Day 8 – Los Arcos to Logrono

May 14th – Last night I had dinner in a restored 17th century building’s wine cellar. Two women, pictured on the right in the above photo who finished before me and kind of hobbled out in the familiar walk of someone whose legs are tired.  I said, “Pilgrims?” to which they smiled and nodded yes. I wonder what our gait will look like on Day 40.

Today will be my longest walk so far – over  17 miles.  I can hardly believe I have been walking for a week, long distances daily.  There are clouds in the sky so I am wearing my raincoat.  However I loved seeing my shadow cast from the current sun in the sky.

I am facing a slight wind and the hat held by a cord around my neck acts like a kite sailing out behind me.

Today’s countryside is filled with vineyards and rolling hills.  Knowing this will be a long day I pace myself and stop in the first village, Sansol, after only 6.8 kilometers.  Pilgrim friend Tim from the UK waves me over to his table.  We met yesterday in a cafe along the way.  He started 100 miles north of Pamplona in St Sebastian and is having problems with blisters.  I inquire how he is doing and smiling, he said,  better.  We have a lovely discussion about how long the Camino has been on our radars and how delicious it is to be here – a dream come true for us both. Leaving Sansol I can see the next village, Torres Del Rio from across the valley.

I plan to stop again at Viana but find that I passed by all the cafes and am now outside the village.  Rather than go back I forge ahead with a plan to stop along the way and eat a snack from by backpack – a hard boiled egg that is squirreled  away.

Up ahead I see the familiar platinum blond hair of a pilgrim friend, Patricia from Marsailles, France.  As I come along side her and say, Hola! she smiles and asks if I would take her picture.  I do, and then she takes mine.

Continuing on I pass a man I haven’t seen for a few days.  Saying Buen Camino he waves something at me.  It is a large bar of chocolate and he is offering me some.  This man knows the way to a woman’s heart!

The last few miles today are through a soulless industrial area along the busy highway and is an assault to my senses after being in the countryside.  I look up at the cloud formations and across the now forgotten vineyards taken over by weeds in search of things I can connect with when a bird darts and weaves around me as if to say, Look at me!  I am once again flying along the path and into Logrono, my destination city.  Time to find my lodging, take a much needed shower, and then investigate this old city and the Catedral de Santa Maria.