When we awoke just outside Sarria, we realized our trip was almost over. We went to breakfast to figure out our route for the day, since our search for a hotel took us out of our way. At the table next to us, we met a gentleman from Barcelona who was also biking to Santiago, but while we hoped to finish in two more days, he would be arriving that evening. He would be biking 150 kilometers to achieve that goal. He told us we could follow an alternate route so we would not have to double back to Sarria and avoid some climbs. We looked at our maps and decided to follow his advice. We should have followed him. We turned onto what we thought was the suggested turnoff. We encountered a climb but felt assured it wouldn't be a long one. It would be the last thing we would be sure of for most of the morning. As we continued to climb and then eventually push our way, we realized we were going over a mountain. How big we did not know. We were too far committed to turn around so we kept on going up. The good news was that there was absolutely no traffic and the scenery was just beautiful. Along the way, Paul and I had a lively discussion about whether the Spanish gentleman decided to pull one over on two Americans or whether we took a wrong turn. Wanting to believe the best, we chose that we just turned onto an unmarked road. At one point into our several hour sojourn up the mountain, we were able to ride. It was a good thing because as we were passing a field of sheep, we encountered a large pack of very protective barking and growling sheep dogs in a variety of sizes and degrees of ferocity. It was the little ones trying to nip at my feet that made me the most nervous. We pedaled faster trying to outrun them while we heard a male voice shouting from behind a brick wall. We weren't doing so good at getting away when suddenly out of the field came our rescuer in the form of a petite wizened old woman brandishing a long staff. She began waving the stick furiously and yelling loudly at the dogs. The dogs quickly backed down. Paul and I got out there fast but later we wished we had gotten a picture of the old woman. She looked like something out of National Geographic. She had no teeth, she was wearing her
apron over her work clothes and her hair under a scarf. I was amazed by how fast she ran out of the field to call the dogs off because she was so tiny and looked emaciated. On our way again, we went back to climbing. Eventually, we reached the summit. We knew this because it's where the communication tower stood and all the trees were gone. All told, I think we climbed for about ten kilometers over several hours. And we still weren't sure where we were since it was clear we were on an unmarked road. Once at the summit, we started heading down. We thought we could see our destination off in the distance. St every fork in the road we headed towards what we thought was our goal. After descending somewhat blindly, what should we see but two peregrinos walking toward us and our shining beacon, the yellow arrow on the side of a building which also had a Grateful Dead Graffiti on it. Boy, were we relieved. We followed the camino down and after having spent a rather quiet morning disturbed only by the howling dogs, it was a little disconcerting all of a sudden to be caught up in a traffic jam of walking pilgrims, bikers and especially cows! At one point, we passed a group of pilgrims, but were caught with about a dozen other bike riders behind a herd of cattle being driven down the road by their mistress, who just kind of shrugged her shoulders as if to say, who knows when you'll get to pass. One of the bike groups was a little more aggressive and managed to spook the cows into letting us pass. We eventually arrived at our pre-destined lunch spot where we took a long-anticipated break. We sat and ordered lunch and then flew into panic mode...Paul could not find his BlackBerry. Now, this is a big deal. Aside from being our lifeline back home, it was also allowing us to communicate within Spain. We frantically called the hotel we left hours before only to be told by the hardest working man in Spain that we didn't leave it there. We immediately set to pulling everything out of our panniers to see if it got mixed in with our clothes. We still didn't find it. After resigning ourselves to its loss, we checked Paul's bike trunk bag one more time and low and behold, we found it hiding in a pocket where we had been certain it could not have been. Paul says we had a hard climb out of our stop, Portomarin, but to be honest, all the climbs are beginning to blur. My recollection is that the rest of the day was uneventful as we pedalled to our evening destination, Palas de Rei. After our debacle of the previous day, we had called ahead to make a reservation for the night. Only when we arrived at our hotel, they had no reservation and no room. I was very upset. I showed them Paul's phone and the log which proved I had called them the day before. When the man looked at the number, he indicated although I had called a hotel with their name, it was not their number. I called the number only to be told the hotel we wanted was a few blocks away. Problem solved and we were done for the night,
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
The Big Climb!
Paul and I awoke with great anticipation for the big climb up to O Cebriero. It's a straight climb of about 10 kilometers. On our last trip, I remember it being a brutal day of pushing my bike uphill for four or five hours. It was very cool and the mountain was covered in mist. Paul waited for quite a while at the top while I slowly made my way up the mountain. On this trip, either I was in better shape (again, I like to think the ten extra pounds I am carrying are all muscle) or the angels and my dad were pushing me up the mountain. The day was not nearly as hard as I expected and I arrived at the top about 45 minutes after Paul. I only had to push my bike twice and for only short periods. I was astounded as was Paul. Perhaps I had trained better than I thought. We took in the sights at the top and celebrated with those we met as we climbed up together. It is something joyous to celebrate a shared effort with complete strangers who become instant friends as you climb together. What Paul and I had forgotten is that the arrival at O Cebriero is not the end. It marks the beginning of Galicia, which is a region of lots of ups and downs. The area is very hilly so there is no real respite from a hard day's ride. Following another set of climbs, we finally began our descent into Galicia. Paul took the downhill carefully as he was nervous about the performance of his bike. The back wheel was rattling something awful and he had to loosen his brakes to make the climb. Our goal for the night was Samos, a small town with an impressive monastery and a 900 year old church that is quite a sight to see. It's a good thing we saw it on our last trip because there was not a room to be found in Samos. After our long day of climbing, we were forced to continue onto the next town. We felt reasonably assured we would find something there since it was a larger city. We couldn't have been more wrong. Like Mary and Joseph, we went on a hunt for a room, only to be told time and again, there was no room. We were very nervous at this point. It was getting late and we were tired. After getting a list of numbers to call, we finally found a place 5 kilometers out the city. With trepidation, we had no choice but bike on. As we pedaled on, first downhill and then up, we started wondering whether five really meant ten kilometers and if we were ever going to arrive. We did and quickly settled in for the night. Our clerk who checked us in, became our candidate for the hardest working man in Spain. After we cleaned up, we headed down to the bar for a drink. It turns out he was also on bartending duty. As the restaurant filled up with the dinner crowd, it became clear that he was also the waiter. In between orders at the bar and in the dining room, he also answered the phone and continued to check in arriving guests. When he took our dinner order, I jokingly asked if he was also cooking. With a bemused smile, he said sometimes. When we went down to breakfast the next morning, there he was again.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
The Shortest Day
We left Ponferrada for what would be our shortest ride yet. Our next destination was only 26 kilometers away. However, it was a beautiful day. We are in the heart of the Bierrzo wine valley. It is lush and filled with gorgeous rolling hills filled with vines. We followed the camino trail through the vineyards soaking in the green hills and blue skies. As we made our entrance into Villafranca, Paul started noticing a problem with his bike. His gears seemed to be slipping, especially on climbs. It was in this same city four years ago that Paul had to have his bike repaired. After we checked into a our hotel de jour, we took his bike to the local bike shop. We explained the problem and the owner said he would take a look at it but to come back later as he was leaving for lunch. We did the same and then we set off to explore the tiny town. Villafranca sits nestled at the base of the mountains which separate the provinces of Leon and Galicia. Those mountains were our goal for tomorrow. For tonight. We just wanted a good meal. Unfortunately, that was not to be the case. We thought we had chosen well and the evening started off well. Sitting next to us were the first Americans we have met on the camino. Chris and Nora were a young couple from New York who were walking the Camino for the second time. They had done the first half last year and were finishing up this year. They were a delightful couple to chat with while
Waiting for service which was slow even for Spanish standards. We finally received our meals which frankly we both thought was the worst of our trip so far. We had ordered steaks with a sauce, which had been our standard dinner on the trip.Our's were covered in such a thick sauce which I think was meant to disguise how undercooked the meat was. I don't mind rare, but this was a 1/2 inch slab that was raw. When I complained, our snooty young heroin-addicted looking waiter, informed me that it was prepared as it should be. I was too tired to argue with him. But Paul and I were not happy. We paid our bill grudgingly and headed off to get some rest. Tomorrow, the big climb of the Camino beckoned.
