This Good Day

On top of the world. The vast Meseta is behind me.

4/21: Castrojeriz to Fromista

Time: 7:55 a.m. to 3:06 p.m.
Distance: 16.91 miles.
Steps: 35,392.
Elevation Gain: 875 feet.
Average Walking Speed: 3.7 mph.

I left Castrojeriz in the dawn light and headed out into the Meseta.

Castrojeriz is, according to my taxi cab driver from yesterday, one of the most beautiful towns in Spain. I can see why. It’s well preserved. It feels ancient but well-cared for. My albergue was thoughtful, anticipating the needs of the pilgrim.

As I exit, the song by Fernando Ortega, “This Good Day” rings in my heart.

The Castillo d e Castrojeriz is an ancient sentinel perched in a high hill adjacent to the town. I see a road heading up the steep hill and think, “Gee, I bet the view from up there is spectacular. I should climb up for a look-see!” Nah, I have a kazillion steps this day. Bonus mountain climbing isn’t on my to-do list.

I enjoyed relatively flat trails past Castrojeriz for about a mile, sharing the trail with clumps of pilgrims (I almost always ask where they are from). I meet two pilgrims from North Carolina– we’re practically neighbors out here on the Meseta.

Then we see IT off in the distance: Alto de Mostelares — a long and steep gradient that looks like it eats hikers for breakfast, and we’re on the menu. I smile my hill-seeker smile and trudge forward.

It’s not easy, but the hilltop views are an amazing reward. And then down I go into the heart of the Meseta.

The Meseta is known for its large sameness. Generally flat, with long, mostly flat vistas of field crops. And, occasional villages that exist to support the agricultural industry and the pilgrim trade (hosting and food, mostly between April and October). It’s not a flashy visual feast like Navarra or La Rioja. This plain is, well, kind of plain. I’m finding that in the absence of visual cues, I have to look harder for the beauty. It’s there, just not in abundance. It is in this environment of broad sameness that the Meseta does its best work. Pilgrims turn more inward and reflective. I have a lot of undisracted time to think.

I arrived at my destination town of Fromista. It is a bit shop worn. I’m not optimistic about my brief stay.

But….

In that place, I finally ran into Christian friend Evan from Taiwan. I had met him two weeks ago en route to Pamplona. I’d been wondering how he’s getting along. I sense that we are both more turned inward. Then — BAM! — my Aussie pilgrim friends, Jason and Jenni, walked up. We make dinner plans to eat together at a pilgrim-run restaurant (El Chiringuito del Camino) specializing in authentic regional Spanish dishes. Dinner was amazing. I had probably one of the best roasted pork ribs dishes ever. It’s not Texas style or dry rub, but slightly sweet, tangy, perfectly roasted, and lightly sauced.

Our conversation went deep as we reflected on the effects of COVID on ministry, neurodivergent children, mental illness, and much more. I think we have all learned the earlier Camino lessons on vulnerability. It was a grand evening.