21.7 km – 13.5 miles

6:45 am to 1:30pm of walking

1489 feet/453 meters elevation gain

A shorter day today. But as I’ve learned on past Caminos, the shorter days can sometimes feel longer than the longer days. Though I’d say only parts of today felt longer. I haven’t been doing quite the research that I have in the past on what the next day will bring. I made the mistake of only quickly looking at a chart that showed fairly low elevation gain (mostly losses) for today – but that chart was in meters, and my brain wanted to think in feet. My legs, in their soreness from yesterday, certainly wanted to think in feet too! I felt every one of those meters today.

Walking this late in the summer means shorter days – so starting in the dark. It was the absolute perfect temperature when I left Roncesvalles today. A nice easy walk through a beautiful forest. The sun started to rise when I got to some openings with cattle fields. Through some bushes I could see a mother cow and her brand new baby cow – guessing it was born over night. It was so cute! Wish mama wasn’t keeping the baby cow so hidden so I could have gotten some photos.

Today was back to the normal Camino style day. Instead of just climbing high mountains and limited resources, there were plenty of cute towns and bars or cafes to stop at. I made three stops today. I definitely felt dehydrated from yesterday so I needed those stops for hydration. Why drink boring water from your own water bottle when you can sit down for a few minutes for Coke Zero, Aquarius (electrolyte drink) or a beer?

While I’ve exchanged quick pleasantries with many folks, I’ve only had conversations with a handful of pilgrims so far. Two were from the US (including one from Idaho) and a few from Korea. The thing I always find is that the smiles and quick “hola” or “Buen Camino” you exchange with the same folks multiple times will eventually become so familiar that you find you are just new friends. It’s such a welcoming environment. Language might be a barrier sometimes, but usually not speaking a common language changes anything. I think that’s something that keeps bringing me back to the Camino. While politics these days has become so divisive and some issues that shouldn’t become political have become political, it’s been harder to find the kindness in strangers. It’s been harder to find common ground with those you may not agree with. But that kindness and common ground still lives on the Camino.

As I’m sitting at a cafe with a beer to write this, and I’m getting to overhear a group pilgrims talking about the differences of things like the metric vs imperial system, as the group seems to come from Ireland, Canada, the US and Germany. They seem to be a group of guys that have started finding a common bond over the past couple days and they’re spending time sharing with and listening to each other with all the differences they may have. I love seeing this, because this is the Camino.

Zubiri is a small town, with a river you cross to get into town. I found an albergue right next to the bridge where I’m only sharing a room with three others. There’s a view of the river from my room, so no complaints there. Tomorrow will be a slightly shorter day to Pamplona. Last Camino Frances I only walked through Pamplona and didn’t stay there. Just like I didn’t stay in Zubiri last time either. One goal I have this Camino is to try to stay in some different cities or towns. Since the path isn’t new to me, I want to try to stay in at least a few different places to help change it up.

Also the best thing about having a river just outside my albergue, means my feet get the royal treatment of recovery!