100 Miles In

Attic mattresses and sketchy bunk beds, lead to less painful early-morning wake up calls.  After spending the night scratching at conjured bed bugs and tossing and turning on a tilted top bunk, I was more than happy to sound the alarm at 5:30 this morning to get this show on the road early.  The attic dwellers  (Foster and Brianna) were quick to descend from their digs, and we all made it out the door well before sunrise.

Within minutes of exiting the city wall at Los Arcos, we realized we were leading a pack of pilgrims. It was like an ocean of color behind us...backpacks and rain covers in every hue dotted the trail. It was as if we were in some crazy race of over-burdened donkeys - no one really capable of moving too quickly under the weight of their packs, yet everyone trying to hustle along the trail and get the day started.  It compelled us to walk just a little faster, and the trail cooperated with our effort - winding flat and downhill for the first 7 km of the day.  By our first coffee stop at 8:30 in the morning, we already had 8 km behind us. Yesterday, we had just started moving by that time.  It felt good.  

After recharging with coffee, hot chocolate and a few rounds of Foosball, we were on the road again. We have started measuring time in distance to the next meal, so we were all focused on arriving in the city of Viana for lunch in 10 km.  Viana was like a sparkling gem in the distance.  From our perch on the hill, the Iglesia de Santa Maria's steeples glimmered in an odd window of sun on an otherwise overcast morning - making the whole city glow yellow in the midst of farm fields.  We set our sights on the church and kept our feet moving.

Viana turned out to be a lively medieval town, and it appeared that the senior center was just letting out for "walk time" as we arrived.  We got caught in a parade of walkers, wheel chairs and paired-up elders making their way down the street to the square.  It forced us to slow down a little and take in our surroundings. Most importantly, we spotted a small food shop and found the city square where we could leave Brianna and Nolan to backpack-sit while Foster and I shopped for lunch.  Larger towns are fun for the food selection they offer.  The usual ham and cheese sandwich is getting old, so today we mixed it up a little with yogurt, Pringles and double-stuffed Oreos!  Everyone was happy. 

We took a quick peek inside the church and got our pilgrim passports stamped before hoisting the packs once more and beginning the trek to Longrono - our destination for the night.  Foster and Nolan quickly disappeared into the distance, while Brianna and I took the slow and steady approach.  When I heard laughter around the corner up ahead on the trail, I assumed we had found the boys resting somewhere along the way.  But, instead I found Brianna holding a cup of wine and a small snack of cheese, ham, tortilla and sausage with an enormous smile on her face.  There was a woman on the side of the road set up at a picnic table - just feeding pilgrims (and pouring them wine).  We paused for a few minutes and enjoyed her hospitality before leaving a donation and moving on.  Brianna's first comment was, "I LOVE Europe," and then, "Eeew.  This tastes like rubbing alcohol!  Why do fancy people drink this?"  When I suggested she could just pitch the wine (or give it to me), she shook her head and refused. "This is a rite of passage. I HAVE to do this."  I'm glad I could be along for the ride.  

We spent the next hour or so wondering when we would catch up with the boys and wondering whether or not they had enjoyed "snacks" on the side of the trail. I briefly considered the possibility that they may have accepted a little too much hospitality and that I might find them napping under a tree somewhere.

As we approached the city of Longrono (still no boys in sight), the scenery changed from rural countryside back to urban. When we finally reached the outskirts of the city, we found the boys in the park resting and claiming to have skipped the wine lady entirely.  We all had passed the "man in a van" though - living in a rusted out VW van, he was calling out to pilgrims on the way through a bullhorn - wishing us a "Buen Camino" and holding up a cross before blessing us as we passed. We giggled a little at the oddity of it.

Finally we rolled into Logrono at the relatively early hour of 3:15.  Our early start had paid off, and we were able to get a bed in the municipal hostel without any trouble. We took advantage of the hot showers, the wifi and the foot fountain in the courtyard before heading out to a patriotic Independence Day dinner at Burger King.  My patriot pilgrims are stuffed and happy for the night.  Tomorrow we will do it all again.  Walk. Eat. Repeat.