Camino 2013 - Day 30: Foncebadón To Ponferrada

This would be the second repeat stage for me (my first Camino post is here).  My original itinerary had us stopping in Molinaseca, a nice town just before Ponferrada, but, after considering distances, we decided that stopping in Ponferrada made more sense.  I had mixed feeling about stopping in Ponferrada.  I wanted to tour the Knights Templar castle but I'd not liked the albergue ... and there is only one in Ponferrada.

Sunrise on the way to the Cruz de Ferro.

We got up early on a fairly chilly morning.  The mornings would be chilly from now on (actually they'd been chilly for a while now) and I usually started out with my rain jacket on until my body warmed up.  As we left Foncebadón we passed a little store.  It hadn't been there last time and, thinking that Foncebadón was pretty much a ghost town, we hadn't even walked around to see if anything had changed.  If I'd known it was there I would have stopped at the store.

We climbed the hill and reached the cruz de ferro.  Last time I hadn't put much thought into bringing something to leave at the base of the cross.  This time I was a bit better prepared.  We took turns taking each other's picture next to the cross and, when it was my turn, I left three broken shells.  The first shell was the one I picked up in Fisterra last time and had broken while attempting to drill a hole in it.  The second shell was the broken necklace shell also made from a Fisterra shell.  The third shell was the shell J-M had given me on the Aragones and that I'd broken in Navarette.  I'd spent a lot of time trying to figure out what each shell represented.  What I finally came up with was they represented the people you meet, befriend, and lose along the Camino.

The Cruz de Ferro - The Iron Cross.

Along with the three shells I also left the big toe nail that came off my last Camino (yes ... I kept it for two years).  It represented the physical hardship of walking the Camino and walking through life really.

We left the cross and stopped briefly at Manjarin, the most rustic of rustic albergues.  The bathroom was an outhouse across the highway from the albergue.  I smiled at their large dogs and went inside for a stamp and bought a magnet ... much like I'd done the last time.

Green hills even in October.

Shortly after Manjarin the Camino starts heading down.  The Cruz de Ferro is the highest point along the Camino Frances and you drop down fast as the rocky path snakes down.  The rocky path reminded me of part of the Aragones where we were constantly worried about turning an ankle.  Going down was slow and a bit tiring as you carefully picked where you would plant your foot.  The trekking poles were life, knee, and ankle savers.

We stumbled into El Acebo de San Miguel and found a place to stop for breakfast and something to drink.  A lot of people stopped here to recover from the rocky descent.  Last time I'd stopped here for some breakfast too - the first time on the Camino if I recall correctly.  Stopping for breakfast, lunch, or just a snack was now a daily habit.

Along the way we passed a group of people speaking English.  One of them in particular was acting obnoxious.  Loud.  Self-aggrandizing.  Entitled.  I thought a lot about how Americans could be so obnoxious at times.  I thought this until I found out he was Canadian.   I made sure G_v knew this ... with a smile.

We reached Molinaseca and I once again thought it would be a nice place to stop.  We did stop for lunch at a restaurant just at the edge of town.  The food was good but the service was slow.  We walked to the next town and stopped for something to drink.  We ended up stopping a lot this day and I think I may have been the one who wanted to stop the most.  I hadn't resupplied properly in Rabanal I think.

We reached Ponferrada and checked into the albergue.  There were different people running it and they seemed so much nicer than the last Hospitaleros.  The whole atmosphere of the place felt nicer.  Last time the sexes had been segregated.  This time it was not as strict.

Knights Templar castle in Ponferrada ... closed on Sunday afternoon.

It was Sunday and I wondered if the Templar Castle would even be open.  I was assured by someone at the albergue that it would so, accompanied by M_a and her friend (can't recall his name), we headed for the castle.  We reached it and saw that it was in fact closed.  We were now in winter hours and it closed about an hour before we'd arrived in Ponferrada.  I was a bit disappointed but we walked around a bit and still enjoyed most of the afternoon.

I toured the church but was disappointed that the church gift shop, a possible source for a Mary for the Wife, was not open either.  The legend of the church is that the statue of Mary which is on the altar was discovered my a Templar Knight in the hollow of a tree.

Walking back to the albergue I searched for an open food store and found everything closed.  Sunday was not a good day to shop in Spain - most stores are closed.  Fortunately the restaurants were open and this evening G_v and I ate out.  I had a hankering for a hamburger and the one they served at the restaurant was delicious.  We ate on a table in front of the restaurant and I got cold really fast.  The albergue felt nice and warm when we go back there shortly after dark.

Ponferrada seemed more interesting this time around.  Not sure what was different.  I felt more relaxed and I slept well that night.

Pictures can be found in my 2013 Camino de Santiago Google Photos album.

Total Distance on Day 29: 27 km ( 16.78 Miles) Total Distance Walked: 688 km (427.50 Miles)

Approximate Track of the day's hike.

