April 24, 2014
Ventosa, Spain
I'd better start writing more often or I'll remember nothing to say. This hike has so many different people walking it. And they walk it as they need to. It's an upscale hike with showers every day and cleaner clothes (for others...April and I still don't launder very often...wearing one set for hiking, one set for evening after shower, and sleepwear.). Some are hiking for a week or two, others to Santiago (800 kms) and others to Finisterre at the coast (another ~80 kms...that's where April and I are going...and Val and Phil, if they have time...they're daughter is expecting twins in a month or so,so no telling how long they can stay.)
This is like an international Appalachian Trail that goes through several small towns a day and ends in a bit larger town for the night. There are a lot of albergues along even in the smaller towns. Maybe we need to alter our rhythm so we end the day in one of those with fewer pilgrims.
I've had some great trail magic that I want to share. The first was when we got to the town of Los Arcos. Phil had called me to tell me he had our beds secured at the municipal albergue and that there was a small grocery store before the bridge if we wanted to get some food. So we stopped there. Later in the evening I joined Val and Phil going back to the store to get lunch for the next day. I'm standing at the register and glance across the shop. What do I see resting against the wall? My hiking pole! I hadn't even missed it. Oy vay! Would I have been upset in the morning!
The following day, more trail magic. At the first stop that morning at a cafe I went to read my map. Where are my glasses? I didn't have my visor or my knit cap on so my glasses wouldn't stay on my head. What have I done with then? So I emptied my whole pack, checked all my pockets...nothing. Argh! Where have I left them? I know I had them when we started today. We were 7 kms (2 hrs hiking) up the trail. I must have set them down when we stopped to take off our coats shortly after starting. Oh no! Am I going to have to hike back there and back here again? 4 extra hours? No way! I'll hitchhike. But I don't speak Spanish. How will I tell them where I want to go? And then how will I get back. Just then, Patricia arrives. She's a Spanish friend with great English. Maybe she can help me. Doesn't she find someone working on remodeling the aubergue in town to drive me back. And guess what? They were sitting on the curb right where I left them. Thank you Ausier!!
I was so ecstatic!!!!!! ( I have no spares with me, they're in Madrid.)
Another day. I'm not taking a lot of photos. I'm not documenting this trail like so many others. And I feel negligent. But I just want to be.
Today we had our first real raindrops, but not much. The irises and lilacs are in bloom. I had fresh strawberries without the hard white centers like in the States. Delicious! And the grape vines are budding with leaves.
The pavement and dirt trail is hard on the legs. Many are injured. Val and Phil bussed down the Camino today while April and I walked 20 kms.
Tonight we're in Ventosa a small town with a beautiful refurbished albergue. Good window to open. Good mattress. Should be a wonderful night.
Livin' the life,
BagLady
p.s. Photos are just not uploading. I may have to figure out a new way to blog because this is so frustrating!!!!!!!!!
