May 1, 2023

Today I didn’t leave Logrono until 9:00.  The Camino isn’t very well marked through the city and I didn’t want to get lost in the early morning.  I walked alone today to Navarette, my planed destinations just 8.4 miles away.  Yesterday’s walk of over 17 miles was just more than I am looking to do, the natural walking stage today was to be over 18 miles.

The population of Logrono is over 125,000, it was the second largest city I have walked through so far.  I made my way through the downtown and came to a park that was very large, I walked through it for a very long time.

Eventually the city park stopped, but the trail continued with a parallel bike trail. There were lots of people walking and biking. Strangely, the walkers and bikers mostly disappeared, I didn’t pay attention to what happened to them, but they must have been locals.

There was a reservoir that I walked around then I continued a climb.

I have noticed that pilgrims like to make monuments. I came across this one, it had been built into a cyclone fence along the freeway. Mostly it’s made up of wooden crosses, worked into the fence.

Today’s goal out in the distance. I talked with a pilgrim walking the opposite direction of me. It is a little off putting because we should all be going in the same direction, correct? He was on a different pilgrimage. He was walking the path of St Ignatius going somewhere else.

As I was about a quarter mile from Navarrete, I came upon the remains on a Middle Ages pilgrim hospice. After reading the placard I decided to walk in and sit to rest for awhile. The reason for the hospice was to give help and shelter to pilgrims. Our current use of the word has changed, but all the words that use the root of hospi have to do with helping others.

Up the hill to the city. My hotel is close to the church which always occupies the highest ground in the town.

After checking in I went across the street to find a late snack and beer.

Not as good as yesterday’s, but the setting and people were very friendly.

I did my everyday chore of washing my days clothes. Thankfully my room had a towel warmer that I was able to use to dry my clothes. I went down to dinner at 8:50 and found out that this restaurant closes at 9:00. They were able to kick out one more pilgrim’s dinner.

Tomorrow I walk to Najera, about 12 miles.