2/3 Complete Another Milestone

 

Day 50 - Hornillos del Camino

     For 50 days we have been lugging around fleece and wool, wondering if we would ever need it.  Well, today we pulled it all out and put it to use.  The morning temperature was 44 degrees with a steady wind.  As we walked through the city with school children along side in their winter coats, we wondered how we skipped fall.  The forecast is for slightly warmer weather the next week, so maybe we can put the fleece away soon.  

    Today also marked a milestone on our Camino as we have completed 2/3 of the distance.  We have walked 1000 kilometers (633 miles) since Le Puy en Velay, France, with approximately 500 kilometers left.  We have also noted that in all those miles and the last 50 days, we have not been in a vehicle of any kind. No bus, train or automobile or donkey cart for that matter. The only means of transportation has been our feet.  We sort of feel connected to the vast history of humanity who only used their feet their whole life.

     We have entered the region known as the Meseta, a relatively flat treeless plateau with wheat fields and very few towns.  The Camino stretches over 100 miles across this somewhat desolate area.  Some people hate it and others love it.  We will find out soon where we stand.

   We had the opportunity to meet several new pilgrims today and spend some time hearing their stories.  We met a couple from Michigan, a young lady from Sweden, a couple from Texas, and a woman from Bellingham, and a mother/daughter from New Zealand. We also had lunch with a couple from Ontario who had been hanging with the fun loving Australians that we met in Pamplona.  It is hard to move on each day not knowing if we will see people again.  We said goodbye to Eric, who is from Paris, and headed home. He will finish the Camino next year.  You just get connected and then you have to say goodbye. It’s an unusual dynamic of Camino life.

     We are staying in what is termed a ‘casa rural’ with a private room. It’s a very nice place.  There is a great variety of accommodations in Spain; and when you reserve it a day or two ahead of time, you are never sure what you will get.