Day 24: Molinaseca to Cacabelos, 24 km

Yesterday was am amazing hike. I want everyone to come and do that hike. The views were incredible. I hit the highest point on the entire Camino Francés (and it was nowhere near as difficult as the first day's climb in the Pyrenees). I walked with some very cool women, and saw some folks from my first week. There was a long descent into Molinaseca, and all of us had rubbery legs at the end, but everything around us was so pretty, it didn't matter.

Because I was walking with other people, I took longer because they were more inclined to do things like, oh, stop to eat. We stopped three times, and this probably contributed to my feeling relatively decent at the end.

That weird hot flash thing I was having on my right leg? Haven't felt it in over a week. Whatever it was, it's gone.

Today was a relatively flat and relatively short stage. But after the prettiness of the past two days, it couldn't compete. The historic center of Ponferrada has some cool stuff, but Greater/Suburban Ponferrada is kinda grim. Plus, I may have wandered off course there. At any rate, there was a period of about 2 km where I hadn't seen any signs for a while, and while I knew I was heading in the right direction, I may have gone farther than necessary.

I did see my first Christmas decorations. It hasn't been very cold, so other than the calendar, I haven't missed them, but it's nice to see things starting to look a little festive. And mountains -- there are mountains all around me.

But I digress. Big news: who has less than 200 km to go? Who? Who? I am now at about 190 km to go, so YAY!

Tomorrow (Thursday, right?) I have about 23 km to La Portela de Valcare. And then Friday, weather permitting, I climb O'Cebreiro (1,330 meters) and enter Galicia!

Lots of love to the Home Team (the Christmas tree looks so pretty) and all my friends and loved ones. XOXO




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Location:Cacabelos, Spain