Day 20 - Sat. May 17

Day 20-Sat, May 17 - Boadillo del Camino to Carrion De Los Condes - 16+ miles- from 7 am to 1:30 pm

The coffee cups looked like cereal bowls. Stoney loved it. One cup was probably the equivalent of 3 cups of coffee. It was very good. I did not need to doctor my cafe con leche with sugar. 

The extra caffeine I hoped would fuel this day. It was to be our longest day yet and the terrain was to be flat. 

Early on we walked along this canal for quite some time.

 


We walked an approx. 8 mile stretch where there was nothing except fields. I saw the first corn field today with about 3" plants. Reminded me of Illinois and I thought about the gardens of my childhood and visiting my great uncles who were farmers. 

Turned back to get a pic of the sun coming up. 

Today the wind was very strong and relentless. It was not at our back and it came at our right side for all but the last several miles when the day had warmed and it would have been welcome. Trees had a permanent lea to them so we surmised this wind is normal. When we asked Eduardo about the wind, he said it is normal and good for the skin. 

We walked with an Australian couple and their 20 yr. old daughter for several miles and we enjoyed their company. The daughter had her ankle wrapped and the dad was having trouble with his Achilles' tendon. They had taken a couple of taxis to move ahead so as to be able to make it to Santiago. 

We stopped for coffee somewhere. It is always good to sit down. It was after this crossing which the Romans built. 

Over a highway. 

Took a brief break here. But we status next to the building to get relief from the wind. 

This day became a blur. The last few miles were along a highway and some of the cars seemed to be going 100 mph. I wished I could be riding in one of them. At one point I was lagging so much that Stoney was worried. He asked if I wanted him to try and hitch hike a ride. A man with a wonderful stride came up beside me and told me I was almost there. After 2k there would be a hill and after cresting the hill I would see the town. That was good to know and helped spur me forward. As he walked on, he said 'Onward!'  Stoney said that when he walked past him, he gave encouragement as well. 

Our destination was on the entry side of the town and we found it rather easily. The man who checked us in was a character. I guess he's so busy that he has a routine set of instructions ... 3 keys (first key turn left, second key turn right and room key - well, I had tuned out but Stoney listened and was the keeper of the keys. Our room was peaceful except for the roar of the exhaust fan which ran with the bathroom light. So we showered in semi-darkness. Santa ClaraConvent below. 

I crashed on the bed for a couple of hours before I could move and we ventured out for pizza about 6 pm and Mass at 8 pm.