rjfmac

PT 113 to PT 190, Cave Spring

Day 12, Mar 13, PT 132.2

Tammy, the Heflin City Director of Economic Development (and also the main hiker person in Heflin) was a little late picking me up, but that was okay since I had forgotten about daylight savings time. It was still dark at 6:30. She picked me up about 6:50 and I was at the trail head and hiking at 7 AM.

This was definitely my best day of hiking so far. The trail was a nice, packed earth path and it was a beautiful day, perfect for hiking. The day started about 39°F and slowly warmed into the low 50s.

I met my third hiker of the trail today, Aaron. I ran into him right before the campground where I had intended to have lunch and ended up joining him for lunch. He has done the PCT, the CDT, and while I am stopping at the end of the Pinhoti trail, he is continuing on the AT to Maine. And he is doing about 30 miles today. Out of my league.

I had some nice views today, passing a High Rock Lake at one point.

I felt so good today I decided to push on past my intended camp spot which was dry, one and a half miles to the Laurel Shelter, which has water. This is my longest day of the hike, 19 miles.

Day 13, Mar 14, PT 147.9

Around 5 o’clock yesterday evening Jared, a local hiker, showed up at the shelter so I had company for the night. He started before me this morning but I caught him around 11: 30 right before lunch at the Chocoloco Shelter.

It was a cold morning, and of course they were lots of river crossings. Passed Shoal Creek Church early in the day, just off the trail, one of the oldest churches in Alabama.

I passed three day hikers who were section hiking together and met a lady coming south with two dogs. So a little more activity on the trail today.

I camped at Dugger Gap, which as the name implies is a wind tunnel and it was a cold, windy night. Someone (I later found out it was Jared) walked through my camp about 6:30 but had passed before I could pop out.

Day 14, Mar 15, PT 165.2

Cold, windy night but I was cozy in my tent and 10 degree quilt! And it turned into a beautiful hiking day; clear, sunny and temps in the mid-50’s

**What looks like a lake is actually the South Fork of Terrapin Creek.**

**Another pretty waterfall (and creek crossing!)**

And more signs…

The day was so nice and I felt so good I pushed passed my intended (dry) campsite to another (dry) campsite.

**Another day, another camp site.no water here.**

Day 15, Mar 16, PT 180.2

Very exciting day. Today is a three picnic bench day! I stopped at shelters (which always have a picnic bench) for my first break, lunch and my camp. Sweet!

And I caught up with Jared! Seems we’ve been passing each other without knowing it. He passed up my campsite last night when he saw my tent shivering in the wind. Jared is a hammock camper so was looking for something a bit less exposed.

We hiked near each other all day but this will be it for Jared – he is stopping at the Georgia state line – he has a job he as to get back to.

Another Pinhoti Trail first…. A ladder!

And a big milestone, I left Alabama and entered Georgia.

This was a relatively short day (15 miles) because the shelter where I stopped is the last good place to camp before town and it is supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow. Shelters are always preferred on rain days!

Day 16, Mar 17, PT 190.2, Cave Spring

It did indeed rain last night, starting about 3:00 AM. The shelters keep you dry but the tin roof tends to amplify the rain noise, making it sound worse that it is.

I saw more wildlife today, two deer, moving way too fast to get a picture and this guy, who posed for me. Over the past two week I have seen surprisingly little, a couple of wild turkeys and some squirrels. And dogs, of course.

**The trail is a little water-logged this morning.**

The trail was mostly good but there were some very wet stretches. Fortunately, while it was very wet, it was not cold – temps were in the 50’s.

And, in case I was wondering where i was…

After about 3 hours, I hit the road around 10:30. Oh, yeah, I’m in a different time zone, so the sun is coming up at 7:45 instead of 6:45.

**Three mile road walk into Cave Spring. Detection devices?**

Day 16, Mar 17, PT 190.2, Cave Spring Zero

There was no answer when I knocked at the Hearn Inn so I called the number on the sign and a nice lady showed up in 10 minutes to let me in and show me around. I am the only guest and this is a great hiker stop. The inn has a washer/dryer, a full kitchen and is close to the town center.

