Big day today. About 20 miles between Ventosa and Santo Dominigo de Caldaza. All four of us were up and downstairs in the albergue preparing our packs and eating breakfast-hard boiled eggs. We were out the door at 6:00am. It was cold! 41° with a stiff wind. After 10 minutes we stopped to put on our puffy coats. Just couldn’t get warm.
Our plan was to hike the 7 or so miles to Nájera, find the bus station, have Sally take the bus to Azofra, cutting out about 5 miles of trail. She would have a nice rest in a restaurant while I hiked the distance, then we would continue on to Santo Dominigo. We made it to Nájera about 8:30, walking thru miles of vineyards. The sky was full of dark and threatening clouds, but there was a patch of clear sky off to the east that let in strong light but not direct sunlight. It created an eerie lighting across the area, one I have not experienced before.
In Nájera we stopped at the first open restaurant in town to use the bathroom. We bought and shared a pastry to justify using their facilities. I asked a woman setting up her outside seating where the bus station was. She pointed me in the right direction although she spoke no English. My broken Spanish must have been good enough. We had looked at a schedule and remembered a bus left at 8:53. It was 8:35. We hurried through the town and found the station. There were a few pilgrims with injuries riding the bus all the way to Santo Domingo. They helped us realize there was not a bus to Azofra. We called a taxi and waited 15 minutes for him to show. With Sally safely on her way I hoofed it to Azofro in about an hour twenty. I listened to James Michener’s “Iberia” on the way, trying to learn more about this country.
I met Sally at the restaurant and we headed out, about 7 miles to go. Beautiful fields of wheat, barley and oats. For miles and miles.
We crested a rise and there lay Santo Domingo, about 3 miles to go. Admittedly, they drug on and on. I was tired and so was Sally. We took our time and made it to the room about 4:00pm. Becky had been here for hours and had emailed me the door codes to get in. We dropped our gear in the room, then our bodies into our beds. A quick rest and then out to the grocery store. Bagged salad for dinner. Yogurt for breakfast. Bread and cheese for tomorrow’s lunch.
We were on the fourth floor, not an Way hike up after our walk today. We came down and ate dinner, then up to watch the next Ted Lasso episode. Some writing in the blog, a postcard to the grands and then lights out. Tiring, but great day.
Eerie lighting in the morning
Miles of vineyards under strange light
The bright line shone thru a hole in the clouds
Someone knows how to raise roses
Approaching Azofra
The route goes up the hill in the distance
Flowers, fields and the way
Two pilgrims walking the trail
Santo Domingo in the distance
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