Days 20 thru 26 - Burgos to Leon

Phase 4 of my Camino journey is the dreaded Maseta, the large flat expansive plains that span over 136 miles across northern Spain. Many people doing the Camino often skip the Maseta due to sparse facilities, lack of cover, and quick changes of weather. To each his own. If I'm doing the Camino, I'm doing it all, including the Maseta. It's supposed to play with the mind, but I'm up for the challenge! Bring it on!

Here's a summary of my journey so far:

- Day 20 - Burgos to Hontanas - 19.6 miles

- Day 21 - Hontanas to Boadilla del Camino - 17.6 miles

- Day 22 - Boadilla del Camino to Carrion de los Condes - 15.8 miles

- Day 23 - Carrion de los Condes to Moratinos - 18.4 miles

- Day 24 - Moratinos to Bercianos del Real Camino - 12.9 miles

- Day 25 - Bercianos del Real Camino to Mansilla de las Mulas - 16.5 miles

- Day 26 - Mansilla de las Mulas to Leon - 11.4 miles

- Total Phase 4 - Burgos to Leon - 112.3 miles

- Total Phase 3 - Lograno to Burgos - 77.2 miles

- Total Phase 2 - Pamplona to Lograno - 60.6 miles

- Total Phase 1 - St Jean Pied de Port to Pamplona - 43.1 miles

- Total Journey so far - St Jean Pied de Port to Leon - 293.2 miles

- Average daily hike = 15.4 miles/day over 19 days of hiking

- Miles to go to reach Santiago de Compostella - 191.8 miles

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As I start this update, I've just completed my Day 25 hike from Bercianos del Real Camino to Mansilla de las Mulas. What I can say about the Maseta so far is this...I can certainly see where it could be a mind game, if you let it. While there are SOME hills and valleys to climb (particularly the first 2 days), the route is mostly flat. And the path is largely straight ahead, along something like a county road, and sometimes with the droning freeway in the no-so-far distance, no turns, crushed gravel, where you get dry dust on your legs and shoes, small pebbles somehow find their way inside your shoes & socks, the landscape is mostly never-ending flat fields on all sides, and the constant sound of feet and poles hitting the gravel is like a robot stamping out parts 24/7 on a factory assembly line. Imagine walking 94 through North Dakota, between the Minnesota and Montana borders. That's the Maseta. There's a lot of time to just think or let your mind wander, and if you're not careful, it can go into some strange and dark places; once again, if you let it.

Thankfully, my mind has been in a good place, and for the most part, I haven't let the monotony of the Maseta eat away at me. Today's day 25 hike was definitely the most boring & mentally challenging day of my entire journey. Once I exited the town of Bercianos del Real Camino, the path was literally a straight shot, with open flat fields to my left, and a county road bordered by open flat fields to my right. For a majority of the hike, there was a freeway in the near distance, and I could see and hear the constant drone of traffic. The 2 towns I went through were run down & dirty, and largely industrial. So if there was any day where the Maseta was going to mess with my mind, today was the day. But while I did let a few things get inside my head, I'd say today's fight with the Maseta was a draw. I didn't have any life-changing experiences, but it didn't beat me. I simply survived it to continue my journey another day.

Regarding the landscape on the previous days 20-24, it was 2 sides to a coin. The first 2 days were beautiful, with rolling hills & fields, beautiful vistas, periodic steep climbs and descents, through charming villages every few miles. It felt as if I were walking through a massive lush, green golf course, with large sloping fairways, bordered by waste areas littered with rocks & deep brush, and spotted with bunkers throughout. I was walking on the cart path and was watching Paul Bunyan playing a round with Babe the Blue Ox as his caddie. It was spectacular!

The landscape for the rest of the journey into Leon tended more towards what I described for my day 25 hike. Straight, flat, dry & dusty gravel trails, open fields on all sides, little cover, run down, dirty villages with little character, although there were some exceptions along the way. On these days, the weather also tended to get a little hotter in the afternoon, which prompted me to get up earlier than usual to start my hike, but also made the last few miles of each day a bit more challenging in the heat.

