13 Miles
Today, I began carrying a backpack again. It was time. Not my full 15lb. pack; we had purchased a smaller 26L pack where I can tote water, my windbreaker, sunscreen, spare socks, etc. It was not a long day, 13 miles, so we figured it was a good trial for knees and feet while carrying a pack again.
The Mesetas
This was also our first day on the mesetas. These are a series of mesas in the central part of Spain. For the next 8 days we will be walking along paths without shade at all and are anticipating hotter temps. The walk today was to Hornillos, another charming town! The hostess in our albergue, Pili and her husband turned out to be life-savers.
I had scheduled my backpack to be delivered there, using the same company I’d been using for the past weeks and a half. It didn’t show up. I must have looked pretty stricken (dramatic pause), because she immediately called the company, then the hotel. My pack had never left it! She was so kind and reassuring, telling me her husband would drive to Burgos and bring it back…And he did!
Another example of kindness and community along our journey.
Community Dinner
After showers and a relaxing afternoon, we enjoyed a wonderful community dinner of salad, paella, bread, and water & wine, and a deliciously tart, creamy dessert. We counted conversations in six different languages around our table of 20. It’s so special to be meeting new friends every day and meeting up with older camino friends along the way!