[Click on map for a larger version]

Book: Cheryl Strayed's "Wild"

It's been over a year since I last read a book not published by a family member.  I did look for books to read last year but just didn't start any.  The first book I decided to read was on my list from last year: Cheryl Strayed's "Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail".

I'd heard about it on some podcast (I don't remember which one) and, with my interest in the Appalachian Trail (AT), decided to give it a read.  The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is the AT's newer, west coast cousin.  It stretches from the Mexican border to the Canadian border and goes through the states California, Oregon, and Washington.  It is longer that the AT and, I believe, less hiked than the AT.

The book starts out explaining Strayed's background and what a background she has.  Her father left when she was very young.  Her mother dies at age 45.  After her death the family (Strayed's two siblings, step father, and herself) disintegrates.  Unable to handle the death of her mother, who she was very close with, Strayed has affairs which breakup her marriage, sleeps around with little abandon, and dabbles with heroin.  In other words, her life goes to hell.

After a terminated pregnancy and other bottom scrapping events, she finds herself in an REI buying a shovel when she sees a guide book for the PCT.  Not long afterward she decides to walk the PCT alone.  Unprepared and poorly planned she is dropped off in Mojave, CA where she will start her hike up to the California-Oregon border.

The book follows her adventure with a too heavy pack she nicknames Monster.  The narrative bounces between her downward spiral and the PCT.  She meets people along the way.  Has adventures.  Suffers from terrible blisters and foot issues.  She skips the Sierra Nevada due to a record snow pack and extends her hike to the Oregon-Washington border to makeup for the distance lost.  Along the way she defeats her demons - especially the death of her mother.

I liked the book to a limited extent.  I liked the PCT portions.  I did not like reading about her crappy pre-PCT life but as I read on I realized the story would not have been the same without this background.  Having said this I always felt myself rushing through the background paragraphs to get to the next PCT section.

One thing that grabbed me was the similarities between her experience on the PCT and my walks on the Camino.  There are trail angels on the PCT (people who help hikers along the way) and there are Camino angels who help pilgrims on their way.  The trail provides for the hiker and the Camino provides for the pilgrim.  I imagine the AT has a similar culture.  Maybe all long hikes/pilgrimages have that special culture.  I can't wait to find out for myself on the AT.

Her writing style is very informal and kind of feels like an expanded blog entry.  It kind of reminds me of my writing style ... if I took time to polish my style.

Recommended.  Also, the book will be coming out as a movie later this year.  Not sure if I will see it.  Movie adaptations of books rarely live up to the original.

Camino 2013 - Day 29: Astorga To Foncebadón

Today was the beginning of the end for my blister problems. I would have other blisters farther ahead but G_v and I would finally get a handle on how to treat my feet. Last Camino it was G_v who had had terrible blister problems.  This time around she was free of major blisters (toe blisters don't count).    When we left Astorga I had lubed my feet up with PEDI-Relax, covered my existing blisters with gauze pads secured in place by Hypafix, and I wore wool socks over liners socks.  This would be the right setup for me.

This stage was a repeat of the one from my first Camino (posted about it here).  We first stopped at a bar/restaurant in Santa Catalina de Somoza for breakfast.  The restaurant advertised vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free meals.  The food along the Camino was slowly changing to accommodate different eating styles and conditions.  The owner was very nice and her bar was packed with people this morning.  The Bulgarian couple were here and I wished a happy birthday to the girl - it would be the first and last time I would actually talk to them ... or see them.

A tough tree growing out of a wall.

Next stop along the way was El Mesón Cowboy in El Ganzo.  Last time I'd missed the opportunity to get a stamp but this time I got one along with a sandwich which I ate while watching cats waiting for a pilgrim to drop food.  This is a good place to rest as the Camino starts to really climb soon afterwards.

We reached Rabanal and looked for an open store.  After a couple of misses we finally found an open store (It may have been a Sunday and a lot of things were closed).  Our destination, Foncebadón, did not have much of a store so we had to stock up for tomorrow early.  On the way out of town we ran into V_n.  We chatted a bit.  He was staying in Rabanal since he'd heard bedbug rumors about Foncebadón.  We'd liked the place last time so we decided to risk it and continue on anyway.

Out of Rabanal the Camino climbs and, like last time, I felt pretty good.  We met another pilgrim, W_y, a Vietnam vet.  He told us his story as we walked up the hill.  He and his friend had protested the war.  When his friend dodged the draft and was arrested, he went to prison, sentenced to four years.  W_y decided he wouldn't survive prison so he went to Vietnam.  He returned with PTSD.  I think the Camino was part of his long healing process.

Looking back on the trail to Foncebadón.

We were resting and talking when some horse pilgrims snuck up behind us and scared the bejeezus out of us.  This would happen a couple times on the way to Foncebadón.  Those horses can be sneaky!

