Taming The Meseta

Jima and her husband at Casa Cura put us back together again last night. We left the desolate streets of Calzadilla through her gate, into a garden court, and about 18 hours of healing. Ben sat in the shade next to grass and shrubs and told me "there's no way I'm walking through that gate until tomorrow".

We had a shorter Meseta walk to Mansilla de las Mulas today, a Camino average 23.6 km (14.7 miles), but it had a challenging start of 17.6 km (11 miles) without any services, towns, or civilization. So when Jima told us at her place breakfast started at 8am, Ben and I told her we would not miss it. It made for a late start on a hot day but we needed to eat everything she offered for that 3 1/2 hour walk. Once again, no second breakfast. Damn you Meseta.

The research for today showed a walk on another ancient Roman Road, this one being famous for the transport of gold back from Galicia. You can market these Roman Roads anyway you want, to us they're dead straight, hot, boring, rocky country roads.

We have walked 6 days on these roads now, 100 miles of tabletop plateau. We have several left but they're shorter days. I told Ben as we started on the long desolate morning stretch that this was the Meseta's last chance to get me. After today, I'm in charge, and I have an advantage. There are mountains visible now. The Cantabrian Mountains (with Picos de Europa peeking out from behind, a spectacular range I've driven through). We need to cross those mountains in coming days, and they will have their own challenges including inclement weather in the forecast. (Papa Jarvis you better start limbering up for the dance soon.) We're Pacific Northwest pilgrims, we can't wait to get into those mountains.

Our long morning walk was rewarded with the cool little town of Reliegos and its hobbit hole style wine cellars (bodegas). Another Meseta mud and brick town, but with great views out to the mountains and a nice little cafe that put tortillas in apples in our empty bellies.

Our late day slog was only 6 km this time, and actually had some shade, paralleling the highway into Mansilla de las Mulas ("small estate of the mules", named for the mule markets that were held here). This was a Roman town, fortified with walls in the 12th century that largely remain. The primary church, Iglesia de Santa Maria, was right around the corner from our place, as were a variety of classic Camino "bars" that delivered on the pilgrim's menu. I found the vino tinto especially good here, a whole bottle of which comes with our pair of three course meals for the price of 10 euro each.

I got you Meseta. Buen Camino.

Hobbits? Nope, bodegas (wine cellars).

This is a romantic and historic Roman Road. Actually, this has a minor bend in it. I bet that guy was sent to Rome to fight lions.

Desperate for something interesting enough to photograph. I call this "mustard splotch", the kind I get on my shirt at a baseball game.

You're not in Hobbiton. Those are wine cellars.

Meseta mud

Water! Trees!

Entering the ancient Roman town

Iglesia de Santa Maria