Viana

September 23, 2023

There’s been some unhappiness in the team as Rachael arrived here in Nájera unable to find her favorite glasses. It’s not a crisis - she does need her glasses but she’s brought a good backup pair along - but she likes the others better because they’re lighter and more comfortable on her face. I have mixed feelings about the pair though because of their ridiculous design. They’re light because they consist of only a semi-frame, with the lenses held in place at the bottom by a nylon filament. It’s amazing that it holds the lenses in place, but from time to time one will pop out and it’s a nuisance trying to get it reset, a task that falls to me. I used to curse at this in frustration but I’m finally getting the technique down and it doesn’t take long. It takes a trick using a thin piece of stiff paper that she was shown at an optometrist’s shop.

So I have mixed feelings about the fact that they’ve turned up missing. On the one hand, I’m of course sorry for her loss; but on the other I can’t honestly say I’ll miss them. And on the third hand I feel a little guilty and maybe like I’m being held to blame by Rachael for having lost them. We don’t know what happened with them but think they got stuffed away somewhere in the rain biking in here two days ago. There’s the vague thought that maybe she handed them to me to pack away, and I lost them. If glasses have turned up missing it’s a good bet that I’m involved.

This morning though there’s a squeal of delight when she puts on her jacket in preparation to leave and finds them in a coat pocket.

The jackets are going on because it’s still pretty chilly out when we get ready to leave town at ten. The morning lows have been down to the high 40’s for the last several days, and even though it warms up fairly quickly at first it feels pretty brisk. By the time we finally make it down to the street though it’s a half hour later and warmed up enough that the jackets aren’t needed after all. It’s taken us that long because we’re slobs and have things strewn all over this large apartment, but also because of the elevator. It’s slow, small, and it takes three trips - one for Rocky and the panniers, one for me and a bike, and again for me and the other bike. This morning fortunately we’re in luck and no one walks up to grab the elevator for their own use as happened twice before.

Finally though, we’re off and biking east toward today’s destination, Viana. Once we’re out of town the ride begins with a gradual, easy climb that gives us good views of the limestone formation to the north. Traffic is minimal, the weather is fine, it’s a perfect morning to ride.

Another of these! It must be characteristic of the region. (Thanks to Kelly, we know now that this is a chozo, a stone shepherd’s hut: https://vinosybodegasderioja.com/enoturismo/que-son-chozos-guardavinas/).

Another look north. I’m going to miss this view once we move east of it.

A last look back at Nájera before crossing over the ridge.

For most of the day we’ll be generally following the Camino route. At times it’s on the pavement with us, at times we’re off the pavement with it, and others we diverge with it following a path and us remaining on the road. All morning long we’ll have peregrinos coming our direction, giving us the feeling of swimming upstream.

We played tag with the Camino all day long, sharing the route or crossing it. Here, there’s some art work as it leaves Venosa.

Dropping north from Sotes. That’s such a distinctive formation ahead, you’d think I could place it.

Entering Navarette, a town that looks like it would make an enjoyable stopover on the Way.

The church at Navarette. Now that I’ve seem the photos, we should have stepped inside to see the stunning baroque altarpiece. Instead, we were more interested in moving on. It’s right at noon, and the loud, monotonous pealing of its bell is starting to wear on the nerves.

The first half of the day’s ride is brilliant - quiet roads, great scenery - but it all changes as we approach Logroño. With its population of 150,000 it’s by far the largest place we’ll see until the end of the road in Valencia. It’s large enough that even though we only skirt its edge it’s a pain to get past - partly because it’s busy and not particularly bike-friendly, and partly because there’s a lot of unsealed, rocky stuff to get across on allegedly the best route through.

Dropping toward Logrono, the largest urban center we’ll see until Valencia.

Are we looking ahead at Logroño here, or looking back at it? I forget. Oh, there’s the lake. It’s ahead still.

So it’s a split ride. The first half is brilliant, the last half less so. We’re pretty happy when Viana comes into sight ahead and are anticipating lunch as soon as we make it up the last stiff climb up to town.

Viana’s a pretty small place, with few restaurants listed on the map. One sounds promising though, just a block or two from the hotel we’re booked at, so we head for it. That plan collapses though when we pass through one of the gates of the formerly walled town and find the streets packed. It’s Saturday, it’s autumn, there’s a wine festival on. The narrow streets are filled with wine booths and revealers, and it’s slow going as we walk the last few blocks to the restaurant.

I can barely get in the doorway of the restaurant though, and when I ask about a meal once I do the guy just shakes his head. So we change our plan and move on to our hotel and have lunch in the room instead, dining on the options Rachael has procured for us. I’m quite happy with cheese, trail mix, bread and PB, but Rachael decides to head back to the street and check out the booths. She phones me when I’m halfway through my second sandwich to say she’s just bought a delicious one that’s big enough to share, but it’s too late. The cupboard is full already.

After lunch a nap is in order. Rachael’s out like a rock for close on to two hours, and after we’re both alive again we go out on our own for a look around town. Rachael goes on a few mile loop that takes her into the lower town and out into the countryside and when she comes back there’s a parade working down the street toward the central plaza:

As usual, I don’t stray as far afield. I’m pretty happy to poke around the old town, which I have to say has less attractions than the other places we’ve overnighted so far. It doesn’t take me long to make the rounds, but it’s long enough to enjoy a couple of brief encounters with other tourists. The first is a lady from Argentina who surprisingly lived in Spokane earlier in her life; and the second is an old guy, nearly as old as me by just a few weeks - he’ll turn 77 on Christmas Day, he says. He’s here with family, walking part of the Camino in short stretches for as long as it works for him. He looks somewhat frail, but he’s quite happy to be here. Ten months ago he was in for open heart surgery and feels fortunate that a journey like this is still an option for him.

The portal to the ruined church of San Pedro.

The ruined 13th century San Pedro church is arguably the most interesting attraction in town.

I don’t know how many gates there are into the old city but I counted at least four.

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Ride stats today: 25 miles, 1,700’; for the tour: 226 miles, 12,900’

Today's ride: 25 miles (40 km)
Total: 548 miles (882 km)

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