We arrived in Foncebadón and checked into the hippie albergue we'd stayed at last time.  We checked our bed thoroughly and found no evidence of bedbugs.  We did our chores and, despite the chill in the air, we went outside to sit in the sun.  We were joined by M_a, W_y, and other pilgrims we'd seen that day.  We all sat around snacking and drinking.  The wine was cheap here and, while I didn't partake, others did.

I went up to my bed to take a nap.  When I returned there were more empty wine pitchers on the table.  Everyone was a bit tipsy.  Pilgrims were playing games with the local kids and everyone was having a great time.  There was a sign in the albergue that said "No hay Wi-Fi (Hablad entre vosotros.)" which means "There is no Wi-Fi (Talk amongst yourselves.)".  I can say that everyone took those words to heart and we all benefited from them.

There is no Wi-Fi (Talk amongst yourselves).  Word!

Dinner was a communal affair and it was pretty good.  More wine was passed around and a few people (especially M_a) were very happy.  Not sure how happy they would be walking the next day though.  G_v asked about the homemade goat yogurt they served last time.  They said they were not allowed to serve it but, after pleading, and consulting with the owner of the albergue, a large cup full was put in front of her.  I tried some and I have to say I don't like "real" yogurt.  Too sour for me.  I prefer the sweetened American stuff.

Our clothes, despite the wind and sun, hadn't dried by the time we headed for bed.  We strung a few of G_v's extra shoelaces together and made a clothesline over our beds and hung all our stuff up.  I fell asleep surrounded by t-shirts, underwear and socks.

A note about the pictures.  There are stretches where I didn't take many pictures (this stage being one of them).  Sometimes it was because of the weather - rain is uninspiring even with a waterproof camera.  Other times it was due to a desire not to take the same pictures as last time.  Several times I stopped myself when I realized that I'd taken the exact same picture on my first Camino.  The pictures I did take can, as usual, be found in my 2013 Camino de Santiago Google Photos album.

Total Distance on Day 29: 26 km ( 16.16 Miles) Total Distance Walked: 661 km (410.73 Miles)

Approximate Track of the day's hike.

[Click on map for a larger version]

Camino 2013 - Day 28: San Martín del Camino To Astorga

People woke up early today.  The stars were still out when we left the albergue.  I had to pull out my little flashlight once we left town to look for arrows.  We'd left earlier in the day before but dawn was slowly getting later and later and you had to wait longer for the light.  You notice the sun's movements much more acutely when you hike and depend on them so much.

The long Gothic bridge in Hospital de Órbigo.

This portion of the Camino was much more interesting and scenic than the day before.  We passed through the town of Hospital de Órbigo home of an impressive Gothic bridge and home of a legend about a knight who challenged other knights in jousts for 30 days to win the hand of a noble lady.  After winning nearly 300 jousts he removed a silver collar that represented his love for the noble woman and became a pilgrim and walked the Camino to Santiago de Compostela.

Walking through farmland including vineyards.

From here the Camino goes out into the countryside and passes through farm fields.  We met M_a (who we'd met in San Bol and who was now separated from her walking partner C_m).  We walked with her a while but she turned out to be too quick for me.  She was a hell of a fast walker.  While G_v and I turned out to be much faster walkers than most of the Camino crowd, two of the fastest walkers we would meet were women who pretty much smoked us.

A small rest spot along the country road decorated with Camino art.

Speaking of walking pace.  Mine had changed a lot along this Camino.  On the Aragones I'd felt stronger and faster - it was my endurance that was lacking.  G_v was often behind me on the Aragones.  Once I got to the Frances and the heel blisters made their appearance my pace slowed dramatically.  It was all I could do to keep up with G_v.  The pain I felt from the blisters and the gloomy, rainy weather that sapped my mood really put a drag on me.  But things were starting to change.  The weather was being more cooperative and we walked this stage without rain.  The fairly somber mood I'd been in since about Carrión de los Condes, the real start of the gloomy, rainy weather, was starting to lift.  The sun felt awesome.  Over the next few days G_v would conclude that I was solar powered needing only sunlight and sugar to be happy.

David's Casa de los Dioses - a food and drink stand supported by donations.

Between towns there is the oasis known as Casa de los Dioses (Home of the Gods) which is the location of David's Fruit Stand.  I'd heard about this place after I got back from my last Camino.  David, and other volunteers, have set up a stand in front of a dilapidated ruin of a farm building.  The stand is full of fruit, teas, hot and cold water, juices, and other treats for pilgrims.  There were several pilgrims hanging around, drinking coffee and tea, and relaxing in the sun.  David wasn't there when we stopped there but another volunteer, originally from Romania, was there tending the stand.  I picked up two bananas and a couple glasses of apple juice which I payed for with a donation in the small box on one end of the stand.

