Anadia to Albergaria a Velha (23.81 miles/38.84 km)

Good day, and then not such a good day! The day actually was uneventful for most of the day, until the last few miles and hours.

Weather was typical, with cool weather and a slight breeze making for a good morning and establishing my rhythm that stay with me most of the day. Same good energy as yesterday, but therein is the problem. I made it to Águeda, about twelve miles, before noon. I had the energy to keep going because it was so early, but the like clockwork, right about 1:00, the temperature usually starts going up and I run out of energy.

Since I have been walking in the heat for the last four or five days, I didn’t give it much thought and kept on trekking. At 1:00 the oven was turned on, and by 2:00 is was 93 degrees (34c), and from about 2:30 to when I got to Albergaria a Velha at about 4:30, it hit 96 degrees (36c).

The morning was another day like yesterday, with the first few miles on a fairly flat quiet two lane road. After that it fluctuated between usual asphalt and dirt roads, but today it was mainly on asphalt roads, much through residential areas. There were also stretches through industrial areas, and I found it interesting to see so many larger newer industrial buildings vacant or abandon.

I went through numerous little village, some with just a few houses, or a few blocks long, and not even noted on the map.

When I reached Águeda I was again surprised by what a beautiful little city it is, similar to Coimbra in that it is on a river, Rio Agueda. Another one of those beautiful cities worth coming back to see.

Almost six mile before Albergaria a Nova the Camino drops steeply, then crosses a very long bridge, and then starts a steep climb to the little village of Serem. Just past Serem, about three miles from Albergaria a Velha, the Camino moved onto a gravel road and entered a eucalyptus forest, which turned out to be a very scary experience for me!

Because of the heat, I actually got a few messages from other pilgrims the last few days reminding me to be watchful of smoke and fire. Three days ago I saw a giant plume of smoke that looked like a mushroom cloud not to far in the distance, and it was unnerving for me because of the terrible experience we haf during the Thomas Fire, where I almost lost my life. Then the next day, and even yesterday, I received a government text messages on my phone with a warning about the heat and hazards fire conditions.

Today, as I entered into the forest I was shocked to see that the forest was burned the three miles all the way to Albergaria a Velha! The troubling thing was that the ground cover looked burned, but the trees only looked scorched and still alive and capable of thoroughly burning again! The smell brought back the memories of the smell for weeks after the fire at home.

Scary, as I was flashing back on those thoughts I heard sirens from all different directions. Suddenly I saw a police truck coming at me with its lights and siren on, and this is a dirt road with probably no one but me on it. As it raced by me I glanced back and saw a huge plume of smoke behind me. I glanced over at a spot about two hundred feet away and notice a puff of white smoke coming from the ground in the already burned area. The wind had been blowing pretty hard, and I know from experience embers can start another fire days later.

I have to admit that I felt a little terror thinking I barely survived the Thomas Fire, the biggest in California history at the time, and now I might be in a similar situation! I looked around and had no idea where I should go if the fire were to come my direction, so I just started trekking at high speed. I have to say my low energy level was totally gone as I almost wanted to run, but hard with the Wheelie. I kept looking at the large smoke plume, and remember the fire that night, and knowing you just can not outrun it if it’s moving in your direction. That three miles seemed to last forever, until I finally made it out of the forest to the city limits. I may not have been in danger, but during that whole time I heard sirens everywhere and even heard helicopters flying around.

When I got to the road people where stand at the freeway overpass watching all the fire equipment going by. I walked across the street to the super mercado and there were fire equipment everywhere, and it didn’t bring back pleasant memories. I guess I could claim this as another one of my Camino experience, but not a good one.

After getting my drinks for tomorrow I checked in to the Pensao Casa de Alameda. I think it may be considered a boarding house, or hostel? It’s a quaint old building with lots of character, spiral stairway, long hallways, and shared bathrooms. It’s clean and I really like it, almost more than the fancy new one. There were a couple of choice in town, an albergue, another boarding house, a few private houses, and two hotels located pretty far away from the Camino. I think I picked the best one, and I am happy I found it. And, it was only €15 ($16.65).

The hostel is across from the plaza and another mercado. I have been craving a high protein and carb meal, and I walked over and got a great chicken dinner for a whopping €6 ($6.66).

I am about 38 miles from Porto, which is the second most popular place to start a Camino, so I expect a crowd. It will probably take me two days to get there and will continue on with stopping there. Apparently starting at Porto there will be more support facilities, cooler weather, and less steep terrain. Something to look forward to.

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 Anadia

I just love visiting old cemeteries, especially one hundreds of years old, and this one was right next to the Camino

Walking through a small village just outside of Águeda

Over a bridge into Águeda

Camino through an underpass

Águeda

Águeda over the Rio Águeda

Águeda is another beautiful, but little, city

Umbrella art in the city park

Beautiful metal art on a building depicting a bird

Being a real estate appraiser I just live looking at houses, especially these old beautifully design homes

Another beautiful house. Is this the Munster’s vacation home in Portugal?

Like clockwork, right about 1:00 the oven is turned on

At 4:11 pm it’s still 98 degrees

The Camino going into the forest

The Camino just before Pedacaes. Beautiful little lake with the hilltop church in the background on the steepest hill in town

Crossing the very long bridge before Serem

All the forest looks burned after Serem to Albergaria a Velha

That cloud of dust is the police truck flying by me with its lights and siren on

The plume of smoke I saw after the police flew by was scary looking, and it was coming towards me!

Just a few hundred feet in the distance a plume of smoke started up from a flare up

Scary place to be in a fire. Would the fire department or police look for and warn the pilgrims on this three mile stretch with nothing in between?

Pensao Casa de Alameda. My home for the night, second story, window to the right.

The view from my room

My room with an extra bed

Hallway to my room on the right

Elevations ups and downs for the day

I had the pleasure of having breakfast with a “bus load” of French tourists this morning. I rushed to the coffee machine and made mine before all these standing in line tried to figure out how to do it!

My trek today

My trek today

My trek today