Waiting for service which was slow even for Spanish standards. We finally received our meals which frankly we both thought was the worst of our trip so far. We had ordered steaks with a sauce, which had been our standard dinner on the trip.Our's were covered in such a thick sauce which I think was meant to disguise how undercooked the meat was. I don't mind rare, but this was a 1/2 inch slab that was raw. When I complained, our snooty young heroin-addicted looking waiter, informed me that it was prepared as it should be. I was too tired to argue with him. But Paul and I were not happy. We paid our bill grudgingly and headed off to get some rest. Tomorrow, the big climb of the Camino beckoned.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
A Relatively Easy Day
The weather was once again cool when we left Astorga in the morning. We had turned in early, no late evening for us on this day. We had toured the Bishop's
Palace, the Cathedral and the Museum of Chocolate. In the morning we felt well-rested and ready to take on our first major climb, a 6 kilometer climb that I remember as being quite daunting on our last trip. Whether it was the extra rest or perhaps better preparation, the long-anticipated climb did not turn out to be as difficult as expected. I made the climb on my own power. I would pedal for awhile and then take a break by the side of the road, taking in the stunning scenery. As we climbed, the area became very arid with lots of vibrant purple heather, sage and other scrub brush dominating the landscape. I made my way up the mountain slowly but I made it nonetheless. I met Paul at the Cruz de Hierro (The Iron Cross). It has become somewhat of a Mount Everest. Pilgrims leave all kinds of momentos at the base of the cross which soars some 20 feet high. Stones carried by pilgrims signifying sins or memories of loved ones are left as are other items such as worn shoes, flags, pictures and notes of importance and personal meaning. We climbed up to the very top and then began the most exhilirating ride down the mountain. The two-lane hairpin road led us down a hair-raising descent of nearly 45 kilometers an hour. Fear of death kept me pumping my brakes all the way down. Paul said the experience was like a great downhill ski run. We were rewarded for our morning efforts with a stop at Molinaseca, a quaint little town at the bottom of the mountain. You cross over a stone bridge. Underneath is a small pool where pilgrims can clean off after a long climb down. Since the wind did it for us, we chose to get a beer and bite instead. However, after watching and listening to the continual splashing of the pilgrims, we walked over to dip our toes in the pool. Pretty soon, Paul decided to take his shirt off and jump in. The water was pretty brisk but refreshing. His gusto convinced a young Italian girl who had been on the fence to ahead and jump in. Her screams let everyone know how cold the water was.
We headed off to our destination of the day: Ponferrada. A Templar castle indicated our arrival. We walked our bikes into the antigua casco (the old town) and began a search for a hotel as we did not have any reservations. The first two places were full but the third had an available room. We cleaned up quickly as there was an exhibit that we wanted to see. The cathedral was hosting an exhibit called "Yo Camino". Art collections from around Spain have been put together to explain the religious significance that is the Camino de Santiago. The exhibit was amazing. We listened to a guided tour that described the art through the centuries depicting the history of the Church and the Camino de Santiago and how that art was used to teach. The curators of the exhibit did an amazing job. We did our usual routine of drinks and dinner in the plaza and then headed off to bed.
Palace, the Cathedral and the Museum of Chocolate. In the morning we felt well-rested and ready to take on our first major climb, a 6 kilometer climb that I remember as being quite daunting on our last trip. Whether it was the extra rest or perhaps better preparation, the long-anticipated climb did not turn out to be as difficult as expected. I made the climb on my own power. I would pedal for awhile and then take a break by the side of the road, taking in the stunning scenery. As we climbed, the area became very arid with lots of vibrant purple heather, sage and other scrub brush dominating the landscape. I made my way up the mountain slowly but I made it nonetheless. I met Paul at the Cruz de Hierro (The Iron Cross). It has become somewhat of a Mount Everest. Pilgrims leave all kinds of momentos at the base of the cross which soars some 20 feet high. Stones carried by pilgrims signifying sins or memories of loved ones are left as are other items such as worn shoes, flags, pictures and notes of importance and personal meaning. We climbed up to the very top and then began the most exhilirating ride down the mountain. The two-lane hairpin road led us down a hair-raising descent of nearly 45 kilometers an hour. Fear of death kept me pumping my brakes all the way down. Paul said the experience was like a great downhill ski run. We were rewarded for our morning efforts with a stop at Molinaseca, a quaint little town at the bottom of the mountain. You cross over a stone bridge. Underneath is a small pool where pilgrims can clean off after a long climb down. Since the wind did it for us, we chose to get a beer and bite instead. However, after watching and listening to the continual splashing of the pilgrims, we walked over to dip our toes in the pool. Pretty soon, Paul decided to take his shirt off and jump in. The water was pretty brisk but refreshing. His gusto convinced a young Italian girl who had been on the fence to ahead and jump in. Her screams let everyone know how cold the water was.
