June 2026
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Day 9: Azqueta to Los Arcos
I’m happy to be staying tonight in one of my very favorite little Camino towns called Los Arcos. It’s the perfect size, everything is a couple minute walk. It’s got what many Spanish towns have, which is a central plaza or square. This one happens to be situated right next to the Iglesia of Santa…
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Day 8: Villatuerta to Ázqueta
Today was a little bit shorter mileage day, so I enjoyed having the afternoon to stretch, rest, and rehydrate. The original group of people that I started walking with on the first day are a little bit spread out right now, but it sounds like several of us will be in Los Arcos tomorrow, and…
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Day 7: Obanos to Villatuerta
It’s finally raining! There’s not been a day since I started that has been less than 95 degrees, so this is welcome indeed. I’d even be happy to walk in the rain at this point. I’m slowing down my mileage a little bit so that I can truly enjoy being here instead of cranking out…
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Day 6: Pamplona to Obanos
Today was the longest hike so far. 13.73 miles. The morning started out very pleasant and I felt strong and encouraged by how quickly I was moving. However, by 1:00 the temperature had started to climb from the 70s through the 80s into the high 90s. Due to the heat being such a factor, the…
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Days 4 and 5: Zubiri to Pamplona, and a scheduled rest day in Pamplona
 The hot weather continues.  Although the trek from Zubiri to Pamplona yesterday was shaded in many parts, it was still plenty hot. Today was my first scheduled rest day of the Camino. And honestly, I thought I would be feeling much more refreshed by tonight. I’m struggling. My legs feel heavy, and I’m…
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Day 3: Roncesvalles to Zubiri
The first week of the Camino is notoriously tough. Not only are there dramatic increases in elevation over the first couple of days, but people are usually not in prime Camino shape, even if they’ve been training. Nothing prepares one for days upon end of 12 to 15 miles hiking. The added factor of this…
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Day 2: Orisson to Roncesvalles
Today was day two of an absolutely grueling 2 day sequence up and over the Pyrenees mountains. I had forgotten from 2024 how absolutely difficult this is. Today was only 12 miles, but it was steadily uphill for the first 9 miles, and then a sharp steep downhill for the last 3 miles. I walked…
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Day 1: St. Jean Pied de Port to Orisson.
My biggest worry going into today was the heat. Spain is hot in the summer, there’s no doubt about it. But the weather this week is unseasonably hot even for Spain. The temps pretty much all this week are expected to be in the low 100s. So I left St. Jean Pied de Port early…
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I’m on my way!
The Uber picked me up at the obscenely early hour of 4:30 AM, and I’m on the plane in Milwaukee, ready to take off in a few minutes. I’ll have a layover of several hours in Charlotte, and then an overnight flight to Madrid, continuing on to Pamplona. I should be there by mid-morning tomorrow.…
A Wisconsin Girl Takes a Walk 