HikeAcrossSpain

Day 28  Portomarin to Palas de Rei Miles today:  15.9 Elevation gain: 1581’ Descent:  965’ Walking miles: 348.1 Total Camino miles:  462.6 He who would travel happily must travel light – Antoine de St. Exupery This second day pilgrim is walking with one shoe untied, talking on his cell phone, smoking a cigarette, and carrying an absolutely huge backpack. He will not make it to Santiago! This was an easy hiking day. Not too much uphill nor too much downhill, and the path was mostly dirt or gravel and thus easy on the feet. The five of us get an early and fast start. It is colder than anticipated at first, so our pace is brisk to match the temperature and to try to stay warm. An initial step climb warms us quickly as we walk in the fog and clouds. It will remain foggy for most of the morning. From the beginning we are surrounded by other pilgrims. Blaze, Chum, and I are having a hard time accepting this new Camino reality. No l...

Day 27  Sarria to Portomarin Miles today:  14.5 Elevation gain:  1260’ Descent:  1423’ Walking miles:  332.2 Total Camino miles:  446.7 As soon as I saw you, I knew an adventure was about to happen – Winnie the Pooh In digestion , a bolus (from Latin bolus , "ball") is a ball-like mixture of food and saliva that forms in the mouth during the process of chewing . The bolus is swallowed , and travels down the esophagus to the stomach for digestion. Once the bolus reaches the stomach, it mixes with gastric juices and then travels through the intestines for further digestion and absorption, and eventual discharge. The “Camino Bolus”. Since day one of our Camino, we have noticed that Pilgrims tend to travel in groups, whether they know each other or not. It seems to be a human trait to want to travel with other humans, to travel in herds. Whenever we notice a large number of pilgrims walking in tight bunches we joking r...

Day 26  Triacastela to Sarria Miles today:  11.0 Elevation gain:  910’ Descent;  1639’ Walking miles:  317.7 Total Camino miles:  432.2 Live life with no excuses, travel with no regret – Oscar Wilde The day starts with breakfast at 7 and on the road by 7:40. Today we head a relatively short distance—11 miles—into Sarria where we meet Judy and Eileen. It is a chilly 39 degrees as we set out, just a couple hundred yards through the edge of town and we hit a narrow country road that soon becomes a dirt path. We are in the fog along a small rushing stream. Numerous pilgrims are behind and in front of us. The path is bordered with ferns and moss. We quickly climb 800’ vertical feet, the path is steep but not too muddy today. Soon we level off and the view is spectacular. We gaze at what looks like a huge lake...it’s is a sea of clouds in the distant valleys.. Hills appear as islands in a sea.  Soon we begin down...

Day 25  Herrerias to Triacastela via O’Cebreiro Miles today:  19.4 Elevation gain:  2951’ Descent:  2917’ Walking miles:  306.7 Total Camino miles:  421.2 Wherever you go, go with all your heart! – Confucius Concern began at breakfast time. Breakfast is not available until a starting time of 8 am, which means a late start for walking...we prefer a 7 am or 7:30 am breakfast at the latest. But we have no other option since the two attempts at a “picnic” breakfast have proven to be both lacking and unsatisfactory.  We are ready for breakfast when the door is unlocked at 8 am. But we are the only ones eating for some time. Where is everyone else? Why is no one else eager to get walking? We soon learn why.  All the other pilgrims are walking from Herrerías to O’Cebreiro today, a distance of only 6 miles BUT with an elevation gain of over 2000’. That is how the main guidebook is set up. Each day is a “stage”. Today’s stage i...

Day 24  Villafranca to Herrerías Miles today:  14.2 Elevation gain:  1895’ Descent:  1441’ Total walking miles:  287.3 Total Camino miles:  401.8 I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.    —Susan Sontag Our walk begins in rain jackets and rain pants. It is a bit warmer this morning at the start with 43 degrees. It is only 10 minutes until the rain began to fall lightly. We pass thru the old town of Villafranca and cross the Burbia River.  Immediately we turn right onto the “green route” which is the guidebook designation for a scenic route. Within feet it grows very steep, perhaps the steepest climb of the Camino thus far.  The climb is steady for 1/2 mile, ascending over 550’ vertical feet. The remote trail is lined with ferns, and flowers, and flowering shrubs. The view overlooking Villafranca below is magnificent. Then the trail levels off for a bit. Then another climb of 300’. Then level, then ...