**Cave Spring is o the Trail of Tears. A horrific chapter in American history.**

Looking forward to a day of rest and planning the next section. Things are getting cold again!

But that can wait til tomorrow…

PT 60.0 to PT 113.1 and Heflin

Day 6, Mar 7, PT 75.8

Nancy got me back to the trail about 615 and I started hiking. The first 7 miles were a lot of climbing but the trail is in great shape.

That all stopped when I I hit the “rock garden” at about mile 7 1/2. At that point, pretty much for the rest of the day, the trail became very rocky, turning into a rock scramble in places.

I ran into another hiker headed south (I am going north). “Butter” and I talked for 15 minutes or so and he warned me the trail is rough in the Cheaha Wilderness (where I am heading). He is doing a section of the Pinhoti Trail and planned plans to stay at the Next Step Hostel tonight. told him to tell Nancy and Jeff hello for me.

Unfortunately, the 8 miles after I met Butter were pretty bad trail, very rocky and tough hiking. Especially in crocs. I blew out my left crack heel strap, which is not a big deal since I’ve done that before know how to do it temporary repair, but it wouldn’t of happened if the trail had been in better shape.

I camped at a small campsite near the Skyway trail head with a little stream about a 10th of a mile down a side trail. I am averaging about 15 miles a day which, considering the trail, is pretty good.

The overnight stop in Talladega was a good idea. The rest did me good, I didn’t have any stomach problems today and my leg legs felt great I think as long as I keep it at 15 miles or so I can do this thing.

Day 7, Mar 8, PT 92.0

Just when I thought I knew what the PT could throw out me I have a day like this. A very hard day. I didn’t think it was possible for the trail to get any rougher but it was definitely harder today. I entered the Cheaha Wilderness and the nice blazes and packed each trail disappeared.

There were long stretches of rock scrambled where my pace dropped to a crawl and I lost the trail several times.

**Tough trail but lots of great views in the Cheaha Wilderness**

I decided to stop at the Cheaha State Park store for lunch. I arrived at 12:30 which means it took me 6 1/2 hours to do the 11 miles from my camp last night. Stopping there for lunch was a good idea. The store was limited, but they had sandwiches, which was a nice change from my tortilla salmon rolls.

But now that I am out of the Wilderness the trail improves substantially. Still very rocky but the rock scrambles seem to be done.

Day 8, Mar 9, PT 106.4

Much easier day as the trail was actually very nice, packed earth and not a lot of rocks. Course they were the usual steep climbs but they’re short. I had a short phone call with Roberta at my first break at about 5 miles. She said martini night went well, and she sounded upbeat.

And today was a big milestone, mile 100!

I stopped for lunch early at 10:30, 9.3 miles, because it was a really pretty waterfall and it seem like a nice place to have lunch.

Turns out I was right because after about 15 minutes, the rain started and it has rained all afternoon slowly building to thunderstorms. I hit a campsite near a stream about 2:00 and put up my tent in a small lull in the rain.

Day 9, Mar 10, PT 113.1 and Heflin

It rained most of the night and was still raining this morning. I got as ready as I could and then during a slight lull in the rain, I made my move. My tent is completely soaked. I made good time even in the rain which never let up and was at the highway overpass around 9 o’clock.

The trail was in pretty good shape.

I tried calling Heflin City Hall but cell coverage was very iffy, and I was unable to talk to anyone. so as the rain was finally stopping and no luck hitching (I tried for about 30 minutes) I started walking the three miles into town.

I got to the hotel about 1030 and they had a room ready so I was able to check in immediately. I spent the next two hours cleaning up my tent and drying out my sleeping bag. Doing the usual town stuff.

Days 10/11, Mar 11/12, A Double Zero

I called City Hall and left a message for Tammy, the hiker contact. They also gave me her direct line, which I finally called around 4 PM. We had a short conversation, but basically I said, I only needed a ride back to the trail Monday morning. It’s supposed to rain all day Sunday

Saturday was beautiful, sunny and cool. Hard to believe it’s going to rain all day tomorrow. I spent the day walking to town (it’s about 2 miles from the hotel o the freeway to downtown Heflin).