The cross overlooking Astorga.  The cathedral and palace are to the left of the cross.

We reached an overlook with a cross.  From there you could see Astorga.  You could also see you had to go down before going back up ... naturally.  A man was playing a guitar in the shade near the cross.  As we approached he changed his song to sing about G_v.  We laughed at this.  Some change was tossed into his guitar case.

We stopped to rest briefly in a town just outside Astorga.  I bought my daily ice cream bar and had taken a couple bites when G_v turned, one of her trekking poles bumped my hand, and the ice cream bar dropped into the gutter.  I was bummed.  I held it over G_v for a few days ... and I mourn that ice cream bar to this very day.

Put a smile on my face.  It says "Your life is crap and you know it."

The smiley face is a nice touch.

We arrived in Astorga and stayed in the same albergue as last time.  We walked around the town a little in the afternoon while our clothes were drying.

After I'd gotten back from my last Camino, I'd read about the chocolate factory in Astorga that gave tours and free samples.  I'd promised myself that I would stop there this time.  That didn't happen.  When I got to Astorga I was tired and totally uninterested in touring a chocolate factory.  I think my disinterest stemmed from having been carrying chocolate bars in my pack since on the Aragones.  My first chocolate on my first Camino had been in Astorga.  This time I didn't even buy any chocolate in Astorga ... I had a bar in my bag already.  Unlike me, I don't even regret not going to the factory.

The cathedral and the palace in Astorga.

We shopped for supplies and ended up at an outfitter that I remembered from last time.  It looked like it was closing or moving.  The owner saw us waiting outside and he opened the security gate for us and personally let us in to shop.  I found a pair of liner socks in my size and bought a pair (in retrospect, I should have bought two pair).

Tried to video the ringing of these bells but I wasn't successful.

On the way back to the albergue we saw that the clock over the government building, a clock with elaborate bells with life size figures as bell ringers, was getting ready to go off.  I started videoing hoping to see the figures move.  When it started to toll there was no movement.  Thinking it wasn't working I turned off the camera ... just before the figures started moving and ringing the bell.  I turned the camera back on in time to see them stop.  *sigh*

Like the last time we stopped here, G_v cooked us an evening meal.   It was very hectic in the kitchen that night.  A lady (Italian? I can't remember) was cooking a lavish meal for her Camino family and friends.  We sat in the dining room eating our meal and talking with other pilgrims.  There seemed to be a lot of happy people there with singing and mandolin playing.

Tomorrow we would be returning back to the familiar part of the Camino.  The next two stages would be identical to the ones we walked last time.  I would try out my new liner socks.  More importantly, my mood would continue turning up and my walking pace picked back up.  Things were turning around and I liked how I was starting to feel.

Pictures can be found in my 2013 Camino de Santiago Google Photos album.

Total Distance on Day 28: 23 km ( 14.29 Miles) Total Distance Walked: 635 km (394.57 Miles)

Approximate Track of the day's hike.

[Click on map for a larger version]

Camino 2013 - Day 27: León To San Martín del Camino

On my first Camino I'd taken a bus from León to Astorga, effectively skipping two stages.  This time no stages would be skipped.  Today I would walk the first skipped stage.  It was new and fresh for me.  These parts, good and bad, were the parts of my 2012 Camino that I liked the most.

Leaving León is not really that easy.  The way out of town is a bit confusing and, being a big city, it takes a while before you leave the urban environment behind.  Near the edge of the city you pass by a group of underground homes that remind you a lot of the Hobbit's homes in Lord of the Rings.  Most seemed to be closed off and empty.  Not sure what the story is.  Just past the group of homes is a bar ... the appropriately named Middle Earth Bar.

Hobbit homes outside León.

We stopped at the next town, Virgen del Camino, for some breakfast.  We found a nice little restaurant that catered to pilgrims.  It was here that we realized that, despite being in León for nearly two days, we hadn't gotten a stamp on our credential.  This is the third place we stopped where we didn't get a stamp.  We got a stamp at the restaurant instead.

We stopped at the church near the end of town before heading out of town.  It was a more modern church then I was used to on the Camino.  After the church the Camino splits.  The two paths sort of form a figure eight between Virgen del Camino and Astorga.  We took the path towards San Martín del Camino.

A pilgrim statue as you exit León.

This choice of paths would turn out to be the wrong one.  The other path goes through the country and is said to be scenic.  We'd picked this way because San Martín del Camino was closer to the halfway point than any town on the other path.  The path we took followed a busy road most of the way and was a bit uninspiring.  The fact it rained nearly a third of the day didn't help.  As I plodded along the way I thought that I hadn't missed much when I took the bus last time.

We reached San Martín del Camino and checked into the first albergue we found.   It wasn't the most modern or clean but it worked.  We did our laundry and napped a bit before we went out to explore the town.

