Day 68 / Rúa de Valdeorras - Barxa / 41.91 km

May 09, 2018

Day 68 / Rúa de Valdeorras - Barxa / 41.91 km

After a uneventful evening and night I have breakfast. Probably the worst breakfast since March 3rd ; 2 slices of toast , one side almost black with the other side white. Not toasted, cold and somewhat wet. Marmelade of uknown taste and date, coffee almost cold and full of grit. Butter...., well. I must say that the poor breakfast was compensated by the overall hospitality of the presidente. Probably she’s just a poor cook. In Rúa everything is still closed when I leave around 7.15 so no way to substitute my meagre breakfast. The next town with shops is 27 km away. Luckily I bought some cereal biscuits yesterday.

The day starts on the road with a big climb for the first 6k. The road is not busy and runs through some pine forest. Strangely after 4 k I encounter a commercial/industrial site with some small factories. Somewhat further the road is still a road but it’s clear that this part is no longer maintained, potholes, macadam crumbling away. I suspect I’m on the old road connecting the valley villages before a new road was build lower in the valley. Although not maintained it’s not bad running.

The road I’m on gets smaller as I’m climbing. It becomes a small road connecting the small villages scattered around in the valley. A lot of the villages, sometimes nothing more then a couple of houses, are often empty nd derelict. In some, some houses are still used but most are empty and crumbling away.

The only people I see, if any, seem also slowly crumbling away from age.

During the morning I go from one village to the other, sometimes by the small road but also using small paths through fields and vineyards which are no longer maintained.The paths themselves are overgrown.

The running is great but though.Continuous steep climbs and often steep descents. Both often not runnable.

The Invierno has one challenge for the time being : lodging, which is only available in limited villages and does not allow a lot of flexibility. The lodging available works best if you walk, although it means you have to do some short or very long walks. When running you can combine stages but not always. Today’s stage, from Rúa, as promoted by the guide, is 27 k into Quiroga. I arrive in Quiroga, a city which is the commercial hub of the region with the charm of Slough on Valium. The only advantage of Quiroga is that it has 2 hostals and a refugio where one can sleep (probably out of boredom). I decide to continue and check google for options. Some 15 k away, 1 k from the path, pension Pacita exists. I call and I’m able to make a reservation with my limited Spanish. Before heading to Pacita I have a (huge) bocadillio con queso.

I leave Quiroga behind. The 15 k is divided in 4k getting out the city, 5k ascend from 200 meters to 700 meters, 1k flat and the last 5k descending to 200 meters again (tomorrow will start with the same exercise). Although a though climb it is a great run afterwards. The path starts with a climb on a old road but later I take a path through a pine forest. The views are great, the pine smell is great and a lot of plants are currently in bloom. The weather is perfect, the sun shines but it’s not warm.

After a great run I arrive at Barxa, a hamlet but in the past important as it has a bridge over the river Lor. The bridge is old, Barxa is nothing more then yet more houses crumbling away. I find a sign to pension Pacita and run the last kilometre in expectation. When I arrive a sign indicates hostal-restaurant, when I enter an old lady welcomes me. I know directly I have made a good decision to come here. I have 2 cokes and 1 beer to quench my thirst (probably the beer was not required to do so) and check into my room. Above me, I guess 120 meters, the N-120 passes by on a viaduct, I only vaguely hear the traffic passing by.

At 19.15 I arranged to have dinner. The old lady asks me I’m happy with...quick words in Spanish which I don’t understand. I answer “Si”. The food is simple but delicious, a cold starter, salad, beef, fries and flan caseras. The patatas fritas and salad are of “Hogar Espagnol” standards. The beef is top quality. After dinner I ask for the bill. For the lodging, the food and the drinks I’m charged 34 €. In Belgium one would pay almost this amount for the steak only. Muy Bien !