One year, Joe and I walked together with our group, composed of two married couples and some singles.
I looked at the weather the morning in SJPP we were supposed to walk.
It said snow.
I made the decision we would NOT walk but would taxi to Roncesvalles.
The rest wanted to walk and walk they did! Joe agreed to accompany them.
And what a walk it was! They had fog, rain, sleet, hail, SNOW, and over 75 kph gales!
One gal lost her glasses and had to walk blind
the rest of the Camino as it was impossible to get a prescription for glasses filled without waiting.
We four were safe and snug in front of a fire at La Posada,
watching as frozen wet pilgrims slogged in.
There we met two pilgrims from Las Vegas, Ralph and Toni Marie. They made the nearly fatal mistake of leaving Orisson the day before at 4 pm. Much too late!
By 9:30 it was getting dark.
Toni used her iPhone for light, but after half an hour the batteries were gone.
It was so dark they couldn't see their hands in front of their faces.
It was snowing and hailing and the wind was howling.
They were shivering, wet, and cold.
They huddled together under their small fleece blankets next to a bush and said the rosary to stay awake.
Tonie, a nurse, knew that falling asleep could mean they would die.
Seven long hours later, at dawn, they limped down into Roncesvalles, leaving their gear behind.
They actually had a room booked at La Posada and the staff had left out a bocadillo for them.
Here they are, next day, with a story to tell their grandchildren about how they almost died on the Pyrenees!
Our pilgrims came in late with their own stories.
After a nice trout dinner we all slept soundly.
Roncesvalles albergue was quieter than I've ever seen it.
Moral #1: If the sky looks threatening, do not attempt to cross from Orisson to Roncesvalles. The views are not worth your life!
Moral #2: Do not leave too late. Better to arrive early than not at all!