As I said before, day 25 was probably the biggest mental challenge of the Maseta for me. My mind was in a much better place, however, during the rest of my journey into Leon, regardless of the landscape, where I focused on one of my primary Camino goals: 'reflection & contemplation'. I did a a lot of thinking about my life, family, friends, career; past, present & future. And I had numerous conversations about the same with many of my fellow pilgrims, to hear of their journeys and learn their perspectives on life. I'm not sure I've had any real revelations yet about what I want to do going forward, and what impact I want to make; but what hit home to me is that I feel very comfortable and proud of my life & accomplishments up to this point, and the impact I've made. I've had an incredible life's journey so far, and I feel like I'm in exactly the right place, at the right time, at this exact moment. Life is good!

Regarding the conversations I had with various pilgrims during this stretch of the Maseta, that helped me reflect and contemplate on my life, and to gain different perspectives.......

- Steve from Michigan is about my age, mid to late fifties. He worked at a large corporation, then bought and ran his own company for about 15 years. He recently sold the business and was able to retire early. He told me that he was searching for who he wanted to be and what he wanted to do going forward, that he had lost his identity when he sold the business and he quit working. I feel lucky to have a different perspective. While I worked my tail off during my career, I never felt my work defined me, so since I've retired, I have never once felt that I needed to search for a new identity. I worked hard, but I played hard, and I have always felt so much more of a person than the label my job/career put on me. Yes, I had a career, and I spent the majority of my time at work; but I was also a husband, dad, son, brother, uncle, friend, coach, board member, etc. And I think the sum total of all those things is what defined me, not any one of them individually.

- Tony from Taiwan was in the internet business. He is also the same age as me, late fifties. He worked 12 hours a day for most of his career, was very successful and was able to retire in his mid to late forties. He currently helps to guide people on outdoor adventures. He told me that in Taiwan it's still the man's role to have the career to support the family. While he didn't get into specifics, he got divorced, but I suspected that the long hours away from his wife and family had something to do with it. He also lamented the fact that there is a rising attitude in Taiwan's youth that many don't want to marry or have kids, they don't want the commitment and hard work that goes along with it, including his 2 kids both in their thirties. I could sense some deep regret and sadness from him, particularly when I told him that I worked similar hours for many years, and that I have 2 kids, both married, and with 1 grandson. Once again, I feel incredibly lucky and grateful, first and foremost for my wife Sara who put up with and supported my 'work hard, play hard' approach to life, and that our kids are both married, and building their own lives full of commitment, and happy (at least I think!).

- Anders from Norway is in his 40's, and he's traveling with his son, who's doing the Camino as a class project - how cool is that? Anders is a 'big' character full of life and vigor; but also very thoughtful. We were having snacks and drinks one night with fellow pilgrims, and when I brought up the fact that I wanted to see some live music along the way, his eyes lit up. He proceeded to tell me that he co-produced a documentary, with his wife, that recently aired on BBC, about a group of classic-trained musicians who've formed a garage band that will be touring Europe. He shared with me some short clips, full of excitement. I was excited too, and hope that they make their way to the U.S. We met up again a few days later along the Camino where we talked for about an hour, sharing stories about the death of our parents, and those parents that are still alive and whose quality of life is deteriorating, which ultimately lead to more 'existential' talk about how we as humans treat end of life situations. From music, to life & death conversations, all part of the Camino experience.

- Joe from Idaho is also in his 40's, who recently quit his IT job and is searching for something different. He's doing the Camino with his daughter, who also recently quit her job, and is also searching. Joe seemed particularly troubled about his daughter, who he said didn't seem to want a career, but rather simply wanted to find a husband. Our conversation was relatively short, and I could offer very little; and I haven't crossed paths with Joe since then. I certainly wish him & his daughter the best!

- Martin from Germany & Annika from Denmark. Both are in their 30's, and both love their careers and look forward to ultimately getting back to them, their family, and friends when their Camino journey is over. Both great stories, but certainly much different than many of the pilgrims I've talked with!