We headed off to our destination of the day: Ponferrada. A Templar castle indicated our arrival. We walked our bikes into the antigua casco (the old town) and began a search for a hotel as we did not have any reservations. The first two places were full but the third had an available room. We cleaned up quickly as there was an exhibit that we wanted to see. The cathedral was hosting an exhibit called "Yo Camino". Art collections from around Spain have been put together to explain the religious significance that is the Camino de Santiago. The exhibit was amazing. We listened to a guided tour that described the art through the centuries depicting the history of the Church and the Camino de Santiago and how that art was used to teach. The curators of the exhibit did an amazing job. We did our usual routine of drinks and dinner in the plaza and then headed off to bed.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Another Day, Another Plaza
The end of today's ride is the town of Astorga. It should have been a 45 kilometer ride, but it turned out to be more like 60.
After breakfast at the hotel, our first stop before leaving Leon was the post office. We of course had to mail ahead to Santiago Paul's four new pairs of shoes which weighed would have added 5 pounds of weight just as we are reaching our point of true climbing. With the shoes off, we left Leon. It is always a tricky endeavor leaving big cities by bike. The streets are very narrow, cars going to fast for safety. The sidewalks are on option but you are usually confronted by people who stop dead in their tracks to greet that long lost friend they haven't seen since the night before. It makes for a wild ride of dodge-em.Once out of the confines of the city, riding gets easier. However, I have been starting my morning rides with a belly full of butterflies. As I start my riding, I feel much like a student who has passed a test but has to take it again and not sure if they've prepared enough (I haven't). Once I get going I start to feel better. That is until the first incline. As I put my legs into pedaling my bike up the hill, it is almost meditative. However, the words I say over and over again have absolutely nothing to do with prayer. There is a cleansing effect that happens as I emit toxins from my body and my spirit so I guess I am achieving the intent of a true pilgrim.
We went a little out of our way today following a recommended route taken by previous bike riders of the Camino.However, it did not add much in the way of enjoyment and just made our day longer than expected. The day's weather is much cooler than expected making it downright chilly in the evening as we sit having a beer outside the Cathedral and the Bishop's Palace designed by Antonio Gaudi (origin of the word gaudy). As I write, Paul is being thoroughly entertained by several older gentlemen talking with other. Every time the church bells chime, they all check their watches. We plan to head to our room to warm up as it feels more like a late fall evening than the middle of August and we shipped ahead most of heavier clothing. Tomorrow we have our first really big climb which. Will take us into Galicia.
After breakfast at the hotel, our first stop before leaving Leon was the post office. We of course had to mail ahead to Santiago Paul's four new pairs of shoes which weighed would have added 5 pounds of weight just as we are reaching our point of true climbing. With the shoes off, we left Leon. It is always a tricky endeavor leaving big cities by bike. The streets are very narrow, cars going to fast for safety. The sidewalks are on option but you are usually confronted by people who stop dead in their tracks to greet that long lost friend they haven't seen since the night before. It makes for a wild ride of dodge-em.Once out of the confines of the city, riding gets easier. However, I have been starting my morning rides with a belly full of butterflies. As I start my riding, I feel much like a student who has passed a test but has to take it again and not sure if they've prepared enough (I haven't). Once I get going I start to feel better. That is until the first incline. As I put my legs into pedaling my bike up the hill, it is almost meditative. However, the words I say over and over again have absolutely nothing to do with prayer. There is a cleansing effect that happens as I emit toxins from my body and my spirit so I guess I am achieving the intent of a true pilgrim.
We went a little out of our way today following a recommended route taken by previous bike riders of the Camino.However, it did not add much in the way of enjoyment and just made our day longer than expected. The day's weather is much cooler than expected making it downright chilly in the evening as we sit having a beer outside the Cathedral and the Bishop's Palace designed by Antonio Gaudi (origin of the word gaudy). As I write, Paul is being thoroughly entertained by several older gentlemen talking with other. Every time the church bells chime, they all check their watches. We plan to head to our room to warm up as it feels more like a late fall evening than the middle of August and we shipped ahead most of heavier clothing. Tomorrow we have our first really big climb which. Will take us into Galicia.
Monday, August 06, 2007
Rest Day Comes To An End
Paul and I sit at an outdoor bar enjoying a glass of tinto under a decidedly cooler Spanish evening. While people are out strolling, it is not the crowds we experienced last night. Outdoor tables were at a premium. People circled like vultures waiting to pounce as soon as a table even looked as if it were going to be free. With a cool chill in the night air, outdoor tables are an open selection.
Today's rest day included a lot of shopping. But if you assume that it was I partaking, you would be incredibly mistaken. As what can only be described as Paul doing his best Carrie Bradshaw imitation, we hit up shoe store after shoe store, where after the spree was over, Paul had four new pairs to add to the ones he purchased in Logrono. On sale no less! Said shoes are .Paul's favorite comfort wear. They are worn by just about all the older Spanish gentleman who look forward to comfort over fashion. They are lightweight and and definitely more comfortable than the heavy leather shoes worn in business. Paul now has enough to last him should we not return to Spain for the next several years. (He did get them in several colors too!)
Today was not all about shopping. We also took a tour of the Cathedral, which is absolutely magnificent. The amazing height of the ceiling which soars straight to heaven is matched only by the stunning stained glass windows which are made of such glorious vivid design and color as to be absolutely breathe-taking. We ended our evening as always: with a fabulous dinner and wonderful bottle of wine. We strolled past the Cathedral, lit up most magnificently. We decided an ice cream was in order and then we called it a night to our well-deserved rest day.
Today's rest day included a lot of shopping. But if you assume that it was I partaking, you would be incredibly mistaken. As what can only be described as Paul doing his best Carrie Bradshaw imitation, we hit up shoe store after shoe store, where after the spree was over, Paul had four new pairs to add to the ones he purchased in Logrono. On sale no less! Said shoes are .Paul's favorite comfort wear. They are worn by just about all the older Spanish gentleman who look forward to comfort over fashion. They are lightweight and and definitely more comfortable than the heavy leather shoes worn in business. Paul now has enough to last him should we not return to Spain for the next several years. (He did get them in several colors too!)
Today was not all about shopping. We also took a tour of the Cathedral, which is absolutely magnificent. The amazing height of the ceiling which soars straight to heaven is matched only by the stunning stained glass windows which are made of such glorious vivid design and color as to be absolutely breathe-taking. We ended our evening as always: with a fabulous dinner and wonderful bottle of wine. We strolled past the Cathedral, lit up most magnificently. We decided an ice cream was in order and then we called it a night to our well-deserved rest day.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
The Longest Day!
Today was our longest day of biking yet. Paul and I rode nearly one hundred kilometers (98 to be exact). The good news is that the day was much cooler than yesterday. The bad news: the reason for a break in the weather was the wind blowing directly in our face and bringing possible thunderstorms. For the most part the wind was not too bad and the road relatively flat. That enabled us to make our longest ride to date. We arrived in Leon where we are going to enjoy a well-earned rest day.
We continue to enjoy great meals and fine wines at dinner.
