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.

I’m excited, but nervous. I know what this endeavor entails since I did it in 2024. I’m two years older now, with two dodgy knees. But, I’ve been doing strength training (shout out to my amazing trainers at Orange Shoe Personal Fitness in Brookfield!) and feel prepared. It’s looking like the first week of my hike will be significantly hotter than normal, with temps cracking 100 in the afternoons. So, I’ll be starting my days early to beat the scorching heat.

Wheels up in 10….here I go!