4 & 5 May "The Great Escape" Santo Domingo De Calzada to Villafranca Montes to AGES

4 May We decided to make a long day on The Way today, all hands agreed to meet at 0630 in front of the Cathedral to start our 35km adventure to Villafranca. I was up and about by 0530 , packed my gear and out the door in the early darkness of the morning. I was staying at a Franciscan Convent Hostel, very nice I might add, and as I exited the front door to the gated yard I realized that I was locked out of the building but thinking the gate would be open I headed towards the very large steel gate only to find that the only way anyone would open this gate without a key was with a blow torch. So I texted my room mate Bill with no success with the cold morning becoming warm around my neck as I realized I was captured until after 0700. Mother Superior had caught me again after so many years. I looked around the yard and saw that the lowest point over the top was in the far corner next to the building. I took my pack in hand, stood up on the wall and gently let it fall to the ground on the outside. The next part was the hardest, I stood on the wall structure with six feet of steel in my face and proceeded to pull myself over the top not knowing if I would stop at the top or not. In the end I gently let myself fall to the ground, dust myself off and picked up my pack and depart to meet my friends, Mother Superior I escaped you again.

My walk reminded me of the Knights of Templar today.

"A Templar Knight is truly a fearless knight, and secure on every side, for his soul is protected by the armor of faith, just as his body is protected by the armor of steel. He is thus doubly armed, and need fear neither demons nor men." Bernard de Clairvaux c. 1135

The early morning walk was worth the effort, we passed over the flowing Rio Oja river as we departed town on our way to Granon for our first stop and a cup of coffee. No Starbucks out here. It is always a climb to each village on the walk because all of the Cathedrals are built on the high ground. The walk passes all the Cathedrals so we always know where we are going by just looking out over the valleys and seeing all the large Cathedrals. Remember this is a Pilgrimage. Again, the country side of Spain continues to show it's beauty in early spring.

We arrived in Belorado in time for a lunch break in the city center. It was busy with young families enjoying their Saturday off as children kicked soccer balls and the elder men and women gathered in their own groups discussing the news of the day , I am guessing on this one. The day has turned warm so we sat outside and ate tapas and lemonade with a chocolate bun for dessert.

12km to go, all up hill. The sun and wind was not our friend this afternoon. The constant slow climb to Villafranca made one question the intelligence of making this a long day. We arrived at 5pm, found our rooms, cleaned up and off to 7pm dinner. A long day but well worth the effort as the sun disappeared behind the mountains that we will walk tomorrow.

5 May I opened my window to check on the temperature and heard a familiar sound, I thought someone near by had a cuckoo clock that was ringing 5 AM, the only problem was that it just kept cuckooing. My first time in life that I had heard the cuckoo bird. These birds would entertain us for the remainder of the morning as we passed over three mountains to St. Juan De Ortega. We must have been walking through the cuckoo forest. Not totally a good day, I developed my first blister so decided to cut short today and stop in AGES only 2.5 km short of the planned destination.

I believe we have passed through the physical challenge of the camino. Today was our 12th day on the walk and we have passed all challenges. Hills have become easier, our pace has picked up, everyone is feeling stronger and we do not discuss the next days walk anymore because we realize it is not important. I would say that we are now more mentally drawn to the pilgrimage. The soul thoughts of life, the thoughts of all of those who have passed before us, we are becoming Pilgrims.

To my 5th grade friends.... take on the research and discuss Templar Knights.

Tomorrow Burgos... then to the plains of Spain.....