When we look at our clock, it's already 7pm, it's getting dark, and we're still sitting in a café. Well, time to test our rain gear in real conditions!
As it already happened in similar situations, we have a very nice encounter: as we are leaving Bilbao, we meet David who is cycling for his usual training. Because we are riding in the same direction, he guides us on a path for bicycles, without any cars around. While riding (and joking), he talks about his journey on the Way of St-James, also known as Camino de Santiago, and its numerous pilgrim hostels, the albergues. At the point where he turns back toward Bilbao, he invites us for a beer. Thanks to his instructions, we are able to reach the closest albergue by pushing our bikes through the beach (zoom in the map, to see where!). Muchas gracias David for your tips, and for convincing us to follow the Camino! Hope that you made it back safely to Bilbao without lights!
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| Exiting Bilbao smoothly thanks to David! |
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| Discovering the "Way of the Pilgrim" at our first albergue |
It is the first time that we have to carry our loaded bikes. One carries the front while the other lifts the back of the bike, we go up, one step after an other. We are sweating like pigs (probably already smelling like them too), but after 30 minutes, both bikes are at the top. The reward: a flat dirt/asphalt road that follows the coast under the "typical Basque" weather, which changes from light rain to sun in a matter of minutes.
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| Funny encounter while following the coastline |
We reach Laredo where we take our first boat to cross the bay. The music aboard is a loud mix of salsa and rock. Together with the look of the boat, it almost feels like in South America!
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| Arrival in Santona |
In the evening, we arrive in Güemes, at this special albergue that David was talking about: la Cabaña del abuelo Peuto. The founder, Fr. Ernesto, has travelled more than 800'000 km all over the world with his jeep before opening this pilgrim hostel. The hostel is special for several reasons: it is much more comfortable (too much for a pilgrim?) than a regular albergue, every pilgrim has to attend a meeting where the Fr. Ernesto talks about the Camino and, last but not least, an unlimited amount of food is provided for dinner and breakfast!
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| El padre Ernesto |
At the end of the day, we make a small routing mistake and miss the N634, a long road that we will be following until Santiago de Compostella. We end up climbing a quite steep road that leads us to Colombres. When we get there, the tourist information center is already closed and there is no way to check if an albergue is nearby! Luckily, the owner of the restaurant next to the center turns out to be in charge of the "local albergue"! We then sleep with other pilgrims in a sports hall.
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| Packing our stuff on the next morning |
We arrive at a small but packed albergue. The hospitalero (person running the albergue) is an old man who checks if all pilgrims have showered. According to other pilgrims, he might be a little bit senile. Sébastien gets a insisting questioning, even though he already had a shower...
We get a solid and (too) oily dinner at a bar, with the famous Spanish patatas fritas (fried potatoes) swimming in a alioli sauce (garlic based sauce) and go to sleep.
On the morning of September,2, Sébastien's stomach seems not to have liked at all the oil invasion caused by the dinner... He feels ill, couldn't sleep well but still wants to ride. As if this was not enough, we are forced to suddenly divert from our road before it converts into a highway. However, the Camino is still indicated by yellow arrows or shells. Not really knowing where we're going, we end up in a forest that brings us back to the N634.
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| Follow me.... |
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| ...to places... |
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| ... you've never been! |
We follow the N634 along the coast, pushed by strong gusts above incredible bays. We find an albergue on our route by using our Kindle and after more than 100 km, we arrive at La Caritad. Santiago is getting closer! Big up to Séb for riding so many km, even in his condition.
The next day, we decide to stay on the coast and not to follow the shortest path which looks very mountainous. We aim for Ribadeo and start riding. The distance between Séb and me is growing and we decide to meet again in Ribadeo. At some point just at the entrance of Ribadeo, I miss a sign and carry on to a wrong national road. I still see some signs of the Camino de Compostella and get erroneously convinced that I am right. After a while, I receive a text message from Séb, asking me where I am. Calling him back, I discover that I took the wrong turn and am forced to take some other roads to rush back to Ribadeo.
On his side, Séb met Alfonso, an other cyclist, that rode with him until Ribadeo. This was fortunate because the road becomes horribly complicated from the point where I took the wrong turn.
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| Alfonso, a nice Spanish guy who rode with Séb between La Caritad and Ribadeo |
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| The road to Baamonde was long, hilly and sunny... |
During breakfast on the next morning, we meet Olivier, a German pilgrim from Berlin. He has already done once the Camino francés which is the main pilgrimage "highway" that passes in the center of Spain. He is now finishing the Camino del Norte, that we are also following. Thanks for the nice chat and good luck to you!
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| Oliver and us before hitting the road |
After a "short" day of 90 km, we finally arrive in Santiago de Compostela! It is impressive to see pilgrims everywhere and also to discover this city which is largely living from this tourism activity.
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| The cathedral in Santiago de Compostela |
For us, the journey continues to Lisbon and we will try to follow the Camino Portugués (in the reverse direction, though).
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