Allison Cowie

Navarette to Azofra / 14.4 miles

Day 9 was the first day of my walking challenge from Jeff, which was to walk no faster than a 22-minute mile (and preferably slower) pace all day. Having this challenge in front of me made it more fun to go slower, and I was pretty amazed at the end of the day how much fresher my body felt. I was still tired, but if I had needed to walk on for a few more miles, I felt ready to do so. I hadn’t felt that way since Day 1 of the hike.

The morning opened with a brilliant sunrise over the vineyards I was walking through (tons of photos below). It was a peaceful day, and having the 22-min challenge made me a more steady walker. I stopped for a slice of tortilla, a mini ham sandwich and a Coke in Nájera, which revived my waning energy for the remaining five or so miles up and over the hills that looked like Utah and on to the small town of Azofra, where I spent the night.

Toward the end of the hike I met a Swedish woman and a German woman, and we walked together for a bit through the red rock formations and cornfields that felt so out of place among the vineyards that continued to line the trail. For dinner, a kind group of Spanish and French pilgrims took me in for their spaghetti meal — a real Camino treat to share food and conversation with others, even when our languages don’t overlap well.