Today was the second of Jane’s two days of toe recovery. And, Lori’s second day of solo hiking. We both had the opportunity to stretch our comfort limits and we had stuff to talk about at dinner!

Lori left around 8:45 in the early light of morning. It was already drizzling and windy. Inclement weather was the theme of the day,  usually raining with short breaks in the precipitation. The wind was pretty much constant. At times it felt ‘gale force’!

Surprisingly, she found the whole experience pretty awesome — meaning both ‘really great’ and ‘awe-inspiring ‘. So dramatic! The exertion of walking kept her warm. (If she were cold, it would be a whole different story!)

Meanwhile, we figured out yesterday that a bus runs down the mountainside every day for a significant fraction of what a cab costs.

Jane made quick ‘Camino friends’ with a couple who were taking the same bus. Buddy-system! She didn’t have to figure out how to negotiate it alone!

Not altogether surprising, the bus filled up with pilgrims who had various reasons for opting wheels over feet. (Lori, meanwhile, was marveling over how quiet the Camino was and enjoyed having so much of the walk to herself!)

Jane got to tonight’s destination around 10:45 am. She ducked into a cafe while waiting to check into our hotel around noon. There, she found a couple from Alabama we’ve run into over the past few days. The trio kept each other company until the Alabamians finished their meal and pushed on further down the Camino. Jane visited a few local sites (see the photos below) and then checked into our hotel room.

Before long, a slightly bedraggled Lori wandered into the evening’s accommodations. Hot chocolate, hot showers, and catching up with each other’s day made us warm and content.

(Good thing, too! As we write this, the wind is howling, and the rain is pelting outside our hotel in Triacastela!)