Day 22 - May 29th: 500 Miles!
Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Logroño: 28.66 miles / total 534 miles
Yesterday marked a milestone: over 500 miles covered in 21 days. One-sixth of the journey in the books. While it’s not the average mileage I had hoped for, I'm happy with the result, considering I was dealing with what Dr. GPT diagnosed as either a grade 1 or 2 stress fracture. Yesterday was a win—a marathon with little pain and no setbacks.
Lisa’s plan for today was to jog 30 seconds of every kilometer and it worked perfectly. Big thanks to Lisa, affectionately known as "The White Witch" for her uncanny intuition, and to Ted, who doggedly checked in via text and calls, monitoring the "shin-o-meter." And Carol Hall, whose conversation was the final push—after speaking with her, I had nothing left to complain about. I’m back!
Yesterday’s marathon-plus took a toll. I lost 4.5 pounds from dehydration, my electrolytes were off, and I was starving. The temperature climbed into the mid-80s by late afternoon, with little wind. I felt like a pancake on a griddle. Despite applying sunscreen twice, the sun still got through.
Christina warned me as we entered Santo Domingo de la Calzada that the accommodations weren’t great. She was being kind. We hit a new low: a cramped second-floor room with two twin beds, a window that opened into a dirty shaft facing a deserted building. No airflow, no WiFi. When Christina calmly asked the owner about the WiFi, he exploded in Spanish, told her to stop complaining and go to the third floor where the wifi is better, and slammed the door. Christina wanted to move, but it was 6 PM and I was spent. Reviews confirmed we should have seen this coming. We focused on recovery, food, and sleep rather than waste energy. Tip: never, ever stay at Hostal La Catedral!
We made up for it with dinner at Michelin-rated La Caballeros in the center of town. Fantastic.
We were glad to leave by 7 AM. No breakfast at the hostal, so Jax and I found a welcoming café on the outskirts of town. A husband and wife had just opened and treated us to café con leche, fresh orange juice, and a baguette with eggs and cheese. We left full and happy, ready to tackle the day.
With no pilgrims incoming at that early hour, I missed the Camino markers and ended up on the access road of the A12 highway for 13 miles before rejoining the Camino in Nájera which was once the capital of the Kingdom of Navarre in the 10th and 11th centuries. There, I stopped for sunscreen, coffee, and a choclate croissant. With temps rising into the 90s, Jax began to suffer. No water sources on the pavement, and I knew from experience that hot asphalt can burn paws. Christina picked him up after 18 miles—no paw damage, thankfully.
We’re now in the heart of Rioja wine country, Spains premier wine region. Viniculture here dates back to Roman times but it flourished during the medieval pilgrim routes as monestaries developed the vineyards. Wheat, barley, and corn give way to endless vineyards. It's growing season and the vines are healthy, evidenced by clippings left behind by workers. The region thrives in hot, dry conditions—exactly what it's getting.
I now face a decision: continue to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and then on to Oloron-Sainte-Marie to begin the Via Tolosana, or go over the Somport Pass instead. I used ChatGPT to brainstorm logistics—a great tool, but not perfect. Distance estimates were off, requiring manual checks. Still, it helped clarify options.
Today, blister injuries overtook joint and muscle pain among the pilgrims I met. Heat and humidity cause moisture in socks, turning dust into sandpaper. It’s brutal on feet.
By 3 PM, the sun was high, the heat stifling, and the wind still. I ran into Davis, an Italian who had recently started his camino.
Thankfully, the final 5 km into Logroño passed under the shade of pine trees by a lake. Christina and Jax met me for the last kilometer, and we walked it in together. We’re staying at a Holiday Inn Express tonight—a guaranteed upgrade.
Time now for ice, rest, a cold beer, and recovery.
Thanks for following along.
Cheers,
David
