Ready to go

Well, my backpack is packed, I'm ready to hit the road.  I hope to arrive in Madrid early in the morning on Friday.  From there I will get the train to Santander and spend a night there.  I remember Santander as a beautiful city when I walked the Camino del Norte with Danagrina, so my plans are to spend most of Saturday seeing the town and then walking in late afternoon a short 12 km to a Casa Rural La Joyuca del Pas, in Mogro.  This place is but a stone's throw from the cafe where one of our German friends got locked in the bathroom of a bar and had to crawl out through the window, right after we had bravely crossed the river on a train track, hoping that no train would come.  Just thinking of that time makes me smile.

My approximate stages are here, but I've given myself several rest days so things will undoubtedly change.  This year I've put together a string of Caminos that connect and eventually get me to Santiago if all goes well.  First a few days on the Camino del Norte, then through the mountains called the Picos de Europa on the Camino Vadiniense, then joining the Frances to Leon.  In Leon, I will walk on the Camino del Salvador, 4 or 5 days up to Oviedo, where the Primitivo starts.  And from there, the Primitivo takes me almost all the way into Santiago, with just a few days merged on the heavily trafficked Camino Frances.


May 25 -- BBB Hostel in Santander 942-22-78-17
May 26 -- La Joyuca del Pas 942-57-66
May 27 -- albergue in Santillana
May 28 -- albergue in San Vicente de la Barquera
May 29 -- albergue in La Fuente 942-72-79-58
May 30 -- alergue in Cabanes, El Hayal, 942-744-211
May 31 -- albergue in Potes 942-738 126
June 1 -- Fuente De
June 2 -- albergue in Portilla 649-21-91-08
June 3 -- albergue in Riano 616 348 317
June 4 -- Venta de Valdeon, possibly Hostal Ventasierra 987 711 029
June 5 -- Cistierna, albergue 987 702 065
June 6 -- Gradafes, albergue 987 333 153
June 7 -- Mansilla de las Mulas, probably albergue
June 8 -- Leon, Pension Blanca, 987 251 991
June 9 -- also in Leon
June 10 -- La Robla
June 11 -- Poladura
June 12 -- Campomanes
June 13 -- Mieres
June 14 -- Oviedo, Hostal Los Arcos
June 15 -- rest day in Oviedo
June 16 -- La Doriga, Albergue Ca Pacita 684 61 38 61
June 17 -- Bodenaya
June 18 -- Campiello
June 19 -- Berducedo
June 20 -- Castro
June 21 -- Fonsagrada, Pension Cantabrico, 982 350 035
June 22 -- Cadavo
June 23 -- Lugo
June 24 -- rest day in Lugo
June 25 -- Ponte Ferreira, private albergue, 696 631 743
June 26 -- Boente, albergue 981 501 853
June 27 -- Arca
June 28 -- Santiago, Albergue San Martin Pinario, 981 560 282
June 29 -- Vilaserio, private albergue
June 30 --  Dumbria albergue
JHuly1  -- Muxia
July 2 -- Fisterra
July 3 -- Santiago
July 4 -- on the trenhotel in a litera to Madrid
July 5 -- Madrid, Hotel Praktik, Montera 47
July 6 -- home.