Mansilla to Leon

Day 19 (Sunday 26 May) 336 kilometres to Santiago. An uneventful afternoon and evening in Mansilla. I dined with an American father and son, Chuck and Zack, from Minnesota, and an Australian lady from Melbourne whose name I've forgotten. I was asleep by 21:30 (practising for the old age home). In the morning I deliberately slowed down as I had a hotel reservation in Leon for 2 days and the walk is only 19 kilometres. That seemed like a stretch when I was training for the Camino, but now it's a short day. Breakfast in the albergue (tostada - toast; OJ; and coffee) and then repack. As I was doing that I could hear the local rooster, but his snooze alarm was set at 5 seconds instead of 5 minutes. Out the door at 07:45; the last one to clear the dorm. The weather is high broken cloud to the west, with light winds and a temperature of about 6 or 7 degrees.

I stop for another OJ and coffee in the village of Villarente 6 kilometres on when I notice many other pilgrims gathered outside a small bar. The ladies from Tasmania are there - Dorothy (AKA Dot) and Christina. Ironically, Dot works for a doctor named Dash. The Morse Code twins. Another gentleman at the table looks a bit weary and Christina asks him: "Feeling OK Paul?" "Yes" says Paul. "Resisting the urge to break into a run, but I'm alright."

I chat with Charlie from Athens, Georgia, who is taking some time off before starting medical school in his hometown in the fall. He shares some apple slices around the table. I've got to start paying more attention to my Vitamin C intake. After getting underway again, I note that low hills are starting to flank the trail. The Meseta is behind me. I stop to ask whether I can be of any assistance to an Australian couple who have stopped alongside the wide, hard-packed track. They're fine, but, helpfully, the lady notices that my rucksack is askew. Her husband checks the back straps and, sure enough, one has come loose. He tightens it for me and I immediately feel better carrying my 13 kilogram load. I'll need to pay more attention to this too when I take off my ruck at the end of a walk.

Entering the outskirts of Leon, I meet Damon, a retired air traffic controller from Los Angeles Centre. We talk aviation for a while. When I can't remember the name of a United States Air Force base in California, he reminds me that it's Edwards AFB - their flight test centre. I remember that the bartenders in the Officers' Club could mix a mass batch of Margueritas faster than anyone on the continent. That's not all I learned there, but it still stands out. So does the reply to a question about what they were working on in the way of advanced weapons systems: A new air-to-air missile that is powered by desire and homes on evil intent.

I finally arrive at my small hotel at about 12:45. The cost for 2 nights (I'll rest up here tomorrow) is 53 Euro. Depending upon which pharmacy neon sign you believe, the temperature is either 18, 19, or 20. It's finally getting warmer.

 

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