Day 12 to Santiago

We have arrived.  The Epitome of a pilgrimage and now that I am home it doesn't seem so exhausting.  would I do it again, No. The Pilgrims mass was an emotional experience for me.  The nuns singing was angelic.  After Santiago we spent a day in Madrid.

Day 11 to Pontevedra

We are almost there.

Day 10 to Tui and Espana

This was the day from hell.  It was unimaginable rock/ boulder, hilly not bike able at all, even the hikers were struggling.  So draining and exhausting.  This has been the epitome of a pilgrimage.  All I can do is focus on the trail in front of me.  We found our true knights in shining armor they helped us up the first set of boulders and came back to help us up the second.  I would still be rock climbing if it was not for them.

Day 9 to Ponte Lima

I have no notes it must have been the day from hell.  It wasn't that was day 10.  Probably a lot of cobbles, dirt rocks and mud, and single track next to a drop off.

Day 8 to Arcos

It was a national holiday little traffic we rode along the Atlantic coast line. Looked a lot like La Jolla coast.  Lots of cobble stone roads I feel for the racers on cobble stone. Yeah another short day our B&B is the epitome of PINK!!!  The Princess is happy.  : )

Day 7 to Porto

Today was the longest most painful day. 12 hours on the road. Lots of little test of our strength.  First Letty 's cleat came apart, then Ursula barely missed a train crossing the tracks in the woods, and now one of her derailleurs is not shifting and I was run over by my bike.  Some great scenery more rain.  Porto is a beautiful large city yippee we are taking tomorrow off to do laundry and regroup mentally.

Day 6 to Agueda

The day started off sunny with a 40% chance of rain.  We had mostly roads that was a nice change.  and then it started to rain. Today the Camino was well marked.  Arrived early at our destination what a pleasant treat and the mountain biking was also pleasant today.  Today was good I am enjoying the ride.

Day 5 to Coimbra

It was another long, wet, lost day in paradise. Nothing held up to southern California water proofing. Beautiful scenery quaint towns few pictures my phone got wet so afraid I killed it but, paper towels and blow dryer. My days and times are so confused I am not sure which days the pictures are from. We were stopped by s group of locals and invited for wine, cheese and salami all home made. This was the high light of the day.

Tomar to Ansiao

We took a little time off and toured the castle. Another day of scary mountain biking. What helped me get through it was the beautiful pink and purple flowers and all the butterflies they attracted. The high light of the day was when we came across a group parked cars and about 6 farmers having a meal on side of the road. They stopped us and feed us wine, cheese

Santarem to Tomar

We were so.... lost. I was so out of my comfort zone. Mountain biking is not for me steep Rocky inclines, single track, ruts, wild thorney bushes that jump out and grab you and font let go without leaving their mark. It was s very long day of getting lost especially in the woods. No pictures.

Day 2 Vila Franca de Xira to Santerem

Great day to be on a bike. I had the first flat. We had mostly bike paths in Azsambujo we got lost and circled the town center 3 times, it was the 2nd time we meet cyclist and he said follow him. Well he took us to the main highway we are all on biked including him??? So we will do this ourselves on the way back to find the railroad station there are two cyclist coming towards us they have also circled the town. They are from Germany and going our way together we find the train station and the path. We rode together for a while. I have ridden a lot of off raiding, jumped curbs and knew how to release the brake. Way to much work.

Day 1 Lisbon to Vila Franca de Xira

Before we could leave Lisbon we had to put our bikes together. Yikes it really wasn't to difficult, they are so... heavy at least 400 pounds we'll may be 40. Getting out of Lisbon proper was a scary, stressful ordeal. It should have been a 25 mile ride but we went in the wrong direction for a couple of miles. We had no maps only a guide book that talks about the Camino. There were a lot of bike paths outside of town, but, it was tricky trying to locate them. When we arrived in Villa Francs de Xira and asked a cyclist how to get to our hotel he said "follow me" a very kind and thoughtful man.

Lisbon day 2

Another day of wandering Lisbon we did get lost trying to get to the Castelo. Met the rest of the group and we all went to dinner. Getting ready to begin our cycling adventure tomorrow.

Lisbon

It was a long day getting here. I hadn't used the San Diego commuter airport before and arrived way to early. Then my plane was parked on tarmack at LAX almost missed my connection then the fun began. At LAX after boarding the plane a luggage car ran into side of plane near fuel tank and they had to find us a new plane, transfer luggage, catering and check out plane. They did a great job only about 2 hours late I've heard horror stories. We walked around and took some photos. Tomorrow will be a wonderful day.

Another trip I am hoping to blog I need to figure out how to add photos