June 7 --Long day from Abejar to San Leonardo

These 32 kms took me almost as long as yesterday's 38. Most of the blame goes to the many kms walking on big piles of loose rocks on an abandoned rail track. It was awful and my feet really took a pounding. So, unfortunately, did my knee. On one particularly ungraceful scramble up the steep side leading to the rail bed (having gone through the wrong barbed wire fence), as I was about to give a triumphal cheer for having made it, I tumbled and smacked my bad knee on some of those nasty rocks. I'm ok but it's sore. 

Anyway, the day started out lovely with the first 7 or 8 on a nice dirt track. First little town had a Roman fountain and s ruined castle. 

Then it got less fun. I should have known when the arrows took me over to the towns abandoned train station that I was heading for the old tracks. Sure enough for km after km I had to walk on rocks. 

At some point after my fall the camino gods took pity and sent me through a pine forest. 

Much better but not easy walking because the ground was very swampy. 

After what seemed like forever, I arrived for market day in Navaleño. Had a cold drink, took off my boots and bought some fruit. Very friendly place. 

Then only 6.5 km left to the destination of San Leonardo de Yague. Yague was a general in Franco's army and leaving his name on the town is causing all sorts of problems. Lawsuits have been filed under the relatively recent ley de la memoria. This guy apparently did a lot of good things for the town --brought in electricity, medical offices, library, movie thester, etc, so many of the old don't want to remove his name. It's not about him being a Franco general, they insist. Young people seem indifferent, though one said she hated to think how much it would cost to change all the signs. And a lot looked very new. 

Interesting trivia for today--much of Doctor zhivago was filmed here! 

 

Hoping my replacement credit card shows up today. It's not here yet but fingers crossed. 

Great walk coming up tomorrow!!!!!