- Several young people from around the world in their 20's into their 30's...asking the question 'what do I want to do the rest of my life?'; some graduated but not yet working, some early in their careers and taking a break, others who recently quit their job; all searching for the right answer. In some way, they're disillusioned with their career choice and looking to find something different, something better. In talking further with many of them, it's the 'something better' that's an elusive goal. The biggest struggles seem to be work/life balance, not wanting to work more than 35-45 hours a week, or doing something that gives them meaning, all while still making a decent living. All I could offer to them was to share my story. I worked hard, I played hard, I had a supportive wife & family. I didn't get up every morning excited for work because I loved accounting & finance; but rather it was something that I was good at, but more importantly it was the best means, for me, to make a decent living, to be able to support our primary goal to raise a family, with solid values, to provide a good foundation and jumping off point for our kids to do the same. It was what my parents taught me. I do hope they all find their passion, their dream job, and their dream life!

- Then there's Dan & Mary from Montana; Jackie from Montana; Bonnie from France; Ingrid from Denmark; Leslie from Atlanta; Bruce & Jody from New Zealand; Mike, Gina, Tony & Susan from California, Alex and Karen from the UK: Carina from Germany, Simone from Italy, Cami from Belgium, Karen from Panama, Bernadette from New Zealand, and countless others. Topics ranged from the tragic to the triumphant, from recent deaths of loved ones; starting/building careers and businesses; quitting jobs; helping build communities; family life; politics, religion, sexuality.....everything about life in a nutshell!

All of these conversations helped me reflect on my own life, and helped me come to the conclusion that I'm satisfied with what I've done, and where I'm at. Not because of a comparison to other people's lives and experiences; and thinking that I'm in a better place; but rather a confirmation of what I've felt & believed all along. That life is hard, it's full of compromises and give & takes, that life sometimes isn't fair, that you have to take the good with the bad, that you sometimes have to struggle & muscle through it, that you have to sometimes do what you don't want to do. But in the end, despite all the struggles, you find your purpose and passion, and push through to the other side, satisfied and comfortable. And that's exactly where I'm at. And what I've discovered, is that everything I just described is exactly what the Camino experience has been all about. Doing the Camino, is like life itself, but just in a very accelerated way. It comes with all the triumphs & tragedies, and hopefully you push through it all!

Anyways, enough of the deep, meaning of life, thoughts. There's still a lot of miles and time to go on my Camino journey, and anything can happen. Now that the Maseta is behind me, I'll be moving into the next phase where the climbs and descents will be more extreme, more physically demanding, and who knows where my mind will take me!

Day 20 - Burgos to Hontanas

Last view of the Cathedral on my way out of Burgos. It was my earliest start of my journey, at 6am, as it was going to be my longest hike so far, almost 20 miles. It was dark out for almost 1.5 hours as made my way out of town. I had to go slow as it was difficult to find the Camino markers to make sure I was following the right path! It took me over an hour to get to the outskirts of town and find the 'familiar' Camino path.

These were the markers that helped me find my way out of Burgos.

Finally light out, on the outskirts of Burgos. I followed these 2 pilgrims, Steve & Leandro, for quite some time, ultimately sharing breakfast with them at the first town, and lunch at the second town.

A little wisdom and humor is helpful on a long hike!

Some neat artwork in the village of Rabe de Las Calzadas along the route.

This small chapel was on the outskirts of Rabe de Las Calzadas. Evidently, there are hermit nuns who live here, and who give blessings to pilgrims as they pass through. Some of my fellow pilgrims were lucky enough to experience it on their way past. No one was home for me, bummer.

Finally, some beautiful landscape. Paul Bunyan's golf course!

Walking on the cart path.

The next village in the distance, Hornillos del Camino.

Lunch with my fellow pilgrims, Steve & Leandro.

Moving on. More great scenery.

You're going the wrong way! Sharing the path with pilgrims with cylinders.

An interesting way to fill potholes along the path - just dump crushed tiles into the hole.

Some politics along the way.

And memorials.

Finally, my destination, the town of Hontanas. It literally appeared out of nowhere, as I dropped down into a valley. Beautiful!

My longest day yet, a new record!

A fitting quote for the long day. It showed up on the Facebook group not long after I settled into my alburgue.

A great dinner with my fellow pilgrims - Martin, Simone, Peter, Tony & Cami.

