The day started with me having little ambition. The Tres Hermanos left, so I had the whole place to myself. I was bummed I couldn’t get the dryer to work, so I would have to carry wet clothes on and in my pack. Finally I decided it was time to leave, just then the cleaner arrived. She knew how to fix the dryer. She climbed behind it and seemed to jiggle some wires and all was well. While my clothes dried I went out and had a small breakfast, the café was odd. I went back, got my clothes and headed out at about 11:00. I have been leaving before 7:00-8:00 every morning.
There are two options for the stretch from Mondoñedo to Abadin/Gontán, about 10 miles. The most common option is the low route. There are a few small towns with café’s, restaurants, and amenities along the way, it is relatively flat and easy. It’s a little longer than the high route. Almost everyone took the low route. I took the high route.
The high route had a long uphill stretch which scared most away from it. It was a little shorter. The views were supposed to be better if clear, it was foggy most of the way so not a lot of views.
When leaving Mondoñedo I immediately passed a woman about 50 years old who was walking a bit slow, and I saw a younger woman, I guessed about 18 (it turns out she’s 27) up ahead. She was a strong hiker. I learned later they’re both German, like most on this part
When I hike a lot, I play little games. I wanted to see if I could pass the young one. I’m quicker than most on the downhills, but slow down more on the uphill. There was a downhill piece before the long uphill so I turned on the jets and caught her before the uphill began:). It’s easier to win races if the other person doesn’t realize it’s a race:).
The uphill climb was about three miles. She had trekking poles, so I could hear her clanking behind me when she would get close, and I would pull away. It was a silly game and went on for about an hour. There were no vehicles the entire way between the two towns. There were no other people, except for those two. For about an hour or more I had this uphill race from against this strong hiker who didn’t realize it was a race. I was getting a bit tired. Each time I slowed down I’d hear her poles clank, clank, clank.
The road was a timber harvest road through a large stretch of managed eucalyptus stands. My mind was wandering and I was too oblivious to my surroundings.
Out of nowhere, standing above me on a skid trail to the left was a woman, dressed strangely, yelling and swinging her arms wildly at me. Kimberly later told me she just appeared out of no where. After the last month or so I can understand a little bit of Spanish, but I couldn’t understand a word she was saying. I was absolutely stunned, and confused. Just then the young woman I was racing arrived, and tried talking to her in excellent Spanish. My race opponent looked at me and told me, in perfect English, “she doesn’t speak Spanish, she speaks Gallego,” the local language of Galacia.
They were dressed like the Gypsies I had seen in New Zealand, and in movies like The Way.
Things happened fast after Kimberly arrived. A man came from behind a tree up to the yelling woman. He talked with her, she stopped yelling, and they walked off together.
My race opponent looked at me and said, “Do you know about the Witches of Galacia? She’s a Witch!” She quickly told me they believe in special rocks with powers, spells, and magic. By chance I did know a little something about the Meigas of Galicia, my friend had told me about them and I had read an article about them. Some times in past centuries they have not been nice to peregrinos.
Then she said, “We have to wait, Mom’s still behind.” The older woman was her mom. We waited, nervously, until her mom arrived and then all three of us took off.
We will never know for sure what was going on or why. Maybe she was just a crazy lady. Maybe the hiding guy behind the brush and trees was there for a nefarious reason?
I was so glad Kimberly showed up when she did. She had been a high school foreign exchange student in Missoula, Montana, thus her solid English. She is a 27 year old psychologist who just had her honeymoon in Costa Rica in December. I told her I went to Costa Rica on my daughter’s honeymoon…she and her mom thought that was funny.
When we got to Abadin I made sure I was ahead of Kimberly. I won the race:)
I went to the next hostel outside of Abadin for the night. I want a head start for tomorrow’s race.