I also spent the day shopping for supplies for my next section. Heflin has multiple grocery stores so I was able to get everything I needed.

And I was even able to find a place that served cocktails! Though, I did have to explain how to make a martini to the bartender.

**Celebrating the first 100 miles on the PT.**

PT 0 to PT 60, So Much for Plans!

Day 1, Mar 2, PT 2.8

The first sign that there might be problems with my plans appeared as the plane from Houston descended towards the Birmingham airport. As we came out of the clouds the plane suddenly pulled up and we re-gained altitude. The Captain announced that we were gong around because “we could not see the airport when we came ouf of the clouds.”.

After retrieving my pack I texted Pinhoti Outdoor Center (POC) about my shuttle to the trail. Chuck showed up about 11:30 and we headed south. He explained on the way that he had planned it pick up another hiker from the Amtrak station but he was running several hours late. We stopped at the POC hostel where I picked up a fuel canister before heading to the Flagg Mt trailhead. And, for the entire 90 minute ride, it was raining, sometimes hard.

Chuck dropped me off about a mile from the start of the trail about 2:00PM, recommending I give up my plan to hike 10-12 miles and stay dry a the Weogufka Shelter at about 3 miles. When I got to the shelter, it was still raining hard, and the shelter looked so dry….. so…. So much for plans.

About 2 hours later, just as it was starting to get dark my companion for the night showed up. The other hiker that Chuck was scheduled to pick up had finally arrived, “Cruise Control” was from Philadelphia and was nice enough to tell me that I only “snored a little” the next morning. Cruise, young, fit and fast, left just before me and I never saw him again.

Day 2, Mar 3, PT 17.3

I got my first real taste of the PT and it was a wake up call. After a five miles or so I started a 7 mile road walk.

Even though the trail is never much over 2,000’ there are lots of steep climbs and they do not seem to have heard about switchbacks here in Alabama. On the plus side, the rain has finally stopped.

**The trail is quite well maintained at the start.**

By 11:00 I was completely done in – stopping on the climbs which I never do. I decide to stop early at “Kim’s Camp” around 2:30. A nice spot, next to a small stream with a fire ring,

Day 3, Mar 4, PT 32.5

The sun rises about 6:00 AM and I am hiking by 6:30. My legs are really stiff so I have decided to go short today to give myself a day of recovery. I am on roads for most of the first 10 miles today and I used my pepper spray for the first time. Two big dogs came out into the middle of the road and were very aggressive. All the other dogs just barked and stopped when I yelled but not these two. I finally gave the lead dog a quick blast and that stopped him. Glad I brought it.

I am now about 10 miles behind my plan so I have decided to just chunk the plan and keep my days under 18 miles this first section to get my trail legs. And I had my first taste of bad trail today. Leaving the road and entering what my guide calls “new trail”, I hit a bulldozed mess. The blue trail blazes were separated by large tracts of muddy dozer tracks. I lost the trail several times and ended up crashing through brambles that tore up my arm.

But I had another lovely campsite, a bit off the trail but flat and right next to a small stream so lots of water and I could even clean up a little. Unfortunately, tomorrow looks a little problematic. The last water of the day is at about 10 1/2 miles And the first campsite after that is another 5 miles up so I’m going to have to hump 4 L of water to camp.

Day 4, Mar 5, PT 48.3

Beautiful day for hiking. Got an early start at 6:15. And I saw my first other person on the trail this morning. Passing a dry campsite after few miles from my camp I passed someone asleep. He didn’t look like a hiker. He didn’t have a tent, pack or a sleeping bag, just a blanket, and what appeared to be a bag of charcoal. Tough place to be homeless.

Once I did the morning climb, I basically was up on the ridge most of the morning until I hit Bulls Gap.

The POC had a public water cash at Bull’s Gap which was very nice since this is pretty much the last water for the next 14 or 15 miles. I took 3 1/2 L and started climbing toward today’s camp,

There were no fixed campsites after the climb so I just a found a relatively flat spot and pitched my tent.

