El Grupo

Today’s stage brings us from Najera to Santo Domingo de Calzada.  As always we are heading west so that the sun is at our back.

The trek takes us from the city streets of Najera and then primarily through the rolling hills of the farm rich plateaus where we experience the fertile grape vineyards that give rise to some of the best wines in Spain. The sun was out but the vineyards were muddy which caused a bit of a sticky problem with the crutches.  However, the vines were thick with grapes and it was a sight to behold.

Muddy ! 

As I approached a crossroads in the vineyards, I saw my friend Valerie emerging from the vines.  I wondered if she had taken a wrong turn but it was just that she needed to get off the road to use the "facilities."  She took this picture of me.

We walked together for a bit but then parted as she quickened her pace.  My plodding along with my crutches made for many opportunities with other peregrinos who inquired about my situation.  Three young French kids chatted with me a while and were quite impressed.  They then took turns rubbing my shoulder.  I'm not sure, but I felt sort of like a mascot and they were rubbing me for luck.

This stretch of road was more conducive to cycling and apparently quite of few folks make this trek via their bikes.  There was even two runners who were running the Camino with a bike person for support.  After we left the vineyards, the landscape was rolling plains.  There were ups and downs and ups and downs.  I was thinking that this part of the trek was like a metaphor for life.

Before the first of the longer hills, I took a break with one of my new Canadian friends.

Galen with one of the "Chicas"

And the slow rolling hills came one after another until finally as I came to the top of one hill, the town of Santo Domingo appeared.  This was a welcome sight but it was still about two miles away.

Santo Domingo in the distance

I have not really talked much about our group.  Perhaps it was because I spend so much of my time alone because of my pace.  Peggy, in the meantime, can walk with many of the others along the trail and chat.  There are 15 of us all in all.  During my walk today I came up with nicknames for all of them.  If any of them are reading this now, they can try to figure which one is their name.  They are "Las Chicas" de Canada, Iron Man and Hollywood, Tally Ho, Twinkle, Windy Cities, Repeat Customer, and Southern Comforts.  And of course, there are our three excellent guide/driver.  They are truly top notch.

Chicho, Ignacio y Lorenzo

We got together for our first real group dinner and after too much wine and great food, we bonded.

Salud