Camino Reflections 3

The morning that I started the camino it was clear and cool as I left Saint-Jean-le-Vieux and walked the 45 minutes or so to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. I entered the Pilgrims' office to fill out the documentation and receive my passport which is the official credentials for pilgrims. There is a place for stamps to document progress and stops along the way. I also had my pack weighed. It was 13.6 kilos. The suggested weight is 10% of your body weight. This was more by about 6 lbs, which accounting for water and food, and the hoodie I bought would need to be trimmed. I would gradually shed items I wasn't using. There are a couple of routes to take to Rancesvalles, which is the old monestary converted into a modern stopover for pilgrims. One is through Valcarlos, which is easier the first part and then harder the second part. The other route is steeper the first part. I decided to take the road to Valcarlos stay there and then go to Rancesvalles the next morning since I started the day late walking to Saint Jean and spending time at the pilgrims' office.I didn't see a single pilgrim except some bikers. Apparently, I missed one of the trails and walked on the shoulder. I stayed at a small albergue in Valcarlos and met my first friends of the camino. Roberta had been walking since Lyon, France. Emanuela and Peter from the Lake region in Italy. They walked ahead of me all the next day as I struggled on the difficult but exquisite mountain trail. This was probably one of the most difficult things that I have ever done physically, and probably my hardest day walking of the whole camino, but every time I wondered why I was subjecting myself to this, I would be blessed with an amazing vista. My iphone registered 97 flights of stairs. I arrived in Rancevalles around mid afternoon. This historic old monastery has been a stopover for pilgrim's for centuries. The dorm was in the attic of one of the buildings. The renovation was modern with good shower facilities and cubicles for sleeping. I was greeted in the morning with something I was not prepared for in mid April. Snow!!!