Day 10

Sept. 06-2014.

As I was marching out of Viana I was coming down the side walk and seen "her" at a side walk table having coffee and a cigarette.  When she seen me she jumped up and ran the last 20 yards towards me with her hand stuck out.  I want to thank you again for breakfast yesterday she said, it really warmed my heart.  I tried to counter with some philosophy but I am not sure how I sounded.  This time we warmly shook hands and exchanged names.  Her name was Andrew, which surprised me I thought sure it would be more feminist. I left her there....I will be along in good time! she said, I am not in a rush.

Getting across Logrono was a pain in the ass.  A very large city, but still for the way was marked very well.  I only had to ask one time if this was the camino.  I had come to a point where I had three choices, a jogger set me stright.  This is the first day where many, many locals whished me buen camino.  Lots of old people that were on my path would stop me and wish me well.....I guess any way in that I had no idea what else they were saying.  For the most of the day we were on the beaten path with a lot of joggers and bikers, all locals just doing their thing but well in my rode.  I was relived to finally leave the city behind.  The sun was a baker again to day, several of the pilgrims actually had umberillas to walk under. I wanted to push to Vetosa but I was melted and stopped at the first Alberque I came to.  It turns out it was the right thing to do in that I got the last bed, which means that those behind me will have to push on weather they want to or not.  If I had got to Vetosa and their were no beds I would of had to bivouac it some where.  I have booked a meal here in that the owners mother is doing the cooking, so I am looking forward to something home made.

I will tell you one thing about the Spanish they keep all their drinks cold,cold, cold.  Unlike your tipical 7-11.  But it's hot, I work up a sweat just packing my pack in the morning.  At night I just sleep on top of my blanket, no air conditioning at all, not that I have seen in any case. It seems that I caught up with the Germans again, and yes it's nickers city again but what the hell.  And to think I even brought a pair of PJ,s.  They will be the next thing I leave behind.  In fact today was the first day I really seen pilgrims emptying their loads.  Some real nice things were hanging in trees for any one to lay claim to.  I was surprised in that some things were really nice.

I don't know if I told you but the way is marked with a madilion that looks like a cockle shale.  The shale had about six spines that meet at the base.  The spines represent people coming from all walks of life and meeting in one place.  To point the right way the shale base is the right directions, the problem is, is that most of them are pointing the wrong direction in that the workers didn't understand the true meaning of the shale and think the spines are arrows.  Instead of correcting the wrong, a yellow arrow was painted under the madilion to point the true way.  What I have also learned was where these signs are positioned also counts so you need to stand for a moment and think about each one to make sure you made the right choice.  But then again just follow the back pack in front.

Also you need to know that for this adventure my wife bought me an ipad and on the back had the words "let the journey begin" which was very special to me.  It's a long story but right off the ipad was dropped and the screen was shattered.  I was able to obtain some tape to secure the screen with because I mean shattered.  So while I am writing I can't see half the screen so I don't know if I am hitting the right keys or not.....just bear with me if I don't make total sense.

Lesson learned:  wet socks are a soldiers worst enemies.

  

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To be continued........