Category: Camino 2022 The WHOLE Way

Background

Last time (2019) we tackled this climb after having already walked 22K. In fact, we stopped to “fuel up” with lunch at a charming B&B. We left the B&B in the late afternoon and didn’t arrive to the top until 7:30 pm. I melted down, almost literally, from the exhaustion and heat.

So, that’s why this time we purposely planned to tackle the mountain in the morning. In fact, we actually stayed at the B&B that had served us the lunch before the 2019 ascent.

 

 

 

 

We got an early start the next morning and walked about 2K before the trail started to climb. Here’s the “before” video:

The bottom of the climb video.

And here’s me trying to show you how far up we had to go.

Ya kinda had to be there to see how steep it is.

Donna’s turn to film me doing great.

Terri trucking strong.

We made it.

Turns out our lodging reservations got changed, so we are in an Albergue, albeit with a private room and bath. Walking around, we discovered the town we’re in is known for cheese making. “Cow cheese” as our host explained.

This gal was ready to retire for the day.

There’s a cow at the window!

Off to sleep now. We’re both feeling joyful, accomplished and blessed.

We were checking weather forecasts frequently and knew we needed to be prepared for rain. Here’s our morning selfie for Tuesday, Sept. 13.

The scenery is stunning these last couple of days.

We spent the night in Tricastela, which is a village nestled in the mountains. From O’Cebreiro there is a lot of downhill walking. A lot. Knees feel it the most, but thankfully there was beautiful scenery to distract us.

Room with a view.

In the village of Tricastela, we had a second floor room. And in Spain, the ground floor is numbered zero, so to the California Chicas, that meant three flights of stairs to climb.  The view from our window was an interesting mix of old and new.

Nothing special about the room, but for you fans of Donna’s collection, here’s last night’s, below.

And the night before’s, also below.

Sarria is a big deal. That’s where we are tonight.

In order to get your Compostela certificate, you have to walk at least 100K. (Bicyclists have to ride at least 200K.) Sarria is 111K from Santiago, so it is the starting point for hundreds of people.

Last time, I let the crowds get to me, mostly when perky Pilgrims practically ran ahead of me that first day. But now, I don’t compare myself. I remember Teddy Roosevelt’s quote, instead:  “Comparison is the thief of joy.”

This time I’m actually looking forward to seeing, greeting and maybe even meeting a few new people.

Here are a couple of video clips to enjoy from today.

(I have no idea why one looks like a video and the other is a link. Working from an iPad is a challenge.)

Donna loves bridges.

And a few fun photos.

 

Five more walking days left. Wow.

Ultreia!

The walk out of Sarria was busy and crowded as predicted. Donna and I chuckled at how spiffy and sparkly the “new people” seemed. All you have to do is look at someone’s shoes to know if this was Day 1 for them. Mine used to be an olive green, but now are embedded with beige dirt.

Continue reading “Under 100k to Go Now!”

Hills and dales and forests, oh my. Trees that created cathedrals with moss-covered rock walls lining the center aisle. Stunning two days of rugged walking.

Continue reading “Catching Up Via Captions”

Memorize the Moments

Do you ever have a day or an experience in which you think, “I have to memorize this moment”? I remember saying that to myself on my wedding day. (And on my daughter’s wedding day, which was Sept. 18 last year. It’s also the day we’ll walk into Santiago tomorrow.)

Today, the day before we walk into Santiago was one of those days.

Will this be the last babbling brook we hear on the Camino?

Another “cathedral forest arch.” Will there be more? I don’t remember.

Will we see the 4 Hermanos (Brothers) again? The Denver Sisters? We had better get photos. (We actually got phone numbers so that we can connect in Santiago tomorrow.)

Click HERE for the answer via video.

Our morning selfie included a new friend.

Continue reading “One More Sleep Before Santiago”

Morning has broken on a new day.

Today is the day. Hoy es el día.

Continue reading “We Arrive.”