Spain,Camino Del Norte: Day 6-7 Zarautz to Zumaia on the GR and Zumaia to Deba on the GR

Rain and the sign said 2 hours that was 4 hours ago. Maybe it’s possible if you are a mountain goat but I a mere turtle might be longer with rocks and rain .. slippery. MUD -/-clay omg ???? that’s all I’m gonna say. In the in military I was told to make the best of any disadvantage so I try …I see the views ignore the pain for a minute at least.

Tip: tighten your laces for the climb or else you will get toe blisters and possible black toe nails . With the bad knees going down hill….,Lean back take the first step with the affected knee at a 45 degree angle letting the good leg brace you as you take small choppy steps down hill.. . Use your poles and use the balls of your feet for heel spurs. This worked for me on wet slippery down hills . When Going up I try not to look up I look down at my feet and concentrate on each step with bad knees it’s important to watch every step and at the very least you don’t concentrate on the hill but instead on Your steps and before u know it you are at the top, after 70 rest breaks but that’s ok you made it!  And what if you have to pee in the woods? Ladies I suggest facing down hill let gravity do the work your boots will stay clean. I never had to take my pack off… or day pack, I use the poles to stabilize my weak knee.

Nice night at the Albergue Santa Klara but a hell of a hill above the town of Zamaia on the Camino. The views were amazing but no dinner. One of the 2 German pilgrims Peter elected to walk back to town down hill and back it took him an hour..amazing ! He cooked we washed and. Cleaned up. Considering we just came up that massive hill tired and exhausted it was s wonder as we were willing to starve. The 2 Germans didn’t have reservations but the lady gave them a shared room with 2 single beds a good reward for the hill. This morning beautiful views and breakfast and away I go. Back down the small hill to the entrance then back on the Camino. Not so bad today road walk for a while then Off going up hill on a dirt track. 4 km later I see heaven in a rest area which included toilets and water just before Elorriaga … if you continue straight you will see the Camino to the left but .6 km later I took the GR 131 to the right thru farm fields down hill and across, down the cliffs, up the cliffs and up and down the forest to Deba . This goes along the ocean so you see amazing views ..nice track if no rain which today thank you was sunny … once again I was alone as the few pilgrims I saw all young except 2 took the Camino route along the road to itziar. Oh and mind the cow and horse poop ..splatter

Jeiskibel 2?

Today I became a mountain goat .. spectacular views 6 km from Deba. But damn I’m tired sitting halfway up this hill.

Ok so I made it! Then a equally hell down hill now I don’t use these terms lightly but I will let you decide for yourself. So after that what? Another one omg I’m gonna die.. just let me die wait no I’m not ready .. so I made it again and think I got to the top oh hell no that would be way too easy now it’s a concrete hill. It was like this thing that would not stop then down and up thru Forrest steep roads and tracks all day. So I sat had a granola bar and some water on the concrete hill and no it didn’t help. Cyborg turtle is tired she was a little .. hmmm a lot shaky on the hill so I had to calm her stop sit rest… or risk rolling back down hill. No joke it’s a serious hill on the side of the cliff and life is too precious what with me wanting to get home to bills and headaches. and heelspurricus is now starting to wake up hope I make it before she does. Clouds are rolling it and it’s cool just one more push to get up the concrete hill don’t know what’s on the other side but it better be a taxi.. this detour was over 9km suppose to be 2 hours but I’m only a baby mountain goat. Lies all lies still more ins to go and it wasn’t 3 . It’s now 12:30 I left after 8am did 4.5 km to the turn off uphill and stopped at the rest stop, take pictures at the rock formations and rest a few times so I think I did ok. no pilgrims but lots of Spanish and French day hikers . Ok so now about that hill ? ???????? and her sisters cousins hell the entire family and generations it was a hell day . Delivered pizza I’m not moving an inch tonight…rest tomorrow

I will upload more pictures when I have better WiFi I’ve been trying for 2 days with slow success.