After some thought I have decided to change my plans even more. I have five more days to get to Heflin and I don’t think my battery and phone will last. I have cell coverage up at camp so I called Next Step Hostel in Talladega. They do shuttles to and from the trail, have a bunkhouse, showers and laundry. I arranged a pickup for tomorrow.

Day 5, Mar 6, PT 60.0

Earliest start yet – on the trail right at 6:00 AM – I am excited about a town day! I texted Jeff (Next Step Hostel) at about 5 miles in, right before I started coming off the ridge – good thing too – that was the last place I had cell coverage today.

Heading to Porter’s Gap and Talladega

More nice views for the first five miles or so before I started the long drop to Porter’s Gap.

Passed a pretty waterfall on Dry Creek, which, is, well, not dry.

I got to Porter’s Gap and hung out for a while waiting for Nancy and my ride to Talladega. Looking forward to a cold drink on a hot day (it hit 80 today).

Talladega and Next Step Hostel

The NS Hostel is sweet setup for hikers – bunkhouse with nine beds, lawn to pitch a tent, fridge, microwave, showers (outside), and washer/drier. They they supply everything and do not charge anything. I asked Nancy about this and she said it was their way of “giving back to the hiking community.”

I had a lovely stay and I was the only hiker so I had the place to myself. Definitely a good call making this stop and recharging all my electronics.

Trail Plan

Getting to the Trail

The southern terminus of the PT is about 60 miles southeast of Birmingham in the Weogufka State Forest. I plan to fly into Birmingham the morning of March 2 and get a shuttle from the fine folks at the Pinhoti Outdoor Center directly to the trail. I want to get the first 10 miles or so of trail done that afternoon.

Section 1 (Flagg Mt to Heflin, 6.5 Days, 113 Miles, 16,200 Feet)

The trail starts in a state forest near Flagg Mountain and wanders northeast passing over Hernandez Peak in the Talladega Mountains, the high point of the Alabama portion of the PT at 2,334′. There is a four mile stretch of paved road on the first afternoon and another seven miles on the second day but it is all trail or dirt roads after that to Heflin.

**Section 1: Flagg Mountain (Start) to Heflin (PT 113). Gaps are road walks.**

After the road walk the trail enters the Talladega National Forest (about PT 30) where it will stay for the next 120 miles or so.

In this section all of the days are under 3,000 feet and my longest planned day is a 19 miler to get into Heflin on Day 7. Water is mostly good but there is a potentially 20 mile dry stretch after Shelton Creek (PT 27.1). I plan to take a zero day in Heflin and take stock after my first 100 miles on the trail.

Section 2 (Heflin to Cave Spring, 5 Days, 81 Miles, 11,700 feet):

This will be a shorter section (and my first 20 miler) to get to Cave Spring. There are no paved road walks on this section except for the last couple of miles into Cave Spring (the trail goes through town). My plan is to stay one night here (no zero) and resupply for the next section.

**Section 2: Heflin (PT 113) to Cave Spring (PT 190).**

Section 3 (Cave Spring to Dalton, 6.5 Days, 105 Miles, 11,200 Ft):

Heading north out of Cave Spring there is a long (~15 mile) stretch of paved roads before the trail returns to the woods.

**Section 3: Cave Spring (PT 190) to Dalton (PT 285)**

Leaving the paved road s the trail enters a narrow wooded strip (Taylor Ridge) neading northeast. The trail enters Dalton from the west and continues east through town. Dalton is the biggest trail town on my hike and I hope to be able to get a new fuel canister here.

Section 4 (Dalton to Ducktown, 5 Days, 87 Miles, 13,500 Feet):

Leaving Dalton is the longest paved road stretch of the trail, around 25 miles working mostly east to get back to woodlands. I will probably hitch/uber at least part of this. This section ends the Pinhoti Trail where it intersects with the Benton Mackaye Trail at about BMT 72 just south of the Cohutta Wilderness.

**Section 4: Dalton (PT 285) to Thunder Rock CG /Ductown (BMT 94)**

I will have to get a ride from Thunder Rock Campground to Ducktown (about 8 miles east) where there are a few places to stay and resupply.

