Holy crap today was hot. Had dinner last night with Jim and Annia from Castle Rock, he is a beer Brewer, then went to bed early. My devilish plan was to get out so early, there would be no 3 day caminoers on the trail, and be through the following towns before those ahead got up too. It worked well, I had two hours under my belt before I saw another pilgrim. Now as impressive as that sounds, the truth is, is was still so damned dark that I could barely find myself, or my way.after15 minutes, the trail went into the forest, I didn't expect that, the forest at 5.30 in the morning is really dark, but magical.
It was a warm but misty morning, that's a bad sign if your hoping for a cool day.

7 Am on the mountain.

I put two hours in and got lucky to find an open coffee shop in the middle of nowhere, had a cafe con letche and a tortilla omelet, took a 20 minute break, then started out again. My plan was to get to Del Ray and decide what to do from there, when I got there, I filled the water bladder and pushed for Malide, a 40 k push which will be a two day in one leg, that will put me in Santiago on the 23 rd,and give my legs a one day break before heading to Finistere.

I thought this garden was so out of place that it warranted a photo,there is nothing here but these concrete flowers and toad stools

 A couple of corn cribs coming into a village at the 30 k mark today, it was so hot at this point I was having trouble with the soles of my feet and I was out of water again. I stopped and put on my floppy hat and sun screen, the back of my legs could pass for olive right now.
This village was close to another where I found they had had a service in the square just before I arrived,the street was lined with flowers and leaves, I felt special for a moment, I followed the flowers to the church,then realized they were not for me,but must have been for the harvest,or the fathers day, maybe the summer solstice, but I went in anyway and listened to the service in Latin.

someone takes the Way sign very seriously, but I was grateful as I was a little lost again , Im getting cocky and Im not looking for the signs all the time. i need to focus.

So on to Melide, and the end of this hot day. Spent 9 hours on the Way with stops, and glad to be at the albergue, wash my clothes for tomorrow and go have a beer. It's getting less like country and farmland now, and the feel of the city is in the air, tomorrow I make the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela, and I am having very mixed emotions

Coming in to Melide