The road from Pamplona                                                                      Lou – one of the Trek Guides

       Day 1 – the Camino de Santiago Trail                                                                               Running Water

The Group
Safari 050
Safari 051

Sorry, bad pic of the group, a few of them behind  me, and the Camino trail markers (Scallop Shell)

I just finished a 14 mile hike and now I’m trying to put together a post when I really want to take a shower and just lay down.  I’m also experimenting with my Editing software so there’s a lot going on.  In short, I met my group yesterday in Pamplona.  We were driven up into the mountains about an hour, did a 6km hike, then checked into a hotel in Rascavalles.   This is the official beginning of our Trek.  It took all night to load videos onto You Tube so I could put them on here so my posts might run a day behind.  Please be patient as I suspect I’m going to feel like I got run over after today catches up to me.  But here’s what I know so far.

We have two Guides, Lou and Miguel.  Lou is coming all the way with us and Miguel is going to come and go.  I was introduced to all 14 hikers but I only remember a few.  John from Australia; he is really doing a Pilgrimage.  He just got here from Israel.  Chris from Marin who does not want to be photographed (I asked before I started shooting and posting), an Asian woman that is a Neurologist and her husband.  And I’m still working on getting to know the others.

We all walk at our own pace and only necessarily meet up in the evenings when we check into our hotel.  Between here and Santiago de Compostela we can expect heat, rain, snow, and everything in between.  The terrain is mountainous in places, flat in places, and just rolling hills in places.  I think you can gather that I haven’t learned much yet.  I do that  as I type this I can hear the people in the next room and it sounds like a herd of buffalo.  Might be a night to wear the Bose Headsets.

I won’t know for a few hours how I weathered today but sitting on this bed typing this Post isn’t helping.  I definitely need a hot shower and a cold beer and not necessarily in that order.

I’m LOVING that some of you are making comments.  I have to approve them before they show up on the site so I see them all.  It really does help with the homesickness.  Tim and I talk around 3pm which is 6am for him (Coffee time before the gym) and again when I go to bed.  More to follow!!!!

Joe Jeter October 2, 2014