16.7 km – 10.4 miles

Today wasn’t a typical Camino day, but overall I do think it was a good way to start out. Being that I stayed in Oviedo, I had to take a taxi back up the route to Pola de Siero. Then I walked the 10.4 miles back to Oviedo where I’ll stay tonight. I say this wasn’t a typical day because I didn’t start walking until 10:30 this morning and I booked a hotel near the cathedral in Oviedo for tonight. So today I feel like a luxury pilgrim!

It was sprinkling when I started walking, so I did worry that I wouldn’t have the greatest weather for my walk. But shortly after my worrying, the rain stopped and I had pretty close to perfect weather for most of the walk. Minus the downpour that luckily started and ended while I was taking a break at a cafe.

A week ago I hurt my foot somehow in soccer. That, along with some lingering other foot pain, has had me worried that the walk wouldn’t be enjoyable. Luckily today most of the pain wasn’t there. I’m hoping that continues for the rest of the walk.

The guidebook indicated that I’d be on city outskirts and so I expected more industrial type areas, but I was pleasantly surprised that I passed through a lot of farmland before heading into the outskirts of Oviedo. I didn’t see any pilgrims on my walk today (since many start in Oviedo), but I saw lots of horses, cows, sheep, and beautiful flowers. The scenery of this area is quite beautiful.

When I arrived in Oviedo I visited the cathedral to get my first stamp in my credencial. It was then that I finally started seeing some pilgrims wandering around the city. Guessing many of those will be folks that I see over the next few days or two weeks. Seeing other pilgrims, along with seeing more Camino signs makes me feel like this is finally real.

Today wasn’t challenging, but tomorrow will be. Longer distance and a lot more elevation gain. I’ll plan to start out around 6:30am – much more consistent with my past Camino walks. And I’ll be trying to get a bed in an albergue with other pilgrims when I reach my destination.

Only 200 miles left to go from here!