| Date | Jun 17 |
| Today's Distance: | 13 miles / 21 km |
| Route and Stats | Route Video |
| Total Camino Madrid: | 93 miles. |
| Total All Caminos: | 1493 miles |
| Lodging: | Hostel Avanto @ $ 30 |
| Total Lodging: | $ 236 |
| Buses / Trains: | $ 5 |
| Total Buses / Trains: | $ 23 |
| Food: | $ 20 |
| Total Food: | $ 155 |
Meaningful Moment
Making it into Santa Maria was a meaningful moment today because we were constantly on the move, minus two short breaks, to get to our endpoint and avoid the heat. It was a different kind of walking today for me. The first four days were hills, where I seemed to do better. The last few days have been flatlands, where Deb is an energizer Bunny and I am constantly walking to keep her in sight.
Random Thought of the Day
This part of the Camino Madrid reminds me so much of the Via de la Plata (Sevilla to Astorga) as it crossed the meseta. In both cases I was in Castile y Leon.
I remember one part where we kept going up a hill; it wasn't very steep but it just kept going up, and we would come to a bend, a slight bend, and yet the hill would just keep going up even more, while all around us, the bright shiny lucent white hayfields were blinding.
In Santa Maria, we went into a bar and both ordered seltzer with ice. Unbelievable how good that bland water can taste when you're thirsty enough.
Because so many places looked the same to me as yesterday ( or perhaps I was just energy-spent), I did not take many / any pictures on the way to Santa Maria.
Tomorrow is another scorcher and then the inferno-wave is supposed to break. We are getting up at 5:00 am so we can start walking at 5:30. Rather than plan a specific stop point, of which we have two, I want to walk to the first and evaluate. The first stop is approx 9 miles and the second stop is approx 14 miles.
In either case it is a municipal albergue which do not take reservations. First come, first served. So far Deb and I have neither seen not heard of any other pilgrims on our portion of the Camino Madrid.
On the Road / Notable memories
Up at 5:30 this mornin for a quick breakfast of leftovers from Ursula's dinner last night, then dressed and out the door by 6:00 a.m. .
Our goal was to beat today's heat which was going to be the hottest so far.
Did not take many pictures today, in fact very few.
The scenery was mostly hay fields, with some groves and forest thrown in .
We had about an hour and a half without the sun, but as the sun got higher in the sky, the day got progressively hotter.
When we started walking the temperature was 70°. When we reached Santa Maria, the temperature was around 94°.
It must be the heat but I am unbelievably tired today. When we reached plaza Mayor in Santa Maria, we could either walk one mile to the hostel or take a cab. I asked around how to get a taxi and we did. 😃
 | Santa Maria Plaza Mayor |
 | View of the fields around Santa Maria. Panorama |
 | Photosphere (I can't tell the difference between the two types of images.) |