Some general impressions of our trip so far: we have met a lot of friendly people on this trip. A few spaniards are making the camino. But the majority of people we have met so far are Italian. It seems as if the whole of Italy is in Spain, especially those from Milan. Nearly everyone we chat with us from Italy.
We'll have to take a trip there sometime to meet some of the wonderful people we have met on our trip.
Other impressions about this trip: the change in technology. This blog is being written on Paul's blackberry. Last time I had to hunt for a ciber cafe to make posts. Now I do them while we are waiting for drinks or dinner. Another marvel is my Ipod. Aside from listening to music which gets me pedalling faster, we are using the Ipod to download the photos from our digital cameras. What a great inovation. On our last trip, we had to hunt down local photo stores to download the pictures and then burn a CD that we could mail home. It was a time-consuming process. What hasn't changed is that the trip to Santiago is hard, always has been, always will.
We continue to enjoy great meals and fine wines at dinner.
Some general impressions of our trip so far: we have met a lot of friendly people on this trip. A few spaniards are making the camino. But the majority of people we have met so far are Italian. It seems as if the whole of Italy is in Spain, especially those from Milan. Nearly everyone we chat with us from Italy.
We'll have to take a trip there sometime to meet some of the wonderful people we have met on our trip.
Other impressions about this trip: the change in technology. This blog is being written on Paul's blackberry. Last time I had to hunt for a ciber cafe to make posts. Now I do them while we are waiting for drinks or dinner. Another marvel is my Ipod. Aside from listening to music which gets me pedalling faster, we are using the Ipod to download the photos from our digital cameras. What a great inovation. On our last trip, we had to hunt down local photo stores to download the pictures and then burn a CD that we could mail home. It was a time-consuming process. What hasn't changed is that the trip to Santiago is hard, always has been, always will.
Well Done and Extra Crispy!
Yesterday was the hardest by far. It was our longest ride to date and the hottest as well. Temperatures soared to over 45 degrees centigrade, which by Paul´s calculation was over 115 degrees. We felt each and every one. We couldn´t drink enough water. Thankfully, each village has a public fountain where we could fill up our bottles. We needed every drop.
Impressions of the day included fields of wheat as far as the eye could see, surprising fields of lavendar, which made the day aromatic and storks every where. After baking in the hot Spanish sun, I hit an emotional and physical wall about three mile from our final destination, Carrion de Los Condes. When faced with one more little climb, my legs and head said, "no mas!" With Paul up ahead, I found a tiny space of shade behind one of the camino markers and just sat down until I could cool off and gather enough strength to make it up what I prayed would be the last climb of the day. (At the beginning of day or if were not so hot, that climb was just a tiny blip in the road, but given the day´s heat and length, it was enough to stop me in my tracks.) I finally got up and pushed up the hill to see Paul and our final destination just down the road. What a relief!
Impressions of the day included fields of wheat as far as the eye could see, surprising fields of lavendar, which made the day aromatic and storks every where. After baking in the hot Spanish sun, I hit an emotional and physical wall about three mile from our final destination, Carrion de Los Condes. When faced with one more little climb, my legs and head said, "no mas!" With Paul up ahead, I found a tiny space of shade behind one of the camino markers and just sat down until I could cool off and gather enough strength to make it up what I prayed would be the last climb of the day. (At the beginning of day or if were not so hot, that climb was just a tiny blip in the road, but given the day´s heat and length, it was enough to stop me in my tracks.) I finally got up and pushed up the hill to see Paul and our final destination just down the road. What a relief!
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Day Four Successful!
The day's ride was another beautiful one. We spent most of the morning on the Camino. Overall, the riding is pretty good. However, it can be a little challenging at times. The gravel Camino is often filled with large stones, making it rather bumpy. Going downhill can be particularly intense as you don't want to hit a stone that's going to throw you over. We only had one large climb on the day. It was three kilometers up a 6 percent grade. The shoulder was very narrow which made it a little nervewracking with all the traffic.This time Paul and I had a plan in case we got separated so we would not be waiting for each other in the wrong places.
We arrived Burgos where it was a happening Friday night. The town plaza was jammed with families and couples walking arm and arm.
During the day's ride, we met some wonderful people. Katarina was an older German woman who was walking the camino. We we also met an older Spanish gentleman from Pamplona who was biking.
We arrived Burgos where it was a happening Friday night. The town plaza was jammed with families and couples walking arm and arm.
During the day's ride, we met some wonderful people. Katarina was an older German woman who was walking the camino. We we also met an older Spanish gentleman from Pamplona who was biking.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Vines, vines and more vines!
We finished our third day of biking a lot easier than yesterday. However, the morning was hard, due to the news from home. We awoke to hear of the horrifying bridge collapse in Minneapolis. Although it was 12:30 in the morning, I called Leigh (I knew she would be awake) just to make sure everyone was home safe. They were, but it did not lessen my heartache. What a tragedy.
So it was with an emotional weight that I began the day's ride. We headed off for Logrono, where we hoped to lessen some more physical weight. Paul wanted to find some lightweight casual shoes to replace his heavier leather ones. With that task accomplished we headed off to the post office where we shipped ahead another 15 pounds of we consider now excess stuff. (Besides patience and you are not in control, today's lesson from the Camino-you don't need as much stuff as you think!). I was very cocky that I was travelling as light as possible until I had to haul my stuff up hill, I am down to one biking short, three tops, one set of underwear, a toothbrush, camera and Ipod, plus cords. Paul similarly lightened his load.
After the post office, we headed out of town. Leaving is not an easy task as it was rush hour and drivers are not looking for bikes when they are in a hurry. One such driver made a left hand turn right into me. We both swerved hard and very narrowly avoided an early end to my trip. I was very shaken, Paul was mad. He yelled at the driver for not being more careful and wanting him to apologize for nearly running me over. When he wouldn't, Paul yelled at him and then took off after me. Never one to usually back down from a confrontation, I was too upset to deal with the idiot.
We finally got out of town and resumed our riding. The rest of the day was uneventful, if not downright beautiful. Our day was spent in the heart of the Rioja valley, filled with miles of vines as far as the eye could see...vines, vines and more vines. There were also fields of glorious sunflowers dancing in the breeze. We arrived at our evening destination hungry and tired.
So it was with an emotional weight that I began the day's ride. We headed off for Logrono, where we hoped to lessen some more physical weight. Paul wanted to find some lightweight casual shoes to replace his heavier leather ones. With that task accomplished we headed off to the post office where we shipped ahead another 15 pounds of we consider now excess stuff. (Besides patience and you are not in control, today's lesson from the Camino-you don't need as much stuff as you think!). I was very cocky that I was travelling as light as possible until I had to haul my stuff up hill, I am down to one biking short, three tops, one set of underwear, a toothbrush, camera and Ipod, plus cords. Paul similarly lightened his load.
