San Clemente 24 September

Walking 7 1/2 hours and covering 21 miles (35 km) with a 25 pound back pack made for one tired 68 year old today. My leg muscles are a bit sore since this is only my third day of walking. My feet are fine, a bit tender on the bottom, but no blisters. I'm bandaging a few toes as a preemptive measure to protect them.

 I reached Minaya, the only intermediate town with accommodations by 11 am, too early to stop for the day. The walk had a bit more elevation change, but still fairly flat. The high point was probably waiting for the shepherd to cross over the freeway with his sheep and goats. The sheep followed blindly without looking at me, but the goats were curious. I also saw a lot of young plantings of almonds, olives, and pistachios.

I found the albergue about 3:30, but you need to get the keys from the tourist office which only opens at 5. As I was walking back to the city center to wait, I saw two fellow pilgrims returning and they let me in. As tired as I was, that was definitely appreciated.