Day 2 of the Camino de Santiago takes pilgrims from Orisson to Roncesvalles across the misty Pyrenees, trading clear views for a mysterious hike through clouds, grazing horses, and quiet farmland. After a steady climb and a welcome stop at a small roadside food van, the sky briefly clears at the summit before the descent into Spain. The day ends at the historic monastery of Roncesvalles, where weary pilgrims rest, share stories, and reflect on the first major mountain crossing of the journey.
Day 1 on the Camino took us from St. Jean Pied de Port to Refuge Orisson, climbing from 90 to 800 meters through the beautiful Basque countryside. The steady uphill hike challenged us early, but stunning mountain views, café stops, and encounters with fellow pilgrims made the effort worthwhile. Along the way, we shared stories with walkers from around the world, each carrying their own reason for taking on the Camino. Arriving at Orisson felt like reaching a mountain oasis, where good food, drinks, and a communal dinner turned strangers into friends — a perfect introduction to the spirit of the Camino.
And we’re back! It’s been more than four years since our last blog post, and although we have taken numerous trips and gone on several adventures over the years, the busyness of life and the stress at work kept us from maintaining the blog. But our recent major life event gave us a new motivation […]
When researching hikes near our cabin in Pisgah National Forest, I kept coming across Devil’s Courthouse along the Blue Ridge Parkway. However, what we didn’t realize was that the Blue Ridge Parkway closes every winter. Due to the high elevation, the Parkway can get so much snow and ice that driving on it becomes treacherous. […]
After a wonderful Christmas in Williamsburg, we packed up the car, and hit the road again. The next stop on our road trip was a tiny cabin in Pisgah National Forest near Balsam Grove, NC. We were sad to leave our cozy apartment, so we got a late start. That coupled with the a 7.5 […]
After spending a few days in Charleston, we headed north to Williamsburg, Virginia. I had been to Williamsburg a long time ago and really enjoyed it, but I was unsure what it would be like during the holidays and a pandemic. Would it be crowded? Would it be enjoyable walking around in the cold? Since […]
The 2020 holidays sure were different. Understandably, neither of our families wanted to host Christmas. Having a large gathering indoors isn’t the smartest thing to do during a pandemic after all. So, Nisheet and I decided to take a road trip and put some miles on our new Subaru Forester. We were itching to get […]
Like we mentioned in our last post, Cades Cove is a must when visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. But, because it is so popular, it can get extremely congested. We were lucky to visit on a slow day, and even then there were some serious traffic jams on the one-way road. If you […]
If there is one place in the Smoky Mountains that everybody talks about, it is Cades Cove. It was obviously an absolute must on our list. This area features spectacular views of the valley along with some excellent opportunities to see wildlife. Another big attraction is the houses from when the original settlers used to […]
On our first full day in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, we decided to tackle Chimney Tops Trail. This is a very popular trail, and we were told to arrive no later than 9am if we wanted a parking spot. And when we pulled up at 8:59am, we snagged the very last spot. Wohoo! […]
