“Live, travel, adventure, bless, and don’t be sorry.” – Jack Kerouac
Elizabeth April 29 & 30
Amazingly my flights were basically uneventful! Phoenix to Dallas and then DFW to Madrid. During previous work and social flights, I have experienced delays, and unexpectedly “enjoyed” overnights in Austin and Philly on two separate occasions. 🤪 At least this time my overnight was on the plane going to my intended destination! No missed connections.
It still amazes me that in a plane, during the span of a single 24 hour period, I can travel over 5,000 miles. I will “only” cover 500 miles, on foot, over the next 5 weeks! At least we can walk more than wagon trains in the American West could do in a day! It’s all a matter of perspective!
My flight landed 45 minutes late. No big deal – I initially thought – with an almost 3 hour layover. But, of course, the customs line was me and several hundred of my closest traveler friends! Still, 45 min. delay plus 1 and 1/2 hrs. in customs lines…I still had almost an hour to get to my next flight. Gary was in baggage claim waiting for me. He had flown to Madrid from Santiago the night before. I checked a box with my sticks, umbrella, a knife and scissors. I got through customs and headed to baggage claim, which turns out, was a train ride away on the other side of the airport! I met up with Gary and we had to get upstairs to check the box into our next ft (different airline); hoofed it to our next gate and boarded the plane 5 minutes before they closed boarding…phew! Literally just made it! Cooper and Chelsea had flown in from Geneva that morning and were waiting for us at the gate.
The one hour flight to San Sabastian, Spain was uneventful for the 4 of us. We took a cab the 1.5 hours to St. Jean Pied de Port and checked into our apartment. A one bedroom with 2 additional beds in the living room and a full kitchen.
We walked around SJPdP getting hiking poles for the kids; stocked up on macaroons for snacks; had a relaxing dinner on a patio; walked to a grocery store for breakfast foods and healthier snacks (bananas, carrots, green beans, yogurt, blueberries…) and returned to our apt.
Elizabeth, 5/1 – European Labor Day
Saint Jean Pied de Port to Auberge Borda 5.4 miles 5.4 miles total
In our last journal I mentioned that plans can change and that a bad day for the ego is a good day for your sole…well… today began at 3AM with poor Cooper being “blessed” with an intestinal and stomach thing; Chelsea had feminine issues and later I had really tight hamstrings slowing me way down. We made quite the cramping trio! Cooper chose to still walk the 5 mile, 2,300 foot vertical first day with us and by 10AM we all took off up the hill. He was feeling a bit better as the day went on but Chelsea and I were getting worse. We took breaks but were very glad to get to Auberge Borda, our stop for the night.
After resting, drying out our soaked clothes , feet and packs. Oh yeah! I neglected to mention it was pouring rain all day and temps from the low 40’s dipping to high 30’s as we climbed! We’ll enjoy a group dinner and contemplate who will walk tomorrow’s 10+ miles up and down 1,200 feet to the next town, and which of us will taxi around, taking a recovery break. Once we meet in Roncesvalles we will all then walk the final 4 miles to our beds for the night. Time will tell!
Elizabeth May 2, 2024
Plans changed again! Cooper felt better last night and had kept down soup at lunch and at dinner. Chelsea and I felt slightly better as well so we all decided to tackle the Pyreneese Mountains again the next day. The following pictures will show you the weather and terrain we encountered while hiking the 10 miles up, over and back down the 4,600 feet of mountain, over the 5 or so hours of encountering a little rain, some snow on the trails, lots of snow in the mountains and an abundance of mud! Were we all mended? No, but the scenery and company outweighed the cramps. Gary’s doing really well as he had miles of hiking in Portugal under his belt and Chelsea and Cooper are feeling better each day. My knees and leg muscles will get used the 14 or miles a day, over the next 5 weeks.
C, C and E – SJPdP in the far background. 
Chelsea and E still in France, but the trees on the right are in Spain 
G, Coops and Chelsea navigating one of many muddy spots 
Chelsea in France, Cooper in Spain 
Looking down into Spain 
E still trying to keep her feet dry. 
Chelsea, E and G 
Cooper, E and G 
Cooper and Chelsea, beautiful fresh snow!!
After a lunch in Roncesvalles we continued 4 more miles to Espinal for the night.
What we find in a soul mate is not something to tame, but something wild to run with.
Robert Brault
Gary and Elizabeth's Adventures 