Pyrenees – French for No Trees

The forecast shows thunderstorms rolling in around 2pm, so we’re out the door early with the hope we can make it to our destination before the rain arrives. It’s very quiet in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port this time of day with only a handful of fellow hikers on the streets. We backtrack just a little to the main gate of the city figuring that is the appropriate place to begin our journey.

As with all new adventures, the mood is light and anything seems possible. I try to freeze these images in my mind so that I can compare them to those 30 days, and almost 500 miles, from now.

The work begins almost immediately as before we reach the boundary of town we are already climbing. And climbing. And climbing. There are a few milder portions along the way but, for the most part, it is a pretty relentless grind up to the pass some 3,800 feet above where we started. The views are spectacular, but for reasons we can’t figure out, there are virtually no trees.

Not long after we leave France behind and cross into Spain. The descent down into Roncesvalles is as unenjoyable as the climb up. There’s cold beer, hot showers, and comfrtable beds waiting for us though, which is more than enough to keep tired legs churning. 16 miles and 37,000 steps down.