April 28, 2025, Foncebandon

(There has been a massive power outage that you have probably already seen in the news. I was able to create this post, but I will need to clean it up and add pictures later)

I do believe that today was my most challenging walk on the Camino during this year. It was 16 miles with an elevation change of 2,000 feet up and 150 feet down. At my hotel this morning I saw the cranky guy from Amsterdam that Malcom and I first met in Sahagun. It has been almost a week, but people tend to recycle around. I said hello at breakfast as our tables were next to each other. At that point he didn’t remember me, but we bumped into each other a couple of miles down the road, as he passed me he commented that he remembered me after thinking about how I was walking with my friend. His backpack was unzipped, I pointed that out and zipped it closed for him; I think I made a friend right there, later on in the day, I found out his name is Ybr, he lives in Amsterdam, but is from some country that I will need to google. He continued on and was out of site.

This is how I usually see Ybr, he comes up from behind, says hello and continues on

I came to an overpass on the freeway, I noticed 3 young women veering to the right on a dirt path, but the Camino marker pointed to the left on the overpass. I stopped to consult my book and app to determine if there was an alternative green route available. There was not, by the time I was at the top of the overpass the 3 women were 500 yards up the road and turning back towards Astorga.

This part of the walk looked a lot like the last couple of days. A lot of the walk was adjacent to the road, but luckily most of the roads were smaller. Ybr passed me again, and I said I was surprised that I had somehow passed him. He laughed a little embarrassed and said that he had followed a couple of guys on the right turn at the overpass, he walked a mile out before realizing what had happened, that ment his day was 2 miles longer. The moral of the story is that you have to pay a little attention to the Camino markers and not just blindly follow the pilgrim in front of you.

I came to my first town, Valdeviejas. I stopped in a bar for a coffee con leche, I sat on a bench and talked to a couple of pilgrims I have seen since almost the beginning of my walk. It’s interesting how I heard one of them telling anyone that would listen about his very interesting work, I have heard this story about 4 times.

I began walking and met a mother daughter team from Israel, we chatted a little and took a picture together.

I pushed on again, refilling my water bottle where I could. This time I got to Murias de Rechivaldi where I saw the same guy again talking about his vital work. This time I got an ice cream bar and started to walk again.

As I was coming into Santa Catalina de Somoza I saw teepees to the side of the road. I had seen this place before in the guide books. As I walked through town I came to the Cowboy Bar, I to stop and this place is somewhat known on the Camino.

This time I had 2 bottles of water and a hardboiled egg. I choose to sit inside and the stone building because the temperature was cooler. A guy walking with his dog came in for a break, the owner was good with the dog, to be honest the dog didn’t care, he just plopped down and went to sleep. It is a whole different commitment talking your dog on the Camino, I could see he was outfitted to camp as needed which is discouraged.

I was now halfway through my walk for the day. As I continued to climb out of the valley I was wondering where Foncebandon was out in front of me. The next climb to Rabanal del Camino was going to get steeper. I could see in the distance Rabanal and I thought I could see another town higher up the mountain, I clicked a few pictures for my blog.

When I got to Rabanal the outdoors temperature had gotten to probably 70 degrees. I decided that I should have lunch here and rest, but nothing was looking good. There was a small church built in 1733 with its doors open. I went in for a look. It was 20 degrees cooler in there so I read the placard regarding its history, it is a Benedictine chapel order to take care of pilgrims and offer refuge of a few days if needed. From May through October, the monks still provide this service.

I had about given up on eating when I saw a sign directing people down a 3 foot wide alley to a bar.

The owner said the power was out and that he had to close, then he did his best to tell me of a massive power outage affecting Portugal, Spain and France. I continued to walk up the steep main street, there I saw Ybr again sitting at a table with an Australian couple, Irene and Frank.

Ybr on the left

They were staying there and had lunch. I decided to try to eat again so I went in and ordered a sandwich that could be made without electricity. Out came a massive pork and cheese sandwich made on a grill. Ybr decided to pull out his map to show me why tomorrow was the harder day to walk. I was finally able to show him I wasn’t stopping here, but at Foncebandon, the hard part of his walk tomorrow. I had 2 miles to go, the steepest part of the day.

The trail was not only steep, but the terrain was rocky with broken slate and water running down through the middle of the trail making for mud. I stopped a couple times for water and occasional shade of a tree. I did find a lean to built to provide shelter, I sat there with 3 Asian men that spoke little English and had little want to talk anyway. At times I felt alone, but here while at

this stop 10 to 15 people filtered through so I was not the last person of the day.

I had less than half a mile to go, finally I came around the corner and I could see Foncebandon in my sights. The town I had seen earlier was not Foncebandon, I had climbed to almost the top of the mountain.

Once in Foncebandon I had to walk up the steep main road to find my lodging for the night. Power was still out, but luckily they knew I was coming and my bag was here. The hotel had a kind of leprechaun theme of sorts, little mystical beings are popular folklore in this area.

I am exhausted after walking this distance, I don’t need to eat, just get ready for a night’s sleep.

My next stop is Ponferrafa, again 16 miles, this time downhill. Due to the power outage I will probably be there before I can post this. On my walk tomorrow morning I will be able to place my stone at the Cruz Ferro which is a pilgrim tradition dating back to the Celts before

the Roman’s. Today I also walked out of the Meseta and entered the Cantabbian Mountains and El Biezo.