11-12-12 The twelfth day of the eleventh month of 2012….. On the road again….. A solo journey through Northern Spain…..to Vigo Spain

Restless sleep for I hear the church bells five times, then six, then seven; missing the solitary ring at the half hour mark.  Today, I leave Picos de Europa and continue west, destination unknown.  It is chilly outside and I start my fire again.   The house stays comfortable without the heat with it three feet thick rock walls.  The fire is started with a very flammable brush gathered nearby, arguma, in Spanish.  The scientific name is Genista Occidentalis.  Native to northern Spain and France I see it in the woodpile areas of many homes I go by, an excellent fire starter I use every time, one sticker filled branchy limb and it lights up!

I am still not used to the common practice of a small glass wall next to the shower, open the rest of the area.   The Spaniards must have great restraint in showering as I often get water everywhere, perhaps the reason for the large drain often in the middle of the bathroom.

Breakfast is eggs with smoked salmon lox, local mushrooms, red peppers  and local cheese.

Today is drive day, the northern cost of Spain

One thing I did not miss about the US is the way some of our youngsters wear their pants as a fashion statement (?!), half way down their ass or more.   I am reminded of that today, as I see a young father do the same.   At least his underwear was clean…..

I am without internet and have no real plan for the night, so I just drive west.  I try to get internet at Micky D’s and it is once more unreliable, it has it, just doesn’t work for me.  A café con leche later, I call my network; Ivar, my brother and travel agent for a room anywhere.  He has forgotten about me again, which I’m gonna guess is good.  With my café con leche, I receive a coupon for 3 cents off a gallon at Cepsa Fuel stations; I’m in!!  I GPS a Cepsa station and use my coupon for one euro off!  Hey!; I’m gonna use that one euro coupon with pride, I have contributed enough to the economy here, I’ll take my euro thank you very much!   My brother books me in a room in Vigo, Spain just south of here, in the middle of the city because that’s what he does and what most people want.  I just need a room and go for it.  It is a cheap (33 euros) yet nice two star and the GPS finds it a couple of hours later.  It is dark and the city intimidating with its skinny streets and crowds of people in the center where I drive.  The road the hotel is on is also skinny and I follow the local custom and double park with my emergency flashers on.  When in Rome……  After check in I ask where to park and with great challenge we communicate that the street is free till nine the next morning, paid parking is twelve euros.  She tells me that I can park an additional two hours till 11:00 the next day for 1.30€ for the time from nine to eleven.  I want the free (and little bit of pay) parking and remark how hard it is to get it.  The young patient sweet receptionist tells me she will help me as she looks up and down the street for parking.  I look anxious as she explains, just wait; be patient and sure enough within minutes a spot opens up just four spaces behind us.  She indicates to the driver that I will take it as I back down the street gingerly as he waits.  Once I am past the car, he pulls out in a car smaller than mine!  Which means the spot is equally as small and in another world I would pass it up, yet in this world I cannot!!  I am do not parallel park often and now I have the test!  Dang it, as I have to try twice before I settle for bumping the bumper behind me to ‘feel’ the space and get in as good as I want to at least two feet front the curb! I am awful at this there is one foot; I kid you not; ONE foot between both cars!  ONE FOOT of room!  I am stressed, embarrassed (with no one to see or know me) at myself and tired of the city already!!!  I vow to find a small town next!!  I leave the car and figure it will be okay one night!  I walk away as if it doesn’t belong to me.  I must admit though I like the way the cops drive their cars with their blue lights constantly on; then flashing when they are in pursuit or have a call….great warning sign!

Once in my room; (after a trek to the city and window shopping; hey! I gotta take it all in!) I google rural places and email many accommodations.  Sleep finds me in a hard bed with a stiff mattress and blankets piled high as I have no idea how to turn on the heater.

11-11-12 Sunday, the 11th day of the 11th month of 2012…… Travel around the tourist spots in Picos de Europa, A solo journey filled with introspection……

The tunnel to the gift shop![gallery]

 

I wake to intermittent rain and wonder if I will get in my hike today.  Last night, the english speaking hosts son-in-law recommended one nearby and it sounds wonderful through chestnut and beech forests.  He also recommend the caves of El Soplao, with unique and rare stalactites growing in an unusual fashion from the wind drafts on the cave.  Another recommendation is the tramway  to see the Picos de Europa the best way and I decide on the cave, the tram and the hike if it fits in, which I seriously doubt.   I am on small mountain roads which I love and do take shortcuts when I see them.  After Michael Jackson sings to me, Chris Issac falls in love and

11-10-12 Traverse to Tresviso…… A solo day hike to a small mountain village In Picos de Europa Spain

Switchbacks on Tresviso hike

After a good breakfast with fresh local mushrooms and eggs I am off on a hike.  Winding my way through town, I see a gang of men hanging out, I see one wearing wooden clog shoes.   Waving, I scarcely get a nod, perhaps it’s a ‘outsider’ thing.  Mostly farmers in this small town, many retired, it is Sunday; a time to gather and socialize, I guess this is the spot!!    On the radio, REM is singing, “Losing my religion”, fitting for my trek through so many religions!!  I notice with surprise that the knee that has been mildly bothering me no longer does, within a week of my trip, no discomfort at all.   Hummmmm…..