We ended up in a bar/restaurant where we had one of the better lunches.  We had simple sandwiches but they tasted better than what we usually get.  There were people inside the bar playing cards and everyone seemed very comfortable here.  This restaurant was San Martín del Camino's saving grace I think.

We stopped at a grocery store and bought supplies for the next day before heading back to the albergue.  The sun finally came out and the late afternoon was quite delightful really.  We relaxed in the sun accompanied by a couple cats and the dog of a professional bike pilgrim (the dog, obviously infested with vermin of all types, road in a carrier on the back of the bike).  We met a few pilgrims here including a Swiss (M_c) who spoke a little English but was fluent in French and a couple from Bulgaria.  We would meet M_c on and off the rest of the way.  The Bulgarians would be seen only a few more days and then they would be gone.

We skipped dinner at the albergue and went back to the restaurant we'd been to earlier.  The dinner was awesome but for some reason I wasn't that  hungry and I left a lot of delicious food on the plate.  After talking to pilgrims who'd ate at the albergue, our decision to eat at the restaurant had been a good decision.  The albergue meal had been mediocre.

When I hadn't found liner socks in León, G_v had offered a pair of nylons she had brought along.  She had heard that nylons could be used as liner socks.  I'd reluctantly worn a pair of mid-calf nylons under my wool socks on this stage.  I have to say that my feet did feel a little bit better but I developed a small blister on top of a toe.  I think it was the seam of the nylons rubbing.  The next day I would try them inside out which was a little bit better.  They still weren't real liner socks though.

As I was getting ready for bed my nose started to clog up and my eyes got scratchy.  September/October were the bad months for my allergies and I'd hoped they wouldn't kick in in Spain. The allergy symptoms would only last a day or two and I suspect they were triggered by something in the albergue.  I took a benadryl which at least helped me sleep. 

Pictures can be found in my 2013 Camino de Santiago Google Photos album.

Total Distance on Day 27: 26 km ( 16.16 Miles) Total Distance Walked: 612 km (380.28 Miles)

Approximate Track of the day's hike*.

[Click on map for a larger version]

* Note: The camera lost GPS reception between Virgen del Camino and Villardangos del Paramo.  The track is only a rough approximation.

A Few Days In And I'm In Search Of Some Time

We're a few days in to 2014 and I probably should let everyone know what we've been up to.  I have been seeing the stirring of a battle on the horizon - a battle for my time.  It's amazing how little perceived free time you really have once you retire.  Six years after I quit my job I still haven't figured out where this faunt of free time resides.  I suppose it all comes down to a series of choices.

A few weeks ago we chose to sign up for Netflix which has started us on a video binge.  Surprisingly I've binged less than the Wife.  Last week we added Amazon Prime to our video sources.  The result has been a week of football (naturally) and Downton Abbey for the Wife.

My poison of choice has been Torchwood (Children of Men and Miracle Day specifically), a dribbling of Star Trek the animated series (I've read the novelizations but never actually watched the show - the only Star Trek incarnation I haven't actually seen), and lately episodes of Farscape (I never watched it live on SyFy - I think it was still SciFi back when it originally aired).  My list of stuff to watch, mostly now defunct television series and documentaries, is longer than my arm which means viewing it all will never be completed.

Finding time to watch stuff has been a bit challenging for me since we only have one Roku box and the Wife, being off work until yesterday, had first dibs.  My watching has been mostly limited to watching episodes on my tablet while on my bike trainer.

Adding to my, probably imagined, time crunch, I've chosen to start reading again.  After a one year book reading hiatus I have started a new ebook which I will surely write about once I've finished.

On top of these choices I have my usual household cleaning and shopping chores, my preparation for RAGBRAI (which I am currently overlapping with my video watching but will take on a life of its own once it's warm enough to ride outside), my preparation for the Appalachian Trail, and my writing of Homer's Travels' posts.

To squeeze this all in, I will probably have to chose to sacrifice something.  Namely mindless game playing ... i.e. Candy Crush.  I'm sure I will cut back on Scrabble a bit as well but I refuse to give that up all together.  You always need down time from your down time.

Camino 2013 - Days 25 And 26: Reliegos To León And A Day Off

Day 25 - Walking to León

We left Reliegos with J_s and it started to rain.  The walk to León would be a wet one.

We stopped in Mansillas de las Mulas for some chocolate Napoleons and orange juice.  I liked the orange juice in Spain and I drank gallons of it I think.  Nearly every bar/cafe had these machines where oranges were fed into the top and orange juice came out of the bottom.  You couldn't ask for fresher orange juice.  All the orange juice probably kept me from catching a cold despite being soaked through to the skin several times over.

The Mancillas de las Mulas city walls.