After the post office, we headed out of town. Leaving is not an easy task as it was rush hour and drivers are not looking for bikes when they are in a hurry. One such driver made a left hand turn right into me. We both swerved hard and very narrowly avoided an early end to my trip. I was very shaken, Paul was mad. He yelled at the driver for not being more careful and wanting him to apologize for nearly running me over. When he wouldn't, Paul yelled at him and then took off after me. Never one to usually back down from a confrontation, I was too upset to deal with the idiot.
We finally got out of town and resumed our riding. The rest of the day was uneventful, if not downright beautiful. Our day was spent in the heart of the Rioja valley, filled with miles of vines as far as the eye could see...vines, vines and more vines. There were also fields of glorious sunflowers dancing in the breeze. We arrived at our evening destination hungry and tired.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
What a hard day!
I knew today would be hard. My memory has not gotten that bad yet. But I was not prepared for how hard it would be. First of all, it´s always hard to get back into the saddle after your first day of riding. It´s worse when you start the day off with a climb. The cool morning air faded fast as we heated up with our efforts to go up a little hill. We opted to go for the road route instead of the pilgrim path, which we heard was very difficult for bikers. We made a good choice.
I was helped in my efforts by my Ipod. Biking along with Aretha Franklin belting out "Respect" gets those rubbery legs going. I made it up the first climb albeit a little slowly but feeling pretty good. That would be the last time.
We stopped for lunch and as we did, the temperature started climbing. Just outside of Estella is a bodega where there is a fountain which offers wine and water for pilgrims. (If you got their website (www.irache.com), you can see pilgrims at their live webcam. We arrived at 1:00 pm (6:00 am back home.) We woke our children and had them go to the computer so we could wave to them! Although we couldn´t see them, it was nice to know they could see us.
By this point, the sweltering Spanish sun was heating up the air like a convection oven. It was hot and there was no respite. Paul and I pushed on, but by this point, my age and lack of conditioning made any climbing impossible. My legs felt like jello and my head feltl like it was going to explode. It was hot. Paul would wait for me at the top of every climb, but all I could do was push my bike. We would take breaks when we could find shade and then push on. But all in all, it was a long day.
Paul made good use of his waits for me by talking to other pilgrims as they passed by, most of them walking. He met a young German gal whose knee was all bandaged. He asked her what had happened and she said she blew it out on her second day of walking. When asked if she had gone to the doctor, she said no. A chinese gentleman, also a pilgrim, applied some needles to her knee. Paul was amazed and asked if that had helped and she thought about it, then said, yes it had!
We ended our day in Viana, a small walled town, after biking 61 kilometers. Viana is famous for being the birthplace of the infamous Cesar Borgia. They are celebrating the 500th anniversary of said birth. There is a museum and such, but our goal was to get our day´s laundry done and head out for a well-deserved glass of beer, wine and dinner. Tomorrow we are going to the post office again and getting rid of more weight. Hopefully, things will improve on the route.
I was helped in my efforts by my Ipod. Biking along with Aretha Franklin belting out "Respect" gets those rubbery legs going. I made it up the first climb albeit a little slowly but feeling pretty good. That would be the last time.
We stopped for lunch and as we did, the temperature started climbing. Just outside of Estella is a bodega where there is a fountain which offers wine and water for pilgrims. (If you got their website (www.irache.com), you can see pilgrims at their live webcam. We arrived at 1:00 pm (6:00 am back home.) We woke our children and had them go to the computer so we could wave to them! Although we couldn´t see them, it was nice to know they could see us.
By this point, the sweltering Spanish sun was heating up the air like a convection oven. It was hot and there was no respite. Paul and I pushed on, but by this point, my age and lack of conditioning made any climbing impossible. My legs felt like jello and my head feltl like it was going to explode. It was hot. Paul would wait for me at the top of every climb, but all I could do was push my bike. We would take breaks when we could find shade and then push on. But all in all, it was a long day.
Paul made good use of his waits for me by talking to other pilgrims as they passed by, most of them walking. He met a young German gal whose knee was all bandaged. He asked her what had happened and she said she blew it out on her second day of walking. When asked if she had gone to the doctor, she said no. A chinese gentleman, also a pilgrim, applied some needles to her knee. Paul was amazed and asked if that had helped and she thought about it, then said, yes it had!
We ended our day in Viana, a small walled town, after biking 61 kilometers. Viana is famous for being the birthplace of the infamous Cesar Borgia. They are celebrating the 500th anniversary of said birth. There is a museum and such, but our goal was to get our day´s laundry done and head out for a well-deserved glass of beer, wine and dinner. Tomorrow we are going to the post office again and getting rid of more weight. Hopefully, things will improve on the route.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
New Notes on Puente La Reina
I had to add this post because Paul and I had the most incredible meal at our hotel. The food is one of the things we love about our trips to the Iberian peninsula. Spain is just becoming known for its gastronomie. El Bulli near Barcelona is world renowned for its cuisine. While not quite at that level, tonight's dinner was a marvel, especially after today's truck stop working man's lunch.
Tonight, we had a gazpacho that was a perfect blend of flavors. Not too sharp and not too bland. I had a salad of bacalao which is salted cod with balsamic vinaigrette and Paul had solomillo which is a steak. However, it was incredibly tender served with a small slice of fois gras on top and a balsamic reduction and something that was like an apple sauce, but we think was pear and dried fruits (cherries, raisins and dates). As odd as that may sound, everything was delicious. More so were the desserts. Paul chose a dessert which was three scoops of ice cream: banana, chocolate and strawberry with a drizzle of chocolate on the plate. Mine was a tarta de queso, something like a cheesecake, but it was the most incredibly light, not overly sweet or eggy cheesecake I have ever had. It was absolutely heaven. It was topped with a fresh raspberry sauce and fresh raspberries on the side.
Anyway, the reason why I rave so much about the food as we feel that we earn every single morsel and calorie after our hard day of biking. The contrast to the day´s earlier truck stop lunch also plays into my going on and on about our dinner.
The other part of the trip that Paul and I are enjoying is the wine we are being served. Even at the truck stop lunch stop, the table wine we order is absolutely heads above what we have been getting in the States, unless we fork over more than $25.oo a bottle. And even then, the quality is lacking. Anyway enough on the food. Tomorrow is another day.
