Resting our legs in El Cebreiro

OMG!!!! We are on what is most likely one of the toughest trails this week. We just climbed from 500 to 1300 m altitude, after already having climbed some 750 meters on this mornings track.

But, we made it: "con dos cojones" as the Spanish would say.

The weather is great, a little hot (35 degr.) so we are taking in simply liters of water. A lot of it comes back as sweat, and quite a bit we cop-dust along the route. What's remarkable is that when we relieve ourselves, it sort of stains the grass a similar yellow as used for the Camino markers. Hope we're not misguiding too many fellow pilgrims with our urine graffiti...

El Cebreiro is a little hippie place on the edge of the Galician border. We are indeed in Galicia!!!! Getting pretty close now.

Ok. More when we get to Triacastela.

Hasta la próxima
Douwe


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Having lunch in Villafranca de Bierzo

Another 20 km done, which puts us at 50 for the day. We decided to break for lunch in Villafranca del Bierzo as we have a rather heavy trail still ahead of us. We are facing a 750 meter climb. Triacastela seems another world for us now, but I am sure we'll make it.

Bierzo is a lovely district, also known for its amazing red wine.

Lunch is mediocre, Frans his Cordon Blue is deep fried it seems. But the sun is shining and we are enjoying actually sitting down on something other than a saddle.

More after our monster climb.

Hasta la próxima
Douwe


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A coffee break in Ponferada

We just cycled to Ponferada, 30 km's. This puts us at the 200 minimum for cyclists, that is if you want it all to be official. From here we need to get the minimum 2 daily stamps. We will get our first of the day here at the Ayuntamiento which is right at the terrace where we stopped for some coffee. Well, tea for me actually, as I woke up last night and projectile vomitted out my supper. Am pretty sure it must have been the Gazpacho that was dodgy. In any event I was not in my best form this morning. Cycling seems to be going alright, but I will have to watch what I eat today.

The first part of today's trail so far was made up of a relatively short climb, and a spectacularly long and winding descent towards Ponferada. It helped us get here relatively quickly. We need it as we have another 60 km to go today, which includes a tough and long climb.

After coffee we'll go and visit the castle of the Knights Templar. After that I am sure we'll need to make our way towards Triacastela, our target town for today which is in Galicia.

Meanwhile we are enjoying the sun and resting our legs.

Hasta la próxima
Douwe


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We made it to Rabanal del Camino

We made it, a cool 70 km's, it turned out slightly more than anticipated. But the weather was amazing, and all the rain and ugly weather preparations were unnecessary in retrospect. Hind sight is 20 : 20, and we learned earlier on the Camino that preparation is of paramount importance. It's all tough enough as it is.

The B&B we just checked into is more like a country manor. It is amazing and we have not one but two queensize beds in our large room. The bar is great and Heineken flows gently into pint-sized glasses whilst we come to the realization that we have only got some 240 km's to go until we are knighted über-pilgrims as we enter Santiago de Compostela.

During our previous stop, as Frans was fixing his bike, we caught up with two fellow Dutchmen who actually started in Groningen. OMG!! They left mid May and made sure we knew that they actually sleep in a tent. When we mentioned our accommodations along the route, they frowned and we tried to break the ice by admitting that we are in fact Camino Preppies (or Camino Kakkers in Dutch..) I was quick to add that I am from Groningen originally, which seemed to help a little bit. In the same town, the pueblo known as Astorga, we stocked up on water and chocolate. Astorga is known for its chocolate, no doubt through some Belgiam pilgrim that got stuck and never left. It was lovely and a great energy boost.

The scenery from Astorha to where we are now has greatly improved from near-motorway and strip-mall suburbs of León to a countryside that more resembles the highlands of bonnie Scotland than your stereotypical Spain.

We are off for a much needed shower and a dinner that is served at an un-Spanish early hour. (Kitchen closes at 10) Just as well as we have a killer program ahead of us tomorrow.

Hasta la próxima.
Douwe


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Another flat tire...

Hahaha, we have another flat tire, Frans to be exact. So he is fidgeting around with his front tire and this time inserting our miracle working anti-flat protection along with the inner tube.

Once he's done we'll find a cafe for some light refreshments. We just obtained our second stamp of the day, and the sun is shining at the Puerta del Sol. It was meant to be.

Looks as though Frans is wrapping up the fight with his front wheel, time to schlepp our sore asses to a terrace.

Hasta la próxima
Douwe


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Just passed Hospital de Orbigo

We have cycled some 35 Km's which puts us over half of the total 65 we have for today. Rabanal del Camino is our target for today, where we expect to land in the next couple of hours.

It's striking that we have seen loads more cyclists on the Camino today, we figured many of them probably chose León as their starting point.

This morning we ran into some people we had met before. Over breakfast by chance the Dutch woman, and her Swiss toy boy she picked up along the way, walked into the same bar. We are likely to run into them again I'm sure.

Couple of cyclists that just passed us, as we stopped for a picnic, are doing a Camino light. All their luggage is hauled by a mate in a van, as they lightly pedal over the trails. Such blasphemy.

The weather thus far has been very nice, we were able to take off our rain gear and go at it short sleeved.

More when we get to Rabanal.

Hasta la próxima
Douwe





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In León getting ready for the cold

We have our feet still firmly planted on Leónese soil, and have made some preparations for the cold weather. Extra gloves, some protective clothing. In addition we passed by a bicycle store where we bought some tube protecors, shields that you put inside the tire and will help prevent flats. A fellow MTB pilgrim let us in on this public secret yesterday. Anybody need any spare tubes? We have plenty. :)

We are getting rady to leave, just a couple more stops before we head into the wilderness. We need some bread and SD cards for the camera as I am shooting quite some footage for our upcoming Camino podcast.

We have 65 Km's ahead of us today.

Hasta la próxima
Douwe


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