They weren’t joking

There is a lot of needless worry expressed on the Camino forums. You get the worried types – “hi I will be walking from Sarria to Santiago in two years time and I was hoping for advice about a suitable training program…and can I carry a concealed weapon firearm in Spain…and should I carry a satellite phone…and emergency flares….etc.”.

Sarria is about 100km from Santiago, the route is packed with pilgrims, there’s somewhere for coffee every few yards and you can do the walk in three days. No training required unless you are so clinically obese you can’t actually get out of bed.

I’ve discovered however that worry about the Primitivo is a bit more grounded. Lots of advice along the lines of “don’t do this one unless you are reasonably fit”. This morning’s 7 km straight climb from Salas certainly underlined that point.

There was however the joy of twice overtaking two,super fit, Lycra-clad cyclists who, having sped past me on the Tarmac, were struggling horribly pushing ntheir bikes up a 1:3 hill.