Tonight, we had a gazpacho that was a perfect blend of flavors. Not too sharp and not too bland. I had a salad of bacalao which is salted cod with balsamic vinaigrette and Paul had solomillo which is a steak. However, it was incredibly tender served with a small slice of fois gras on top and a balsamic reduction and something that was like an apple sauce, but we think was pear and dried fruits (cherries, raisins and dates). As odd as that may sound, everything was delicious. More so were the desserts. Paul chose a dessert which was three scoops of ice cream: banana, chocolate and strawberry with a drizzle of chocolate on the plate. Mine was a tarta de queso, something like a cheesecake, but it was the most incredibly light, not overly sweet or eggy cheesecake I have ever had. It was absolutely heaven. It was topped with a fresh raspberry sauce and fresh raspberries on the side.
Anyway, the reason why I rave so much about the food as we feel that we earn every single morsel and calorie after our hard day of biking. The contrast to the day´s earlier truck stop lunch also plays into my going on and on about our dinner.
The other part of the trip that Paul and I are enjoying is the wine we are being served. Even at the truck stop lunch stop, the table wine we order is absolutely heads above what we have been getting in the States, unless we fork over more than $25.oo a bottle. And even then, the quality is lacking. Anyway enough on the food. Tomorrow is another day.
Some Random Notes from our First Day
On our first day, when we had all our bike troubles, there were several memorable moments.
- The first had to do with our trip back to Pamplona to repair Paul´s bike. As we headed down the valley with our two young rescuers, we were pulled over and quickly waved on our way at a police roadblock. A search was underway for several Basque terrorists thought to be in the area. During the Tour de France, part of it entered into Spain not ten kilometers from where we were staying. The Basque separatist group ETA exploded a bomb on the route. One of their members was recently arrested, but several others were thought to still be in the area, hence the police roadblock. Taking a quick look in the back seat, the police waved us on our way.
- Paul finally got his picture of Roland´s monument, something he has wanted to since our last trip. The monument commemorating where Roland sounded his horn for the ignominous retreat of Charlemagne´s army is about two kilometers above Roncesvalles. Since it required uphill biking, I remained in the little square having a cafe con leche while Paul went up the hill to take his pictures. He just made it before the evening fog covered the hillside making nearly impossible to take any photos. Paul said it reminded him of Brigadoon (impressing me with his reference to a Broadway musical-not usually his strong point!)
- Other memorable items are the sounds and smells of the camino. The clanking of the old church bells calling the pilgrims to Mass. The church chimes are also quite necessary due to the aforementioned fog. Last year, Paul said that two hikers got lost up in the mountains when the fog rolled in. The bells are used to guide people back to safety, however, they were unable to and one poor hiker died on the mountain. As to smells, well, we are in the country and there is nothing like the strong aroma of cow manure to greet you as you bike along your way!
For more information on the origin of the Camino de Santiago, Wikipedia has a great entry. You can find it at www.wikipedia.org/wiki/camino_de_santiago.
We´re Biking Now!
Paul and I are finally on the road. We left this morning from Burguette and headed off to our first end point: Puente La Reina.
We could not ask for better weather. The morning was crisp with beautiful blue skies. We started our morning following the actual camino, which is a path that winds through the countryside. Man calls it a path, nature says not so fast. The way was very rough. The trail was barely two feet wide, rutted with shale rocks jutting out and many a tree root. Paul and I humbly walked a good portion of the way, but we were in good company. Many fellow bike riders were having to do the same. Walking pilgrims smugly passed us with a nod of the head and what I considered a smirk escaping their lips. We went about 3 miles in an hour and quickly decided to go to the road instead.
We left the camino at this point, due to recommendations by previous biking pilgrims. We returned to a road we took on our previous journey which went through a magnificent tree-lined valley along the Erro River. While the river itself was small, you could see how it´s efforts over the millenia carved out the valley, slowly but surely. The ride was gorgeous. Along the way, we were passed by quite a few older gentlemen out for their morning exercise, decked out in their finest riding regalia. In this land of Alberto Contador, current winner of the Tour de France, biking is a passion and we saw the backside of quite a few enthusiasts.
Leaving the valley, we wound our way through the countryside which was start to bake under the hot sun. It felt as if someone left the oven door open. Going downhill, besides providing rest for legs after climbing, also provided a cool breeze.
We stopped for a bite to eat at what could only be described as a Spanish truck stop with a homey touch. All the tables were covered in a green checkered table cloth and filled with loud, boisterous working class men taking a break from their outdoor jobs. Spanish meals usually have one price for two courses, bread, a bottle of wine and water and your choice of dessert or coffee. As this was a country-side establishment, the menu consisted of a lot of game or river fish that was a little bit to heavy for the heat. However, Paul and I didn´t want to order just a side salad or something smaller since the place was so busy, so we went for the whole meal. Trying to ride our bikes after such a heavy meal was not the best, especially in the heat. We vowed to go lighter next time.
We stopped quite a few times along the road to take pictures of the many breathtaking scenes we encountered: the vast field of sunflowers, the golden ochre expanse of the recently shorn hay. Nature in all its glory. We couldn´t have asked for a better day to ride after our delay of yesterday.
We arrived to our day´s destination around 4:00 in the afternoon after 7 hours or so of biking. We checked into our hotel, a lovely restored building filled with antiques, stone walls and lots of charm. Of course, we are on the third floor and did not realize there was an elevator until after we hauled our bags up the three flights.
Our first goal was to wash off the road´s dust and get our clothes washed as well. It´s quite a picture to see us handwashing the day´s clothing in the sink (Paul´s choice) or the tub (mine). Once done, they decorate our lovely window looking out on the tiny main street of Puente La Reina. After our chores, we promptly collapsed for a well-earned nap.
Evening finds the air cooling off. We´ve headed down for a beer or two and some dinner, before we turn in for the night.
We could not ask for better weather. The morning was crisp with beautiful blue skies. We started our morning following the actual camino, which is a path that winds through the countryside. Man calls it a path, nature says not so fast. The way was very rough. The trail was barely two feet wide, rutted with shale rocks jutting out and many a tree root. Paul and I humbly walked a good portion of the way, but we were in good company. Many fellow bike riders were having to do the same. Walking pilgrims smugly passed us with a nod of the head and what I considered a smirk escaping their lips. We went about 3 miles in an hour and quickly decided to go to the road instead.
We left the camino at this point, due to recommendations by previous biking pilgrims. We returned to a road we took on our previous journey which went through a magnificent tree-lined valley along the Erro River. While the river itself was small, you could see how it´s efforts over the millenia carved out the valley, slowly but surely. The ride was gorgeous. Along the way, we were passed by quite a few older gentlemen out for their morning exercise, decked out in their finest riding regalia. In this land of Alberto Contador, current winner of the Tour de France, biking is a passion and we saw the backside of quite a few enthusiasts.
Leaving the valley, we wound our way through the countryside which was start to bake under the hot sun. It felt as if someone left the oven door open. Going downhill, besides providing rest for legs after climbing, also provided a cool breeze.
