It would be easy to think that I spend quite some time looking at the sky. Well, I guess I do. I've long been fascinated that such a thin strip of atmosphere can change so drastically with such a range of colour. I can watch the sky and particularly the cloud patterns endlessly, and I found myself doing so last evening. There are two low pressure systems presently influencing our local skies. One very large one sitting just off our north coast and a very large low pressure cell travelling northward along the Pacific Coast from America. I was reading that this is quite unusual for this time of year. Whatever is happening, the cloud patterns have certainly caught my eye.
Our walk this morning was pretty routine. Oh, it was as usual along beautiful trails and through nice areas, what caught my eye was the morning clouds.
We touched the ocean at two different locations. There was calm, gentle water where usually there's wind and turbulence. We watched a fellow paddle through in a small light outrigger style open kayak. He was moving! Small children were playing at the waters edge mindfully watched by parents and grandparents. My mind wandered to the change coming up in our own lives over the next couple of years as we will shortly become grandparents. I wonder how quickly I'll walk with a small one on my back again? Something to ponder. Could there be a distance training opportunity?; )
Again I found my eye pulled skyward. Shapes, colours, lighting and textures.
I was playing in my garden yesterday. Shortly I'll be following the big black bumble bees around in search of a good photo as they go in search of the nectar.
The late day light seemed to almost create a halo on the chives flowers. A difficult image to capture with a simple camera particularly while attempting to not tread on the leaks and tomatoes!
On the virtual camino I 'initially' selected a long stage today to Triacastela because I walked it in 2018 and it's a comfortable day. Long, because we climb from just over 600m to just over 1300m. Not particularly troublesome because most of the climb stretches over an 8 kilometre section during the first 13 kilometres and I planned things for this longer stage to climb while still fresh. Then there's an undulating section for about 10 kms before a steady and then steep descent into Triacastela, a decent town to spend the night. Lots of folks spend the night in O'Cebreiro at the summit of the first climb and in 2013 we did as well; Ken, Annemarie, Karen, Jen and myself, but I'll shortly come to that. However, I've just changed my mind.
This video should have gone into yesterday's post. From just before the end of the stage yesterday.
After a good breakfast with a bit of protein it was time to leave the warmth of the fire (yup, I was pretty spoiled) and head out the door into -3.
Not too far out of town there's a divide. One way for the walkers and thankfully a place where you can loose the cyclists. There were none, cyclists that is, in November 2018.
The climb gets started with a little more focus once off the road.
The small dog in the background followed us for quite a way up, one of the hazards on the camino.
Eventually the trail exits the trees and tunnel-like feeling just after passing through the small village of La Faba.
There's those clouds again.
In 2013 it was raining and blowing , while in 2018 I was fortunate to climb without rain until just before I arrived at the top, but the higher I went the more the wind blew and the colder it became.
A big moment when pausing at the border marker for the Province of Galicia! Bring on the food and the music!
Remember the horses at the bottom?
When we arrived at the top we went looking for Ken, and found out that he was staying in the same really nice little place above the town bar!
The view from our window after the rain had settled in late in the day.
Everything hung up to dry.
Ken's journal comments;
12 km up the mountain today, then put into a hotel--some privacy, a bath, space to put my wet things up to dry. It was humid this morning and I sweated through everything on the climb even though it wasn’t very warm. My boots seem a little wet from yesterday--the gaiters were probably overkill and I likely wet them from the inside. My socks were soaked, anyway. It’s raining now but [it] held off until we were almost here--not rain so much as a kind of aggressive drizzle. My room has a bathtub and that was nice.
Walked up with Karen and Jennifer--an Australian and American who were at Gaucelmo. Jennifer was slow to warm to me but I think she did a bit. She’s an Episcopalian priest--asked me straight out why I’m doing this, which is, I suppose the best icebreaker.
Lots of people looking for spaces here--feel lucky, and grateful, to be able to stay in the hotel for a change. Saw the Spanish couple who asked about the municipal albergue. Wherever my next stop ends up--Triacastela?--I’ll be in the municipal, too. This is a special treat--so is the short day. A way to baby my knees.
Should see Geoff and Annemarie here--I know this was going to be one of their stops. Her toe will be sore today.
The nice story is that we all had dinner together that night. Jen spoke fluent Spanish and made this great connection with the woman who ran an eatery. Jen ordered pulpo (octopus) for the table and we feasted and drank wine like we were in Galicia, which we were! The 5 of us became good friends and spent considerable time together all the way to Santiago. Ken needn't have worried. To this day, 7 years later, all of us with the exception of Karen have stayed in close contact, though I'll have to ask Jen if she managed to stay connected with Karen. This is taken from the front of the church looking into town as the rain dumped.
That night the skies finally cleared and there was a full moon.
In 2018 I climbed alone in a howling wind storm that was blasting the town which sits on the saddle top of the mountain. It's extremely exposed, though on a sunny summer day I suspect there is nowhere much better. Both late fall days I was there, it wasn't showing itself in a fine light as I'm sure it can.
There were trees down all over the place along the ridge line. I arrived and stayed just long enough to have a quick look around wishing that all our 2013 crew were there, and then I visited the church before walking onwards.
Inside it wasn't particularly warm, but I was out of the elements and I changed some of my clothes after getting a stamp in my credential.
I was readying myself to set off again. However, I've decided to stop here for today. This is a virtual camino and I liked the vibe of this town, though it was always cold and wet when I was here. Reliving all the nice memories of the night we spent here in 2013 has helped me to change my mind!
Besides, Annemarie has just made me a nice dinner! We will have a look at the beautiful descent and Tricastela tomorrow.
Buen Camino!
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