GR 11 - Week 2 Update

The high Pyrénées are great! I do love being in big beautiful mountains. We are making good progress on the trail averaging around 38km each day.

One of the many beautiful passes

The National Parks and Natural Parks of Spain are a bit difficult for thru-hiking. There is no tenting allowed except at Rifugios. And all the Rifugios are booked weeks or months out. As a result we are crossing them in a day so we can tent on either side. It's gorgeous but exhausting to do 50km with 10,000ft of climbing (as we have done twice now).

Perhaps hard to see, but there are fields of wild iris's. 5km of continuously walking through them.

Amazing camping locations

Trail life is nice and simple: walk, eat, drink and sleep. The only real concerns are where is the next water source, where can we get more food and where will we sleep. It's quite nice.

I'm having some challenges with my shin. Not sure if shin splints or perhaps some tendonitis... Hurts to walk downhill but is fine uphill. Going to take tomorrow off to rest it.

Yesterday was my birthday, we took our first day of rest. We had a lovely lazy morning, went out to breakfast at the campground cafe then hitched into town and got a 3 course lunch and ran some errands. Took the bus back to the trailhead/campgroung just in time to get in before the big thunderstorm hit. Then after it passed we went out to a nice dinner. Overall a great day.

Today we hit halfway on the trail. Shin is better with some KT tape but still feeling it. Weather is a bit moody but improving.

43 years old and still going strong.