Advertisement
Published: September 18th 2015
Little Owl - Europe's Smallest
Our friend Inigo had found this little owl too weak to fly and hunt. He took it and feed it then when he felt it was OK released it. 27 August 2015, Thursday. GPS 14.25 miles 6 hours moving 8 hours total time.
Fitbit: 148 stairs, 14.96 miles, 34,250 steps. To Puente de la Reina
Inigo is ready to go at 6:40 but Harlan is still getting all the cords for charging 2 cell phones, hearing aids, Garmin 410 GPS watch, IPAD, Chromebook and portable power supply rounded up and in my backpack. Think NOT light!. At 10 minutes to 7 we are out the door to the underground parking and their new VW camper van with Karen's OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel) bag in tow. Harlan has a replacement bag filled with necessarys such as hiking boots, tevas, hiking zip off pants, sweatshirt (certainly not needed in the heat we experienced last few days), replacement socks, underwear and t-shirt. We had done a crash marathon shopping trip to Decathlon while in Bilbao. It is an immense sporting goods store. I could have gone crazy in the store. Little 'real deal' zip-off hiking pants for a size four little girl for example. Combine Bass Pro and REI merchandise in a three story building and you get the picture.
We have an extra passenger this morning! Inigo has a
Karen and Moira with Pamplona in background
We met Julian and Moira Lugg from Adelaide, Australia as we walked up the steep hill out of Pamplona. little owl, in a cage, all covered up with a cloth. He had found the bird, separated from its mother, and rescued it. After several days of being cared for, Inigo will release it later in the day. It is the smallest owl found in Europe and quite feisty, really pecking at Inigo's hand while being held. I am sorry we could not get a good picture but the little thing was quite agitated about having its picture taken. P.S. At Inigo's work it was decided to keep the little bird a few days longer for its wings to become a little stronger. So many times, plodding along the camino, I would see birds in flight overhead and think of the little bird. I do so hope it made the transition back into the wild. Inigo has the kindest heart. His office at home is bird oriented and he has all kinds of equipment to measure, weigh and otherwise study birds. As we walk we often wish we had him and his expertise as we see various birds and bird habitats.
Inigo drops us off at the point near the universities, along the camino, that we had walked to
The cutouts at top of Windmill Hill
The peak elevation for the day with lots of wind and signpost to places around the world. on Tuesday. So at 0710 we are joining a throng of young people on our stage 4 of the walk. We are glad for the morning coolness and after the first 2 miles find a panaderia in Cizur Menor for coffee, bathroom and chocolate croissant. Readjusting our clothing we are back on the trail at 0830.
For awhile we walk with a young Japanese lad that is just starting the camino at Pamplona. I ask him about a famous, and rigorous, pilgrim trail in Japan. Yes, he has heard of it, but, "it is too close to home" to be intriguing to him. So then I begin to think why the Appalachian Trail or Pacific Crest Trail has had no appeal to me. I finally come to the conclusion it is the aspect of being a pilgrim with a possible spiritual facet to the physical endeavor that has appealed to me.
The climb to the windmill ridge begins. We walk past walnut trees, fields of sunflowers and lots of conglomerate rocky paths and hillsides. Fields that have been harvested and the soil tilled are a mass of small stones and rocks. About 2 miles or more from the
Sign Post - from here to other places
You can see the steel cutouts and pilgrims resting after the steep climb. top of the ridge the tones of the windmills start increasing in volume as we get closer. At the top of the ridge are the metal cut out figures of pilgrims heading west toward Santiago. Everyone is resting,having a snack and taking photos. Down the other side the wind is very strong until we get into the brush. We pass more walnut trees, almond, olive and other deciduous trees. Black beetles and grasshoppers are on the path with us. Corn is very high and looks good. Very few grape vines are here although we are in wine country. Wild dill and many violet purple wild flowers as well as the ubiquitous blackberries with seedy fruit and wild roses now showing only their hips. The scent of the wild dill which we brush along the path and some very tall reeds are our natural companions.
Our hotel is both hotel and albergue. After a pilgrims dinner we walk through town-all the way to the other side, for evening photos of the historic stone bridge from Roman days. We are thinking it will be too dark in the morning when we pass by. Well, not to fear! We do not get
off to the early start we had desired the next morning. So, tack on another two miles to the mileage of the day for bridge viewing!
Al
Advertisement
Tot: 0.276s; Tpl: 0.01s; cc: 10; qc: 51; dbt: 0.1056s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
Marta
non-member comment
Windy Ridge Cutout Sculpture
Thanks so much for posting this picture of the pilgrims crossing Windy Ridge. It's an image I remembered from the movie 'The Way'. I was hoping we could take a day walk up to it last year when we were in Spain......but it didn't happen. I'm glad to see you've passed this landmark. It sounds like you are really enjoying all the different 'walking companions' you've been meeting along your path.