After our luxurious stay at the spa hotel in Astorga we were very relaxed the next morning and although being almost ready to roll at 8am we decided we did need a solid breakfast so managed to actually get on the bikes at 10. Our first objective was 22k to Rabanal del Camino which climbs all the way up 300 mtrs. We were very pleased to do this quite easily in 2 1/2 hrs with a coffee stop along the way. We rode a lot of this on track, chatting quite happily to walkers as we passed by.
By this time the weather had started to deteriorate and the wet weather gear went on ready for the big climb. So for the next hour we climbed and climbed up another 300mtrs but this time in only 6k. The higher we went the worse the weather got. Heavy mist turned to drizzle turned to light rain turned to heavy rain with a biting wind and maybe a touch of hail. But we made it to Foncebadon ready for the last 2k push. Fortunately we managed to grab another coffee and dry out a bit in front of a hot pot-belly stove. Inevitably we had to get back on the bike and climb the last 2k to the Cruz. And we did - every metre on the bike. When we reached the top we were soaking wet and frozen - the temp was 9.4C. But we took photos of course and congratulated ourselves on the effort. All those weeks of training had paid off. We had temporarily forgotten there was another 3k climb and then a descent which we had been told was very dangerous. Which it was and so we had to hop off the bikes and walk them down 6k which took over an hour in pouring rain with the wind still howling. At Acebo we found a little shop and a beautiful couple who made us hot coffee and heated up some food. Thankfully the rain stopped, the sun sort of came out and we freewheeled the last 10k to our hotel where arrived cold, wet but satisfied. We had ridden and pushed the bikes for 47k in about 5hrs and had a 7hr day overall.
The weather looks very dicey for the next two days. Tomorrow we have 40k of fairly level riding before the hardest day of all after that tackling O Cebreiro at 1330metres. But as of now we have 208k to go.
Today was certainly a day of extremes, in both the weather and terrain and tested our endurance to the limit. However, it was also one of the most exhilarating. The climb, as Barry said was not as gruelling as we had anticipated, but then again our definition of gruelling is now quite different to 2 weeks ago. At the peak (which is the highest point on the Camino), we placed the stones that we carried with us on this huge pile of previously left stones under a huge cross. The signifance is that you are meant to carry a stone from the beginning of your journey here and ask for safe travel for the rest of the journey to Santiago. Ironically, as we started our descent and had been going for about 2 kms I had a fall and was trapped underneath the bike and couldn't get up. The others were behind me taking photos and couldn't hear me calling for help. A passing motorist stopped and helped me up before anyone realised what had happened. I am now sitting here liberally applying Voltarin cream on my knees to reduce the swelling so that hopefully I can get back on the bike in the morning. The rest of the descent was in the most stunning landscape I have ever ridden in. The visability had cleared and as we were so high up that the mountain range, as far as the eye could see, was below us (a bit like being in a plane). I felt extremely sorry for the walkers who looked like hunchbacks in their wet weather gear covering their backpacks. The pain was now been almost obliterated by the long, hot shower and half an hour on the bed. Then we went into the village for dinner and guess who we bumped into? Yes our good companion Vim, the Barrowman. He was genuinely pleased to see us and just to make sure you know we are not making up the story here he is with youknowwho. So he has walked the 500+k's from Roncesvalles in the same number of days that we have biked it. Astonishing. We are all hoping that we see him in Santiago at the end of this journey.
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