How to Find Your Path
(Even When You Miss The Mark)
If you look very closely at the picture above, you will see the statue of the Virgin Mary that looks over the often foggy Pyrenees in France.
Preparation Day - I had spent the day prior checking pack, getting snacks, water and food organised and took a brief video as I was a bit nervous. You can see what snacks and food I packed here in the video. Mostly successful except the rice salad, that went in the bin, having gone up my nose.
Day 1 and I started early out of Saint-Jean Pied de Port to tackle route Napoleon. This route ascends the Pyrenees and should only be attempted in good weather, but lures with endless views of mountain peaks & the day I started, the weather was ok, I was to discover the next day not so much!
I was to rendezvous with two friends at the Virgin Mary statue to be picked up by our “transport” to take us back to St Jean Pied de Port - that was the plan for our first day. To break up the St Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles leg which was 24.4km into two sections. The thinking being, ease into it slowly - which made sense. There was no accommodation available in Orisson, the first and only town before our final destination for that day - so back to where I had come for my second night. The second day I’d start where we left off at the Statue of the Virgin Mary.
I was excited to get going - I had trained hard for this first ascent, the toughest of the entire walk apparently although I found the hill climb to Laguna de Castilla much tougher or I was at Day 30, much wearier!
I made it to Orisson in good time I was head down (literally) heading up to the top of the Pyrenees in howling wind and darkening cloud. The wind was like nothing I had ever experienced. It was a sideward wind complete with ice needles that pummelled the side of my face, I was focusing on my breathing, with hood up and buff around ears and face conscious of getting to the designated spot with ample time.
I missed the mark.
Totally missed the rendezvous point, didn’t see it, didn’t notice any other pilgrims gathering, taking photos - nothing.
The wind at one point blew a fellow pilgrims back pack cover off her pack and I watched as she ran to try and catch the tumble weed cover race down the mountain toward unsuspecting sheep. It was pointless and we discussed the loss over a hot drink at the food truck. I admired her, she tried but we had a long way to go and she resigned herself to buying another in the next major town.
I kept asking people where’s the Virgin? First lesson I learnt, use a map and navigate yourself and don’t rely on others. I think as it was just day 1 , I thought I will ‘see’ the statue of the Virgin Mary so didn’t bother to check a map either on my phone or the actual map I was given at the Pilgrim Office in St Jean Pied de Port. I literally just wasn’t ‘seasoned’ yet, didn’t know what I didn’t know - sound familiar?
“She’s up ahead” was the shouted response, eventually I realised I was way past my meet point. I was in fact nearly 8kms past and missed not only the statue but the weather was closing in and I was in the middle of nowhere when I made the decision to turn around. I was in touch with my friends via text and was told I had missed the meet point, they were there waiting. I worked out it was at least an hour and half walking back down the way I’d come, the weather was coming in fast and I felt the stirrings of unease.
We were meeting at 2pm it was now 1.20pm and on average I walk 5-6km per hour, do the math, I wasn’t going to make it. Other Pilgrims on the ascent walked past me with a look of bewilderment - Why are you going back? I shouted into the wind “did you see the Virgin?”
I am pretty sure they thought I’d had some spiritual awakening when in truth I was panicking. I was between a rock and hard place. I could go on to the next destination or turn back to my gear and bed for the night.
I stopped on top of the hill (photo above) and decided to go back to the food truck and see if I could hitch a ride back down the hill.
My disappointment when I realised the food truck had packed up and gone for the day - all the pilgrims had gone through and that said to me I was on my own.
I started to run down the mountain, slowly and calculating the time and distance in my head as my pack clunked awkwardly on my back. If I really push it and don’t fall I will make the pick up.
My guardian angel appeared ‘in’ a white steed slowly emerging from the cloudy mist.
I waved down the ute, there are no vehicles up here only shepherds, sheep, horses cattle and wind. Did I mention the wind?
The shepherd, as it turned out was a female French National who spoke no English and I no French, she also had a passenger in the form of an overweight German woman slumped in the back seat from what I can only guess was exhaustion.
I candidly explained my situation with hand movements & laughter, charm and gratitude generally a winning formula and need to get back down the hill to the Virgin.
My guardian angel turned her ute around and rather unceremoniously removed the German hiker and said to her in French wait here, I’ll come back to get you (well I think that’s what she said) the hiker was non too happy about this as she, her poles, her pack sat slumped on a log amongst the shale and wind at the food truck park site.