Jan 26, 2015: Tudela to Gallur 36 K

Rio Ebro at dawn in Tudela

Today's forecast was pretty much the same as yesterday's so we opted for a taxi to the town of Ribaforada 11.2 K from Tudela. This jump gave us a much more pilgrim friendly day's walk at 24.8 K. Our taxi dropped us off at the rail line (big surprise), and we pushed off at 9:30 with the sun in our eyes and a gusty wind at our backs. We could see far down the track to a windmill farm that was our goal for the moment. Crunch...crunch...crunch...countless steps along a gravel path that conjured infinity. As I have mentioned before Robin and I don't get too weird with these long straight stages. It really does provide time for busy minds to wind down. The only excitement was an occasional passing train heading east to Zaragoza or westbound to Logroño. The terrain was flat (very flat) offering views of orderly fields, and distant mesas. The trail itself was a service road, paralleling the rail line, for much of the morning until it wasn't. At this point we hugged the rail line, pounded through some scrub brush, scrambled along some rock ballast, and eventually saw another service road that allowed us to resume our crunch...crunch...crunch eastwards towards Gallur. About halfway we passed through the agricultural towns of Cortes and Mallén. In these towns the streets are busy with John Deere tractors rather than BMW's. We learned to listen for the tractors, and hug the walls as tall as a man tires rolled closely by. Cortes did offer a nice 12th century castle (small but interesting). We went inside as the gate was open but it was just a courtyard with no access to the castle tower. We pushed on. As we cleared Mallén, only 3 K from Cortes, the scenery slowly improved. We eventually found ourselves walking along a beautiful gravel path/road that bordered a well constructed irrigation canal. We walked the bank of this canal, buffeted by strong tail winds, all the way to Gallur where we arrived at 2:45.

Orderly fields

As we had not been able to find lodging in Gallur we booked a small hotel in Taustes 5 K to the north of Gallur. As we shuffled into Gallur trying to find a landmark which we could give to our hotelier, who was going to pick us up, we spotted a hotel/restaurant, El Colono, in a street just below us. This hotel had been shown as booked full when we did a booking.com search. We coaxed our now stiff legs down a flight of concrete stairs and entered the warm dining room of El Colono. We were uncertain about dining in Taustes so we decided to eat here and then call our ride. We had a nice meal and as we were finishing the owner started inquiring if we needed a room ad she had vacancies. We explained that booking.com had shown her hotel as full for today so we booked elsewhere. She seemed to understand and was quite cordial. In fact she offered to call our host in Taustes and arrange our pick up, which see did. As it turns out El Colono would have been much more convenient stop (and I would recommend it), but other arrangements had been made. Our host for the night, Manolo, and his son picked us up at El Colono, and whisked us away to Taustes. They were both very kind and solicitous. Manolo gave us a swing through the town before pulling up to his hotel. It is a nice place, simple but nice. However, it feels a bit empty as we are the only guests. But, the heat is on and Monolo says he will be back to serve breakfast at 7:30, after which he will drive us back to Gallur so we can pick up the Camino once again. Robin and I have settled in for the night, and look forward to good night's sleep. It is strange, but we seem to feel more tired at the end of a day of walking on the flat compared to the same distance in the mountains. Not sure why, but there it is. Time for some sleep. Buenas noches.

Crunch...crunch...crunch...

Our familiar rail line

Approaching Cortes

The castle in Cortes

Hello!

