Day 6 – The Road to Estella

We left Puente la Reina over a medieval bridge,

accompanied by a large group of pilgrims. 

 Look at Dave, like a kid in a candy store, so 

excited to walk 13.4 miles. (Mike)

Mike doesn't look too unhappy himself. (Sue)

Early morning shadows, the only way Dave

is taller than I am. (Mike)

Dave is hitting full stride by 9:30. Great form, dude.

Beautiful town of Cirauqui on the rise.

The poppies at the side of the trail are spectacular.

Our first stop for orange soda. We even broke into

our peanuts and bananas from breakfast.

(We may be the first pilgrims in history to gain weight!)

Sky so blue, wheat field so green. Picture perfect.

Another lone poppy. What's up with that?

Mike looks a bit like a giant red poppy himself.

Mike enjoying his iPhone.

Dave enjoying a refreshing drink with his 

"best girls" on Mother's Day.

Apparently, those Anderson women rock!

Great little town of Villatuerta, but the pizza fell

somewhere between so-so and nasty. (Mike)

Yes, we will be purchasing these for our next Camino.

(Mike)

Would that be cheating? (Dave)

Sunday in the Plaza––complete with a pingpong table.  

Families came to play and have lunch. Nice little town.

Made me a bit homesick to see my family. (Dave)

Estella at last! Iglesia de San Miguel.

 A weary wastrel begging for rides.

(Oh wait, could that be Dave??)

Tomorrow, it's on to Los Arcos! 

Let's hope the old guy pulls it together by then.

A couple of stories from Mike:  

Update on Pierre, the blind pilgrim we saw earlier on the Camino - Today, we were able to take a photo (below) of him with his escort! What a wonderful pair of friends they are.

We've learned that there are more blind pilgrims than Pierre traveling the Camino. Pictured below is a darling couple from Valencia, Spain. They are traveling with 24 others, and each blind person has a sighted companion. These two have been married 37 years; she lost her sight a year ago. They say walking the Camino has greatly increased their appreciation for one another. The walk makes her feel "free." There is a glow of love and kindness in their faces, and their body language reflects it too. I repeat my earlier thought upon seeing our friend Pierre walking the Camino as a blind man––How lucky we are!––but I also realize that, sometimes, stepping out of our senses (whether by fate or by intent) can magnify our spirituality beyond the ordinary. I think that is the case with this lovely woman, and maybe there is a lesson to be learned here.

A story from Sue about Dave, explaining the stones he referred to as "his girls":

I think I mentioned in an earlier post that Dave is carrying individual rocks, representing each of his loved ones, in his backpack. This morning he told me that he specifically focuses on one or two family members every day, putting their particular rocks in his pocket. As you saw above (in the picture taken in the plaza), today he honored the mothers in our family: my mom, our daughter, our daughter-in-law, and me. He texted each of us the picture below, with these words: "Happy Mother's Day to you all. I love you and carry you all in my heart (and pocket)." It's pretty good when you can make people feel cherished from 6,000 miles away! Thanks, Dave, and Buen Camino to you.

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and read more about the cause Mike and Dave 

are supporting with their walk.