I wasn’t sure if I’d actually go hiking in the rain that followed me.  I had chosen a route up the side of a mountain 880 meters, which isn’t very intimidating if you don’t do the math!  I had read about it in my hosts info book and it looked beautiful next to the Urdon river for a spell.  Close to my parking spot, the rain stopped and enticed me to hike.  I got out my trekking pole, I only had one now as one had a piece missing that tightened the pole when you lengthened it.  It was there when I packed it!  Hummmm, was the TSA of Spain checking for something smuggled and left out the piece that tightened it?  Damn, now I have only one.   Throwing it in the car, wouldn’t ya know it, with a fifty percent chance of getting the wrong pole, I did!!   No pole today; most hikers I saw had them, me none, dang it.  I’m gonna have to watch my step….. Packed all the way across the ocean for this hike too!
On the trail my first sight of the Urdon river has me catching my breath, it is absolutely gorgeous, unexpectedly clear, with just a light green hue to it.   Reminiscent of the Smith River in Northern California I once lived next to.    The hike reminded me of many fall hikes and for a minute I thought I could be anywhere, until the Spaniard walked past with his goats!  Yup, a gang of them; maybe thirty in all.  They were afraid to walk past me and when they could they would get off the trail up the mountainside or run quickly past me.   The Spaniard yelled at them….  They were spread out for quite a ways with their little bells I could hear up the mountain later.  Then the trail traversed up a hill.   Check that, the MOUNTAIN!  It switched back and forth up the side of a canyon where I tried to see where it would go, which canyon side hill it would mellowed out in.   It didn’t.  It pretty much went straight up switching back and forth.   Koda would’ve loved this hike!!  I had little clue what I was really getting into.   I would do conversions all the time too.  I didn’t really look or think about this hike that traversed for most of its 2885 feet elevation gain!   I decided that was a good thing, as I may have wussed out!   Certainly glad the uphill climb was first!  I read it was a four-hour hike and I think I made it more.  Pleased with my climbing until three folks passed me, yet at least I was going, slow but sure.  I would look up to see when the sky got closer and it didn’t for a while.  I remember doing that working on forest fires; when I saw the blue sky through the trees without looking straight up, I’d know the top was close and maybe the hiking to the fire easier.  I still saw mountain straight up.    The sky did not seem close for hours!!  I had no idea I was going all the way to the top, yet go I did!  When I finally got up the mountain, hours later, the trail leveled out a bit and went past two old rock buildings with a spring next to them.  A bit more climbing and switchbacks and finally town was in front of me.   I went through skinny streets, past many homes, then saw a restaurant overlooking the canyon.  Outside was a threesome that had hiked up with their lunch spread on the table; when they saw me, they asked if I was ‘solo’?  I said yes and followed it with I don’t understand much Spanish.  I’m not sure if their reaction to my ‘solo’ was with admiration or craziness.   I guess either would’ve been good!  With all the trekkers in the restaurant, trekking poles leaning next to each table; it was loud and the wall to wall windows fogged up.  I sat down for my first meal in a restaurant since Gabby went home.  I had to try something with cheese I heard they were famous for, so I had an appetizer and soup.   All good, fair prices, I finished, bought postcards of the hill, no; mountain climb and stepped back out, into rain!   I couldn’t see the rain from the restaurant with the windows so fogged up.  I put on everything I had and wished I had more, it had gotten cold and I had a mountain to go down, I told myself it wasn’t so bad as my pants began to get wet within minutes.  I was glad I had fleece on and non cotton pants, all this will help keep me warm.  Looking up I saw no break in the clouds and willed and prayed for clearing and blue skies.   I wasn’t convinced I could change the weather but still threw every intention, attraction, belief, thought process and will into better weather; blue skies to be exact. The rain was steady yet not torrential.  After deciding I wasn’t so cold and I was perfectly fine if it still rained, with the back of my pants getting soaked and rain soaking my ball cap; the blue skies came!!!!!  I did it!   That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!  Half the sky is a wonderful full blue sky!  Slow and steady downhill, I felt very alone, it was super quiet, save the occasional goat bell down below; so I decided to sing.  The words to Amazing Grace came to me, The Rose by Bette Midler and the only song I ever wrote.  Then I heard people, two couples eventually passed me and my singing was over!  The downhill was every bit as long as the up, as now I had to watch my step, mostly over small limestone rock, footing was fine and my legs felt strong.  I wondered if I was going to have to pay in pain tomorrow.

On the way down I notice the sides of the trail are filled with natural heather I have never see native before.  It was 5:30 when I got off the mountain; climbers could be seen near the parking lot on the rock above me.  I decided that was it for the day, the caves would be closed and the tramway too, so I’ve got a plan for tomorrow.  Coming home I was cold, started a fire to warm me but used it mostly to dry the clothes I’d washed earlier.   The shower was great as I basked in hotter and hotter water!!  Ah, Picos de Europa, thanks for a great day…..