28 km to Boñar

We left right at 7, and have met two others walking the Olvidado. That’s good news for me because Alun is going to leave in a day or two. The beginning was lovely, the morning sun on the bridge over the Esla River so nice.

Then it became more slog-like. Not one bar or cage open the entire stage. Then I took a hard fall on a rocky descent (nothing broken or too whacked up apparently). Then two huge menacing sheep dogs blocked our way till the flock was well out of range. So it was not exactly a five star day.

But then little by little things picked up. First, we stopped to rest in the same little covered bench where I had been five years ago and remember getting a phone call from my buddy Lee out of the blue at that very spot. Then in a little village,, a woman working i her yard insisted we sit and have a cold drink and regaled us with questions about this Camino.

And then to top things off, just as I went down to the checkin floor of our little hostal, my buddy Ender showed up to have lunch with us. Ender is his “screen name”, better known as the guy who single handedly revived the Salvador and now is trying to do the same with the Olvidado If anyone can do it, it will be him.

So on balance I would say that my no good very bad day turned into another A+ good time.

The only disappointing factoid is that the weather has changed, and a mix of clouds and rain is in the forecast.Read more