So a vary tired grumpy dad first thing, it’s clear to see where I get my not enough sleep grumpy face from. We had breakfast in the hotel which was full of Irish Disney-grinos who had booked a package deal for 500 euros hotels and bag drops from Sarria for the week and there complaining about their one blister! I are my meats and cheese with crap filter coffee. I’l be honest I was getting excited for Santiago. But this time it wasn’t the same butterflies of hitting the finish. But we got underway and we were warned today would be hard pulls for up to 2km followed by 2km of downhill hopefully giving enough breathing time for the next hill and although achey legs were very prevalent this format actually worked well to warm up the legs and ease us into it. We err making progress and although a few hills certainly got us working hard we were chewing through our 70km ride at good pace all mainly on the same road so no issues with directions. The Disney-Grinos filling the camino where it came alongside the road and yes they still all suck. This is why I’m pleased to hear the introduction of distance certificates along with the compostela certificate to prove the distance you completed as as much as yes everyone ever the Disney-grinos are pilgrims it proves you were a full length hardcore perigrino or a minimum effort Disney-grino!
After a bite to eat and the knowledge of Santiago being around 20km away the end would soon come and as we ventured further we could see a plane take off very nearby and I know Santiago Airport must be very close. We however are faced with a hill that seems to never end and it’s fair to say I was leaking with sweat as we reach the top and dad soon followed. This is where we joined the camino on a back road past the airport now I know this comes passed mont Gozo then leads to a 5k descent however we were not on the same road as last year but by the thins point I just wanted to see the cathedral. We soon wind through the streets after losing dad at one point I’m not quite sure why he stopped following the yellow arrows we have been following for the last 400 odd miles but apparently I disappeared. We soon wind down and I hear the bag pipes. Yes there is a bag piper busker right next to the cathedral and they are famous as the sound of the end. We wheel the bikes down the steps and there it is. The cathedral that completes the cycling adventure. The same cathedral that holds a dear place in my heart but alas it looks shit yeh I said it shit and I know the scaffolding is only there to allow the restoration works to be completed but wow. Don’t get me wrong I knew the scaffolding was there but it really takes the punch out of it’s Beauty. I know this time is different anyway I wasn’t on a pilgrimage to write wrongs and find myself this time! Realistically this was an adventure through beautiful countryside using the infrastructure as a cycling trail and more importantly to spend time with my dad and this is defo the longest we have spent together and look were still speaking and getting on. I know our relationship is not perhaps the closest but I have really enjoy getting to know dad again although what I found I didn’t always enjoy like embarrassing uncouth childishness and yes my dad is an adult child and I guess I’m not so dissimilar in certain ways but we defiantly have the same sense of adventure and that’s why this has been prefect. I know he will no doubt have found aspects of me he doesn’t necessarily agree with probably like the fact that I love swearing and won’t be changing that aspect when I’m angry or otherwise. I don’t follow the paradigm that swearing is crude or rude but is only offensive when directed and otherwise is as Normal as another other words also in the dictionary. I know I’m far from perfect and this blog is only written from my viewpoint but I have had a great time with Dad and the adventure is not yet over.
Anyway back to today’s Events. After the usual cathedral pics we found the hotel and soon found the next challenge of climbing the 3 flights of stairs to the room. Just as we arrived I had an email from the bike hire guy, originally the bikes would not be back until tomorrow but as we had made good time this would mean we can give them back early so after a quick wander around town and emptying our panniers ready to give back we get back on the bikes this time not for long and locate the shop. The bloke in the shop could not have been a nicer guy he apologised for the Allan key mess up and then run upstairs only to return with two bottles of wine normally a limited edition present for those cycling from Saint Jean but we got one each (pic to follow). There has to be a lot said for this hire service the bikes did everything we asked and we put them through their paces. On the first day descending on some of the toughest terrain I have ever rattled down at speed and no problems. No punctures either a secret we learned while at the shop was they use anti puncture gel inner tubes so we may have had a few punctures but it would have just healed itself so you would never know. I could not recommend the company we used any more highly – Tournride.com we did the 13 day deal with panniers kit which also come with tools and pump ect.
After being free of the bike burden we went to the pilgrims office and queued up and after about an hour we got our Compostella certificate I also paid the extra 3 euro for my distance certificate and also got one for my pilgrimage last year.
So tomorrow we will bus out to Finisterra and I will keep you posted on that too.
Pics from today:
No comments:
Post a Comment