Day 15 : @ the Camino

Day 15 : @ the Camino, originally uploaded by raoul_dewinne.

From Pamplona to Logrono a new freeway has been built, hence the old N-111 (running parallel to it) became like a freeway for bikers, almost no cars - actually almost no bikers either.

But from Logrono to Burgos was a different story. The new freeway is a toll road and probably 90% of all trucks take the local N-120 road to avoid the 'peaje'. We estimated that, in average, at least two trucks per minute were passing us at close distance - although we cannot complain about their attitude, when possible the truckers even drove on the opposite lane and some of them waved and sounded their horn. We're sure that the flags and the shell on our back helped a lot.

However, the most 'exciting' part happened to us in the early morning. I couldn't understand why my GPS (programmed to search for bikeable roads) was steering us away from this N-120. The reason became soon pretty obvious: the N-120 starts in Burgos right away as a freeway. Twice we stopped and asked for directions and twice it was "no problema" to bike along this freeway - and so we started our day by biking for about 12 km on the emergency lane of a freeway. Actually, it turned out to be safer (much more space) than on the upcoming (very) busy N-120, which we had to follow for the next two days...

Getting frightened and fed up with biking on this N-120 with cars and trucks whizzing by, we decided to try our luck on the real Camino for hikers, following the example of a young German biking couple. A dust road with small stones, but doable although much slower - but OK much safer and much more tranquil. Turns all of a sudden into a narrow steep mountain trail with big stones, very uneven and very steep - had to get off our bike and push it (both of us) to the top. Once above, we were craving to go back to the unsafe and busy road - at least there we could make a measurable progress... The real Camino, however, was steadily moving away from the N-120, for so much that we decided to walk with our tandem straight across and downhill through a vineyard (no path whatsoever) to regain our previous route.



The temperature today did climb to a sizzling hot 35 C (95 F), the best motivation for trying to reach as soon as possible Santo Domingo de la Calzada, our destination for today where a four-star Parador was waiting to welcome us. These Paradores are a great Spanish initiative - they are state-owned luxury hotels located in nicely restored authentic historic buildings. Our today's Parador (more to come) was an old pilgrim's hospital from the end of the 15th century just next to the impressive cathedral.

The small city of Santo Domingo de la Calzada in the region of La Rioja (great wines!) owes it beginnings to the endeavors of one man: Domingo Garcia (1019-1109). Not being admitted into a nearby monastery he decided to spend his life as a hermit and help pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela. Thanks to his hard labor, which included hacking a path through forests, building a bridge, a place of worship and a hospital, pilgrims could then travel along a reasonably straight route from Najera to Burgos, just like we still can do today almost a thousand years later.