Started the Official Camino walk today. Was very excited to begin the amazing journey. Ten minutes into the walk I said , wtf am I doing. The trail left the city and started up hill right away. We climbed almost 3-4 k vertical in the first few miles. Got blisters in the first 3 miles. Bwaaah. Placed compeed patches on them and pressed on. This is the most arduous hike I have ever done , tested the physical and the mental. In all the walk was over 9 hrs, up and over the Pyrenees mountaintop of France. The path kept going up and then up some more, then up some more. Seemed the the up hill would never end. Crossed the border into Spain and went up some more. Then we went down thru the forest and followed a VERY steep path that made the up hill seem like a piece of cake. We were totally spent when we arrived in Roncesvalles Spain covering almost 23 miles or so.
mybuencamino 
Love the photos and the descriptions of the first days hike. Took me back to my walk last September. That’s the hardest climb you will have to make. The first week can be rough physically..find your pace..and your body will adjust. Buen Camino!
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este es Mark Taintor no creo que lo hagan en bicicleta, es solo para caminar! >
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Great job mi amigo – 👍🏼
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Wow I missed this post! 23 miles! And blisters by the first 3 miles and you’re still walking? What grit!?
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