Today I made it to just north of the large town of Fromista and almost to the small village of Poblacion de Campos.

I trekked 23.19 miles today (38 kilometers) on mostly level camino. The mostly was until I hit a step 900′ elevation gain in about an one mile stretch. I saw the hill in the distance and the trail of pilgrims stopped or sitting down, so I knew that I would try and climb it without stopping. Once I stop with the Wheelie it takes a bit of work to get the momentum going again, and making it without stopping also gives you a little psychological boost.
Today started out with cool weather but before noon it was already in the high eighties and by the afternoon it was around 93 degrees. It was interesting to see the carnage along the Camino because of the heat, especially for those Northern Europeans who live in the cool weather year around. I made it to the top without stopping but I was totally drenched. 
I started walking today with two women I had met weeks, and the day before, and we started at a slow pace. After a while everyone went at their own pace and separated as everyone does as no one walks at the same pace. One of the woman was from Germany and the other from Canada. I had met the Canadian before and she had shown a group of us some yoga exercises to loosen us up after a tough day on the Camino. It was interesting because she was so fit and confident and when I ran into her yesterday she was limping along in her sandels. She had blisters on her little toes and didn’t know what to do for them. I showed her how to open them and wrapped them in mole skin for her. She is fairly typical of many people that have no problems and then end up with blisters or knee and foot injuries well into their second or third week into the Camino.

After the next big village the Camino was almost vacant because many pilgrims probably started out early and quit for the day. It was strange but pleasant to see so few people. For me it actually felt like home and similar to the weather just as I was leave for here. 
My plan to break the cycle of stopping at major villages noted in the guides backfired on me because even though I had stopped in a smaller village, after twenty miles I ended up in a major stopping village again. I decided to go until I found a nice hostel or hotel but was concerned I’d end up trekking another ten miles. Fortunately I found this nice hostel three miles outside of town. It was a brand new place and there was a young Napalese women who spoke English well standing outside and directing people to the hostel. 
It was a different hostel than I am use to because it is on large acreage and the bunk house is separate from the office and restaurant and bar. The beds were in very private cubicles that had curtains. The place was spotless and for ten euros it included breakfast. I was concerned that I wouldn’t find anything else and I am glad that I am staying here.
Diner was another ten euros ($11.20) and was a communal meal. There were three men from Poland, one from Italy, and two American women and me. It was like home cooking, and it of course came with wine. I am not a drinker but it’s hard not to have wine with diner because it’s just what is done in Spain. 
It is always nice to share a meal with others pilgrims because of the different stories and experiences everyone has, but it’s also nice to meet and hear stories from people from other countries. 
Tomorrow I will go as far as possible, so long as it doesn’t stop me in one of the major stopping villages. Hopefully I will get an early start and the weather will be a bit cooler.

Best wishes,

Ted

The Camino actually going through the arches of an old convent.

The Camino entering a village

Church with a castle on the hill

Church, one of hundreds on the Camino

The Camino just before the steep uphill climb.

The Camino as far as you can see

The Camino over a bridge hundreds of years old

The Camino in bloom

Along a canal

The hostel

The separate bunk house

My little cubical