Section 5 (Ducktown to Fontana, 7 Days, 103 Miles, 25,500 feet):

The trail gets harder in this section. The Benton Mackaye Trail is, in general, a tougher trail. All the days in this section are over 3500 feet and there is one 5,000 foot day. Hopefully by this point I will have the legs for it.

**Section 5: Ducktown (BMT 94) to Fontana Dam (BMT 197).**

At the Fontana Dam I will get a ride to the The Hike Inn (about 8 miles east). The Hike Inn has a $75 thru-hiker package which includes shuttles to/from the trail, shuttle to town and a private room. This is a potential early stop spot if things are not going well or if I have taken much longer to get here.

Section 6 (Fontana to the End, 6 Days, 98 Miles, 19,800 Feet):

This last section is entirely in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park so the days of camping wherever I please are over. You have to camp at designated campsites and they have to be reserved in advance. I plan to reserve my sites during my zero in Ducktown.

**Final Section: Fontana (BMT 197) to Trail End (BMT 290). Note the AT just north of the BMT**.

This route runs parallel to and just south of the the Appalachian Trail (AT) through the GSMNP.

Done!!!! Santiago de Compostela (Day 34)

Day 34 (Oct 19): A Rúa to Santiago de Compostela, 20 km, 782 km

Our 34th and last day on the trail started with rain which continued off and on for most of the day.

Leigh Ann is still experiencing a lot of pain in her right shin but…. after 33 days we have decided we will stay together all day. But we are moving much slower on this 12.5 mile day so decide to not stop till we get to the cathedral in Santiago.

There are a lot of hikers on the trail today, not only the long-haulers like us and the folks who started in Saria doing the last 100 km but people who started just out of town. And we are all headed for the same place…. the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela!

And a view of the cathedral with pilgrims arrayed on the plaza… and the rain has stopped (briefly).

After toasting finishing with some large beers…

… we headed to the Pilgrims Office to get our official completion certificates (our Compostelas ).

So… after 780 km (485 miles), 34 days, countless sore muscles, blisters, “pilgrim” menus, supportive fellow pilgrims, great travelling companions, countless churches and helpful townspeople is over it is time to say goodbye to my trusty crocs.

The Final Stretch (Day 31-33)

Day 31 (Oct 16): Portomarin to Palas de Rei, 24 km, 714 km

We left in the dark in an attempt to beat the crowds of “pelegrinitos” (i.e. the hikers who are just doing the last 100Km) but it was futile. Still had a lovely day with some great scenery.

About 7 miles into today’s hike we passed a very cool archaeological site (the Castro de Castromaior) just a little ways off the trail.

Though it was just a tad windy at the top.

From the Castromaior we had great views.

Along the way we stopped in a small chapel built from the remains of a 13th century Templar pilgrim’s hospital where we got a stamp from a blind custodian.

And we saw the usual assortment of interesting and curious things along the trail.

Today’s hike was about 15 miles and while rain threatened most of the day it never happened. Tomorrow is our last long day (~30Km, ~19 miles) and promises to be rainy most of the day but… we will see.

Day 32 (Oct 17): Palas de Rei to Arzua, 30 km, 744 km

Our last big day started with a pouring rain at breakfast. The forecast called for rain all day but…. as we left the hotel the rain stopped and we had no more than a light drizzle the rest of the day.

**Geared up for the rain…. that never came.**

And, as the rain cleared and sun came up, we had some nice views.

In the last 100 Km you are supposed to get at least two stamps a day. For the 100Km people this is not an issue but for us long-haulers we have to be careful as our passports are filling up. We still had room for a stamp at a pretty little church we passed in the morning.

We got separated today. Leigh Ann is having shin pain so Jim, Bert and Leigh Ann were moving slower and I went ahead. Around 10:15 Leigh Ann fell (a real face plant according to Bert) that required some doctoring. After the fall they seemed to be moving well. Jim and Leigh Ann elected to stop in Melide for lunch around noon. Bert kept coming and caught me at a little lunch spot about 13 miles from the start.

After lunch we learned that Leigh Ann was in too much pain to continue and decided to catch a cab to our hotel in Arzua. We continued on with Jim following a couple of hours behind.

