#31. Bike diaries - Towards Santiago, day 1 - El Camino and its beginning

Day 1- 29 June, 2013

Irun-Beasain, 70km, 5hours on the bike, valleys and hills

After 1200km riding my bike from Brittany to the border with Spain, I came to the end of the trip and realized I had nowhere to live and nothing to lose, but I also noticed I had strong (and now suntanned!) legs and a good bike to ride. After having moved 9 times in less than two years, I felt it was time to stop resisting and to take my pilgrim lifestyle to a whole other level. This is the story of how  I cancelled my tickets to Brazil and decided to take my chances heading to Santiago de Compostela. These, and the followings posts, are excerpts from my personal diary. They will be published both in English and Portuguese whenever I have the chance, for I'm only in my second day and I have no idea when I'll find an internet connection again...

*Ramdom thoughts/situations in my first day of pilgrimage:

I will never make it in these fucking mountains.

I can't feel my knees anymore.

Why did I have to act hipster and choose a path to Santiago that nobody knows? Where the hell are the cute guys looking for enlightenment?
[ramdom thoughts in my day completely alone in the hostel in Beasain while thousands of pilgrims were fighting for a spot in the hostels throughout the French way, the most popular route to Santiago]

Ok. Everything has ham, I got it. So bring me the damn tortilla and a double dose of Jack Daniels on the rocks, please.
[vegetarian pain in Spain, properly cured with huge doses of Jack Daniels, after a heavy day riding my bike in the mountains]

Where are the cyclists pilgrims to Santiago?

Where are the women cycling on the roads?

I can't stand these stinky clothes anymore.
No way I'm wearing these socks again in my life.

What time does the siesta stop in this city?

-¿Hasta donde vas en bici, chica?
- Me voy hasta Santiago.
- ¿Y te vas sola?
- Sí!
-¿¿En serio???
- Si.
- !Valiente!
-.. y vengo del norte de la Francia, ya he hecho 1200km y algunas montañas...
-¡Valiente! Que buenas piernas tienes...
- Gracias. Ahora dejáme, que necesito continuar.Que te vayas bien, chico.
[my usual, daily dialogue with professionalroad bikers that come along in the road to chat while I'm riding. with my 10kg panniers. I swear: this dialogue happens more than 10 times a day, but none of the guys is riding to  Santiago, so none of them can make me company for too long]

No... ¿Tú? En bici? Sola? Hasta Santiago? Mira, que nunca he visto eso!

Please, God, no rain tomorrow, please please please...

Please, God, no steep mountain tomorrow, please please please...

Can I borrow some ice to put on my knees?
[in the bar]

What do you mean by me crossing the Pyrennees, sir???





Thanks, God, for I've never been so happy.