Morning at Orisson to Roncevalles
4 am wind sounded like it was going to lift the lodge and blow it off the the mountain. I couldn’t go back to sleep and considered my choices. Do I go on? The climb continues past Orisson for another 1200 meters before a more gentle rolling climb occurs. If it isn’t a severe rain storm with the wind, if I put everything ON, and if I had both poles, I could slog through.
If the weather becomes too dangerous, the hosts of the lodge will tell us and at that point, I taxi down to St Jean, and take a bus/taxi to Roncevalles. I saw the “alternate route from SJPDP yesterday (switch back highway) and I don’t want to take that route.
Hiked over the Pyrenees. The winds were very strong some gust up to 50 miles an hour. A group of us walked together. It took us 6 1/2 hours from Orisson. I don’t think I’ve ever done anything this difficult before. The good news is my feet held up very well. I had taped my foot and was careful with my pools and I did very well today. It started out very beautiful and then turned cold with winds. If it had rained it would have been horrible!