We arrived in Arzua around 3:30 after a long, 18.5 mile day.

We are in a lovely boutique hotel which served one of the best meals on the trip. We all agree that the food has improved significantly since we entered Galicia.

Day 33 (Oct 18): Arzua to A Rúa, 18 km, 762 km

Our penultimate day! And good news, Leigh Ann is feeling good enough (with pain killers) to hike. We decide to split up so she doesn’t feel pressure to hike faster than she is comfortable with. Bert and I head out in the dark around 8:15 watching the sun slowly rise behind us.

Today is an easy day, only a bit over 11 miles. We stopped around 6 miles at a trail-side cafe with a nice view (there are lots in the last 100 km!) for coffee.

And we finally saw one of the grain storage structures (which are everywhere – we have seen hundreds of them) with actual grain. They usually sit 5-10 feet off the ground and are constructed to prevent rodents from getting in.

We are definitely getting close to the end, there are signs everywhere reminding us that we are nearly there.

At the end of the day we are only 21 Km from the end of our journey. It doesn’t seem real somehow. And, of course, rain is forecast.

Life on the Camino

Some thoughts on the pilgrim life …

Food

Our accommodations always include breakfast and often dinner. We get the “Pilgrims Menu”. Maybe it’s because we are used to France but we find the food to be rather bland. Too much meat and not enough seasoning.

The wine, on the other hand, is quite nice. A bottle of the local vino tinto is usually included with our meal and we usually have no trouble at all finishing it off. A lot of the hotels have their own label.

Meal times are later in Spain than we are used to. They look at you funny if you try to eat lunch before 1:30 and most restaurants don’t open for dinner till 8:00. This makes it tough for early hikers (and early hiking is important to avoid the heat)

Accomodations

Unlike a lot of peregrinos we are not staying in albergues (hostels) but in hotels. They range from 2-4 star hotels and we have been very happy with them. We always have a private room with a bath. The albergues are usually 10-15 euros (but can be less than 10), so they are a very economical choice for many people. We used a service (FollowTheCamino) to book all of our hotels . This is both good and bad. We never worry about getting a room but we are on a fixed schedule.

Laundry

We have only stayed in one hotel with a guest laundry (and we took advantage of it). This is an advantage of the albergues as the almost always have a guest laundry. One of our hotels had an 11€ laundry service (one bag). Most of the time we just wash our hiking clothes in the sink and hang them out a window to dry.

Trail Conditions

They vary … a lot. We have hiked on dirt paths, paved roads and everything in between. A good deal of the Camino is on gravel roads and the shoulders of paved roads. This is completely different from the trails in the US. It has the advantage of not needing to carry a lot of water or food but it is also not quite as bucolic. But overall we have really enjoyed the trails.

**Typical Camino trail (on the Meseta)**

Pilgrims Passport

We all carry a “Pilgrims Passport” (Credencial del Peregrino) to document our progress as we proceed along the trail. You get the passport at the Pilgrims Office at the start and collect stamps (at least one a day) at various places (churches, albergues, hotels, etc.) you pass. The person stamping your passport usually signs and dates it. To receive the “Compostela” in Santiago you must…

…collect the stamps on the “Credencial del Peregrino” from the places you pass through to certify that you have been there. Stamps from churches, hostels, monasteries, cathedrals and all places related to the Way are preferred, but if not they can also be stamped in other institutions: town halls, cafés, etc. You have to stamp the Credencial twice a day at least on the last 100 km (for pilgrims on foot or on horseback) or on the last 200 km (for cyclists pilgrims)..

Toilets

“Facilities” along the Camino are few and far between so, in that respect, the Camino is no different than a wilderness trail. One of the disappointments has been the amount of toilet paper strewn in every likely pee spot. Obviously, the “no trace” ethic has not arrived on the Camino.

Water

The longest stretch with no potable water has been about 10 miles so there is no need to bring water treatment equipment (filters, pills). After 20 days we have never had to carry more than 1-2L of water. The local water is good, cold and tasty!

