Week three summary

Day 14 - Saturday, Sept. 6 - Azofra - Santo Domingo -15 km

Thankful for earplugs last night because the Spanish Thanksgiving Fiesta went loud until 3:00.  I slept well, (better than Lorraine, I think - which would probably be a first in 40 years of marriage. 

Beautiful walking today.  2 3/4 uneventful hours to do the first leg to Ciruena.  Figuring that we would find a place to have a coffee and sandwich in the old part of town, we walked past the beautiful golf club offering pilgrim prices because it seemed to "consumeristic".  That was a mistake.  If you come to Ciruena in the middle of the day, and are expecting something to eat/drink - take the golf club offering and be thankful. We also walked past two water fountains in the new section - Mistake 2.  We had difficulty finding one in the old section, but finally did.

We were planning in taking an hour for Lorraine's leg to rest here, but it looked like rain, and there was a dearth of food, so we decided to opt for plan B.  For the next 6 km section to Santo Domingo, we alternated carrying her pack - me on the levels and downhills (which is where she struggles the most) and her on the uphills.  Took our time, and it worked out great. 

Santo Domingo seemed to take forever to get into.  Most towns we walk in a Main Street, but in this one, the trail was behind the industrial section.  After we got to the old section, it looked like most towns, except bigger.

Found a bank machine, a shoe store where Lorraine hopes to buy an alternate pair of lighter walking shoes if they open again tonight, a grocery store where we will get supplies for tomorrow, and had a lunch.

Met Javier and Carmine again downtown.  They try to be very helpful, but our limited mutual language makes it difficult.  We were able to eat last night for € 2.00 each because they had found a spot.  They seem to know what is ahead more than we do, so we try to pay attention to where we should travel to the next day.  

Day 15 - Sunday, Sept. 7 - Santo Domingo to Belorado - 22 km

Out of the Albergue at a good time today - 7:15.  Although the elevation map we carry says today would be uphill, it seemed flat.  You have to love it when you have walked enough up hill that minor uphills now seem flat!!!

Several small villages to go through - some of them less than 2 km apart.  For us that makes long days seem shorter - I guess it's easier on the mind to walk 5 km, then 1.7, then 2, then 4, etc, than it is to walk 22.  So today we walked a short 22 km.  Had intended to stop one community earlier, but when we got there, there really was nothing to see, we were both feeling good, there was a bit of a cloud cover ... So it was an easy decision to do the next 5 km.  

Good news of this day - Lorraine did all 22 k with her own pack on, and was not bothered by the weight. 

Found a great albergue as we entered town, walked into town in the late afternoon, found another thanksgiving festival, and had an enjoyable day.  Saw Javier and Carmine at another albergue, visited them for a few moments.  A man there was singing to the small crowd, and for some reason chose to sing to me, though I had no idea what he was saying! 

Back to the Albergue for pilgrim meal at 7:30' and early to bed tonight. Apparently the festivities went on all night, because they were still stumbling out of the bars when we walked through on Monday morning.

Day 16 - Monday, Sept. 9 - Belorado to Villafranca Montes de Oca - 12 km.

Rather an uneventful day.

Cooler than any other day so far - a combination of higher altitude and a steady wind.

Did the projected four hour walk in ... four hours.

Met a couple of nice Brazilians whose English is much better than they think. San Salvador is a surgeon, and his friend Juan travels the world for Samsung.

Arrived at noon, checked into a nice bright municipal albergue.  Laundry.  Shower.  Greeted some friends passing through, and some others that were staying.

I explored while Lorraine rested for a few minutes in the afternoon and found the hotel/albergue we had been looking for.  AMAZING.  It serves a pilgrim meal tonight that is 2 € more than the bar on the corner! but for the ambience! we will take it.  

At the meal, met a doctor and his wife from Waterville, Maine - Bob and Gloria.  

Heavy rain in the evening - first rain since we left SJPDP.

