September 13, 2018
- Route: Beldorado to Ages
- Distance: 27.5 kilometers (17.5 miles)
I left the albergue around 7:10 am this morning and spent the entire morning climbing. Today this was the highest altitude I’ve reached since crossing the Pyrenees over a week ago. Despite the additional effort, I was overjoyed because the route was really beautiful.
The Camino passed though several colorful towns that seemed to be begging me to capture them in photos. I encountered one charming home with an old bike creatively turned into a planter box leaning against a wall. The entire scene had that quaint European feel, and looked like something that would be on a 1000-piece puzzle.
Of course, the delightful villages weren’t the only thing that captured my attention as I walked today. I was also drawn to the architecture of the many church bell towers I passed during the morning. Some were simple, while others were more ornate. It was like witnessing multiple periods of history and the influence each had on the local Spanish countryside.
Hiking in a forest
The past few days, I’d desperately craved trees for shade to block the brutal sun. Well today, I finally found a forest filled with them as I made my way up the mountains. Of course, that meant the morning remained cool and overcast with no need for shade. Just my luck!
Nonetheless, the change of scenery and the smell of the pine trees was really welcoming. I’ve really missed hiking among trees and forests.
This section of the Camino was different in a second way too. Today it followed the historical GR1 trail for several miles. So, instead of looking for the distinctive yellow arrows or scallop shells that are unique to the Camino’s route, I followed a trail marked with red and white markings used by the network of European GR footpaths.
Cultural differences
I stumbled upon my Hungarian friend again while walking through the forest. During our dinner conversation last night, he explained that he prefers to get up very early and starts walking around 5 am most mornings. So, he was quite stunned that I caught up to him by mid-morning, given that I’d started walking so much later in the day.
I wasn’t nearly as taken aback by our encounter. The Europeans I’ve met out here are generally approaching the Camino at a more leisurely pace than me. Even when they depart the albergue before sunrise, they enjoy taking really long coffee or meal breaks throughout the day. And they often linger in the small towns instead of just walking right though them. It’s just a different pace on the journey.
Another cultural difference I’m still getting used out here is the idea that the Camino can be done as a section hike. Many of the European pilgrims walking for cultural (or non-religious) reasons tend to end at whatever distance comports with their holiday schedule. Maybe they’ll finish 100, 300, or 500 kilometers while out here this year. Maybe they won’t. It doesn’t matter. After all, they can always return next year to continue the Camino from wherever they left off.
This laid-back approach surprised me quite a bit. Isn’t a pilgrimage supposed to be about getting from point A to point B in a single journey? Isn’t it like doing a thru-hike? That’s part of the reason I chose this adventure. I wanted to see the Camino in its entirety.
I spent some time contemplating this notion during my walk today. Although it initially seemed quite odd to me, I eventually realized the European mindset toward that Camino isn’t really all that different after all. First off, there is no true beginning or end. There are seven well-established routes across Spain. Thus, two people claiming they “walked the Camino” may have used completely different routes with absolutely no overlap in their routes other than, perhaps, the city of Santiago.
Second, not everyone is out here for a spiritual walk to Santiago. Plenty of people just want to experience the outdoors and nature. So, if it’s not pilgrimage, but rather a hike/walk – then why should I expect everyone to want to walk 800 continuous kilometers in one go?
Consider how Americans approach the Appalachian Trail. The vast majority of people on the AT aren’t thru-hikers knocking out 2,200 continuous miles from Springer Mountain, Georgia to Katahdin, Maine. Many hikers are perfectly happy to walk shorter distances. Some hikers ‘cherry pick’ their favorite week-long sections, while others have a goal of eventually piecing together the entire trail over a period of years. There’s no right or wrong way to do it. And that’s the same out here on the Camino.
RVing in Spain
I was eventually pulled out of my ‘section hiking vs. thru-hiking’ musings when stumbled across another really cool sight. It was a man with his RV (which Europeans call campervans) using a pull-behind trailer for all his camping accessories. I had to snap a quick photo and text it to Keith back home.
While I’m out here walking in Spain living out one of my dreams, he’s back in the US fishing in the Adirondacks (enjoying one of his personal dreams). I keep telling him that I’d love to downsize to a smaller RV when we return, but he continues to demur – explaining that all his fishing gear takes up quite a bit of room.
Maybe seeing this spiffy campervan set-up will change his mind. He can put all his fishing gear in the little trailer, and I can get my smaller rig. Somehow, I don’t think he’ll agree though…
Agés
I made it to the small town of Agés early in the afternoon and decided to stop there. When I arrived at the sole albergue in town around 1pm, they were already full! Luckily, I didn’t have to keep walking because they had an overflow building on the next street over. It didn’t have wifi or laundry like the main facility, but there were beds and showers, so I was happy to put my feet up and call it a day.
I rarely stop so early in the day, so I took advantage of my timing to grab a late lunch and a beer at the local bar. There only tend to be two brands of beer served in this part of Spain – Mahou and Estrella. Neither one holds a candle to most of the hoppy IPAs you can get in a craft brewery back in the US, but they are perfectly fine for quenching your thirst. And the Spanish aren’t stingy with their serving sizes, often trying to pour you giant tankards of their brews!
As I enjoyed my beer and relaxed at a table outside, I took a look at my Camino app and tomorrow’s journey. I will arrive in Burgos – which is one of the bigger towns in northern Spain. I’m super excited to see what’s in store for me there. I’ve heard so many good things about the city!