Day 24 - May 31st: The Cat
Ayegui to Pamplona: 30.17 miles / 594 total
What a wonderful surprise at the end of a long day. Once again, Jax and I survived a scorcher of a day with big mileage, topping 30 miles for the first time in a few weeks. No adverse effects on the shin, although I still feel pain on the bone and need to continue to be cautious. After my shower, elevation, and ice, Christina and I set out to find dinner at 7:30 p.m.
The little village of Estella was going crazy—no parking spots available—as we circled for 30 minutes until we found something on the outskirts. Our target restaurant was in the old town, and we walked into a room of glum-looking diners. I walked over to a woman and asked her about the food. Her answer did not inspire confidence, and although it was 8 p.m. and I was starved, we decided to check someplace else. We passed a spot where a woman told us in English that the food was very good. I didn't trust her, so we kept going to a local place that had high Google reviews—BiEnara. Ton of locals, no pilgrims—my kind of place..
Wow. Christina and I shared an amazing salad loaded with fresh vegetables and tuna, paired with crispy bread. Mains were mussels for Christina and I had three bao buns with duck confit, pickled onions, arugula, and a mystery sauce. We both had unique desserts, and when we finished, I walked into the kitchen and clapped for the one woman and five men who created the masterpiece.
Sleep is getting more difficult as the days go on. I fall asleep immediately when we get back from dinner, but the body is working so hard to repair, I just can’t get a good night's rest. So, I wake up each day a little less fresh. I have started taking a shower in the morning which I am finding helps recharge and allows me to stretch the old, aching joints under hot water before heading out.
Our hostel didn’t serve breakfast, so it was a makeshift "snack wagon" as coined by JM—chocolate milk, chocolate, banana, and nuts—and Jax and I headed into another warm morning that promised heat. I actually caught a pilgrim a few kilometers out of Estella—only the second time I’ve met someone going backwards. Matthew was a 20-year-old from Canada who decided travel was more important than college. He’s on the road until he can’t be, then it’s university.
Out of Lacar, our first village, we hit a single track filled with wildflowers grown around 3 feet high. Over a bridge and then an ascent to a mountain pass, where we stumbled upon a wild cat—or I should say, Jax did. He froze. The cat, eyeing prey, didn’t see us. Jax lunged, and she snapped his face immediately. He yelped and jumped into the brush, bleeding from the snout. The cat stood her ground. On the other side, six South Koreans watched in fascination. One asked in broken English, "Wild cat?" I nodded. They had poles, I didn’t so I signaled for them to push her off the trail with their poles. The seoncd man in line moved up cautiously and reached out his pole ever so slowly and then the cat leapt at them. Screams and dives into the brush followed. The cat vanished. We all laughed nervously and went our separate ways with a “Buen Camino.”
Today was again a scorcher. No breeze and little shade, and all the natural water sources from earlier weeks had dried up. Jax had no way to cool off. After 25km Jax and me approached Puente La Reina which means “Queen’s Bridge” for it was built by Queen Dona Mayor in the 11th scentry to aid pilgrims. I decided to pull Jax as he was dragging from the heat and the cat so I called Christina and she grabbed him outside of town. I could see he was happy to jump in his backseat and enjoy the a/c on his way to the hotel.
Outside Puente, I found a café and ordered the lunch of champions—a sandwich with Iberico ham and olive oil (protein and carbs), a bowl of olives and pickles (electrolytes), and a Coca-Cola (caffeine). Jackpot.
A few more towns and kilometers later, I started a 2k foot climb that took two hours—hot, rocky, and slow. Once I crested, I was greeted by a spine of wind turbines and a panorama: Pamplona ahead and Puente La Reina behind. The downhill was tricky; my shin can’t take too much impact, so I went slow and focused.
Coming into the valley, I passed lush fields stretching to the horizon until I hit the river and bridge leading into the grand city of Pamplona. In the distance, the great Pyrenees loomed, beckoning for tomorrow.
Ted arrives in Bilbao at 10:45 a.m. I’ll start early while Christine picks him up and inserts him into the climb to Roncesvalles. Can’t wait!
All for today, thanks for following along.
Cheers, David.