What to bring

Below are my recommendations for what you do/don’t need based on our hike. If you elect to do the hike without using a bag transfer service (which can be pricey) you can easily keep your total pack weight under 20 lbs and 15 lbs is doable. The beauty of European hiking over wilderness hiking in the USA is that you have a lot of options for sleeping and food that can make your pack very light.

You DON’T need to bring or carry:

Sleeping bag (though some people bring them) or pad. The albergues (hostels) almost always provide clean bedding.
Tent
Water treatment (filters, pills, etc.). The water is abundant and good.
Food (except for snacks and sometimes lunch). There are places to eat all along the way.
Thermal underwear (at least not in the fall). The coldest temperatures we have seen have been in the low 40’s.
Bug juice. We did not have any mosquito issues. The flies were sometimes annoying near cows.

What you DO need to bring:

Medium lightweight backpack (40-50L is more than enough). Should not weigh more than ~2lbs.
Hiking footwear. I wear crocs. Lots of people wear trail runners. Some people hike in sandals. I saw a lot of people with hiking boots. Remember, you will be lifting each foot over 500,000 times if you do this hike. Think about that before you select footwear that puts 2 lbs on each foot.
Rain coat (and a pack cover). It does rain in Spain and not always on the plain.
Warm layer (micro-puff or fleece).
One set of town clothes.
Hiking poles (though lots of people don’t use them – this is a personal choice).
Two sets of hiking clothes (shorts/pants, socks, shirt).
Buff, wool hat and lightweight gloves.
Suntan lotion. Sunglasses.
A minimum toiletry kit.
First aid kit (analgesics, moleskin, antiseptic cream, bandaids, etc.)
Smartphone (with the FarOut app and maps downloaded), and 220V adapter/charger.
Couple of light water bottles or a hydration pack (2L is more than enough).
Headlamp (if you like to hike before sunrise).

Nearing the end (Days 28-30)

Day 28 (Oct 13): O Cebreri to Tricastela, 21 km, 644 km

A very welcome 13 mile day after the toughest day on the Camino.

The sun was not quite up as we started but soon we had some lovely views later in the day.

And we found a nice place for coffee after a couple of hours of walking..

And, after 5 hours or so of hiking we came into Tricastela (the three castles no longer exist) passing an amazing chestnut tree.

Day 29 (Oct 14): Tricastela to Sarria , 24 km, 668 km

Another easy day. We have been using the FarOut app to navigate so far and today was the first time it let us down. The most popular Camino route from Tricastela to Sarria is not shown in FarOut so today we just followed the signs and the other pilgrims.

We waited for sunrise since we will be navigating the old fashioned way…. by signs!

**A typical Camino signpost in Galicia**

And unlike most of our starts, we had a very misty, drizzly morning. But is was warm (50’s) so we never used our rain coats.

And the trail was wonderful, packed earth through farmlands and trees.

But this is definitely cow country..

And, after four hours or so of hiking our home for the night came into view..

The toughest part of navigating the Camino is in the bigger towns as there are lots of competing signs.

And we are definitely getting closer to Santiago… as the sign shows. 652 Km from where we started (St Jean Pied de Port) and 114 to Santiago.

Day 30 (Oct 15): Sarria to Portomarin, 22.5 km, 690 km

To receive the “Compostela” or pilgrim certificate you have to:

Make the pilgrimage for religious or spiritual reasons, or at least an attitude of search.
Do the last 100 km on foot or horseback, or the last 200 km by bicycle. It is understood that the pilgrimage starts at one point and from there you come to visit the Tomb of St. James.
Collect the stamps on the “Credencial del Peregrino” from the places you pass through to certify that you have been there.

As Sarria is the last town before the 100Km mark, we have been joined by many, many people doing just the last 100 Km.

And we saw vans dropping off folks just before the official 100Km marker.

But we had a gorgeous sunrise as we walked out of Sarria so who cares about the newbies!

And even though overcast we had some lovely views.

After 14 miles or so we arrived at the Rio Mino and Portomarin.

Tomorrow we plan on an earlier start to try to miss the new hikers (who don’t even know that you are supposed to say “Buen Camino!” when passing!).

We are (finally!) nearing the end…. only four more days and (roughly) 90 km to go.

