• NjerdWalking
  • NjerdWalking

Chris’s Camino

Camino Francés April and May 2025 Baca selengkapnya
  • Over Atapuerca Hill

    26 April 2025, Spanyol ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    Over the hill and down into the plain toward Burgos. The rocks were a bit tricky in places but I made it ok.

    There is a sign that says “for your safety take the mining road” but #insteuctionsunclear as it doesn’t show which direction is the mining road.

    I took the route to the left, even though my mapi.cz app showed the main trail going to the right there was one big yellow to the right. Two wooden arrows to the left and one yellow to the left and it all worked out great.
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  • Into Burgos - 3 weeks walkin!

    26 April 2025, Spanyol ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    Wow, I’ve been walking over three weeks now. No blisters! Time for a rest day. This will be my first full rest day. I am staying right in the center of the old town. Here’s a few shots from the approach into the city.

    I took what they call the river route into the city, a lot of people take the industrial approach into the city, which is apparently not great looking. But the Riverwalk was really nice after you get done walking along the airport fence for a mile or two. There’s a really nice park and wide walkway for a couple of miles right along the river. And there were lots of families enjoying the day.
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  • Burgos - ghost town on a Sunday morning

    27 April 2025, Spanyol ⋅ ⛅ 5 °C

    The city sure changed. For several minutes, before 8, the only human I saw was a maintenance person. Took a while, and found a bakery with the most beautiful items. I got an extra one for later in the day.

    Later, I did see a few pilgrims starting their journey for the day. One French pilgrim, I had recognized from other days, took my picture and I took hers in the deserted front of the cathedral.
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  • MEH

    27 April 2025, Spanyol ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    The Burgos Museo de la Evolución Humana was literally “MEH”. But I really enjoyed it. I don’t always like museums, this one was interesting. And huge. Good thing to do on a day off. I have also put my feet up quite a bit today.Baca selengkapnya

  • Hornillos del Camino

    28 April 2025, Spanyol ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Stayed at the Meeting Point Albergue in Hornillos, it was nice! As I checked in I found out there was no power in all of Spain & Portugal. Rumors were swirling that England and Italy and France were also without power but that was not true. Could not text or get any news, so it was all mysterious. But the cervesa was cold and we had a good time. The power came on around 8 PMBaca selengkapnya

  • Hontanas

    29 April 2025, Spanyol ⋅ ☀️ 9 °C

    Only 477 km to go!

    On the way into Hontanas, I stopped at a bar/Café that was cute and had a good vibe. Reggae music was playing and they had several Matcha items. I ended up getting pancakes with peanut butter and a coffee con leche. Saw my friend Yuya from Japan (25 yr bday boy) and we appreciated the kawaī neko.

    Hontanas was kind of secluded down in a valley.
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  • Castrojeriz

    29 April 2025, Spanyol ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    20km went by quickly. Not too many rough ups and downs. I am staying at albergue Ultreia in a room with potentially 7 other dudes. But we will see how many beds get filled. Three younger guys (Santa Cruz, Germany, Hungary) are here with me so far, and they are very nice, even including the old guy in the conversation. Also in a private room is a family with two young kids. They are pushing a fancy stroller and it looks like each parent has at least 50 pounds on their back 😳Baca selengkapnya

  • Albergue Ultreia Castrojeriz

    29 April 2025, Spanyol ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Cool albergue. Dinner was ok. But tour of the wine cellar / tunnel system under the city was impressive. Roman arches under there. Maybe escape tunnel from a the castle up on the hill. Nice yard too. Met some nice new folks today.Baca selengkapnya

  • Boadillo del Camino

    30 April 2025, Spanyol ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Another night in a tiny town. But this place “Albergue en el Camino” is very large. Had dinner with 80+ people. Tasty. Now settling down to sleep with 20 others in this large room. No bunk beds though yay! There is a stork outside this window just 50’ away on top of the church. Making funny noises. I wonder if there are baby storks in that nest!Baca selengkapnya

  • Birds at the canal.

    1 Mei 2025, Spanyol ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    15 miles today. Got rained on. Crazy sounding bird. Canal. Wearing buff over my mouth to keep from inhaling the insects

  • Carrión de los Condes

    1 Mei 2025, Spanyol ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Rained a little bit on the way into Carrión de Los Condes. So I got to try out my handsfree umbrella setup. It works well if there’s no wind.

