Did Anyone Check the Weather?
It has been unseasonably hot in this part of the world the past few weeks with temperatures regularly over 100 degrees in Pamplona, so we were happy to see the forecast showing things returning to normal in time for our arrival. Our celebration may have been a bit premature as a solid night of thunderstorms and torrential rain have reinforced that you have to be careful what you wish for. I’m no fan of hiking in brutal heat but, given the option, I think I’d take it over grinding out 15 miles in squishy shoes with a possibility of getting struck by lightening.
The next couple of days are showing more of the same so I’m hoping that means relatively benign days with the worst of it reserved for while we sleep. Either way, we’ve got a schedule to keep so it is what it is.
We don’t have many essential tasks on the agenda today, mostly just a visit to the Pilgrim’s Office to pick up our Credencials. It only opens for a few hours each day, which gives us some free time to explore inside the old city walls, testing our legs a little on the short hike up to the citadel that overlooks the valley.
When the office finally opens, with our Credencials we get a bit of disconcerting news regarding the section of the Camino we are about to embark on. As we West-coasties are all too familiar with, the heat has brought with it forest fires and there is talk of the trail being closed from Roncesvalles to Logroño, a meaty 133km chunk of our journey. The rain and cooling temperatures have people a bit more optimistic but we won’t know for sure until we get to Roncesvalles tomorrow afternoon.
Last on the agenda is stocking up on a few provisions for the path ahead. As F-Bomb will be going by bus with our larger bags, it is, thankfully, just these snacks, water, and some layers that we have to haul over the mountains. One intersting thing we spot is that, like the tar-coated lungs they put on the front of cigarettes, they seem to have a requirement here showing what can happen to your kids when you give them apple juice. I think it is called Sam’s Law.
