Category Archives: Camino Frances 2023, Leon to Santiago

It was a great morning. We were up early grooming the horses in the dark. I hadn’t been up at that hour grooming a horse since the last time I rode Colleen in the Vermont 100 in the early 2000’s. And we were in the saddles on our way to Santiago before dawn, likewise myContinueContinue reading “Episode 8-Final Episode, Kilómetro Zero, Santiago, Madrid”

Day 1: It’s only a few hours ride, about 20 kms, to Arzua so we had a leisurely breakfast. Somoza is a nice place to chill. Interestingly the family of Anastasio Somoza, of Nicaraguan dictator fame, are from this place, Somoza. And Castro too. The ancestors of Fidel Castro, of Cuban dictator fame, also cameContinueContinue reading “Episode 7-2 Days Riding, Somoza to Arzua (20 kms) and Arzua to Monte del Gozo (35 kms)”

Stage 30 from Portomarin to Palas de Rei is 25 kms and it’s another 10 more to Casa de Somoza where we are staying the night. It was so fun riding out of Portomarin in the early morning, down the central street by the relocated church and across the ancient bridge into the countryside. PeregrinosContinueContinue reading “Episode 6-Portomarin to Somoza”

Riding from Samos to Portomarin was another in a series of excellent days. The morning started out wet and chilly, giving me another opportunity to wear my cool rain slicker. A lovely woodland path takes you out of Samos and joins the main Camino to Sarria where sure enough lots more pilgrims are on theContinueContinue reading “Episode 5-Samos to Portomarin”

The ride from Ocebreiro to Samos was insanely fun. The morning began even colder than predicted 7 or 8 degrees Celsius, mid 40s farenheit, wet and cold and foggy! So it was a real adventure and I got to wear my new rain slicker! It’s 22 kilometers to Triacastela where we planned to stop forContinueContinue reading “Episode 4-from O’cebreiro to Samos”

Stage 25 from Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo is about 25 kms. By the time you slog through the outskirts of Ponferrada and the village of Camponaraya you’re half way but the last half is the best, walking through the manicured vineyards of the Bierzo region. It was my last day on foot so IContinueContinue reading “Episode 3-On Foot to Villafranca, Horseback to Ocebreiro”

Stage 23 from Astorga to Rabanal del Camino is a good one. It’s about 22 kilometers mostly natural path, a gradual slow climb with shade trees and nice places to stop along the way. I decided to take the optional route to Castrillo de Polvazares which is promoted as an authentic Maragato village that IContinueContinue reading “Episode 2-Astorga to Ponferrada”

“On the Camino again, on the Camino again,” with due respect, admiration and apologies to Willie Nelson, “I just couldn’t wait to get on the Camino again.” This is my 3rd time on the Camino Frances.On my first Camino in Oct. 2017, I walked Stages 18-26 on foot from Sahagún to O’cebreiro (8 days, 230ContinueContinue reading “Episode 1-On the Camino Again”