I was so glad to leave Villamayor. The bunk room was hot. It rained just enough to increase the humidity to 200,000%. One had to be a mountain goat to traverse the ridiculously steep concrete ramps to get to the only place with cold drinks. We got up at 5 AM (10 PM Kansas time) and readied quietly to vamoose. Couldn’t find our boots and trekking poles which always have to be left downstairs. The place was a maze of stuffy corridors and stairs. Discovered the only way to the boot room was through somebody else’s bunk room in order to get to right set of stairs. We repacked our backpacks using the light in the boot room having navigated there using our LED lights on low setting. No easy way to refill our water bladders so geared up and took off with the LED lights hanging on the front pack straps. Made it without serious injury down to the street where we found a drinking water spigot and filled our hydration packs there. Then off like a shot. It is Sunday morning and no mass scheduled nor For Saturday evening either. Why, we had asked? Because there aren’t enough parishioners in these parts. I have only been to mass once, in Dublin, since we left. Nancy got to go in St Jean while I was sick. Since then we have been unlucky with timing or wrong information. We miss celebrating mass regularly. It leaves a hole in your heart somehow that only mass can heal. Well, maybe the next town. We couldn’t find the Camino path for awhile because it was poorly marked and of course still dark at 5:30. We were not sorry to leave Villamayor far behind in distance and memory.
Twenty one kilometers to our next albergue (13 miles). It was a tough downhill from Villamayor. The road was rocky, steep, and long. But once that ended we had nice, often flat, even roads. We made great time. Best ever. I now walk with two knee braces which help keep swelling down so the knee cap doesn’t get lifted out of place. Nancy has one on her left knee but I think it’s a little too big for her trim legs because her knee was hurting a lot today. We brought ibuprofen along that eases that a lot but running out and they don’t seem to sell anything but Tylenol here. Tylenol doesn’t work as far as we can tell.
Nevertheless we did our best pace ever today helping to cover that 21 km. The trail wound through a hilly region. Very scenic. And instead of going up and over every hill the path wound between them staying mostly flat. Also it stayed cloudy most of the day.
The first few miles were very dry and look to have been that way for a few weeks. Grape vineyards were withered and vegetable gardens looked like ours back home. But further on we crossed a boggy area between the hills and vineyards and vegetables took on a lush look and a deep dark green. The vineyards were loaded with dark purple grapes about dime size. Nancy couldnt resist anymore and stepped off the road a couple of feet and grabbed a couple. They were unusually sweet with intense grape flavor. Very good but we’re guessing they are wine grapes because of those characteristics. We’ve never tasted table grapes that sweet and intense.
We drifted into Los Arcos 12 km from our starting point about 9:30. It’s a beautiful town full of business and residence stone buildings that look to be hundreds of years old. The Catholic Church there was huge, very old, and in an hour would have perigrino benediction. But no mass until 7PM. So after a spot of lunch ( breakfast pie and coffee) we continued on to Torres Del Rio where we hoped to find bunk space.
Our knees started acting up on that leg of the walk so it didn’t go so quickly. We did make it but decided to get a private bunk room or a pension so we could tend to our hurting bodies. A fellow walker from New York saw us drag into town and told us about a great pilgrim hotel called the El Olivio de Sansol so we tried there. We got a great private room with its own bathroom. We like it so well we’re going to stay a couple days to do some healing. The view is super, there’s a market to get fruit and orange Fanta, and restaurants. Also Nancy discovered some grapes on the vine on the lower patio.
Those knees will get you every time. I’m glad you are able to rest them when needed. Can you fill your water bladders with cold water and ‘ice’ your knees, at least 20 minutes?
You sound like you are having a great time.
Trek on.! Does this make you Trekies?
Dori
You two are my heroes! You are definitely hikers! It sounds like you are getting so much out of this pilgrimage, in addition to aching muscles and joints! Enjoy the fun times and the people you meet and the beautiful countryside. You are endurung, you are blessed. I’LL be praying for your continued healing and protection.
Hi Mickey,
Glad to hear from you. We’ve had no cell or wi-fi for awhile so just got your comment. In Logroño having a coffe break then continue on to Navarette to bed down.
Ola!
Curt & Nancy
A few good rest days sounds like fun, settling into a community for awhile.
Hi Cheryl, We were not able to stay at the quaint little albergue because some people had the whole place booked for three days so up at 5:30 and on we went 12.6 km to Viana. It was nice because we got there by 12:30 and got a NAP! There were only two restaurants in the town of 4,000. One was on vacation and the other was closed for remodel. So to the supermercado we went. Then we found a bar with leftover sandwiches and wine. This morning, day 12, the alarm goes off at 5:30 and I said to Curt “So this is retirement?”. Peace! Nancy