Lucky Day

We had shared the albergue dorm room with Gabi and Heidi from Germany and two German men that have been walking and dining with them. We all slept in until after 7am, just as well as it was miserable out. However it was our lucky day as we felt only a few drops of rain on our 15 km walk.

The camino is closed in this area due to the AVE train work. There are many men staying in the accomodations (those a step up from our cheap beds) in this area, all wearing the uniform of AVE workers.
So we had to again walk on the highway. The road was little used except for all of the construction vehicles.
At one point we had to traverse a bridge that was currved so that oncoming traffic could not see us and the shoulder was extremely narrow. Not a good situation! Then a long tunnel but thankfully with a bit of a sidewalk.
Oh and I haven't mentioned the 30 km/hr headwind. We had donned our ponchos but they were more of a hindrance blowing around and even over our heads. I finally put the bit of clothesline, that I had not yet used, to good use by tying my poncho to my hips.
But it wasn't raining!!!

We reached the pass after 2 hours of gradual incline (which was likely much easier than the camino would have been).

We enjoyed celebratory hot drinks at the small Padornelo Cafe on the north side of the pass.

The same little cafe which catered to many needs. The bags of beans are a very common sight in this part of Spain.

2 kms after the cafe we were directed back onto the camino for the final 7km stretch.

Uh oh, this doesn't look good.

False alarm, a Camino Angel has provided a solution.

Can you see the many wind turbines on the hill in the distance?

Fot those reading this that are headed for this camino ... rest assured you can trust these different looking arrows. We were not sure at first.

We are getting close to Lubian and the sun even came out for this photo.

Entering Lubian

Above the door is etched the construction date 1709!

Today was my shortest day of walking so far. We thought that due to the climbing we could give ourselves a break. So by doing that, we arrived at the 16 bed albergue at 1pm, in time to score the last 2 bottom bunks. The guide states beds are only 3€, in spite of that the albergue is quite nice and -- contrary to what I said yesterday -- the heaters are on!

To "town" for a Pilgrims Menu and a look around... so long as the rain holds off. The sky is dark gray.

Tomorrow is 24kms with a 5 km uphill to start.

I would class today in the good column. There is a young woman in the albergue who had just been to a hospital. Her foot is badly infected and she has been directed to rest for 3 days. She caught a taxi here and she will do the same tomorrow and the day after, she does this to be staying with her camino friends.
Again; Thank you feet!!!