Galicia

Oh Galicia! If you have been there, you know and if you haven't, you need to go!
Like a fine wine or a great beer, Galicia is best taken in slowly. We get off and walk even when its ridable. I have never been to such a place
The trails in the woods are deep leading to Santiago. Millions of Pilgrims and thousands of cows over hundreds of years have walked these trails. Deep and covered from the sun, damp and cool and safe from the heat of the day. Moss and Ivy covered rock walls. Ancient Chestnut trees, huge and topped with many more growing in the place where others were once removed from the same stump.
The stone buildings are amazing, Whole villages of granite. Slate topped rock wall everywhere you look surrounded by huge rock walls! It has to be seen in person to be believed! People who have been there smile and nod when they hear the name.Oh Galicia!
Here are some of the photos:

Our Rainy Sunday Ride into Galicia

Our Sunday started foggy and damp. The forecast for the day was on and showers with heavy rain in the late afternoon.
With 45 miles and 3 mountain passes with climbs of over 1400', we decided to stay on the pavement, have a nice Sunday dinner and get to our next hotel before it started pouring.
The trails at this point are all open and out of tree cover., climbing would be pushing the tandem and descending walking down with the brakes on.
The riding was never without beautiful views at every moment. The higher we got the more out of the clouds we were. Soon we were on partly dry road with views like you might dream about. Clouds in the valleys with clear mountain tops.
We left the region of Asturias and were now in Galicia. Nearing Santiago, and in one the most beautiful places in the world. You could see it at the border that the Pilgrims felt exactly the way as we. There were rocks of all sizes carried there and placed carefully in a pile.
We arrived at our lunch town around 1:00. Too early for Sunday dinner, but in time to make it to the department of tourism for the Pilgrim stamp and a couple of great maps.
Our lunch was better then we expected. A been soup followed by Pork Cheeks and Fry s I had a coffee tort that was out of this world!
The Restaurant had entailment! A bicycle time trial with a little boy that kept riding his bikes in laps through the dining room and back through the bar. He did about 30 laps before his Dad said it was time to go.

We made it to the hotel before it really started to rain. Perfect timing for the perfect Sunday on the bike!

The Boys

We pass Pilgrims along the way all day. None caught our interest as this group from Portugal today on the road to Santiago.

The Fly's have it!

Heading out this morning we somehow picked a swarm of fly's. House, not horse type, we couldn't shake them.
House fly's in Spain are conman. I have one on my knee and one on the screen of the computer now. You get use to them. They don't bite, but when we had over 100 following us, we thought it would be best to stay on the pavement and keep moving. Riding, you can swat as you go, no matter how steep. Pushing the bike on loose rock is a little different.

Our ride brought us through some of the most beautiful roads we have seen this ride. Our total climb for the day was 4500 feet. The highest altitude was 3420 feet.

Its some times hard to see in a photograph exactly What you see in person. If it was placed on a screen as big as life, you might be able to see how grand our views for the day were. When there is nothing in the photo to reference size. Its harder.
Here are some of today's photographs:

The Difficulty of the Camino

Its hard to tell sometimes by a photograph of exactly what it took to get that shot.

Our days now are starting up hill. We dress to stay warm, but after a short while, we are pealing layers down to shorts and shirts. Our climbs are now 1000' and back down again. Riding only at times, most of the super steep climbs have been unrideable and require pushing the tandem and constant stopping just to cool off. Figure the slope at times is a steep as a stairway. Wet and slippery, we take no chances. It took us over an hour to travel 5km yesterday out of town after lunch. Beautiful views all the way. After a very short while, the little town we left was way below.
We have been heading south more inland and in the mountains. When we come out of the very deep woods, we are in farm land. Cow country to be exact. The smell of sweet corn silage in big plastic covered bails fills the air at times. Its almost like sticking your face into a big bag of licorice. Wonderful! The smell of Cow is always present. We love it.
The Apple orchards of the past miles have dwindled.We are now back in Corn Country. There are still many different fruit trees that we pass, but for the most part, farmers are growing corn. (we have seen some lemon trees recently)
We love being here. The ever changing terrain is hardly boring. Were getting very good at getting on and off the bike. Starting together on hills has become easier with the constant practice. Its a little harder at the end of the day, but we manage quite well.
We know when to come off the trail. We have never finished any later then 7:15. Riding in the dark, on or off road would not be a good idea.
Our daily pedaling tine according to the GPS clock that is only running when we are moving, is about 7 hours. We are climbing around 5000'a day and are at about 2500' above seal level as I write this.
That being all said, We are happy and well. At times it gets tough, but the beauty out weighs the difficulty by far!