Day 17 - Tuesday, Sept. 9 - Villafranca to Ages. - 16 km 

The rise out of Villafranca was long and difficult, but very doable.  After that, we walked on a straight fire-break road for several km.  A lot of pilgrims, but not much else.  Hot walk into San Jaun de Ortega.  Stopped there for a cafe con leches and boccadillo - and then decided to carry on in the next town. (Approx. 4 km)   Everything seems longer than the signs say, but by 2:00 we were settled into the municipal albergue, and delighted to see several familiar faces - Nancy and her two friends, Carmine and Javiar.  

As we talked with them, and asked where they lived, we discovered it is very close to Barcelona.  A smaller city called Sant Filieu de Giucheux, right on the Mediterannean.  They invited us to visit them, we exchanged phone numbers and emails, and they are wanting us to stay in his mothers empty house for - who knows how long - when we are done the Camino.  That would be a REAL financial bonus for us, so we'll see how it turns out.

Day 18 - Wednesday, Sept. 10 - Ages to Burgos - 25 km

25 km is more than we like to do, but some days you look at where you are, and what is ahead and 25 km is the only thing that makes sense.  So we walked and walked.  It was two or three totally different sections, so That way the day was broken up.  

The first eight km itself included steep rocky ascent to the Cross overlooking Atapuerca, then a long descent and country walk to a village where we could take a refreshment break.  While there we met Bill and Suzanne, a couple of approximately our age from Oregon.  Had bumped into them a time or two earlier, but this was the first time to chat for a few minutes.  Aso met three "Great Danes" - a trio of senior Danish ladies walking together.

For the next 8 km, we played leap frog with the Danish ladies as we made our way toward Burgos.  It was a hot walk around the perimeter of the airport, without much reprieve.

The last eight kilometres was more pleasant as we finally found the alternate route that followed the river toward the Cathedral area of Burgos.  On this stretch we played leap frog with Bill and Suzanne, as by this time the Great Danes were well ahead of us.

Finally found the cathedral/albergue area and to our disappointment, the albergue was full.  To our delight we soon found a private hotel for €61 and had a great night.  Unfortunately, we did not find Javiiar and Carmine again, so were unable to say good bye.  (Burgos was the end of the line for them, as he has to go back to work.)

Day 19  - Thursday, Sept. 11 - Burgos to Tardajos - supposedly 10 km

I don't question the kilometers much, but I'd be very surprised if today was not closer to 12 - 13 km.  There was major road construction overhead, and the route wound back and forth through that.  I know how fast Lorraine was walking (I could hardly keep up - I swear she's solar powered) and I know how long we walked, but officially we covered only 10 k.

Slept in this morning since the hotel has a 12:00 check out, and since we weren't fussy about how far we got.  Went across the street for a pleasant breakfast, then searchied for a "telebanko" machine and fruit stand. Back to the room to organize, pack and check out, so it was 10:45 before we hit the trail.  Saw one friend already in line at the albergue that was full yesterday, and we were momentarily tempted to check in their and make Burgos officially a zero day.  However there was nothing that we really wanted to see so we decided instead to make the next couple days 10 km.  

Not much on the walk out of Burgos.  We passed the University of Burgos that in medieval times was a hospital to serve the Pilgrims, so we stopped to take some pictures there.  

There was one area near Vlllabilla that has me stumped.  Thousands of street light fixtures, and streets, but practically zero buildings.  Like a city waiting to be built.  Must remember to look at it on Google maps to see if I can find something. 

Got to Tardajos a 1:45 (three hours walking) but the albergue doesn't open until 4:00.  With a nap on the bench, and talking to some others that soon begin to gather, the time passed quickly enough, and we were checked in and looking for a pilgrim meal.

Day 20 - Friday, September 12 - Tardajos to Hornillos del Camino - 10 km

A day much like yesterday, except that it started (and finished) earlier.  Started walking at 7:30 and finished at 11:00 with a room in the Albergue Meeting Point - the newest albergue we have stayed in.  Only been open two months, and was built to keep clean.  Bright shiny surfaces where no germ would ever feel at home.   A relaxing day of laundry, showers, meeting people, chatting, napping, and finding a pilgrim meal for the evening.  

SUMMARY - the biggest change from week 2 to  week 3 was in Lorraine's ability to travel well. If you look back at last week summary there were a lot of shared loads. This week - only the first day - and only a small part of that day. Thanks be to God!