A great end to a hard, but great day. Peter from Taiwan played his ukulele, while we sang along to 'Love Me Tender', 'Hey Jude', 'Amazing Grace', and a few other classics. Time for bed and a good night's rest!

Day 21 - Hontanas to Boadilla del Camino

More of the same as day 20 - great scenery, rolling hills, steep climbs & descents, and Paul Bunyan's golf course.

So long Hontanas, it was fun!

Heading out of town.

An old abandoned monastery along the route. It was actually an alburgue that some of my fellow pilgrims stayed at.

This is a pilgrim that I would see several times along the way early in the Maseta. I didn't get a chance to meet with him, but other pilgrims told me that he had started his walk in Rome, and he spoke 5 languages. He pulled his suitcase, and his dog pulled him.

Approaching the village of Castrojeriz, sitting below a high hill with an abandoned monastery. One of the few hills in the Maseta. This is one that we would only see, and not climb.

A welcome breakfast in Castrojeriz. Coffee with milk, chocolate croissant, fresh squeezed orange juice, toast, and egg & potato bake.

Post-breakfast. I was literally about to get up to go to the bathroom when a group of 30 Japanese pilgrims walked into the restaurant. The line was a little longer than I hoped.

I needed to hold it.

Camino wisdom on the way out of town.

Approaching what would be the last big hill on the Maseta.

Looking back on Castrojeviz about half-way up the climb.

Made it to the top with my fellow pilgrims, Carina and Jackie.

A pastry treat at the top, courtesy of the nuns from an alburgue where Jackie stayed at the previous night.

Heading back down the other side of the hill.

A small chapel along the way, with coffee, cookies and water. It also served as an alburgue, with beds up in the choir loft, which is where I took this picture from.

Look who I ran into again.

Over a bridge with water. A rare sight in the Maseta!

Through a tiny, run down village, but some cool artwork.

Finally made it to my destination, Boadilla del Camino.

Another long day!

Time for a cold beer.

And maybe another, with fellow pilgrims Peter & Tony from Taiwan.

Ok, and another, this time with Carina & Jackie.

A great alburgue with an incredible garden and artwork in the courtyard.

Don't show the kids.

My sleeping accommodations.

A great pilgrims' dinner, with ice cream, and of course wine!

Our awesome host! He treated us well, and worked as hard as could be!

Day 22 - Boadilla del Camino to Carrion de los Condes

What I would consider the true start of the more monotonous, straight-ahead, mind game Maseta, but still with some redeeming qualities.

Heading out of Boadilla del Camino in the morning.

A straight path along a narrow channel, following a stream of pilgrims.

The same, looking back into the sun.

An opportunity to take a boat in the canal, along the Camino route (but didn't).

A dam just upstream from the docked boat.

Storks were everywhere. They build incredibly huge nests, particularly on top of old churches. I never once saw a baby though?!

I saw all kinds of Michael Jackson signs along the way. Not really sure why?

Absolutely one of my favorite all-time breakfasts along the way. Salad, bacon, french fries, bread, coffee, and (you can't see them) eggs. Phenomenal!

Cats greeted us all along the way.

A couple of pilgrims resting along the banks of the canal. I don't think they realized I was even there.

Stopped to sit and chat with an old pal in the small village of Villacazar de Sirga.

And shortly before my final destination for the day, this was a preview of what was to come for the next several days. Straight, flat & boring.

Finally made it to my destination, the Alburgue de Peregrinos Hospital San Bruno, an old monastery in the town of Carrion de Los Condes.

Another long day.

My accommodations, a private room!

Had to put my sore feet in the fast flowing river. Literally the coldest water I've ever experienced. If it was any colder, it would be frozen. But it felt so good!

Dinner in the town square with Fletch, Anders, and his son Oliver. Don't let the picture fool you. I didn't just have water! This would be the last moments I would spend with Fletch on the Camino as he began his journey back home the next day. Buen Camino Fletch!

Preparing snacks for another long hike tomorrow!

Day 23 - Carrion de los Condes to Moratinos

A long day, another long hike. Roads were straight and dry. Not much cover along the way, but the landscape and villages had a lot of charm.

