Navarrete to Najera

6:05am, up with no alarm.  On the trail by 6:45.  The one shop in town that opens at 6am for Peregrinos is pitch black putting us into a 8 km walk just to get breakfast.  Just outside of town, a car pulls up as the trail leaves the road, and a Spanish gentleman gets out and starts walking right besides us.  Turns out he speaks fluent English, can't to the states 3 separate times, and walks that section of the Camino every day.  A very pleasant conversation for several km before he turned around to return to his car.  After that we entered the next village and guess what the had in the bar?!?!  Fried eggs with bacon!  Ooh baby, two days in a row, the Gods must be happy with me.  Destroyed that plate and downed two orange juices.  Ooh yeah baby!
Funny how things work, that lifted my spirits quite a bit, buy as we returned to the trail, the thought entered my head, "I don't want to walk anymore."...  See, the breakfast lifted my spirits, but it reminded of all I have back at home...  So a double edged sword.  As I said before, I KNOW this week is emotionally tough, but that doesn't prevent the feelings.  Steadied with the knowledge that this is normal, I planted one foot in front of the other and walked right out of that town :).
Amazingly, I walked by a lady we had seen as a Peregrino and she was biking, but looking down.  We got talking about the emotions this week and she was so amazed to hear that she was not the only one.  As a point, we talked with many Peregrinos today and almost universally ask were struggling with emotions and alum were relieved to hear how normal this was.  It is amazing, knowing you are not alone gives you that energy to push thru the day :).
Also interesting, you know that feeling when you start something new, you are doing it, but you don't feel like you have earned the right yet to call yourself, In my case Peregrino, what you are doing?  Well that feeling solidly disappeared yesterday.  I ceased being a newbie Peregrino and became a full on Peregrino!  I executed my daily Peregrino routine without thought and just went about my Peregrino life.  That might play some into the feelings issue also, cause now there is no mental thought to my chores to keep me distracted, allowing me to think back to home and the things I miss, especially my family.
So, people reading this must think that av American in Spain, by himself, with these emotions would be a wreck, well not my experienced Camino friends, but uninitiated would.  However that is not the case, cause there is a Camino family here and while some people are on a Camino vacation, those "On Camino" are your Camino brothers and sisters and everyone helps everyone.
(OK, as I am writing this, i had to ask and look out the window to watch a high school band parade down the streets, just awesome - this country really likes any excuse for a parade!  Video should upload tonight I hope)
OK, back to that previous thought...
So you depart your start town and meet your first Camino family and many will become friends.  Sometimes your friends stretch away from you and other times they find you and photo-bomb your pictures of water fountains.  At any rate there are always people to talk to on Camino if you are willing and Camino brings out the best in humanity, and that is why when others think you are alone, you couldn't have more family save being back at your own home.

So, today's walk, after bacon and eggs just started getting harder, not that the trail was difficult, it wound thru vineyards mostly, but the body might be struggling likes the emotions, or the emotions are dragging the body down, either way, the 2nd half of the last leg was just a pain.  The knees were getting sore the get achy, etc.  I walk into Najera and am immediately overcome with "to much city" syndrome.  Luckily, the albergue is on they other side of the bridge, in a nicer area with a Riverside park advertised the street.  Tonight we didn't score down bunks, but a bunk in a separate room with this little terrace room looking out onto the park.  So, ever all I recovered nicely and even scored an early dinner!  Oh yeah experienced Peregrinos, I got dinner at 5pm!  No waiting for 7pmv or later for me today...  WOOT!
I have to say, it is a special treat when I wake up in the morning and get to hear from family and friends back home, gives me that push to get going on the next days adventure.  Speaking of that, by at least one guide I am 1/4 the rest thru!  HECK YEAH!  Once I get thru the emotional stage, I should be entering the meseta, the upper plains. Where I am told you either love it out hate it - Time will tell.

Well, this has rambled on long enough and its starting to approach bedtime.  This Peregrino is physically, mentally, and spiritually exhausted tonight - Throw at me what you must Mother Camino, this Peregrino doesn't quit anywhere near this easily.  Tomorrow I'll be back walking ever so closer to Santiago with every footstep!

Buen Camino!
Kevin

(I can still hear the band playing!)

PHOTO DUMP TIME!
SUNDAY : https://goo.gl/photos/VkLMb5vYJHkgJwqL9

MONDAY : https://goo.gl/photos/tJPciLLNwnFV23ZA7

TUESDAY :
https://goo.gl/photos/rGNRbKDv4PRq5yZz6