Monster…

Day 8 - From Tardajos to Boadilla del Camino across the Meseta Central plateau.

“What's that coming over the hill?…is it a Brompton?”

From the storks last night, nesting in the village churches, to today’s ride where I planned to tackle the Meseta Central Plateau with warnings of scorching earth and limited shade. This is a grain crop growing area with a clay, claggy soil as the terrain totally changes now to up and down rolling hills through a patchwork of young crops.

After Hornillos del Camino I stripped off, ready to tackle the big lump ahead.            

Halfway up it started to rain so I stopped to don the poncho once again as the rain came in with the horizontal wind.

When I think of ponchos, I think of Clint Eastwood, looking cool, calm and dangerous, rolling into town wearing a handmade Apache Indian design, woven and embroidered woollen number.

My poncho is a little different.

Mine is in a light blue, waterproof plastic, in XL, as a last minute (just in case) buy from Decathlon.

As the rain got heavier and the track got muddier, the poor Brompton’s little mudguards and chain set couldn’t cope and the gears started to slip, I had no choice but to take a slippery-slip walk all the way to the top. 

But then here things changed. As I started to career down the other side, with the hood strings pulled tight so I can hardly see where was going, a strange phenomenon started coming over the hill, my poncho ballooning out like a 3 man tent with little pipe cleaner legs pedalling like the clappers, like a crazy muck-spreader, with big clods of shite flying off in every direction, splattering descending pilgrims on my way down, doing over 30 miles an hour!….”Buen Camino!” I called, as I passed each one with a grin on my face….God knows what they thought was coming over the hill towards them!

As I finally rolled into town I needed a shower and a bed for the night and had only one question…”Are you feeling lucky, punk?

… I was, and found a great spot, even though there was a lot of cleaning and drying to be had at tonight’s albergue - yet another gem of a place and time to sit and relax with a nice glass of Rioja.

https://juntos-albergue.com/

Today’s track, a bit of welsh indie from The Automatic’ with ‘MONSTER’ from 2006 and a daft video too (I don’t think them beards are real?)

 

 

One week…

It’s been ‘One Week’ on the Camino de Santiago: Day 7 From Belorado to Tardajos, over the ‘Montes de Orca’ and into the big city of Burgos.

The morning ride from Belarado was a real ‘pea-souper’, the cloud was down and it didn’t clear until after the big climb up the ‘Montes de Orca’ from Villafranca. 

After a much needed breakfast stop at San Juan de Ortega I headed down into Burgos City. Entering into the arse end of it through the industrial area, past the laminate floor factory, belching out smoke!…

St.James would have been disappointed I fear!

In the heart of the city I met Mr Waffle Cone 

and enjoyed good tour around the beautiful and impressive cathedral area before heading out to find some digs for the benevolent before the storm struck.

I passed a nice looking bar but was too afraid to enter…

Tonight’s Albergue was run by volunteers and was lovely https://www.alberguescaminosantiago.com/camino-frances/albergue-de-peregrinos-de-tardajos/

I always wanted to learn all the crazy lyrics to today’s track but never managed beyond “Chickity China, the Chinese chicken, 

You have a drumstick and your brain stops tickin”….

top song from those crazy ‘Barenaked Ladies’…enjoy it again here.

Reward

Day 6 From Navarrete to Belorado. 41miles/70km

First totally dry day on the Camino firstly on paths through the vineyards of Nejera and then up and down hills to Santo Domingo de la Calzada for a ‘Menu del Dia’ lunch by the cathedral.

The inclusion of wine made the afternoon a bit slower but after 41miles I’d arrived at Belorado where €19 buys me a bed for the night and a swim as a ‘reward’ in preference to the dodgy sounding one I passed earlier in the day…see ⬇️ 

You would have to be brave to sleep here…

‘Reward’ by The Teardrop Explodes from 1981 is today’s blog track with a nice bit o’brass and a bangin’ tune to boot.

Drink the Elixir…

Day5 - Villatuerta to Navarrete (70km).

Another great Albergue, Etxeurdina, run by a great bloke and biker , Jordi. Absolutely can’t fault them so far. Headed out around 8 and got to Irache around 9. 

Today I’m in Rioja country and will pass through its capital Legrono.

Wine at 9?

Here is the wine fountain ‘Fuente del Vino’ linked to the bodega where pilgrims can get free wine from a tap. As Tom Gilbey would put it “let’s have a snort of the Rioja..bugger me, this tastes like shite”…https://youtu.be/cTMIdKfkNsQ?is=NfsoIqram9AH91rP 

I’d pair it with a sink plug and move on! 

It’s young wine and bloody rubbish.

No wonder they have been nicking the jugs and not the wine…(see photo)…c’mon, keep up!

Big day on the Brommie, and when the heavens opened again and I got to the muddy singletrack downhills, I dropped the seat to compensate for the load up front, hung my bony arse over the back, and with a belly full of early morning Rioja, went for it! 

Great hairy fun on 16” wheels!

After the ride was over I did enjoy, of course, a much better glass of Rioja, thanks to a kindly benefactor (you know who u r Beccapedia)…well, when in Rome!

70 odd km completed today and all going well.

Today’s blog track from a great lesser known indie band, Salad with this 90’s favourite about Rioja ( or good red wine in general to be honest).

Thunder in th’mountains…

Casa Ibarrola

Day 4 - Pamplona to Villatuerta (40km)

I left the Albergue with the Brommie and used Velo2 to follow all the cycle ways out of Pamplona, through the citadel and towards an ominous looking sky.

Diverting from the main Camino route at Cizur Menor towards Zizur Mayor until linking up with it again at Uterga for breakfast by 10:20 at Gastrobar Camino del Perdon.

The town of Puente La Reiner-Gares was next and then I could see the dark skies ahead over Cirauqui on the hill. 

With only about 5km to go I had to take shelter and wait for some abatement in a quaint abandoned petrol station as the thunder, lightning and rain hit…a perfect lunch stop. 

Lunch stop

Getting soaked I made it to tiny Villatuerta and my overnight stop at Albergue Etxeurdina just in time for the sun to come out for the afternoon😎.

Villatuerta

 

A Spanish bull

Toyah with her mad orange barnet from 1981 , lisping on about t’weather in her th’exy way!