    Had drinks with several pals as the bells were ringing at the church, quite loud! Attended my first mass and the priest and nuns had a “pilgrims blessing” so I am truly blessed.

    Also - bought a new shirt for warm weather. And jinxed myself.
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  • Rainiest day so far

    2 Mei 2025, Spanyol ⋅ 🌧 10 °C

    That was cold and wet. It rained very hard. I was nice and dry in my Altus rain jacket/poncho (that is big in back to cover my backpack too). But my feet and lower legs were soaked. No big deal. I heard from others who had waterproof shoes, and they eventually get soaked too.

    Stayed at very nice albergue Morena. But got a tiny little private room. Had the pilgrims meal with a bunch of folks. I tried “fried anchovies” which I would not suggest.

    Food truck was a great sight. Had heard there was nothing. But they had covered containers and hot food where many pilgrims were enjoying some shelter from the rain.
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  • I’m Halfway There!

    3 Mei 2025, Spanyol ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

    Sahgun marks the halfway point (SJPdP to Santiago) and I got a halfway certificate. Why not.

    It rained more today. It lightly. I decided to not walk as far as my pals, so stopped in Calzada del Cote. Met a nice young man from Wisconsin who might have a stress fracture, so he’s stayed here in this municipal/Donativo albergue for a couple nights. Poor guy. It’s sparse and cold here. You donate whatever seems right to pay for your bed. I fear another pilgrim (luckily at the far end of the room) may have some issue with rotting body parts. 🤣 ewwww. Gotta experience it all!Baca selengkapnya

  • Into Reliegos

    4 Mei 2025, Spanyol ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C

    I took an alternate route into Reliegos today. It seemed like maybe it saved a kilometer or two, but it was very remote. I hardly saw anyone all day. The scenery was pretty.

    Firsts! - I saw some orchids. They don’t really look like orchids but they’re very pretty, I heard on the Camino forum that they are orchids so it must be true! Also my camera says they are orchids when you click the little “i” in the photo details.

    Also I saw trains going by on this route. Several. Some that may have had passengers and some that seem to be transporting rolls of steel of some sort. I really haven’t seen too many trains in Spain yet not even on the plains or in the rain.

    It was only 16 miles, I was hoping I could walk further but I was very tired near the end. I don’t know how these real Camino pros do more than that.

    There is also an interesting political statement on many of the signs. For the last few days, the signs that point you in the right direction have the words “Castilla y León” (autonomous community made up of several provinces, which likely furnished the guide signs) written on the bottom. (The area I have been waking through for several days) On these signs, it seemed that locals have crossed out or spray painted over the word “León”. I’m assuming that means the people in the areas on the east side of Castilla y León identify more as Castilians(?). Like if we had a trail through our town that had the words “Southern California” on it, maybe I would spray paint it out ha ha. So today was the first day that Castilla was redacted on the sign by vandals. I guess I’m a nerd, I found that interesting

    Also, there have been lots of slugs and snails crossing my path which I have tried to avoid, but I took a picture of this very light colored snail today in case you like snails. I also took a picture of the anthills there are anthills every few feet on this trail, I thought my boy might like this picture
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  • León!

    5 Mei 2025, Spanyol ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    I had a very short walk into Leon today. Met up with lots of previous Camino friends. This city downtown is very nice, the cathedral is huge and I’m a little bummed I never took a tour inside. Apparently it’s very beautiful. Maybe next time 🤣

    Also I wore my awesome old European Man hat, so I really fit in ha ha.
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  • Short walk to Oncina de la Valdoncina

    6 Mei 2025, Spanyol ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    I had seen comments on the Camino forum about this being a very cool albergue. So I figured I would give my feet one more short day, and stop here. So around 6 miles. My feet are happy. It is pretty cool place, 300 years old, I am the only one here. But she does have a dog that I can pet. Maybe some cats too but they are out doing cat things.

    There has been much advice to get a bus on the way out of Leon and skip the outskirts which are not too pretty. But since it was a short distance anyway, I decided to tough it. It wasn’t all that bad. Got to see some older less kept-up parts of the city. Lots of slow traffic near me most of the time as well. Then my walk changed to an alternate route that goes through the countryside for a while, before coming to this tiny little town. I did see a bunny, but was unable to get it on the camera. There are no restaurants open in this town, but Olga, the albergue owner is going to make dinner.
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