Parts of the Camino had been improved since the last time.  New signs had been installed.  Distance markers were added in places.  Another great improvement was in the town of Puente Villarente.  The town is known for it's bridge.  Before the improvement a pilgrim had to walk over this bridge which had very narrow shoulders.  It was the one place last time where I was nervous as truck side mirrors whizzed by my head.  Now there is a pedestrian bridge that roughly parallels the bridge and then takes you under the bridge dumping you out on the other side of the busy highway.  Not only do you avoid the whizzing mirrors but you also avoid the sometimes harrowing attempt at crossing the busy road.  A welcome change that made this part of the Camino safer.

By the time we reached León we were all pretty pooped.  We staggered into the Cathedral square and found the tourism office.  J_s asked about albergues.  We asked about cheap motels.  We were given a map and found a reasonably priced place not too far from the Cathedral area.  We said our goodbyes to J_s and parted ways.  I'd hoped we would catch up with her somewhere but we never did.

Elvis is still famous in León ... and selling purses.

That evening we stocked up on food and stayed in our rooms mostly.  I didn't feel like going out and just wanted to crash.  It had been a long twenty-five days of walking.  Many people we'd met took their first day of rest in Burgos (like I was forced to last Camino).  By pushing on to León we'd walked much longer non-stop than last time and more than most other pilgrims.  Fortunately we had four extra days to play with so taking a day would be no problem.   My body knew we were stopping for a day of rest and it was ready to start.  I could feel my body and brain shutting down throughout the afternoon and evening until I was in bed fast asleep.

Day 26 - A day of rest in León

I slept in this morning and it felt good.  I had a couple things to do today ... both foot related.

We went out and found some breakfast and walked through a street market that was going on in front of the Cathedral.

We went into the Cathedral and were surprised that you had to pay to get in now.  It wasn't much and it was understandable with the cost to maintain and restore the cathedral in these hard economic times.   I really like the Cathedral in León.  The stained glass is magnificent.  I walked around half listening to the electronic tour guide, taking pictures, and taking a video.


We left the cathedral and went out looking for sporting good stores.  I was looking for liner socks.  Some people swear that to prevent blisters you need to wear two pairs of socks.  First a pair of thin, tight fitting, nylon socks that wick the sweat away,  Second a thick, Merino wool sock.  The idea is that all the friction that causes blisters will occur between the liner sock and the outer wool sock.  Unfortunately after visiting three places I could not find any liner socks in my size.

Beautiful stained glass.

The second thing on my to-do list was visit the pharmacy where I was looking for something similar to Bodyglide.  This is another thing people use to prevent blisters.  It is essentially a lubricant for your skin.  Some people use vaseline but I would imagine that would become a greasy mess.  The pharmacy didn't have bodyglide but they did have something similar called PEDI-Relax which described itself as a second skin.  Over the next few days I would try it out.

Is that Batman in the upper left?!?  Who is picking his nose?

We spent the rest of the day walking around the city, shopping in the city market (I bought candy - half of which went in the trash - shouldn't have bought it in the first place), and resting in our rooms.  I saw a reminder of a past vacation back home.  We ate out that night for dinner and ran into a few pilgrims we'd met along the way including the Japanese girl N_y who was being carried piggyback by a German guy we'd met back in Grañon.  Her visa was running out and her Camino was coming to an end.

The Cathedral at dusk all lit up.

On the way back to the hotel you could see that the city was preparing for a medieval festival.  We would miss it by just three days.  We hadn't seen a fiesta since Cirauqui which was unfortunate and here we were, missing another one.  It looked like it would be a fun time.

I repacked my bag that night trying to organize it better - the last twenty-five days had turned it into a chaotic mess.  My bag was not very good in the rain.  The pack I had last time stayed dry inside even in the rain.  My new pack ... not so much.  If my clothes hadn't been in a dry sack there really would have been a problem.  It was disappointing to take off you pack rain cover to find a damp pack.  One of the magnets I bought, made of cardboard, was wet and starting to separate.  I ended up moving more stuff inside the dry sack.

That night I had some trouble getting to sleep.  I was dreading tomorrow - It would not be easy to restart.  It would be new though since last time I'd skipped the next two days on a bus.  I finally was lulled to sleep by the sound of thunder and hard rain.

Pictures can be found in my 2013 Camino de Santiago Google Photos album.

Total Distance on Day 25: 27 km ( 16.78 Miles) Total Distance Walked: 586 km (364.12 Miles)

Approximate Track of the day's hike.

[Click on map for a larger version]

Camino 2013 - Day 24: Calzada Del Coto To Reliegos

I woke this morning and my feet felt great.  The mattress I'd slept sagged a bit and my feet had been elevated most of the night and, apparently, that is what my feet needed.

We left this morning with a companion.  J_s, who we met yesterday, joined us.  Over the last twenty-three days G_v and I had pretty much shared all our stories so it was nice to have someone else's stories to hear as we walked this part of the original Roman Camino.  Walking and talking with someone always helps to distract you and help the time go by faster.  This was a good thing since this section was long and the day started out with heavy overcast.