We stopped for a bite to eat at what could only be described as a Spanish truck stop with a homey touch. All the tables were covered in a green checkered table cloth and filled with loud, boisterous working class men taking a break from their outdoor jobs. Spanish meals usually have one price for two courses, bread, a bottle of wine and water and your choice of dessert or coffee. As this was a country-side establishment, the menu consisted of a lot of game or river fish that was a little bit to heavy for the heat. However, Paul and I didn´t want to order just a side salad or something smaller since the place was so busy, so we went for the whole meal. Trying to ride our bikes after such a heavy meal was not the best, especially in the heat. We vowed to go lighter next time.
We stopped quite a few times along the road to take pictures of the many breathtaking scenes we encountered: the vast field of sunflowers, the golden ochre expanse of the recently shorn hay. Nature in all its glory. We couldn´t have asked for a better day to ride after our delay of yesterday.
We arrived to our day´s destination around 4:00 in the afternoon after 7 hours or so of biking. We checked into our hotel, a lovely restored building filled with antiques, stone walls and lots of charm. Of course, we are on the third floor and did not realize there was an elevator until after we hauled our bags up the three flights.
Our first goal was to wash off the road´s dust and get our clothes washed as well. It´s quite a picture to see us handwashing the day´s clothing in the sink (Paul´s choice) or the tub (mine). Once done, they decorate our lovely window looking out on the tiny main street of Puente La Reina. After our chores, we promptly collapsed for a well-earned nap.
Evening finds the air cooling off. We´ve headed down for a beer or two and some dinner, before we turn in for the night.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Murphy's Law Wins Again!
As much as we tried, all did not go as we had so carefully planned, starting with our flight out of Minneapolis. We were delayed leaving by 2 hours which put our connection to Madrid in jeopardy. We would be cutting it close and even if we did make it, we were not sure our bikes would. When we finally took off, we arrived with a half hour to spare. Several people on our flight were not so lucky and they missed their connecting flights. Once we boarded, we could see our bikes outside getting ready to board as well. However, our joy over making our connection with bikes was tempered by the fact that we were on a flight with dozens of joyful and loud Spanish teenagers returning home after visiting the United States. Any thoughts of sleeping on the plane were gone.
We arrived bleary-eyed in Madrid. After clearing customs, we waited for our bike boxes. And we waited. After a very nervous wait as everyone claimed their bags, our boxes finally arrived. However, there was nary a luggage cart to be had in the terminal and we had to drag our boxes and carry-on bags, not an easy task. Especially since we had to navigate through hordes of loving and large families awaiting the above joyful and loud teenagers. The doors leaving the international terminal were jammed packed and nobody seemed in any particular hurry to finish hugging and greeting said teenagers.
We then had to collect our rental car, so still unable to find a luggage cart (I think they were all in the hands of loving family members collecting the luggage of their joyful teenagers), we continued dragging our bike boxes across the street to the rental car lot. Once we got their, we were told we had to check in back inside the crowded terminal. I waited with the boxes and bags and Paul went in to get the car keys.
Once he returned, we quickly loaded our stuff and headed north to Pamplona, where we would grab a cab and head onto to our starting point and hotel in Burguette. However, once again we waited in Pamplona as said cab never arrived. We kept calling and explaining that we needed a large van to hold our bike boxes and bags, but all we kept seeing were the nice and small taxis. After an hour wait, our cab finally arrived. Our driver was extremely friendly and very chatty. We had a great time talking with him on our way to Burguette, about a 45 minute drive from Pamplona.
Our delays caused us to miss the beginning of the Pilgrim´s Mass, but we did receive our blessing, which we felt would get us off to a great start. We were wrong.
Because we were tired after our long and noisy flight and delays getting to our starting destination, Paul and I had a wonderful dinner and called it a night. We planned to get up early and put our bikes together in the morning and then start our trip. We awoke at 7:00 as planned to collect our bikes, only to discover hotel personnel don´t arrive until 8:00 and they had the key to the garage where our bike boxes were stored. We decided to roll with the punches and go have breakfast first and then get our boxes when they opened. We had coffee at a tiny bakery and met a young man from Tudela who was also biking the camino. We chatted with him for a while and then wished him well on his journey and hoped we might see him on the road.
The office finally opened and we got our bike boxes out and started assembling bikes. Everything was fine until we tried putting on Paul´s chain. Somehow, there was a kink in the chain and try as we could, we could not get it undone. It should have been a simple problem, according to Paul, but it was not coming out. After a frustrating hour of playing with chain, I asked the hotel clerk if there was someone in town who worked on bikes. She pointed me in the direction of local car garage. When arrived after pushing the bike there, the garage was not open. An elderly gentleman told me he was also waiting for the mechanic for his car and he was told it should have opened at 9:00.
While I waited, I played around with the chain, hoping something magical might happen and the knot would come undone, but it didn´t. I then flagged down to biking pilgrim´s and asked if they would take a look. They tried for about 15 minutes but said they couldn´t see a way and had never seen anything like it. I thanked them and wished them well on their journey. After another 15 minute wait, a young man walking by stopped and asked if we were waiting for the mechanic. When we said yes, he informed us that the mechanic was on vacation! I headed back to the hotel to tell Paul the bad news. We asked at the hotel if there were other mechanics in towns nearby and she gave us some names but she didn´t have the phone numbers so we could call to see if they were open. While pondering how to solve our mechanical difficulties, a car pulled in across the street with two bikes on top. I hurried over to ask to see if they might be able to help us. The young man came over and tried but again had no success. They were headed up to the start of the camino in Roncesvalles to drop off their bikes to their friends. The couple offered us a ride to a mechanic if we still needed it by the time they passed by again. They were driving to Vittoria to drop off the car and they offered to take us to Pamplona to find a bike shop where we could repair the bike.
On the ride to Pamplona, this lovely young couple told us they were from Milan and they were doing the camino with another couple. Along the way they would be joined by some friends who would pick up their car. There generosity is one thing we have learned is the norm on the camino and not the exception. We offered to buy them a beer if we saw them back in Roncesvalles when we returned.
We then went in search of a bike shop and found one not too far from where they dropped us off. When the gentleman at the repair shop looked at the bike, he couldn´t figure it out and told us to leave the bike and return after his lunch break in an hour and half. We took advantage of that time to find a post office where we could unload some weight. We shipped some items that we wouldn´t need until we arrived in Santiago, about 20 pounds of stuff that we didn´t need to haul over the mountains. We decided to go back to the beginning at Roncesvalles instead of starting our trip in Pamplona. Paul was on a mission to photograph a monument outside the town which commemorated the death of Roland, as in the Song of Roland. He missed it on our last trip and this time wanted to make sure he was able to photograph it.