Packed up and ready to go early in the morning.

Had to stop for quick breakfast before heading out of town. The chocolate pastries are awesome, and the fresh squeezed orange juice!

Through the park on the way out of town.

Shortly out of town. This was a foretelling of what was to come for the day.

A well-deserved place to sit down and enjoy a snack at a food vendor in the middle of nowhere.

A lot of this.

And this.

And finally a town. It was the longest stretch so far along the Camino where there were no towns, almost 10 miles. Thank goodness for the one vendor truck/rest stop, and also stocking up food the night before.

Had a nice chat with Bruce and Jody from New Zealand along the way. They were stopping for the day, and I was continuing on. Buen Camino pilgrims!

Jody was having foot issues, so she had to get creative with her foot wear! A common occurrence for pilgrims.

My feet are ok, just a little dirty and dusty!

Fun artwork on a bar in a small village along the way.

More of this.

And this.

Camino wisdom.

A sad sight when you're thirsty and low on water!

Finally made it to my destination, Moratinos. I later found out that Moratinos is a village with only 19 residents. There were more pilgrims in town!

This is the first sight I saw - not exactly sure what it was, but found out later.

Part of the greeting committee.

The village square. Knitted flags hung up on the trees

Made it to my alburgue, finally!

That was a long one!

My accommodations.

Soaking my feet in the cold water tub, with a well-deserved lemon beer.

My alburgue had a nice sitting area and shade in the back yard.

Had a great Italian meal, topped off with limoncello!

Our Italian host.

Time for a good night's rest!

Day 24 - Moratinos to Bercianos del Real Camino

The view of Moratinos from above in the morning. Makes sense there are only 19 residents!

The picture was taken from this chair, which sits on the top of the strange-looking hill I saw entering town the previous day.

At the base of the hill are various entryways into the side of the hill, called Bodegas. I came to learn that this particular region of Spain was once wine-producing. These bodegas are where wine barrels were stored. The region is no longer wine producing, so people own them to have gatherings and visit for the weekend, sort of like Spanish cabins, without the lake!

A cat party on the way out of town.

A quick breakfast break mid-morning.

Love the trees in the small village squares.

The pilgrim parade continues through the countryside.

Approaching the larger town of Sahagun, which is considered the halfway point of the Camino to Santiago, if you're traveling from St Jean Pied de Port.

More Camino wisdom.

These monuments, shortly before you enter in Sahagun, mark the official halfway point of the Camino.

This gentleman approached me shortly after I passed through the halfway point. He handed me a small piece of paper, and with a big smile said "Buen Camino" and a few other things in Spanish that I couldn't understand, then hugged me. Pretty powerful stuff. This was the only picture I could get of him.

This is a translated version of the paper he handed me.

Entering the outskirts of Sahagun.

I was following 3 pilgrims about 50 yards back as I entered Sahagun. This older, local woman was out on the sidewalk, waving & proclaiming "Buen Camino" very loudly. She did the same as I approached, so I asked her if I could take a picture. She was laughing, and pointing at the camera. Such hospitality! A fun moment!

Foot care is critical on the Camino. All pharmacies along the route cater to feet and other ailments, to help pilgrims heal so they can continue their journey. Unfortunately, some have to alter their plans, and some even need to stop and go home.

Not long after I saw the pharmacy sign, I ran into Tony from Taiwan. He is the gentleman I mentioned in a previous comment that retired early, and now guides others on extreme hikes. This is the moment that Tony made the decision he was going to stop for the day and take a bus ahead to his next destination, to let his ailing knee heal. He was waiting for his friend Peter (the ukulele player) to arrive in town. I haven't seen Tony since, but I hope he's back on his Camino journey!

Some cool artwork through town.

Over the bridge and on the way out of Sahagun.

Sharing the final stretch of the day with tractors along the route.

Made it to my alburgue.

My accommodations. A private room!

A shorter, easier day!

Another good dinner, this time solo style.

Went to the supermarket for next day supplies. It's going to be another long one. This is my new favorite appetizer. Pickles, peppers, olives, and onion on a skewer, in vinegar oil. They're called banderillas.