A sign indicating the original roman road.

We would pass through only one town along this stage, Calzadilla de los Hermanillos, where we would stop for an awesome breakfast at a friendly albergue and resupply at a small store.  I was already starting to drag so I gave in and bought a tube of principes (tube number two I believe).  We ran into a few pilgrims here who had stayed the night in the town.  We'd seen this group on and off since Burgos.  These four pilgrims would be the only ones we saw all day.  This section is not traveled much anymore which is a shame.

The long and not winding road ahead of us.

After Calzadilla de los Hermanillos the Camino passes through farm fields, and nothing much else, for the next 18 kilometers (11.2 miles).  This would be the longest single stretch without a town along the entire Camino.  We were hoping to find a place to rest near a train depot that was supposed to be next to the Camino.  The depot was associated with a town we could just barely see on the horizon and the train stopped here very infrequently ... if ever.  We found the depot but it was off the Camino a bit, inconvenient to get to, and totally falling apart.  No chance to rest here.

Watch out for the train ... that doesn't stop here anymore.

By the time we got to Reliegos I was beat.  This had felt like a very long day despite the principe cookies (it didn't help that I dropped two in the mud).  I was happy to get to town and into an albergue.  By the time we got to the town the sun finally made an appearance.

We did our chores and headed to a cafe/bar called the Bar Elvis.  The place was interesting with graffiti all over the walls.  We bought some lunch and relaxed in the sun as we ate.

The graffiti covered walls of Bar Elvis in Reliegos.

That afternoon we rested and I treated my feet with G_v's help.  I'd loosened my shoe laces a bit this morning and this helped make my heals feel better but it also resulted in toe blisters including a nasty one under the third toenail on my left foot.  It seems everything I did to improve my feet helped one problem while creating another.

We ate in a restaurant on the small city square that evening before returning to the albergue to chat with other pilgrims.  We collected our nearly dry clothes (minus a pair of G_v's underwear that mysteriously vanished) before heading for bed.  The overcast/drizzly/rainy weather was slowing down the drying process all along the Camino.  At times it would take two or three days for something to dry out completely.

A few days earlier we'd decided we needed a break.  We decided that León, our next destination, would be our rest stop.  After twenty-four days of walking (twenty-five counting tomorrow) my body was ready for a rest and I went to sleep anticipating the day of rest that was coming.

Pictures can be found in my 2013 Camino de Santiago Google Photos album.

Total Distance on Day 24: 26 km ( 16.16 Miles) Total Distance Walked: 559 km (347.35 Miles)

Approximate Track of the day's hike.

[Click on map for a larger version]

A Homer's Travels Look Back At 2013

I've been doing these annual look backs since 2007 (2006 was the only year I didn't do one).  They've always been a comfort because I always feel like my year has been empty until I go back and read what I actually did.

This has been a good year I think.  Not spectacular but not bad either.  The year came to an end, for me, when I returned from my second Camino.  I've been a major homebody since then.  Staying home is how I handle the 'in between' times.

Let's look back at 2013, shall we:

