Today was an unplanned long day, but I had to take advantage of providence when staring me in the face. I had a later start as I had only planned to only walk 22k, so it was coffee and churros at the local churreria for breakfast and on the road by 8am.
2 kms down the highway I met up with Pepe, who was just getting out of a delivery van. Obviously he had gotten lost and begged a lift back to the Camino; I saw a way to avoid 8kms of hard road walking, so I waved to Pepe, hopped in the van and caught a lift to Banos. Now I couldn't only walk 14K in one day, so that meant doing another stage altogether and that's how I ended up walking all the way to Fuenterroble.
It was a very pretty day, very cool and cloudy which I've decided isn't a bad thing when you've many miles to cover. The news this morning showed snow at higher elevations and rain to come so hopefully I'll make it to F. in time!
The scenery was quite beautiful and I was able to enjoy most of it until the afternoon when my tired feet and sore muscles turned all my thoughts inward.
In the beginning, however, I realized that I must be climbing in altitude as it seemed as though Spring has not quite sprung in this part of Spain. The trees are quite barren and the broom was not yet in flower. I walked on a nice backcountry road which overlooked a narrow valley with the sound of a small river running below, until I gained the valley floor and walked parallel to the river on one side and a rocky hill populated with grazing cows on the other. Up a rocky roman road into Calzada de Bejar (16kms) where the need for caffeine prompted me to ask an old man for directions to the one neighborhood bar. I ended up with a smeary stamp in my pilgrim's passport and a very "Buen Camino"! The noon bells rang me out of town and I carried on to the next refreshment stop 8.6kms later in Valverde de Valdelacasa.
By this time my feet were feeling the delayed reaction to yesterday's marathon and insisted on a beer for lunch. The bar was open and had wi-fi so I was happy to oblige for half an hour's rest.
12kms to go and the first 3.5K were on paved road! Uphill paved road!! I think there were cows, I know I saw a horse, there might even have been scenic views behind but I pretty much just saw road. Road turned to sandy path, which turned to stoney gravel which turned into rain! I didn't make it in time. A heavy drizzle right at the end so I walked into Fuenterroble as the Big Red Tomato :(
I'm staying at the wonderful donativo albergue here that's a complex of little buildings (a tiny one just for American pilgrims! Me!), all wood beams and hand-painted murals. There's a wood-burning fireplace in the common room so that's where I'll be relaxing tonight!
Thanks, Allison
Sent from my iPhone
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