A beautiful sunset outside my window.

Time for bed - another long day tomorrow.

Day 25 - Bercianos del Real Camino to Mansilla de las Mulas

Not many pictures from this day. The most boring & monotonous day of my Camino journey so far, so tough to find great moments to share!

Early start, still dark. Following the markers out of town.

I sure hope there's bathrooms. I mean if you're going to get diario!

The villages along this portion of the route were pretty dingy & rundown.

Another awesome breakfast break.

Window decorations to commemorate pilgrims along the Camino.

Moe stork nests on the church steeples.

This literally went on for miles. Straight, dusty, dry trails, some shade trees on the left, road on the right. Literally, for miles & miles & miles & miles & miles (sung to the Who)

This is literally one of the most boring pictures I've taken along the Camino. But it's also the place where probably the most profound thing has happened to me. And I'm not really sure any description can do it justice, or what it means. I've certainly been thinking about it a lot since it happened!

I was walking along this straight dusty path, road to my right, and this dusty field to the left. As I said earlier, I did a lot of thinking about my family, friends, and life in general along the Maseta. At this particular moment, for some reason I was thinking about being at a party with my family, siblings, nieces & nephews, and their kids. Perhaps it was our upcoming July 4th celebration, I'm not certain. All of the sudden, a small 'funnel cloud' materialized about 10 yards to my left. I turned straight at it and closed my eyes. Within 5 seconds, it came straight at, and seemed to pass right through me. I froze and took a deep breath. I wasn't sure what hit me. Was it my family giving me a sign that they were here with me on my Camino journey? Or my mom & dad telling me that they wanted to be a part of the party? A simple weather-related incident? Too much sun and not enough water. Or something else? Whatever it what, it took my breath away and I continue to wonder.

Which one are you?

I followed these women for a mile or so. They walked side by side by side, 6 inches apart, in a straight line, for the entire time. The woman on the right didn't stop talking the ENTIRE time. How is this possible? Is there anything that anyone can talk about for that long...and the other 2 to put up with it? I think she breathed out of her forehead or something. Not sure how she took a breath. The monotony of the trail was getting to me, so I had to drop back from them. They were becoming a major irritant.

A welcome curve in the road. On the other side of the bridge, it turned back to the left. I was almost getting dizzy because of the turns!

Watch out - left turn!

Another long day.

Dinner with fellow pilgrims, then time for bed.

Day 26 - Mansilla de las Mulas to Leon

A relatively short day into Leon, looking forward to 2 days of rest & explore.

My alburgue was set up for fresh-squeezed orange juice and sliced meats.

Heading out of town through the trees and over the river.

Out in the farm fields. There are very simply, yet sophisticated irrigation systems.

Past the greeting committee.

A neat town square in the village of Mansilla Mayor. The yellow dots represent the constellations in the sky.

Neat artwork in the village.

Caught a guy in the middle of his morning bath. That has to be cold!

A local fisherman.

Love the flowers, nice touch!

Okay, another shameless great breakfast shot!

More Camino wisdom!

Love the Homer Simpson!

Can tell I'm getting close to the big city....but I'm not at all interested!

Leon off in the distance. If you look close, you can see the cathedral on the far right.

Not exactly sure, but I'm gonna chalk it up to the Spanish Inquisition? The translation is "for those who were, are, and will be".

Now in the heart of Leon.

Arrived at my hotel. Relatively short day.

Optical illusion in the sidewalk. It kind of freaked me out as I walked over it!

I went to the copy store to get something laminated. Who would have known it would be so popular. I had to wait in line for 1/2 hour!

My first glimpse of the Cathedral from a distance.

Ok, I'm game.

An early dinner with Dan & Mary from Montana. I met them in St Jean Pied de Port and we've ebbed & flowed along the Camino. It's always great to spend time with them!

Lots of characters on the streets of Leon on a Saturday night! Guys wearing girls stuff seems common. Bachelor parties? I never really found out.

First close up view of the Cathedral as the sun is going down. Pretty spectacular!

Off to bed for a good night's rest, so I can enjoy my rest & explore day in Leon tomorrow.