Date	Jun 13
Today's Distance:	14 miles / 23 km
	Route Video
Total This Camino:	60 miles.
Total All Caminos:	1460 miles
Lodging:	@ $ 40
Total Lodging:	$ 150
Buses / Trains:	$
Total Buses / Trains:	$ 18
Food:	$
Total Food:	$ 85

Meaningful Moment

What is said to be one of the hardest days on the Camino de Madrid is now behind us. Although it took a lot of effort and struggle, we made the climb of the Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range.

After 5 hours of struggling up 1800 ft of elevation gain, Deb and I made it to Fuente de la Fuenfria. When we made it to that place, we were standing in a pass created by the Romans 2,000 years ago to link the Spanish, that is to say, Roman cities of Merida and Zaragoza.

It was a pretty awesome feeling to realize that where I was standing, that 2000 years ago, Roman legions crossed here.

I can't wrap my head around how the people of two millennia ago we're surviving in this area and thriving in this area. I wonder what it must have been like for the locals to face the

P coming Roman invasion and all the changes that would bring to their way of life.

Random Thought of the Day

While we were walking around Valsaín, we came across this beautiful white cat with yellow green eyes just sitting on a dirt path.

Also feeling better than yesterday. Perhaps I had a touch of heat issues from a potential loss of electrolytes, combined with a protein bar that just did not agree with me. In any event, I drank Powerade and water during the hike, along with eating some meats and cheeses and that seemed to be okay.

On the Road / Notable memories

After reaching the summit of the mountain, we had about a 9 mi hike still to the hostel.

It was downhill for quite a way, but then suddenly it was back up hill, climbing and climbing, not as steep as before but certainly just as long.

The day finally ended with a prolonged downhill climb along the road which made it somewhat difficult on the calves.

After 9:00 and 1/2 hours of hiking, when we reached our casa rural in Navelhorno, we discovered that there were zero restaurants open and zero stores open for purchasing foodstuffs. Deb and I were lucky to have some food saved from today's long hike: some cold cuts, some sliced cheese, some flan, some yogurt, some grapes and some power bars. Because that is supper tonight.

However the place had an open pool. What was crazy was how, despite being about 93F, cold the water was. That did not stop me from going in twice.

I could live without a restaurant, but I surely needed that pool. Deb put her feet in, and we started to unwind from a most physically demanding day

	The path started out as pavement at the beginning.
	Then turned into a dirt walking path.
	On the way up the Sierra de Guadarrama

	The land use around the Madrid area is for housing development, farming and ranching. So all the green in this national park was a sight for sore eyes.

	The last third of the trail and the steepest part was rocky. It is very difficult on the feet and knees as there is near constant torsional stressors on the joints.



	And so begins the long descent.
	The trees are mostly pine.
	It was a beautiful day for a walk in the national Park. After this we have mostly farmlands and ranches, all flat, all the way to the end of the Camino de madrid.