Salamanca break

Venturing into Salamanca as a pilgrim required a big change of pace. On the Camino everything is simple, what to eat and where to sleep. You operate with acceptance. Taking away choice is somehow freeing. You aren’t in charge of what the world is doing to you, just how you chose to be with it.

For most pilgrims life seems to be about your feet. For me it’s the operational details of my wheels. Checking for loose hardware, tyre pressure unusual noises. Attention is on your planned path - are there steps, how deep are water crossings, stepping stones maybe styles, perilously steep thin inclines.

Distance is much less of a problem than walking as the magic is with lithium. My batteries may take me 60km in ideal conditions, certainly 40km is achievable which is a big ask of most pilgrims, day after day. 

Terrain is more critical though but I usually find a way. The last time I was defeated completely was trying to escape Madrid airport terminal 4 without using public transport or taxis. Google maps says it’s possible but without crossing road edge barriers or a motorway, I couldn’t find a way. Fortunately I was able to use the shuttle bus which was easy and fast. The lesson here was not attempt everything independently and take the bus if you need to. 

I interrupted my Camino in Salamanca taking a break for the summer. The supplementary battery was dying on my wheels, its the power behind the legs coming up and down and the lights There are other system monitoring stuff but for me it was about lowering and retracting legs which are also the brakes. I can manage my wheels without legs but if I’m on a train or airport shuttle, I can’t easily be without legs. Its like trying to stand on a bus in roller skates. I was also starting to feel homeless, waking up not knowing where I was. Just making do had become tiring. Another reason was that Salamanca was well connected, a great place to get a train to Madrid. 

There was also a decision to be made on which route I am to take onto Santiago de Compostela. The Vía de La Plata is the old Roman road running from Seville in the south, north to Astorga which is on the Camino Francés. There is however the option to cut the corner heading directly to Santiago de Compostela on the Camino Sanabrés, a quieter route but possibly more challenging on wheels getting into Galicia. 

Meanwhile stopping in Salamanca is lovely with beautiful buildings, art, history, food and comfort.