Strength to climb - Day 1

An old gospel song says:

Lord here I am again down in my knees in prayer

And Lord you promised me that you would always meet me there

Now there's a mountain up ahead that I can't seem to climb

But I'm asking for the strength to try it one more time

Lord don't move that mountain

Just give me strength to climb

For if you should move each mountain 

I'd grow weaker every time

So just as your Son Jesus

Took that cross up Calvary's hill

Oh Lord don't move that mountain 

So I may better do your will.

Lorraine and I sang that song as we walked hill after hill after hill on Sunday.  The Napoleonic route from Saint Jean Pied de Port was as demanding as everyone said it would be.  It was a beautiful day, and not too hot (mid 20's) so in that way we were blessed. There is only one stopping place on the 27 km route, and unfortunately is is only about 6 km in, but it has a 770 meter elevation so took us three hours to do it with several stops to exclaim over the beauty of the Pyrenees vistas, (and exclaim over the aches and pains that were becoming evident so soon!)

Many people stopped at Orisson, but many were still going on so at 12:30 we started back up.  The rest of the ascent would not be so dramatic, but by that do not read that it was any less easy.  Any day you carry your back pack up hill for 8 solid hours, and then find a steep two hour descent is not going to be an easy day.  If we had not done the Fundy Footpath two years ago, we would have easily describe this as the most difficult day of our lives.  But because we had done the Footpath, near the end of the day I surprisingly heard Lorraine say, "This is a piece of cake!." I know that was just a pep talk she was giving herself, but although we were exhausted, at no time did we ever feel overwhelmed.

We passed some people who were overwhelmed, and for whom we feared for their safety. During the last part of the day, we (along with most other climbers) assumed that we were at the top of the ascent, and the only thing left was the 1700 meters down.  We were wrong! We rounded a corner and saw another significant ascent (200 meters).  When your mind is thinking all it has left to do is go down, it does not take kindly to being forced back up! I don't know the name of this hill, but I affectionately dubbed it the "Dirty Rotten Trick of the Spanish".  I was only that generous because I am a preacher and don't make a habit of using stronger language! 

On that last ascent two ladies from Finland were obviously struggling. We offered to help them with food and water but they insisted they were OK.  I pray they were. We never saw them again (which is not unusual) and at the speed they were walking it woud be well after dark before they reached the days end.  Buen Camino, ladies from Finlnad.  Buen Camino.