Day 21, Thursday, September 12th, 2019: El Burgo Ranero to Mansilla de las Mulas
Restless night without much sleep, so we headed to breakfast around 7am at our favorite place in El Burgo Ranero, La Costa del Adobe. We met two lovely couples there: Steve and Carolyn from Tempe, AZ and Cheryl and Barry from Vermont. Great chatting with them and learning about their Camino and where they were from, as well as an awesome bacon and eggs breakfast! Great protein start to the day of about 13 miles.
Unfortunately, the first town was 8 miles away, so that second cup took a while to get to! But we got there and it was a lovely morning for a hike. Temps started around 45 degrees and warmed up to about 60 by mid-morning. After coffee, it was off to Mansilla de las Mulas, stopping by the Church of Santa Maria. Quiet and beautiful. We also ran into Christopher from Ireland along the way.
We went a little off the Camino to Mansilla Mayor, to the Guest House Joaco. Quiet little town and lovely place to rest for the night. The owners were very kind and offered to cook dinner and breakfast for us, which we love when we have the chance.
Given our lack of sleep the night before, naps were in order!
Today’s “Camino Lesson:” stop as often as you need to to make adjustments before small problems become big ones.
You’ve heard an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It is so important on the Camino to react quickly when you feel something not right with your feet. Dealing with a hotspot early is better than dealing with a big blister for days afterwards. Today, I just couldn’t get my left shoe right. Several stops were required, along with copious applications of moleskin, to finally find a comfortable walking foot! The same can be said for dealing with the small things in life before they get out of hand and require much more time and effort. Might cost some time, but it will usually be less than it will cost if you wait. Be proactive!
Barry, Steve, Carolyn, Terri, me, and Cheryl
Another lovely morning for a hike
Beautiful Peregrino statue in Mansilla de las Mulas
Pilgrim statue in front of Santa Maria
The altar at Santa Maria
