Friday, Sep 24. Estella to Los Arcos, 12.7 plus 2.1 in Logrono

First, can I say that I am grateful for my left foot and right knee, mole skin, Hikers Goo, band aids, and Motrin – the best gift. 

Totally was totally great and gave me a practice opportunity for an attitude shift. 

Today was another quiet, walk alone hike with occasional chatting and listening to my book. I finished Old Path White Clouds by Thich Nhat Hanh. What a totally perfect book to listen to as I walk miles through completely beautiful country. I know I’m writing in hyperbole, but it was truly a gift of a day.

The country has shifted a bit, still all farming, but now many more vineyards, rolling hills and it’s warmer, dryer. Probably 80’s again today. Here’s one scene:

I started off walking out of Estella which was bigger than first imagined, so traffic, suburbs a bit, and talking to Summer. So nice that the time difference allows us to talk at a more reasonable time. I kept having to call her back because there would be something else diverting. The first time I realized we were off track because I’d been following three Spanish guys, assuming they knew the way so I could focus on Summer. Hmm. No signs and they’d stopped too. We looked at my map and they knew the area so we got back on track. Started talking – in English – and turns out they work doing wind turbines, getting blades from Boulder, setting up systems for people. One of them had been to Padre Island for a month to help a farmer install a windmill. I couldn’t believe he had a month in the states and that’s where he was. Small world to have geographical connections with them. 

Then I saw the forger that I’d read about. Really nice guy, he’d followed his father’s blacksmithing, but his grandfather was a farmer. He had 2 sons and a dog – just saw the photo of 3 generations so talked about that a bit and about his work. In Spanish!

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Then shortly after that, saw the vineyard that I’d read about, the Monastery of Irache with its Fuente del Vino (fountain of wine). I’d been thinking that was figurative, but nope. Also – Bodega means ‘vineyard’ here rather than a little store.

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That’s the monastery behind me, but sadly, opened at 10 and it was 9:30. Gotta keep moving. I would like to have seen it because it’s still pretty complete, a town of its own in its heyday. 

Continued after a short hot chocolate and ham and cheese sandwich break in the little town. I knew there wasn’t any support for food or water after that for about 9 miles. And – that’s the only way to get to use the WC. The town was Villamayor de Monjardin. Courtesy of The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago, “It was the last major stronghold of the Banu Qasi Muslims in this region until King Sancho Garces captured it in 914.” Look at it! The effort to build it and then, really? Go up to it and capture it? Incredible. 

Back to hiking. One thing that’s astonishing – have I written this? – is the amount of tissue paper by the side. Do people think it’s organic? And really? Right there? That being said, there’s very little trash other than those sightings. And the towns are immaculate. 

Just when I was starting to get hot and thinking of pulling out the apple I’d been carrying since St. Jean Pied de Port, I saw 2 guys cross over the track and down the bank. Bathroom break? But then I saw them in the vineyard and one of them was eating some grapes. I asked if they were ready and they said yes, did I want any? Is that ok? Sure! They were French so figured they knew their vineyard etiquette. Oh my – the best treat. I ate one at a time because of the seeds and there were so many grapes in the bunch that I was able to walk this whole track and had only eaten half. Eating the grape and spitting the seeds. So satisfying! Then passed a guy with a big pack looking really tired and hot. I asked him if he wanted the rest. “Oh no, I have food, just too tired to stop.” “Well, take these, my hands were clean when I started and they’re great.” I stopped to clean my hands with a bit of my water and when I caught up again, he had a big grin, “these are great! I’ve never had them.” So fun.

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Finished my book and was enjoying the silence for a long time. Just when my feet/knees/legs were signaling enough already, met up with a woman from Monument, CO. She was great. We talked the rest of the way and she and I agreed that it made the last miles go much more quickly. In her 70’s, had biked the whole thing 20 years ago and said it went too fast. She’d always wanted to go back when she had time and realized, she better go before she ran out of time! She is winging it day by day. Making reservations a day or two ahead, sometimes just doing the hostels. She had her bag carried, but arranged it day by day as well in case she wanted to stay extra days here or there. She thought she might start carrying it at some point, but it still felt like too much right now. Amazing. 

Then I walked into Los Arcos while she looked for her papers to figure out her hotel. Clearly siesta time. Amazing how ghost town these old villages are during that 2-4pm break. I was so happy to be there. Got there at 2, could take a shower, and get that great big lunch that I love. Plus the town was what is fast becoming my favorite kind, small, ancient, accessible. 

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And there’s the restaurant. Plus all the people I know would be gathering to chat and catch up. So fun. 
BUT went to the hotel around the corner from the church and he said my reservation had been canceled by the agency. I’d completely forgotten that a few weeks before I left I was suddenly informed that the hotels had canceled my reservation in a few places so I was going to be shuttled. But he said, no, here’s your reservation, I don’t know why they canceled. And the place was full. I was so hot and tired and couldn’t see waiting until 5 when I was going to be picked up, nor did I want to have the happy gathering if I couldn’t stay, so I got a taxi earlier and went on to Logrono. 17 minutes to drive (he was very fast) the 17.5 I’ll be walking tomorrow. 

Definitely a practice opportunity to not be attached to my preconceptions or expectations. Oy, practicing hard. Especially when I realized Logrono is a big city, the hotel was a business efficient hotel with walls 1 inch thick so that I could share my neighbor’s TV experience and no charm. And I’d lost my peeps a day early. Sigh. 

So I’ve rallied now. Walked the ancient city, and finally got to sit and have quiet time in a beautiful old church (you’re probably rolling your eyes). One thing that I’m starting to appreciate is that the doors are just absolute works of art. Here’s where I sat, the doors behind me and Mary in front. An old guy was there too and we had about half an hour before tourists starting walking through, though quietly because of the “Silencio” signs. 

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The Iglesia de Sant Maria la Redonda, built between 15th and 16 c, but with decorations into the 1700’s. This is actually the area behind the choir – basically a second church. Much lighter and more appealing (I thought) than the bigger main church on the other side.