. Our hike started out in a very pretty wooded path and wound thru several very old tiny villages. We got to see a number of cows close up, then came up on a gorgeous old cemetery. Toward the end of the day we made a long difficult steep descent to Zubiri where the path went down a slippery rock outcrop. Isabella led most of the way down and she was the first to encounter an elderly man who had lost his footing. Fortunately he was not hurt so she was able to help him up. We had discussed going a bit further today, but were both bone tired. We checked in at the municipal albergue, then went to a local restaurant for a Pilgrim dinner. It included a choice of drink (spring water for Isabella and white wine for me), a first course of pasta with light tomato sauce and cheese, a second course of vegetable lasagna, and finished with chocolate coated vanilla bean ice cream bars. Delightful! We’re not too concerned about the carbohydrates since we are burning lots of calories. It’s time to turn in and get some rest. We plan to get up extra early in the morning and see how far we can get.
Day #3
Zubiri
Population 400 / Elevation 520 meters
Albergue Antigua Escuela
Distance walked today 21.9 km.
Weather light rain early, turning mild bright for most of the day.