Yesterday I had met Massimo by chance in a shop in Leon. This morning I'd just ridden to the end of the street after leaving the albergue, and who do I see standing there taking a photograph but Hans, my German room-mate from the previous day. The Camino is a small world. He'd walked the 37km, arriving late, and looked a little worse for wear because of it.
And this afternoon, after leaving Astorga, I'd begun considering stopping a bit early; even though it was only around 14:00, I'd ridden 70 km, including the foothills of the mountains that remain to be crossed (Pyrenees mk3, only higher). So a plan started forming to stop at Santa Catalina de Somoza (not to be confused with Samosas), which also would hopefully mean a bed for the night. The next bigger place (Rabanal) is the end of a walking stage and so the places are likely to fill up early. The closer I get to Santiago, the busier the Camino is becoming.
So I ride into the little town of Santa Catalina and what do I see? A Batavia and a Gazelle bike parked by the side of the path! And sure enough, there's the Dutch couple I'd met in Carrion de los Condes, Joke and Maj. We chat for a while, comparing notes, but they decide to head on to Rabanal. Speaking of bikes, there seems to be many more on the Camino than I've seen so far. However most seem to be small groups, mainly Italians, decked out in full racing Lycra and all the gear. Not my sort of bike riding.
Rather than follow the Camino out of Leon (I had already walked it yesterday) I navigated my own route out through the suburbs onto some lovely small country roads. Arriving at Chozas de Abajo (as opposed to Chozas de Arriba, or course) I rode into the village trying to imagine where the local bar might be (time for my morning café con léché). It's a little place, with no street names or signposting. But before you know it, there's a yellow arrow painted on the road, and on the gutter is another yellow arrow with the word 'bar'. Clearly I am on or near the Camino!
The Camino is signposted in a very wide variety of ways, with a general theme of the scallop shell of St. James and yellow arrows. But in many places local bar and albergue owners have obviously taken it upon themselves to add extra marks to 'help' you find their establishments (even if they are not necessarily on the official path).
Today snow-capped mountains appeared on the horizon, directly ahead in the direction of the Camino. A bit ominous! The pass at the Pyrenees was 1057m, the Puerto de la Pedraja was 1150m, and tomorrow it's 1515m. It's going to be interesting. And just as I was thinking that was it, I now see there's another pass coming in a few days ('only' 1337m).
My bed for the night is in quite a nice place (many steps up from the garden shed!). I am learning that the smaller private albergues are generally nicer with more character than the larger municipal or church-run ones. But they're all different and each is an experience.
Saw an older couple walking the Camino hand in hand today, not very practical perhaps, but very nice just the same.
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