Rose Compass

At breakfast we met Jane from Philadelphia who had lost her husband to cancer. It's a very sad story for this 59-year-old who just retired from a high school counselor position. She looks remarkably young for her age and she has two daughters and a son to help her in this grief. It is yet another reminder to carpe diem.

I head slightly north west and cross the Camino right at an excellent cafe where I get a croissant and a coffee. Oh why not? I'm about to get going and Eric and Mike walk past and they are heavily engaged in conversations, excellent.

I dashed in a northerly direction towards A Coruña. The weather is amazing, just a perfect Indian summer day. It just doesn't get any better. Betty from Google signals lefts and rights to me as I dutifully zig and zag through farmlands so bucolic that I don't seem to be in this century. It's euphoric. What a great tour guide, how does she know all these places? Some are just a little single track connecting gravel roads.

The road is corded off, no passage, then I see that the farm lady is transferring cows from the stalls to the field, another great locals moment.

Then I see peregrinos, what Camino are they on? The Ingles. I got to share some stories with a group of Italians. Now I've been on portions of 5 caminos.

I have to push it a bit towards the end as it is warming up, but the legs are there, 26 non stop days of biking on a 45 pound bike with a 10 pound pack. I smell the salt air from the Atlantic. Check in, quick shower, and off to the rocky outcropping with a few supplies to go watch the sunset which is hours away. Sweet luxury of time!

While in the super I am looking for open outlets wondering if I can plug in for a bit to charge the phone. I see a double outlet, get ready to plug in and wonder what the other item actually is that is already plugged in. What!? It is a charging station for phones, complete with a locking door and key! That's a first. Brilliant.Læs mere