- 1st day was 40c. That´s 104 F. This was the second screaming hot day for this trip. The other was the day I arrived in Santiago at 102.2 F.
- I am getting stronger. At this point, I can ride up long climbs as long as the gradient is reasonable. The distances are making me tired, but I recover quicker. It is plenty hard, but not a daily death match to prove I can take it. There are daily encounters with the ¨10 mile climb¨¨ in this section.
- After Santo Domingo, land becomes increasingly undulating and the towns begin to resemble a lesser version of tuscan hill towns. Less and less of the desolate isolation feeling of Leon´s high plateau. Until the peak at Villamayor De Monjardin then, you are into the Pyrenees.
- Being festival season, I have gotten to see the town´s Saint parading through the streets on the shoulders of the local strong young men.
- The 13th was a top-tier effort for this trip so far.
Facts:
Distance: 35.71 mi
Time: 6:32:25/ Moving Time: 4:00:50
Avg Speed: 5.5 mph / Avg Moving Speed: 8.9 mph / Max Speed: gps-error mph
Elevation Gain: 3,048 ft
Elevation Loss: 2,917 ft
Min Elevation: 1,172 ft
Max Elevation: 2,554 ft
Weather - 33 c / 80´s f.
Climbs - Yes. Mile 17-25 is a big one.
Difficulty - 6 Climbing and time out.
Scale:
0 = 25 miles around San Francisco with the marin headlands climb.
10 = Next to the last day of a hell week in the military with a few hours of sleep.
Comments:
A. Very hard day. Climbs, stayed out too long, and got lost more than once. Also, had to stop and help other lost Pilgrims a lot.
B. I expected an fairly easy day. The map incorrectly indicated a flat 20 km to Pûcate la Reina ( a beautiful town not to be missed). It was some fairly long climbing and downhills until 14th mile.
C. After Pûcate la Reina, there is a legitimate mountain climb between miles 17 and 25. It is a good road at about the max. gradient you climb on a bike (12% per map). I did not have to walk any of it, but it took it out of me.
D. I did the additional 6km from Puerto Del Peron to Alto Del Del Peron... just to say I did the full measure.
F. Gost lost and fairly lucky on the way down from the mountain. There is a road crossing A-12 not shown on the map/gps that looks just like the one you want further down the hill. It was only a lucky guess that took on the correct bumpy dirt path, through a river´s ravine, and into hilly farms. After enduring more dirt farm roads for awhile, the Camino crossed... never so happy to see the Camino.
G. Tues - Day off as I could not get up in the morning.
Facts:
Distance: 25.89 mi
Time: 3:48:10 / Moving Time: 2:47:01
Avg Speed: 6.8 mph / Avg Moving Speed: 9.3 mph / Max Speed: 35.8 mph
Elevation Gain: 1,818 ft
Elevation Loss: 2,005 ft
Min Elevation: 1,173 ft
Max Elevation: 1,796 ft
Weather - 33 c / 80´s f.
Climbs - Yes. nothing too hard.
Difficulty - 4, heat
Scale:
0 = 25 miles around San Francisco with the marin headlands climb.
10 = Next to the last day of a hell week in the military with a few hours of sleep.
Hotel - ???? 50 euros with breakfast. 3 stars. Nice It's this over sleep on a floor.
Comments:
A. Short day. I got a late start and was never into the ride. Tired.
B. Estella is a formerly pretty town, turned ugly by industrial block housing. Not a recommended stop. Go one town further.
Facts:
Distance: 38.93 mi
Time: 4:40:42/ Moving Time: 3:24:52
Avg Speed: 8.3 mph / Avg Moving Speed: 11.4 mph / Max Speed: 36 mph
Elevation Gain: 1,801 ft
Elevation Loss: 2,375 ft
Min Elevation: 1,248 ft
Max Elevation: 2,218 ft
Weather - HOT 37 c / 98.6 F
Climbs - Yes. nothing too hard.
Difficulty - 4, heat
Scale:
0 = 25 miles around San Francisco with the marin headlands climb.
10 = Next to the last day of a hell week in the military with a few hours of sleep.
Hotel - Palaciode de Pujadas 50 euros with breakfast. 3 stars. Nice. It's this over sleep on a floor.
Comments:
A. Hot. Too hot. Not as blazing as yesterday, but you could get in trouble here.
B. The heated metallic sky hangs over all day.
C. The terrain is getting better. It´s green on the hills and desolate in the valleys.
D. Viana is a pretty hill town. Middle-Ages. It was not any fun climbing up into it after a long day on the bike.
Facts:
Distance: 42.69 mi
Time: 4:02:38 / Moving Time: 3:15:38
Avg Speed: 10.6 mph / Avg Moving Speed: 13.1 mph / Max Speed: 40.5 mph
Elevation Gain: 1,637 ft
Elevation Loss: 961 ft
Min Elevation: 2,560 ft
Max Elevation: 2,326 ft
Weather - Wildly HOT 40c / 104F
Climbs - One 20 miles.
Difficulty - 5, heat
Scale:
0 = 25 miles around San Francisco with the marin headlands climb.
10 = Next to the last day of a hell week in the military with a few hours of sleep.
Comments:
A. Hot. Too hot. You have to be careful. I drank 6 ltr. of water and had to stop a couple of times to get the body temperature down. When the water bottles are hot, you have to pay attention.
B. Oppressive hazy heated sky the whole way along n120. Which is a highway with fast moving large industrial vehicles.
C. Not a pleasant day. You saw suffering pilgrims hunched over doing the...next foot... then the next foot.. all day.
D. One hill goes slowly up for 10 miles, then up in earnest for the next 10. After 20 miles up in the heat, it mercifully goes down the the next 20.
Hotel - Parador Santo Domingo Bernardo de Fresneda 90 euros with breakfast. 3 stars. Nice. 16th c. Cathedral turned hotel. No where cheap to stay in this town with air conditioning.
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