October 26 2019

I left my gorgeous little abode at around 8:15 am. Since I was the only one, it was still quiet and the owner didn’t come in till 9am

I sauntered down the street to the next albergue to get a quick breakfast. The sun rises around 8:35am

Croissant Americano and Fresh OJ later and I was on my way 

The first 3-4 miles was quaint foggy country side in the valley. The next 5 or so miles was up rocky green hill side. 

i LOVED it. I really liked getting my heart rate up. I missed that. This has mainly been about slow long endurance but not about jumping into that next threshold from aerobic to anaerobic.

I actually felt faster up hill than on the flats.

After the 90% of the scramble was done – I ran into Sean. One of the American guys I had met earlier who was part of the trio with another guy from the US and the girl from the UK.

We met up with them at the top in the town of O Cebreiro and had a quick snack. 

Tuna empanada (very subpar) and a cafe con leche.

Then it was down hill for 3-4 miles and then another up for 2. We capped off around 16 miles today

We finished in the town of Fonfria which really isn’t much of a town. Basically three hostals and that’s it. No stores. Just construction and cow poop.

They’re all staying in the same Albergue I am. 

Dinner was community style with everyone staying at the property eating family style at one long table. The food was meh but the company was good.

I met a girl from Japan which I tried to speak broken Japanese to… I kept forgetting how to say things because Spanish has been so forefront in my brain… (sorry Jeff!!!) I managed to say I spoke “skoshi” Japanese.

And asked her what her favorite town was… “ichiban ski desu ka?”

Then I sat next to a British older guy who was kind of eccentric and is a play writer. He writes historical plays based on Lise Meitner who was a Jewish woman who was part of team who discovered nuclear fission. But she was overlooked for the Nobel Prize

He travels around with the actors doing the plays in Canada. Kind of like a troubadour

Interesting man

Tomorrow … I kind of wanted to do 20 miles and finished slightly past Sarria … that would give me avg 16.5 miles to go per day to finish Oct 31.

But part of me is wondering if I should add on 6 miles to see a monastery instead tomorrow.

The monastery looks pretty cool but 6 miles is a lot to add on

Anyway I think I’ll have to decide in the AM…