Canal path

 

 

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Jan 25, 2015: Alfaro to Tudela 24.6 K

This interrupted the flat terrain

Today was going to be an early start. Robin and I were determined to be on the road before 9:00. Breakfast at our hotel started at 7:00 so that helped us along. As we were enjoying our first cup of coffee in the breakfast room a man walked in carrying a long case. My first thought was that we would soon be enjoying a string sonata with our coffee, but then no that was not to be. Upon closer inspection it was not an instrument case but a gun case. I thought what an odd thing to bring to breakfast, but perhaps gun owners suffer from separation anxiety as well. Anyhow it just goes to show you what can run through your mind as you are trying to roll the shell off a hard boiled egg. We finished, paid our bill, and headed out into the cold morning half light watching the trees swaying in the strong NW'ly wind that was making the day feel a lot colder than the 35 F our weather app quoted. We wound our way through the quiet streets and finally got lined up on a street that would take us to the next town 4 K away. Away we went. Almost immediately the bark of rifle fire could be heard. Whatever the locals were after the hunt was definitely on. For most of the morning gunshots broke the silence of our walk. I started thinking I had better keep my hiking poles down. I wouldn't want to go for a big stretch, raise my poles, and be mistaken for a black horned "pilgabeast" inviting a volley of "Hail Mary" fire from afar. So poles down, crouching forward we moved cautiously along. Eventually the rifle shots faded and the crunch of our boots on the gravel path was the only sound we heard (apart from the howl of the wind).

From whence we came

We hauled into the hard scrabble town of Castejón around 9:15. This is a town built close aboard the rail line that seems to offer nothing more than that. We quickly moved through the Sunday morning silent streets until we picked up our path out of town (and alongside the rail line once again) and resumed our heading eastbound. The wind was really the weather story for today. Yes, it was cold, but the wind just kept pushing and shoving us around like passengers on a crowded subway. Over the course of the day it gradually grew in strength and by early afternoon it was blowing a steady 25 mph with gusts considerably higher. Our track today being mostly eastward put the wind on our right hand quarter. Most of the time it just shoved us along with a bit of side to side stuff thrown in for good measure. At one point just outside of Tudela we had to alter course towards the southwest, and the wind had some fun with us. We were head down and leaning into it as our progress ground to dead slow ahead. We held this course for about a 100 meters, but it seemed like a lifetime as we fought to find one step and then another. When we finally were able to swing back to the southeast it dawned on us how challenging a day's walk would be heading westbound to Santiago in these winds.

To thence we go

One other thing of note was the change of terrain. This morning's walk played out in the same flat agricultural fields we have been walking through for the last few days. By the afternoon we were seeing river valley (Ebro River) terrain with raised mesas. In any event it was a pleasant change as we followed the swollen (and hard running Ebro River) towards Tudela. We made our final approach to the city on a gravel road where the gusting winds spun cyclones of dust around our feet and the river rushes waved frantically in the wind as if applauding our arrival. It was in this celebratory mood that we arrived cold and dusty at 1:30. Our hotel, the Hotel Santamaría, is very close to the Camino, and has great heat (very important for converting the room into a laundry, which we did). Robin and I are now planning tomorrow's walk over a glass of wine. I know I am not up for 36 K in conditions similar to today's. We shall probably catch a taxi out off town to give us a jump start on our walk to Gallur, our next stop. We shall see what the weather is like in the morning, and make our decision then, but that is where the smart money is tending at the moment. Beautiful day.

The terrain begins to change

My girl

Rio Ebro bank full

Camino Ignaciano orange arrow

Approaching Tudela

 

 

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Jan 24, 2015: Calahorra to Alfaro 24.0 K

Calahorra in morning sun

We awoke to a chilly (36 F) morning.The sky was partly cloudy, and the forecast was for a dry day. The temperatures were going to creep up close to 50 today, so we could be shedding jackets a bit later on. Today's walk would be quite similar to yesterday's. It would prove to be a long flat trek through agricultural areas that stayed close by the east-west rail line. It was a truly unremarkable, but pleasant day. We chugged along looking for waymarks and checking the gps when none appeared (which was frequently). We had set out at 9:00, and by noon we were having a coffee in Rincón de Soto which was about half way for today. All morning we just headed east squinting into the sun. At 12:20 we pulled out of Rincón, picked up the Camino path out of town, and resumed squinting into the sun (even though the sun was a little higher in the sky and more to our right).

