Thursday, September 24, 2015

Barely Standing and in Awe of the Pyrenees

Hi Everyone!
Mariah and I are barely sitting straight up in our hotel room and when we stand up we can barely hold the standing pose. In the last 2 days we have literally walked across the Pyrenees Mountains from France into Spain. On foot we crossed the same mountain pass that Charlemagne and his Army crossed on horseback!! We both agree it was the most taxing physical experience either of us has ever had in this lifetime including childbirth!!
On the bright and glorious side of this... The Pyrenees Mountains are absolutely breathtaking !! The multi varieties of sheep were cute too as we scaled the mountains with them... Cute until Mariah took a break and collapsed into sheep dodo! 
See photos of our last 2 days through thePyrenees  ... we spared you the photo of Mariah's encounter with sheep dodo !  What really got us over the pass when we wanted to call 211( Europeon emergency # ) to rescue us was a gourmet chocolate bar that Mariah  remembered she had in her backpack! She doled it out in increments till we calculated the end of the road around the next bend.....we calculated wrong.. it was much longer! By the time we were on the down hill part of this experience we had both pulled out our emergency Motrin and Tylenol + and Mariah had aced bandaged both my knees that had gone into shock on the very steep downhill treck.
Goodnight All, 
Mary and Mariah
Definitely feeling like the "Grannies on Camino"!
We are told that the 1st  two days are the hardest and we both exclaimed... " they better be !" 
My cell phone just came back in service and guess what? My FitBit moderator just announced to me  "congratulations on earning your first Trail Shoe Badge ...amazing they say that I've exceeded 30,000 steps!...... Little do they know the incline that those 30, 000 steps have traversed today!!

Photos of 1st 2 days of Pilgrimage
1st overnight stop...Pilgrims dinner at our Albergue ( Pilgrims Hostel ) in Orrison. Mary at end of table waving. Great Pilgrims from around the world

Hiking through the Pyrenees Mountain Range.
Crossing over from France to Spain.

A stone monument denoting entering Navarro Province , Spain ..my Basque Spanish great grandmother's roots are here.... Sarah Ortiz Bazan

Climbing even higher in the Pyrenees

Friends along the way!


Above / 8hours later arrived in Roncesvalles, Spain / ace bandages in tact ...they got me through the descent  thanks to Medic Mariah and my trusty walking sticks!
Survived the glorious Pyrenees !

5 comments:

  1. My prayers for a healing nights rest and throughout the journey for you both.😻

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  2. Noah says, " thanks for the update and I love you grandmama". Cole says, " that sheep poop must have been a bummer but maybe good luck - I mean, you made it through! "
    Erika says - Nice work ladies, I'm proud of you both! Your perseverance and and hard work paid off ... You made it! Don't forget to stretch, stretch and stretch more!! Thanks so much for posting the updates we love you guys- keep on treking 🏃✨😄

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  3. You two are nothing short of amazing! And maybe a bit crazy but that's why you are loved!!!! Enjoy this adventure!

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  4. Totally amazing and inspiring!!! We love the photos and blog! Keep it up! Love, J, C, G, H & N

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  5. Wow! what a journey! Looks amazing. and always fun to see where your ancestors came from!

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