5/2 The Dawn Brigade

 It isn't easy to pack up a backpack in the dark, all while making no noise that might wake up other pilgrims.  You can use your phone for light, hoping you don't leave anything behind, and being as quiet as possible with buckles, snaps, and zippers.  The motivation for the pre-dawn departure is two-fold for us.  There is about an hour...we call it the Golden Hour...where beautiful pictures seem to take themselves.  The other reason is that we have walked into an area of Spain where sunshine and warm temperatures dominate the afternoon.

We had an easy day today.  I put on some great music and it walked me through Villamayor de Rio, Beldorado, and Tosantos before dropping me in front of the hotel San Antón Abad at the end of our day.  Francine thought some of the walk was boring, but I am in awe of the agriculture and landscape around me.  Today there was a shiny Hew Holland tractor idling on the path, its driver talking rapidly in Spanish with two other men and bending down to inspect the soil.  Farmer talk.  Weather.  Seed.  Timing.  Machinery.  As only farmers can do.

I ordered a coffee in Belorado.  The only pastries I saw were wrapped in cellophane...like Little Debbie's, but I was hungry so I settled on one of the muffins.  It wasn't big, but most of it was a sort of chocolate truffle.  Within a matter of seconds, it had redeemed itself.

I liked Belorado.  It was a nice sized town with a lot of artistic graffiti...some of it rather good.

One of the things that I love about walking the Camino is that you can do it a thousand different ways.  Different routes, all or part, a full backpack (I have seen packs hoisted that have to be more than 10 kilos) or...you can use something called luggage transfer.  You leave your backpack at your albergue, a responsible person in a Sprinter van picks it up, and for 7 or 8 euros, they deliver it to the albergue you are going to stay at tonight.  Here's a picture of our hotel lobby this afternoon...

I felt very good walking today...strong.  Nothing hurt, not even that pesky new blister.  It has gone to that great graveyard of abused skin.  I am loving this walk.