Melide and ...

Target fixation.

It has just gone 1215 and I am sat down for lunch after a grand morning cycling. Leaving Portomarin in the mist with a 20km minute climb and the dew forming on each hair on my arms to then break out above the clouds into bright sun and be able to see them below in the valleys - win.

And a slight tailwind, not too hot, a grand coffee stop, nicely up and down hill with a lovely run into Palas de Rei where I even got more Ibruprofen. So 42 km in 2:30 (ish). And only 51 km to Mt Gozo. That poteen last night must have been a Galician druids special mix!

Remembering the golden rule, that most accidents happen at the end of a journey, that one should not get target fixated etc. The really sensible thing to do would be to plod on a bit and have a right gentle day tomorrow.

But I wouldn't be here if I always did the sensible thing. And it would be nice to finish 'in style' so 10 minutes to finish my Bocadilla load up some Aquarius (Spanish Isostar) and 'Game On'.

Muy Buen Camino

Sent from a bar in Galicia

Portomarin

A lovely village that obviously makes its living from the Camino - It is mobbed and there is no room at the inns. And it will only get worse the closer I get to Santiago, maybe the tent and a practice camp were not such a bad idea. And I am glad I have my nice room with a fantastic view too. Serendipity? Lets see what the food is like.

The village is new, rebuilt after the dam drowned the old one and after they had moved the church too!

All bits still functioning though if I did not know better I'd suspect the gentle day has confused them!

Buen Camino.

Sent from my room

If I ever suggest doing something like this again ...

Do not remind me of:

How I felt 3/4 of the way to Roncesvalles on the walkers wet shale in the rain with my HRM at 175++.

How I felt at Roncesvalles in the evening wondering if my knee would force a 'go home'.

How easy it was to get a good nights kip.

How nice it felt on the day of O'Cerbreiro in the bright late morning sun when some one had stolen my legs and replaced them with ice pops.

Or the Leon bypass.

Or the long way across the Mesata into a HeadWind to Santo Domingo.

But do remind me of:

The Santo Domingo Refugio.

Meeting Jesus in the bar.

Montes de Orca

Cruz de Ferro

Burgos

Morcilla

Chorizo

Sunrise in the hills.

The hills.

The vista at O'Cerbreiro

Peace and Quiet

Serendipity

And the remembering you don't get owt for nowt.

In sum then ... When I next think of doing something this daft , who'll join me?

And in terms my family will understand , a flat day yesterday, but Tigger is back fighting fit.

Not just after seeing Gino again, a 70 year old Italian Canadian on a bike he bought for 10 Euros on his 3rd Camino! And we both agree on one thing at the end of the day that first Camino beer is unbelievably fantastico.

Buen Camino.

Yes, I am moving again - just 30km to PortoMarin, it just felt the right thing to do ... So this is my lunchtime report from halfway.

Stats time ...

One week.

679km Ridden
5200m Climbed

121km or so left go.

Day 1
St Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles
27km
1400m Climb
Rain

Day 2
Roncesvalles to Estella
89km
400m Climb
Rain to Sun

Day 3
Estella to St Domingo de Calzada
100km
1050m Climbed
Sun and HeadWind

Day 4
St D d C to Burgos
74km (Late Start)
450m Climbed
Sun and slight HeadWind

Day 5
Burgos to Calzadilla de la Cueza
104km
150m Climbed
Sun and nice breeze

Day 6
C d C to Astorga
137km
200m Climbed
Sun and nice breeze

Day 7
Astorga to VillaFranca
76km
700m Climbed
Sun and slight HeadWind

Day 8
Villafranca to Sarria
73km
900m Climbed
Sun and Headwind

No surprise BB is currently Cream Crackered.

Sarria

Any fool can be uncomfortable and the Refugios are getting busy, hot, noisy and I am getting weary.

So its camping on an empty campsite in the shade of the trees and no queues for the facilities, no working to everyone else's rhythm and fingers crossed a good kip.

I am absolutely shattered but set up, washed, showered, dhobi'd, cocoa in hand, phone recharged, with beer and food a few hundred yards away. And Santiago 120 km! That suggests as well as a mountain range I did 68 km today - it seemed much much further even with a rather fantastic descent (just have to come back and do it properly on a road bike but with V brakes).

Little in the book although there is a 14th century castle so if it is good food and a good kip I might not move far - just a shame there was nowhere nice left in Samos 10km away which is a small lovely monastery town - but rough with smooth and I am certainly mellowing nicely here.

And for the cynics - yes there is a bit of ' I have carted this ******** tent and foam thing 600km so I am going to use it.'

Tempting as it is to push to Finistere - unless there is a very good reason I suspect a quiet day tomorrow then 2 short hops to get to Santiago for Wed night, Thu in Santiago and then home Friday.

Buen Camino

(Weary but happy and not in bits.)

Sent from under a tree in Galicia

O Cebreiro

At last! Another day another hill, and for whatever reasons, and I am sure it was not the Sobranero last night ...... I just had no legs, couldn't get warm and so on - right hard work this morning. But that is the last of the 3 mountain ranges so a win.

Just a shame the food is not as nice as the village is beautiful with a view down valleys in every direction and above the cloud too - but we can't have everything. So a drop more sightseeing and then back on the bike. I think I might just have earned your sponsorship and a rest day tomorrow too. And still one bag of Sports Mixtures and 3 Pocket Coffees too - so not rock bottom.

Buen Casino

Villafranca

No room at the first 2 Refugios so off to Villafranca and the municipal Refugio on the outskirts of town. And what a pretty town and, so far a quiet Refugio. And a vending machine that does ice cold beer!

The run down the hill was fantastic, and if I hadn't had a load or if I'd known the road better it would even have been more fun than the run down Green Mountain - certainly faster but full loaded through the hairpins the brakes performed fantastically and there is still loads to spare and it was 8km in about 13 minutes - it took ages to stop grinning.

Ponferrada was surprisingly lovely but it was just too early to stop so I have ended up in Villafranca which should mean a nice day tomorrow too as I can get breakfast and the hills are just on the doorstep.

Buen Camino