We picked up the bike and it was fixed. Hurray! Then, we went off to do some sightseeing in the old part of Pamlona before heading off to the bus station to catch the 6:00 bus back to Roncesvalles. There are alot of pilgrims doing the camino both by foot and by bike. Two buses were needed to get everyone to Roncesvalles. At the bus terminal, we met up again with our young Italian couple who would not let us thank them with a beer or two. They were very gracious about the extraordinary help they gave us. Paul was able to get his pictures of Roland´s monument. After a pilgrim´s meal tonight, Paul and I plan to turn in early and start our trip once more! Next stop, hopefully is Puente La Reina.
We arrived bleary-eyed in Madrid. After clearing customs, we waited for our bike boxes. And we waited. After a very nervous wait as everyone claimed their bags, our boxes finally arrived. However, there was nary a luggage cart to be had in the terminal and we had to drag our boxes and carry-on bags, not an easy task. Especially since we had to navigate through hordes of loving and large families awaiting the above joyful and loud teenagers. The doors leaving the international terminal were jammed packed and nobody seemed in any particular hurry to finish hugging and greeting said teenagers.
We then had to collect our rental car, so still unable to find a luggage cart (I think they were all in the hands of loving family members collecting the luggage of their joyful teenagers), we continued dragging our bike boxes across the street to the rental car lot. Once we got their, we were told we had to check in back inside the crowded terminal. I waited with the boxes and bags and Paul went in to get the car keys.
Once he returned, we quickly loaded our stuff and headed north to Pamplona, where we would grab a cab and head onto to our starting point and hotel in Burguette. However, once again we waited in Pamplona as said cab never arrived. We kept calling and explaining that we needed a large van to hold our bike boxes and bags, but all we kept seeing were the nice and small taxis. After an hour wait, our cab finally arrived. Our driver was extremely friendly and very chatty. We had a great time talking with him on our way to Burguette, about a 45 minute drive from Pamplona.
Our delays caused us to miss the beginning of the Pilgrim´s Mass, but we did receive our blessing, which we felt would get us off to a great start. We were wrong.
Because we were tired after our long and noisy flight and delays getting to our starting destination, Paul and I had a wonderful dinner and called it a night. We planned to get up early and put our bikes together in the morning and then start our trip. We awoke at 7:00 as planned to collect our bikes, only to discover hotel personnel don´t arrive until 8:00 and they had the key to the garage where our bike boxes were stored. We decided to roll with the punches and go have breakfast first and then get our boxes when they opened. We had coffee at a tiny bakery and met a young man from Tudela who was also biking the camino. We chatted with him for a while and then wished him well on his journey and hoped we might see him on the road.
The office finally opened and we got our bike boxes out and started assembling bikes. Everything was fine until we tried putting on Paul´s chain. Somehow, there was a kink in the chain and try as we could, we could not get it undone. It should have been a simple problem, according to Paul, but it was not coming out. After a frustrating hour of playing with chain, I asked the hotel clerk if there was someone in town who worked on bikes. She pointed me in the direction of local car garage. When arrived after pushing the bike there, the garage was not open. An elderly gentleman told me he was also waiting for the mechanic for his car and he was told it should have opened at 9:00.
While I waited, I played around with the chain, hoping something magical might happen and the knot would come undone, but it didn´t. I then flagged down to biking pilgrim´s and asked if they would take a look. They tried for about 15 minutes but said they couldn´t see a way and had never seen anything like it. I thanked them and wished them well on their journey. After another 15 minute wait, a young man walking by stopped and asked if we were waiting for the mechanic. When we said yes, he informed us that the mechanic was on vacation! I headed back to the hotel to tell Paul the bad news. We asked at the hotel if there were other mechanics in towns nearby and she gave us some names but she didn´t have the phone numbers so we could call to see if they were open. While pondering how to solve our mechanical difficulties, a car pulled in across the street with two bikes on top. I hurried over to ask to see if they might be able to help us. The young man came over and tried but again had no success. They were headed up to the start of the camino in Roncesvalles to drop off their bikes to their friends. The couple offered us a ride to a mechanic if we still needed it by the time they passed by again. They were driving to Vittoria to drop off the car and they offered to take us to Pamplona to find a bike shop where we could repair the bike.
On the ride to Pamplona, this lovely young couple told us they were from Milan and they were doing the camino with another couple. Along the way they would be joined by some friends who would pick up their car. There generosity is one thing we have learned is the norm on the camino and not the exception. We offered to buy them a beer if we saw them back in Roncesvalles when we returned.
We then went in search of a bike shop and found one not too far from where they dropped us off. When the gentleman at the repair shop looked at the bike, he couldn´t figure it out and told us to leave the bike and return after his lunch break in an hour and half. We took advantage of that time to find a post office where we could unload some weight. We shipped some items that we wouldn´t need until we arrived in Santiago, about 20 pounds of stuff that we didn´t need to haul over the mountains. We decided to go back to the beginning at Roncesvalles instead of starting our trip in Pamplona. Paul was on a mission to photograph a monument outside the town which commemorated the death of Roland, as in the Song of Roland. He missed it on our last trip and this time wanted to make sure he was able to photograph it.
We picked up the bike and it was fixed. Hurray! Then, we went off to do some sightseeing in the old part of Pamlona before heading off to the bus station to catch the 6:00 bus back to Roncesvalles. There are alot of pilgrims doing the camino both by foot and by bike. Two buses were needed to get everyone to Roncesvalles. At the bus terminal, we met up again with our young Italian couple who would not let us thank them with a beer or two. They were very gracious about the extraordinary help they gave us. Paul was able to get his pictures of Roland´s monument. After a pilgrim´s meal tonight, Paul and I plan to turn in early and start our trip once more! Next stop, hopefully is Puente La Reina.
Friday, July 27, 2007
We're Ready to Go!
We've trained hard. Our bikes are boxed and ready to go. We each have one carry on bag and we're ready to head off. If all goes according to plan, we leave Saturday and arrive in Madrid on Sunday morning. From there we will rent a car and drive to the border of France and Spain where we will start our journey. We are staying at the same hotel that we did on our last trip. The place is cozy and has a nice restaurant. We will put our bikes together and then return the rental car to Pamplona and cab it back to our hotel. Hopefully, we accomplish this before the pilgrim's Mass in Roncesvalles. It is a wonderful way to start our trip. We'll keep our fingers crossed that all goes according to plan.
Monday, July 23, 2007
We're Doing it Again!
Paul and I had such a wonderful time on our Spanish adventure that we are doing it once again. Saturday, July 28th we head off again for Madrid with our bikes. We will be using this blog to keep you posted on our journey.
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