Tomar to Cortica (17.12 miles/27.55 km)

I don’t want it to sound like every day on the Camino Portugues was a challenging day, but today was probably one of the toughest single days on a Camino. It was challenge because the steep terrain, and the blistering hot weather. The hottest part of the day here starts about 1:00 and continues until about 5:00. The temperature was 100 degrees f (38c) at 12:30 and it was 104 f (40c) from 1:00 to 5:00.

I got a late start and didn’t get out the door until 8:30. As usual the weather was nice, and therefore the transition to the hotter temperatures usually aren’t immediately noticeable at first.

The tough terrain actually started almost immediately outside the city limits as the Camino moved on to a very narrow trail that ran along the river. It was one of those trails that any hiker would love because the beautiful scenery, but it was so narrow that it was difficulty getting through the brush and keeping the Wheelie from slipping down the bank. After about two miles it moved onto a wide rough and steep dirt road. Throughout the day it moved from dirt to asphalt, and most of the Camino today was through the forest.

The scenery was very nice through the forest, but I didn’t have much appreciation for it today because of the heat. Along with the heat I was greeted by some nice new friends, gnats, thousands of them. I had to shut my mouth to keep from inhaling them. It got so bad that it looked as though I had a black cloud around my head.

One of my big concern today was the steep climb that was coming up outside of Ponte de Ceras. It is over a mile long and one of the steeps grades on the Camino. By the time I started up the hill it was already 100 degrees. It was so steep and hot that I could only go about 40-60 feet before I had to stop at a shady spot. I must have stopped 30-40 times before I finally made the top and by then the temperature had reached 104 f (40c).

My plan was to make it a short day because of the heat and had hoped to stop at Ponte Vila Verde, which was just over the hill. Unfortunately, the owner of the only private house with rooms was sick and had closed for the week. The only other choice was an albergue in Cortic, another six miles, and I was dreading the trek there in the heat.

I had several people look at me like I was crazy trekking in the heat, and I think they are right! I did take precautions and made it a point to stop every five to ten minutes and sit in the shade. I even did the unthinkable for me, and that was to walk with my back to traffic just to get the tinniest bit of shade on either side of the road where I could find it. By the end of the day I had already gone through four and a half of the five liters of drinks I had today. I had also been using the cooling towel and wrapped it around my head and neck, but it was so hot that the water dried with ten to fifteen minutes. The last six miles was brutal because the wind picked up, but the temperature never dropped below 104.

The albergue, Quinta Cortica, turned out to be a very nice and beautiful albergue. I didn’t really want a shared room, and I had no choice. I was fortunate because I ended up sharing the dorm room with two nice American women, Lindsay from Charlotte, North Carolina, and Ann, from Cincinnati, Ohio, in a room for six. The rooms are actually in separate buildings and the owner placed some other pilgrims on bicycles in other buildings.

The albergue had a nice small menu and I had a large tuna salad and home made soup. The owner, Maria, was very friendly and helpful, and couldn’t do enough for us. I am glad I found this place.

Tomorrow will be another unknown as the weather forecast is continued weather over 100 degrees and the terrain will still be hilly and steep. I’ll get a good night’s sleep and see what tomorrow brings.

Best wishes to all,

Ted

Please excuse the typos, spelling, grammar, etc., as I am typing this on my phone, and I am probably pretty tired.

If you would like to see the Alzheimer’s Association website, see our team page, and donated, please go to:

act.alz.org/goto/tedstrek

Leaving Tomar

The view from the bridge

The tradition here is to place crochets on trees

The Camino on the river trail

The river trail

Beautiful but tough with the Wheelie

Crossing an old stone bridge

Going under a modern freeway over pass. I stopped and thought, those cars will be in Porto in a few hours and it will take me over a week!

The Camino turning rough, and steep

The Camino on the road again (isn’t that a song?)

Entering a small village of Calvinos

Walking through and this lady was coming out of the house and ran over to me with the biggest friendliest smile, shook my hand, and patted my back and then the Wheelie. Wished me a Bom Caminho.

Up a 10% grade!

Have a good Camino greeting in Portugal is, Bom Caminho, and in Spain it’s Buen Camino.

The start of the dreaded uphill climb! My first stop was in the shaded area on the road at the top of this picture. It’s much steeper than it looks!

Made it to the top. Barely!

I am smiling because I am finally at the top! My purple Alzheimer’s Association cooling tool was with me!

Now a little downhill

The uphill walking the last few miles to the albergue it was hot!

It was almost 5:00 pm, and 104 degrees (40c)!

The albergue, Quinta da Cortica, finally!

The private chapel is part of the alberque

Alberque, my dorm is to the left.

The sitting and eating area

My dorm room, and my lower bunk at the left

Bath

My elevation today. Note the straight up climb!

My trek today

My trek today