Day 21 - Nearing the end of the Meseta

El Burgo Ranero to Mansilla de las Mulas
20.4km
Accumulated distance 493.8km
Last nights accommodation was described as “light on hospitality”, which is probably apt for a motel built at a truck stop. But it was ok and did the job, the food was wasn’t gourmet, the shower was cold, and my door didn’t have a handle, but I wasn’t doing the Camino for the luxuries.
The weather forecast was good with a low chance of rain around midday, so my second last day of the Meseta held some risk.
Setting off it was chilly, but blue skies with distant clouds gathering.
I chose again to walk most of the day on the road surface, another “be kind to blisters” day.
After an hour or so I bumped into Alberta Jan and we had a non-stop talkfest until morning coffee around 11am. There we bumped into Wellington Judy again, plus some other new faces, so a lively chatty break.
The km had been flying by on the straight flat roads, and after parting at morning coffee the rain came down for a short while before letting up and allowing the last 6km to get eaten up.
It was a funny old day, I’ve been expecting to see the iconic Meseta view of a windy path descending into a pretty village surrounded by fields, but so far nothing to be seen.
I arrived in Mansilla de Las Mulas quite early, so checked in and lunched on nuts and olives. My accommodation isn’t the greatest, but it will do.
Moment of the day was finally, after almost 500km, I have seen cows grazing in the fields. Up til now it seems like we have been eating ghost cows, none to be seen anywhere.Read more