• January: No resolutions or goals were set after missing last year's goals so miserably.  A picture of a sad star brought on the most comments I've had in a long time.  I bought some new shoes for my upcoming Camino and I gave an email interview to a local newspaper. I ranted about an $0.82 cable and Best Buy.  I walked Indian Cave State Park using walking poles for the first time.  I participated in a Camino Conversation at a local outdoors store - a fun night of reminiscing and helping future pilgrims.  The month ended with an ice fishing trip to lake Cornelia.
• February: The month started with a big hoot when we went to Duluth to dog sled.  The dog sledding led into a busy week including hiking (and slipping in the mud) and Oscar Short movie watching.  I observed President's Day with a short walk along the Lincoln Highway.  I wondered if reading internet articles were as good as reading books.  I trekked up the tower and bested my previous time by a minute and a half.  Some good blood tests prompted me to let loose a bit (The Brownies were yummy!)
• March: I was unsuccessful in finding a Camino group.  My hikes were a mix of too much cold wind, closed parks, and urban decay.  The TSA announced changes to their rules on knives and trekking poles - a good thing for my Camino planning (the rules would got back to what they were later in the year).  I found out about the loss of a good friend RSS service.  We curled for the third time.  I started the planning of my 2013 Camino by posting the proposed stages.
• April: The month started on a sad note with the passing of my uncle.  I began training with a pack.  I decided to set some definite goals, with dates, including when I was doing RAGBRAI and the Appalachian Trail.  The last week of this month was filled with four hikes and a second Camino conversation.
• May:  I started this month with fewer hikes, the opposite of how I ended April.  It also snowed during the first few days of the month - a rather depressing occurrence.  The colder than normal weather didn't help when we lost at bocce in Sioux City.  I experimented and took strides toward happy hiking feet.  I bought a new set of trekking poles which I am happy with.  I saw Star Trek ... and moved on.  The month ended with me avoiding mud and rain ... and being disappointed that I avoided mud and rain.  The month also showcased a budding poet with two of her poem about walking and blisters.
• June:  In June I decided to try to post more on Homer's Travels and less on Facebook and Twitter (despite the fact that I really don't post much on Facebook and Twitter).  Iago chased birds.  I returned to Boyer Chute and saw how the 2011 Missouri river floods had changed the landscape.  I binged on Doctor Who.  We left on our awesome summer vacation to New Orleans (documented in Homer's Travels in July) and places in between.
• July:  July started off with the bang of fireworks - the most I've seen in a long time - and a visit to the In-Laws's lake house.  Our anniversary was celebrated in the hospital for routine tests.  My 50th Birthday was celebrated at a cousin's wedding followed by a relaxing lake kayaking trip.  I crossed the 500 mile walking goal I'd set for myself earlier in the year.  I revised my Camino packing list using the lessons I learned on my last Camino.
• August:  My second Camino became real for me starting this month.  I started to have weird anxiety dreams.   I had one last training hike which resulted in an undesirable itching sensation.  I looked forward to all the new experiences on my second Camino.
• September:  My nerves body slammed me only a few days before the start of my Second Camino.  I started walking my second Camino early in September placing Homer's Travels in hiatus.  I walked from Oloron - Ste Marie, France to Reliegos, Spain. 
• October:  I walked from Reliegos, Spain to Fisterra and Muxia on the Atlantic coast of Spain completing my second Camino. I returned after a very successful Camino.  Physically I was in great shape and I didn't return with any major problems like I did last Camino.
• November:  I spent most of November going through pictures and writing Homer's Travels' posts documenting my 2013 Camino.  I started riding bike again and slowly started to think about preparation for RAGBRAI in 2015.  I also dipped my toe every so slightly into the Appalachian Trail preparation.
• December:  This month was, like last month, very low key.  I bought a bike trainer so I could continue by bicycle training in the house when it's too cold outside.  The Christmas spirit didn't stop at our house this year and only minimal decorations were put up.  I received my first piece of camping gear for Christmas - the Tarptent Notch.
• This year I broke my personal record for miles hiked in a year.  Totaling the Camino training hikes as well as the actual Camino hiking, I nearly reached 1,232 miles (1982.7 km).  This was over twice the distance of the year before and over one and a half time my previous personal best (2011).  To top it off, I walked all these miles with minimal foot/leg issues.
•  I kind of fell down on the biking front totaling only 48.5 miles (78 km) this year.  I have biked 108.2 miles (174.13 km) on my trainer in the last month as well.  I wish I'd restarted in the spring like I'd planned - probably would have helped my hill climbing on the Camino.  I'll need to get my act together if I'm going to be ready for RAGBRAI in 2015.
• I've read zero books this year.  Well, that's not totally true as I did read the GodSon's book so I guess I really read one book this year.  Most of my reading time was spent on Wired and National Geographic magazines and articles on the internet.  I'm not sure I really liked not reading so I think 2014 will have to include some reading time.
• In 2012 we went to no concerts.  This year I went to four concerts: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros with the Giving Tree Band, Billy Idol, Steely Dan with Deep Blue Organ Trio, and Peter Frampton's Guitar Circus featuring Sonny Landreth, B.B. King, Larry Carlton, and Rick Nielsen. All of them were great. There were a few others I could have gone to, it was a very good year for concerts, but I limited my selection.
• I posted 116 times this year.  Only one more than last year.  Since I got back from the Camino all my posts have been Camino related and I have struggled to think of any non-Camino subjects to post about.  I will try to change this next year.

I feel like 2013 started slow (the low number of posts says a lot I think),  peaked in September and October when I was on the Camino, and has faded, along with my holiday spirit, over the last two months ending with a whimper.  I suppose this is to be expected.  I had a lot of 'down' time after my first Camino as well but it was tempered by the sense of euphoria I had after completing the CAmino and Route 66.  The Camino glow I felt so strongly in 2011 hasn't been there this time leaving just a sense of blah.

I think part of me is in mourning.  The Camino is truly behind me now.  I have lived it so much the past three or four years that I think its completion is leaving a hole.  But it's time to move on to the next goal.  RAGBRAI will be here before I know it and I have a lot of training to do.  I have to teach myself the ins and outs of camping both for RAGBRAI and the Appalachian Trail.  We all need things to look forward to and goals to plan for.  I will be finished posting about the Camino in a month or two.  Then I can put it in the past once and for all and start moving full speed ahead.

Here's to a Happy and Prosperous New Year for all.

May all your dreams come true in 2014.