Fuenterroble de Salvatierra to Morille (22.62 miles)


Today was a long day as I wanted to get as close as I could to Salamanca so I can pass through it easily tomorrow and stay in a smaller town on the other side. Salamanca is suppose to be a very nice town but I prefer the smaller towns and villages, and I always feel lost in the bigger towns.

The house I stayed at last night was very nice, and as it turned out there was only a couple from Norway there besides me. It was nice to have such a quiet place with fewer people since on the Camino you never know what accommodations you will find, if any.

I left right at eight, just as the horizon started to glow from the sunrise. The Camino was right out the front door. It was on an asphalt road for about a mile and then split off on a dirt path. 

Today’s stretch was going to have a steep climb to the highest point on the Plata. I had been told by a bicyclists that there was an alternate way on an one lane road. I knew either way I would still have the steep climb. I wasn’t sure about the surface on the Camino going up the grade and decided to stay on the road.

I don’t have a road map and the Camino map I do have is not very detailed or accurate. The road wasn’t shown on my map and I was taking a chance staying on the road as I wasn’t even sure it was the right one that would get me to the one lane road.

I walked for about five miles and came to a junction and wasn’t sure which way to go. I saw an albergue, which is unusual out here off of the Camino. It caters to bicyclist. No one was there, and just as I was leaving a man came running after me. He was the host and asked me to come back and said he’d give me directions. He gave me a long history of the area, brochures, and maps, and he offered me coffee. I wanted to get going but figured he must get lonely out here in the middle of nowhere and I just sat and listened to him. He spoke English well I think he enjoyed speaking it.

He got on his bike and rode to the junction with me and pointed me in the right directions. I couldn’t have asked for a more helpful person. 

I walked another three or four miles to the little village of Frades de ja Sierra and got directions from several people because the road looked more like an alley. It was not only narrow and one lane, but for two way traffic. 

The road started uphill in town and climbed steeply for about four miles until the peak, Pico de la Duena y Cruz de Santiago ( I love those simple Spanish names!). There was not a lot of traffic, yet some of car were going oretty fast. That surprises me as it is one lane and there are lots of blind curves and hills.

The road connected with the Camino near the top. From there the Camino ran right next to the road, and at times it was on the road. I had moved onto the Camino and had stopped to eat under shade tree when the Norwegian couple walked by. They had been struggling with the heat and she was out of water. I had three bottles and filled her bottle. She had even stopped at a house earlier and had gotten water there too. That’s the problem with carrying a backpack for most people as they don’t want to carry the weight of extra water.

It had been between 91 and 95 degrees in the afternoon, and at times it felt much cooler because there was a periodic breeze. And then again, maybe I am getting use to this heat because it been this hot since the first day. The landscape here hadn’t helped as it is pretty dry and brown. Having the Wheelie has been good as I don’t hesitate to bring lots of water. 

The next town was San Pedro de Rozados, which has several albergues and a hotel, but I decided to go another four miles to Morille. I saw there was one albergue there. As it turns out, it is not the greatest! I guess you get what you pay for, and for 6€ ($6.70) what do you expect. I didn’t have another choice!

There are six beds and only one other person here, a Japanese man I met last night. I’ll use my sleeping bag liner and blow up pillow, and my down quilt. I usually use my own stuff anyway. Some of the places have been very nice and clean, but I still use my sleeping gear.

The albergue is next door to the bar, and I had to go there to sign in and get the keys. It is the only place to eat in town. There are no stores.

I went to diner with Mikio and were to only ones there for diner. It was actually good. I was able to get my huevos tostado (egg casserole) for breakfast as they are not open in the morning. I was also able to get two big bottles of water as there is no other place before Salamanca. 

Tomorrow I plan to go through Salamanca as it is only about twelve miles from here. There are several little towns on the other side with places to stay. I will play it by ear tomorrow.

Best wishes,

Ted 

Leaving at sunrise

Camino on the road 

Near the peak where all the wind generators are. Notice none are moving.

The narrow one lane road

Pigs in the mud 

Morille in the distance

Entering Morille

Outside the alberque

The alberque 

My bunk, bottom right

The climb today