The Constant Traveler: Stage 5 : Pamplona a Puente la Reina

Today we started the day lazy. Quinn was high maintanence yesterday so we let him get about 10 hours of sleep. We started the day at around 10am and arrived at our destination at 5pm. As well as letting quinn sleep in this let us finish washing all our cloths and me ice my knee one last time.

It was a beautiful morning, sun shining with the occasional cloud to provide a bit of relief. We started our journey going across one of those cool bridges while leaving Pamplona. And of course as goes all towns along this route the next one is up hill. You can tell a towns age based on its position in the area. If it's on a hill it was defensible and survived.

The first town was close, directly after leaving we hit fields of some sort of weat on both sides. With this weat cones these little black bugs that kinda bite a bit and bug you. Luckily although they bite they don't leave a bite mark.

As we leave the Pamplona area we have to head over our peak for the day, an absent of 360m. More or less gentle and a nice climb. We hit one town right before the main ascent and bought lunch. A chocolate bar with nuts which we places within a French baguette. Heavenly for an up hill quest!

As we approach the summit it looks like the path leads up this daunting hill, luckily as we go it goes over the side. Not the main peak. Up, up we travel the knee is behaving. For those who know who La Man of La Mancha is as we approached the windmills I imaging my self e modern pilgrim going to fight the giant beast. Hey it keeps me entertained.

On the entertainment front, I cheated today, I listened to music on the way up cause I needed that extra boost or rhythm to get me going. I gave joe shit for doing it on the first day, but I needed a little help today. Listened to the sound track to Frozen. It's fun how the toons have abeat you can st your walking sticks to.

So one thing about today were the bigs and butterfly's. The bugs as mentioned kept biting but one unlucky sole decide to get eaten. Ugh. Anyway on the butterfly front I saws red one with spots, small. Then later an orange one with spots. The best were the two white winged one with green bodies. They kept cutting me off, at eye level. It was originally annoying then it be me kind of cool, of course once I knew what they were.

The final bug that decided I was special was hitchhiker little spider. I finally rid my self of him after many miles. Basicly he must have been hanging on my hat. He would swing down on ocasion and I'd think if tossed him, next thing I know I'm feeling that invisible web on my face. I get rid of it and then 10 minutes later it's back tickling my cheaks. A very annoying excise.

So back to the trail, after the uphill of course comes the down hill. Always steep and the knees hate it, today I cheated I made my walking sticks shorter and used them as canes. Got some blisters but my knee didn't hurt at the end of the day.

Wonderful views of farm fields. More than a rolling hill but less than a giant peak. At the top before the down was an iron cutout of pilgrims I. The old days with their mules.

The rest of the day was thru edible Spain. We saw a field of peas ready to eat. Ther was some bean we still don't know they type but the fields were very rocky.

Some sunflowers freshly sprouted. Some berries similar to if not raspberries in bloom. Then there is the wild asperagues growing everywhere. We had some green plumb trees. Not common in the states but here yummy! Finally the last actual garden, e rest of the stuff was pick able, had artichokes and what looked like either sugar cane or bamboo. Not sure it was real odd. Almost corn like but not growing the corn, and bigger. NIH and there was e first set of grape vines.

Here in Puernte la Reina we are staying in a roof room at a hotel. Just had a nice dinner, Tapas, Pork, potatos and a blue berry cheese cake. All included with the room. Oh and the bottle of wine not included.