Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela - 4

Day 4 Oloron Ste Marie -> St. Jean Pied de Port

I learned an important lesson from yesterday-- it's not wise to start cycling in the dark. So I had my breakfast at 7 and left the place just as the sun was about to rise-- at 8am. After riding for about a kilometer, I noticed that the rear wheel of my bicycle was wiggling. I hoped I would get to my destination without breaking my bicycle. So this time, I took the bigger roads, which were mostly flat. The route I chose was longer but I thought it's a safe choice, better than the shorter but mountainous road. It would be safer for my bicycle.

It's a sunny morning but there was coldness in the air. But it's a nice ride. At midpoint of my journey, I stopped in a local town. It's midday so I looked for a place to eat but could not find an open one. I was convinced; it's not in the French tradition to eat lunch at noon. So I ate the leftovers I brought along with me from Lourdes.

Moving on, I enjoyed the long peaceful ride chasing the afternoon sun, until I reached an uphill road with a long gradual ascent. It's still a few kilometers to my destination. It took me a while to decide but I chose to ride my bicycle up. I thought that walking my bicycle would take much more time. When I reached the peak of the hill, there was a guy who seemed to have been watching me climb up. He cheered me up in French. I wasn't sure though if he said that I was almost there or if he said that I would be enjoying the road ahead. Whatever it was, I found out that awaiting me was a long, smooth and effortless ride down. It felt like a reward for that hard uphill climb.

I reached St. Jean Pied de Port at about 4:30pm, the sun still high. I asked for a cheap accommodation at the tourist center. When I showed my credencial, I was instead directed to the pilgrims' information center. The old guy I met in the pilgrims' information center was very helpful. He was surprised to learn that I started all the way from Lourdes and took a long route to reach St Jean Pied de Port. He mentioned that the Refugio, the common cheap accommodation for pilgrims, was already full. After stamping on my credencial, he gave me a shell. This shell meant that the wearer is a pilgrim to Santiago de Compostela.

But the old guy did not leave me without shelter that night. I was referred to a pilgrims' B&B next door. The landlady spoke French only but it's okay because I was given a room with two beds. The room was big enough to accommodate a couple or even more. But this B&B was old. My room, although it's big, was a little uncomfortable. I can see the wooden floor sunken in the middle. I kept sliding down to the center of the room unless I took off my socks and walked barefoot.

While strolling around for food later, I met two ladies--Miriam from Ireland and Meredith from Hungary. They were also at the pilgrims' information center earlier. I thought they were in the same group with all the others who arrived earlier than me in the center. Having recognized each other, we ended up eating together in the same restaurant. It turns out that we were also in the same B&B. They were going to walk the camino.

I decided to spend 2 nights here. I needed a day to have my bicycle fixed and that's a chance to have a rest day as well.

I thought the room was creepy.

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Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela - 3

Day 3 Lourdes -> Oloron Ste Marie


Today's the day.


I got up early this morning. It's the first day of my actual pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. It's the Holy Week and the day I got to Lourdes was Holy Monday. I thought it's fit to think of this journey as a form of penitence. Most pilgrims would start at the small French town of Saint Jean Pied de Port or the bordering Spanish town of Roncesvalles. I, however, decided to start my own pilgrimage from another major pilgrim site in France, the town of Lourdes. That's roughly an additional 160 kms to the length of the most popular pilgrim route, Camino Frances (the French Way). With my bicycle, I intended to reach the town of Oloron Ste Marie by the end of the day.


I thought I have prepared enough to know the route but I still got lost getting out of Lourdes and spent about an hour wandering around. When I maneuvered into the right direction, the road was totally black. I only had my bicycle's small LED headlight to light the path. It was supposed to be a high-tech gear but it was no help. It's like the darkness was absorbing all of the light the LED was emitting.


The road was going up the mountains. I rode all the way up. I was excited and full of energy. I was even singing some songs. Well, some verses, actually. I didn't know the whole song so I kept on repeating the same lines over and over. I was enjoying the scenery up in the mountains and down the flowing river that I didn't realize I was already pushing myself to the limit, considering it's my first day. When I stopped for a drink for the first time, I swear I could feel my leg muscles pounding. Before I even reached the midpoint of the day's itinerary, I was already exhausted. I got sleepy. I stopped to rest a few times and every time I'd sit down, I couldn't help feeling cold and almost falling asleep. I was thinking I might have to cut my trip short and retire early for the day.


Well it's my first cycling day. To show my determination, I stuck to my original itinerary.


Right. Well, the truth, however, was that I had to stick to my schedule because I was in the middle of nowhere and I couldn't find any accommodation. In the afternoon I was already on flat roads and despite achy legs and joints, and my so-called determination, I reached my destination, Oloron Ste Marie. I checked in at a place recommended by the information desk at the town hall. I also got my second stamp at the town hall. While the credencial serves as an ID for the pilgrims when checking in at a Refugio or some other pilgrim accommodations, stamps on it would also reveal the route I have taken.


There was no place to eat full meal in the afternoon. Even restaurants didn't serve meals at this time of the day. A simple cheese sandwich, under special request, and a soda was all I could have. This is irrelevant but there was no Internet café either. I also tried to visit the local church but it was closed and since it was beginning to get dark, I headed back to the hostel and went to bed instead. At around 9pm, however, I felt like I was starving so I went out and looked for a restaurant. I found one that cooked very good food but served terrible tap water much to my disappointment.


Since today was my first long day of cycling, I massaged my feet and legs before going to bed. I felt sore but the massage somehow eased the pain.
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