Flowers of the Navarra Region

Stage 7: Estella to Los Arcos (22 km--33 degrees)

Bunions, corns and wonkie knees are not the signs of old age!  However, talking about them for six straight hours might be!  I have alway thought that walking was a great catalyst for great conversations. We are old but I think we are prevailing.

Yesterday hinted at today's temperature and so we got up two hours before the crack of dawn and hit the trail at 5:15.  We watched the sun rise and slowly diminish our long shadows until it was beating straight overhead and telling us to stop for a break.  When Laurel and Betty literally started cutting corners, we gave into the heat and stopped.  Our picnic lunch in a vineyard recharged us and helped to quicken our pace.   I think starting in the dark is a good way to avoid the heat but it does have drawbacks--today we missed the turn off for the only wine fountain on the Camino and I had to settle for water again!!!

Fields of wheat, barley, and canola; vineyards and olive orchards were the backdrop to our winding path.  The walk was gentle and not so long, yet we all had something to complain about.  We were grateful to arrive in Los Arcos before noon and we were grateful to have each other to listen to and complain to.