The first thing I did was pass through this little down (Ribadiso or Rivadiso, depending on which language you're using, so named for the rio Iso that the bridge passes over) and stop before the next, bigger, town for breakfast. And guess what! I saw Leah there. You remember Leah, right? Young Australian I met in Arre, just before Pamplona, and walked with for a day. Turns out she walked several 30-40km days to get across the Meseta and make up some time. That's the part between Burgos and León that I skipped because it's dry and flat and hot and there's no shade. Just like Kansas.
Upon leaving town, I saw another decorated corn crib. It reminds me of a face.
And in one small town I got a stamp from these fine ladies. The nuns were so sweet! I just had to get a picture. You don't see them often even here in Europe, and almost never in the States.
Remember Kathy, the Aussie lady I walked with earlier in Spain before she skipped ahead so she could finish on time? She'd told me all the thorny viney things that had pestered me were wild blackberries. Here are some (still not ripe) to prove her right.
I also saw this guy. There were others wearing the same hats so I'm sure it's some kind of group or association. It was cool until I unwittingly stepped partially in some of the fresh poo along the way. I wasn't so happy with him then.
But I also walked through the forest today. It was a pretty forest, full of tall, straight eucalyptus trees. Yes, I said eucalyptus. In Spain. No, there are no koalas. The cuddly bear things stayed in Australia. The trees here are just for making paper because they grow rather quickly so the plantation owners can make a quicker profit than with hardwoods like oak, which take 75 years or more to mature enough to be useful.
I finally met Mom again in O Pedrouzo, our last stop before Santiago. It was another long day and I was tired. I limped into town on my sore feet after yet another day of about 24km. I did still insist on going to dinner, though. I did not feel like ordering pizza. And good thing, too, because otherwise we wouldn't have seen this guy.
Can't tell what I'm taking a picture of? It's this guy! Look at the above picture again and you'll see that almost the entire rear end of the cute donkey is covered in the biker dude's stuff.
Cute, isn't he? Sure would be a lighter load for me to walk but I don't think I'd want to have to feed a companion and listen to him braying at night.
And there's only one day left!
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