Back in the mountains! (Days 25-27)

Day 25 (Oct 10): Rabanal to Ponferrada, 33 km, 568 km (total)

Tough day on the Camino and one of our longest days so far (almost 20 miles). Another pre-dawn start to get a jump on a very long day.

And we have definitely entered the mountains. The coastal range which we have seen 50-60 miles to the north for the last three weeks have swung around as we slowly approach the western coast.

We stopped for coffee at 6 miles or so at a Refugio. The coffee was so thick it almost didn’t pour, but no complaints. It was hot and black on a chilly morning. And today was the high point of the entire Camino, the Cruz de Ferro at 4,934′.

**The Cruz de Ferro in the morning fog.**

And we bumped into Stitch (“Steech”), a puppy doing the Camino on the back of very nice frenchman…

And we had some lovely views as we hiked higher in the mountains.

And we finally stumbled into our destination town, Ponferrada, a small city of about 65,000 with a 13th century Templar castle, which was unfortunately closed while we were there.

Day 26 (Oct 11):Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo, 25 km, 593 km

Much easier day between two tough ones, only a bit over 15 miles. We are actually in a valley between mountain ranges today so not a lot of climbing. We stopped for lunch at a litte refugio that had avocado toast (yes!)…

…. with a new friend.

Today was mostly a hot road walk with not great views but we had a few and our destination town was very pretty.

And we had a new Camino marker to look out for.

Day 27 (Oct 12): Villafranca del Bierzo to O Cebreri, 30 km, 622 km

Tough, tough day on the Camino…. but lots of fun! 18+ mile day with a big 2500 foot climb in the afternoon. Started the day at 1750 and ended it at 4250.

The day started in the dark at 6:30 with our usual 6 mile road walk to get to coffee. Saw some unusual art along the way..

And today was clearly dangerous as we passed a warning sign for…. snowflakes?

We had an early lunch at a place that was just opening up (we had to talk them into serving us) in Herrerias. Then …. the big climb… 5 miles of up, up, up but with stunning views near the top.

And… after many, many days we finally left Castille y Leon and entered Galicia.

And, after 7 hours of hiking we rolled into O Cebrerio and a much deserved libation.

Leaving the Meseta (Days 22-24)

Day 22 (Oct 7): Leon to Villar de Mazarife, 20 km, 483 km (total)

Our last easy, 20 km day for a while started at about 8:15 as spent the first hour slowly leaving Leon to the west.

**Typical day on the Meseta – flat and hot!**

After leaving Leon it was a fairly typical day on the Meseta – gravel roads through rolling farms. We stopped for coffee, as usual, in a little town after 6 miles or so.

The Camino seems to be a big part of the local economy. A lot of these small towns have an albergue or two with a small cafe or two that cater almost exclusively to pilgrims.

**In case you were unsure of the location…**

And, around 1:00 we rolled into our home for the night..

The church is closed but the bar was open…though guarded by a vicious dog.

Day 23 (Oct 8): Villar de Mazarife to Astorga, 31 km, 514 km (total)

After a stretch of relatively easy days today we had a 20 miler. We got an early start leaving our hostal in the dark at 6:30. We walked a paved rural road for two hours with headlights as the sun slowly rose.

After three hours we stopped in a busy pilgrim town where three trails come together, Puerte de Orbigo, for breakfast (and coffee!). The place had some very interesting birds hanging around.

Leaving Orbigo we passed over the medieval gothic bridge, the Puente de Orbigo.

And then more miles….

After 15 miles of hiking we stumbled onto a lovely refugio where we had lunch.

The refugios don’t charge for the water, food and shade they provide. They just ask for donations. It is very nice, especially on long stretches with no towns.

And, after 19 miles or so we entered Astorga.

**Welcoming pilgrim on the approach to Astorga**

After resting up we visited the Gaudi Palace

Day 24 (Oct 9): Astorga to Rabanal del Camino, 20 km, 535 km

After yesterday’s 20 miler we had a welcome 12.5 mile day. We have definitely left the Meseta, the endless rolling vistas of farmland have given way to a hilly, forested area.