What a difference a day makes...both in the weather and in one's disposition! I was dreading the walk today as it was quite long (19 miles) and hilly (1640 feet of elevation gain), but the weather cooled off by a good 15 degrees, making the walk quite pleasant.
We decided to leave before sunrise this morning (6:30 am) and it made a HUGE difference! It was a little disconcerting, however, weaving our way through bar crowds who had been partying all night! We walked to the town of Villafranca, situated at the base of Montes de Oca, before stopping for breakfast. As we walked to the top of the mountain, we all commented on how relatively easy the climb was. Maybe the three of us are finally getting our Camino legs. Not sure what Rich will think of the hills when he starts walking again in earnest.
We reached Atapuerca @ 3:00 pm. Rich walked @ a mile out of town to meet us. He says his heel still hurts a bit, but he'll try walking a little more tomorrow. Atapuerca is a UNESCO World Heritage site and contains the earliest human remains ever discovered in Europe dating back over 900,000 years. Wish we had time to visit the information center.
All in all, today was a very good day! We're now 23 stages, 24 days and 322 miles from Santiago. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we continue our journey forward.
Buen Camino
Becky getting a picture of Belorado's late night revelers
One of the advantages of starting off before sunrise!
Beautiful heathers on our climb to the top of Montes de Oca
Spanish Civil War memorial at the top of Montes de Oca
Almost to our day's destination
Becky resting outside Altapuerca
Love reading your posts. You are an amazing hiker taking beautiful pictures.
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