Plumbing the depths

So what is it like climbing up and down hills. I tell you in a moment. Yestrday afternoon after a nice rest, I thought that as I was in Pamploma, I needed to see this famous place. So I spent about 2 hours walking around, liiking at the magnificnt cathedral, the Plaza de Toros - the bull fight ring, and walking along the route of running the bulls etc. Back in the refugio, a group of us decided to to out to have some food. Again we wandered around Plaza de Castillo etc, and by 9 we settled on a place. There was cool dude from Guatamala now living in the USA, sweet Caroline from canada, silent Jorge from argentina, 3 Korean girls, Joe the intense american, Santi the laid back Spaniard, and ronya from Germany. Mixed bunch, but we all could speak English. So it was a fun evening.

THe next morning I left at 7.20am after the big rush early in the morning. The Way wound itself through the streets of Pamloma for 45 minutes before I hit countryside. I was walking with a sprightly little English lady, but she set a tremendous pace, so I was grateful to meet Carol and Helen, who were walking a lot slower! They heard my accent, said are you South African, Yes, then asked are you the South African priest on the camino. Flabbergasted, but they were talking to some else who said there was another south african walking. Anyway Carol is at Rosebank parish both had blisters, and after chatting a while at a slow pace to recover, I left them behind. Then the fun started. 

At first it was gentle climb. I can handle that. Even a steep climb is fine. It is like this. I would be walking along, and suddenly my whole body goes heavy - I have begun to ascend. Step by step, plodding along, keeping a good pace and the climb is okay. Then I hit a flat area, and then I go into cruise control and look around whistling. Then suddenly, one step downhill and every muscle from my thigh to the toes starts shrieking - warning, danger, code red panic stations - this is downhill. The thigh muscles screeam at being stretched - we were not brought up for this. And it takes a strong "ultreya" to force them into submission. And step by step, my mantra is lean back, lift leg, heel first and eventually I MAKE IT DOWN!

Today there was a serious climb, I summitted, thought wow - let me take a photo to show how far we climbed. Took the photo and slowly took a panorama all around, looked more closely, and realised the only way forward was over that stunning ridge behind me - I was only half way up! I think th guide book lists it as 368 m - it felt like a 1000m. Eventually reached the top and had the arduous descent in to the valley. And it got hotter and hotter, and only by 3.00pm did I reach Puente la reina. Now I am shattered - legs not moving - ehausted, legs as stiff as hell. 

Well, I did choose this. The saga continues later.