Day 18 - Teasing the half way

Carrión de los Condes to Ledigos
23.3km
Accumulated distance 438.0km
Had a good breakfast bought from the supermarcedo last night and made lunch with dinner leftovers, then on the road around 8.30 as today wasn’t an overly long day.
After a few days now of average weather, today was out of the box perfect - blue skies and around 9deg, perfect walking.
As with yesterday, Meseta walking is flat, I was hoping my blisters would cooperate. Very early on I got chatting with Dawn from Victoria Canada as we were walking at about the same pace in the bunch of morning pilgrims. A very pleasant chat about nothing and everything, until a morning coffee at a roadside container cafe. Was introduced to her friends Jan from Alberta Canada, and Michael and Annette from Indiana.
The weather warmed up quite a bit, not in temperature but under the sun it was getting hot. I can’t imagine walking in 30+ and 40+ temps in Summer!
Interestingly, part of today’s route is actually on an old Roman road with an original route marker (which I missed), the Via Aquitana.
The views were over the Meseta were spectacular once again, and we got excited to see the 400km remaining bollard, which also indicates 400km complete. I wonder how accurate the measurements are, my GPS had the 400km travelled yesterday. Also, about 10km further on was a sign saying 380km to Santiago and 380km to Roncesvalles. Who knows. Today is also my 18th day on the trail, so also half way in time.
I was very pleased to arrive at my digs in Ledigos, another painful day for my feet and blisters. There must be a Guinness record for the longest distance walked with blisters and I reckon I’m challenging it, I reckon close to 350km on blisters now, A nice beer bumping into Roy and Nora again.
Moment of the day was the surprise of seeing the 400km sign, accurate or not it means that I’m pretty close to the metaphorical “downhill”.Read more