The first day or so is always the hardest until one gets really back into shape. Even with all the walking I did at home the past weeks, it is never enough preparation. So today I walked about 16 miles, but strayed totally from the guidebook route. The recommended route is mainly on the streets of the suburbs, but I took an alternate along the dry bed of the River Turia. The river was rechanneled to a different area so a miles long and beautiful park with trails, bike paths, and sports fields was created. I followed the riverbed as far as the airport area of Manises, then around the airport and south through orange and persimmon groves and finally west through the last dreary stretch of the industrial and warehouse ares of Ventas de Polo to end up at a motel close to the intersections of A-3 and A-7 motorways. There was a reason, as this was the closest accommodation to the village of Loriguilla, the recommended stopping point. In Loriguilla, the only accommodation would have been in the polideportivo (sports pavilion), which would involve stopping first at the mayor’s office to hope someone would be available to open it, then sleeping on a wrestling mat after the last volleyball players leave at 10 pm. I decided the motel in the industrial district was the better choice: private, roomy, comfortable and air conditioned. Heck, I deserve it. I just turned 70 and I’ll let Social Security pay for it.
No comments:
Post a Comment