24.4 km ~ 34,376 steps
Song of the Day: Calling All Angels – Train
Since we had decided to have a late start, we didn’t head out from Zubiri until around 9:00, after a bread truck who was delivering to the local café asked if he could give a loaf to Mav 😂. Though I know Maverick isn’t a huge bread fan, who was I to say no to free bread? As predicted, Maverick turned his nose up at it so I packed it away in a side pocket of my pack for later. 
With our late start came out first dose of solitude on the trail. Most pilgrims had set off early as they were all very excited to arrive in Pamplona, the legendary city where Ernest Hemmingworth visited and famous for its running of the bulls every July. Heading out from Zubiri, we had to walk along roads and through odd industrial-like areas before coming to a scrubby forest with some streams to play in. We kept ourselves entertained as best as possible by singing, playing fetch, and talking out loud though Maverick never seemed to answer me.
We chose to take a scenic route, which took us up through dry, scrub like areas that reminded me of what I assume walking through parts of the PCT in California would be like. Mav did happen to find a snake at one point that was rattling its displeasure at being disturbed, so that definitely shook me up a bit. As someone who is typically very in tune with nature and animals, it was odd for me to realize I don’t even know what snakes in the area are poisonous. What plants, animals, to be worried of, etc. I talked with a man who had set up a donation café just after the snake incident and he informed me only one snake is poisonous in this part of the country and they are typically very small, but I don’t know. I’m still a bit leery now. I kept Mav on his leash for the next little while.
We had planned to stop at Trinidad de Arre, just short of Pamplona, but we had been making such short time we decided to continue on to Pamplona that afternoon. We found a room, though it was a bit seedy, and then set out to explore this ancient city. Around each winding corner, there was more history to discover. I’ll definitely be remembering running down winding alleys and playing chase with Maverick for the res of my life, because who can say they frolicked with their dog through the streets of Pamplona??
