Sunday, Avila to Arevalo

We had a late start to a beautiful Sunday morning. Walking around town, getting photographs of this amazing walled city!
We wanted to go to the Convent of Saint Teresa, the Patron Saint of Gastronomy and maybe get a stamp for our Pilgrim Passports. I was hoping to get a medal for my favorite frying pan to guide me through tough times at the stove. (They have Saint Christopher medals for you bike, why not a Saint Teresa medal for your pots and pans?
Anyway, we pushed tandem through town, looking for the Convent, making stops to check the map and one stop for water to carry on the bike for the road.
The bike, by the way is getting heavier day by day, because everything we buy goes on the bike now rather in the bags that have not yet shown up.
Barbara needed new clothing and shoes and me a charger for this computer I'm writing on now.

We finally hit the road around 1:30. The route was very well marked and even though we are now out of the mountains, we started riding all up hill.
Beautiful views of Avila over our shoulders and then, like magic,it was gone!

The Camino has become mostly flat now with a slightly downward slope. A great change to say the least. Not too hot and few fly's.

We met another Pilgrim on the road today. His name, Alfreddo. He was walking all alone on a route that has joined our route for Saint Teresa. The trail goes from where she was born to the town where she died. Some of the nicest parts of our full trail. The shot of the tile was a marker along the trails way.
Alfreddo is the sweetest man and was very happy to take a moment to chat with fellow Pilgrims. We exchanged cards and wished him a good hike. As we rode off he shouted, "God Bless You and God Bless America!" How sweet is that!

One of our shade breaks was at the little church with the Storks nest. The Storks nests are a common sight at churches like these, Usually one on both sides, they are looked at as good luck. This is the first we have seen over the years of traveling in Spain that any kind of action, Barbara was sure tat the wing hanging out was one of a dead bird, but I was sure it was moving.
After a while, he or she pulled it in and out of our sight. We were then sure that something was going on.

We came to a huge cultivated Pine forest that they had tapped the trees for sap. We could only imagine what they would be using it for, but to me, these trees did not look happy.

Deep sand and swarms of flys made the last part of the day extra tough. Long stretches of un-ridable road. We would get on and pedal for about 20 feet, come to a complete stop.
The flys, sometimes two at a time landing on your face as you try to balance in sand that was more like sledding then riding a bike.

Lucky for us, the trail crossed a paved road that lead us into town on the last 5km of today's ride.

Here are some photos from today: