Belorado to Agés
After a good night’s sleep, I felt better, but the cold had become painfully lodged in my chest. It hurt to breathe, and hurt worse to cough. I felt no fever, so after drinking a half liter of water, eating some breakfast, and slamming back a double espresso, I walked on. The first two or three hours were a slog of putting one foot in front of the other and drinking more water. After that, my chest congestion began to loosen and the going became easier. So a combination of self-care and determination brought me safely to the municipal albergue in Agés, where I reconnected with my compañeros Andy and Dana in time for beer and lunch. For those of us who stayed there, we may now say “It seems like Agés since I’ve seen you!” Heh.
The beginning of a long day . . .
To my friends in Itasca, this looks like a forestry road, no?
Found this monument to a dozen or so Desaparecidos – “the Disappeared” – people who were taken away by Generalísimo Franco’s followers in 1936 and never seen again, until their remains were discovered near here a few years ago.
Another stretch of the Camino that reminded me of our forest roads in northern Itasca County, Minnesota.
Off in the distance you may make out the top of the monastery at San Juan de Ortega (St. John of the Nettles). San Juan was a disciple of Santo Domingo de Calzada and carried on a similar ministry of aiding pilgrims as they crossed the mountains here. Back in the day, it was easy to get lost, the woods were thick with thieves eager to prey on pilgrims, and many – including yours truly – were weak and sick. The hostel is famous for serving a dinner of garlic soup to its guests.
Thought Experiment: You are equipping the municipal albergue Agés to provide a safe place for pilgrims to bathe, sleep, and prepare for the next day’s journey. At what place on your list do you include “elliptical stairmaster?” And btw, my bed for the night is the lower bunk in the left. It was a splendid albergue, with good showers, excellent beds, and satisfying food at the bar. Muy comodo.
Amazing what a good day’s work can do the body. Sometimes, all it needs is exercise! It’s a good sign that you felt like a beer by the end of the day.