 

By the cathedral in Calahorra

Today's agricultural report includes the news flash that Rincón and the surrounding area is a major pear growing area (who would know?). The orchards were quite evident as we left town, even trumping the vineyards for planted acreage (for a wee bit). Tearing our eyes away from the rows of pear trees we returned our focus to the rifle barrel straight gravel path ahead (and behind). We stayed close aboard the rail line and after much crunching of gravel started up a very long avenue that would swing left and drop us off in Alfaro, and as a nice bonus, right at the front door of our hotel. We swung through the door at 2:40 foot sore and thirsty. We are doing the usual pilgrim chores, and ablutions and will head into town for the Saturday vigil mass, at 7:00 pm, at the Sam Miguel Collegiate (which also claims, at over 100 nests, the highest concentration of white stork nests over one building in the world...top that!). We also passed the ruins of a Roman Ninphaeum (now you don't pass one of those every day). Apparently it was a place where the local Romans worshiped the nymphs of Alhama (?) until the 4th century. It is now a national monument. Well that covers the points of interest and the archaeological highlights. I just knew there was a reason we were meant to be here.

We are off tomorrow, via the gravel path next to the rail line once again, to the town of Tudela. This is all new ground for Robin and I so each day holds the potential for wonders anew (nymphs, storks, pears In Rioja???). Feet and legs are holding up well enough (discounting the usual aches and pains). No blisters (big smile). Still very pleased, and blessed, to be on the road to Manresa. St. Ignatius pray for us.

Cathedral in Calahorra

Morning scenery

Just follow the train tracks

Ask about our pears

A Roman Nymphaeum. There goes the neighborhood

 

 

 

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Jan 23, 2015: Alcanadre to Calahorra 20.6 K

Departing Alcanadre

Today dawned dry and mostly clear, and that made my day. Robin and I had committed to backtracking to Alcanadre to walk the section from there to Calahorra. If the weather had been miserable I probably could have been talked into a lay day and just skipping that stage. But as it's turned out we had a beautiful day, so off we went. A taxi picked us up at our hotel and for 26 euros drove us to Alcanadre. We hopped out of the taxi at 10:00, slung our packs (which were quite light as much had been left behind at our hotel to which we were returning), and set off along the orange stripe my gps has for the Camino Ignaciano. We followed a side street and then a gravel path as we enjoyed a gentle climb out of town and down towards the freeway (the AP-68). We crossed the freeway and swung back to parallel it heading east on a gravel service road. The way markings today were very sparse, and my gps, once again, brought clarity at several junctions that were poorly marked. Our walk today was quite flat and straight apart from the occasional turn to navigate around a freeway or railroad. The paths were mostly gravel, hard packed, and mud free (hooray). In truth today was just about walking. The scenery was pleasant, but not distracting, and the navigation was pretty straightforward (thank you gps). So with all that aside now it was just a matter of walking the kilometers required to return to our hotel. Days like this can be challenging to some people. An unrequited hunger for stimuli can be disturbing, putting some folks off balance, and making them crave companionship, at any cost. Solitude should not be shaped into some version of loneliness. Solitude is simply a space where one finds a rare opportunity to peer within one's heart. This should not be so complicated a process that it requires a follow up treatise to explain it. It should simply be a moment of interior reflection that helps guide you along your path to peace (or to wherever you are heading). Robin and I find these kinds of days, not boring, but tailor made for reflection. Anyhow, that was our day. We offered quiet prayers, enjoyed a variety of discussions, took in the scenery, clicked a few photos, and just kept walking. At 2:04 we stepped through the door of our hotel. Another great day's walk completed, and another stage closer to Manresa.

Climbing out of Alcanadre

Day begins

Nice day

Plenty of vineyards today

The service road

I'm always trying to catch up

Tunnel vision

Miles to go

A whimsical bodega along the way

Back to our hotel

Street scene in Calahorra

The lavandería (muy importante)

 

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