Day 12- The Beat Goes On

A bit shy of 2 weeks but it seems like a good day to take stock. The first few days are just a memory. I am not hacking, sweating, staggering on the Camino. I feel like I’m beginning to hit my stride. But I am wary. In planning this venture, I charted out where I might combine days which were a little light on the miles. I have decided against it. It’s a long way, with 5 more days of over 20 miles, so I will just accept what the Camino has to offer- grind the hard days and dial back on the shorter days.

I walked alone today, again, with just a couple of Pilgrims ahead of me or behind me, leapfrogging each other as we stopped for pictures, rest and just soaking up the journey and environment. We walked through a national preserve for most of the day of truly beautiful surroundings. The preserve also allowed open grazing. I crossed paths with many cattle and more than 1 bull on the side of the trail and smack dab in the middle of the trail and even walking down the trail. One cow was nursing her calf right in the middle of the trail and boy did she glare as I slowly passed her. Many gave me the hairy eyeball. I should have got some advice from a few my son’s fraternity brothers who are cattlemen. I got through the herd but it was a bit unnerving.

The front of last night’s lodging. How about that signage?

Predawn walk into the mystic. Those are the Pilgrims who I crossed paths with a number of times but we kept our separate journeys.

I try to rest every 3 hours. At almost exactly 3 hours into today’s walk, I came upon this cross and arrow. A perfect spot to rest. Thereafter the last 3 miles were a breeze.

As I arrived in Alcuescar, I stopped for coffee and asked the bar owner if there were any open churches. She walked me around the corner from her bar and pointed down a narrow, winding street. I turned a corner and a church appeared. I went inside and I was the only one there (well, maybe not the only one there).