(Camino de Santiago) Villamayor de Monjardin to Los Arcos (and Torres del Rio)

A ~13-mile day today. The morning was nice but a straight shot between Villamayor and Los Arcos (not any towns or fuentes in between long stretches of farm country). Mostly downhill, we arrived in Los Arcos in good spirits around 10:30 a.m.  We checked into the pension ("very early") and went back to the main plaza to grab a light lunch.  We had the great idea to continue - without packs - another 5 miles to Torres del Rio (where there's an amazing alburgue with a swimming pool and where the Italian siblings (Genero and Anaise) and their camino guide said is the best place to stop).  The 5 miles of totally exposed walking from noon to 2 pm were rough! So hot so hot - heat rash, delirium, and sun burn hot.  Best word of advise to future peregrinos (including me)...plan to complete your walk by noon or 1 or soon thereafter.

Three beers in Torres de Rio and new friends from Boulder, Colorado later...and we were on a 3 minute bus ride back to our hotel to meet up with my friend Shelly Valdovinos from Las Cruces!!  (She's been 1 day behind us the entire time and some how - SOME HOW - caught up with us today. She's amazing!

Trail sign out of Villamayor

I'm SO tall!

Jane walking at sunrise

Peregrino on the hot stretch to Los Arcos

Although you're on your own journey, you're never alone.  (These people blew past us - even the 6 yer old and his mother!)

Arriving Los Arcos - thank god!

Plaza en Los Arcos

Afternoon hike to Torres del Rio - 5 miles past Los Arcos - so we could a) stay in town/eat dinner with Shelly and b) shave 5 miles off tomorrow's relentless and 100% exposed trek tomorrow to Viana (our last night on the Camino this trip). 

Biker Peregrino's from Boulder, Colorado.  Dayna Mathew (CU-law school professor and author of 'Just Medicine' - in the pink shirt) her brother Vinnie (Denver businessman), her friend Leslie Fields (an author, protester in D.C. and activists with Sierra Club) and Dana's husband Thomas - not pictured- a heart surgeon) on a bike tour (Spanish guide on the left - who of all things lived in alamogordo as an exchange student!)  Here - stopped for a break at Torres del Rio. Amazing people on this Camino!.

Dinner with Shelly V. from Las Cruces and several peregrino friends along the Way