Day 21 - San Justo to Foncebadon

     We knew today was going to be a challenging day going in.  Last night, we stopped shy of the 'standard' stopover (at Astorga), and were ending today a few miles the next standard stopover (at Rabanal).  So we were looking at 19 miles, with ascension of 671m, and descension of 78m. So, it was a day of climbing.  Most of it in the last 5-8 miles.  And we were ending today just shy of the highest elevation of the Camino (we will hit that early tomorrow, and then 1000m of downhill for the rest of the day).

    So we got an earlier than normal start (6:30, before sunrise).  The day in general was cool and windy.  Mostly overcast with no rain.  After getting through Astorga, most of the walk was on dirt-track, some through fields/forest and some along mostly unused roads.  

    The nature started as high-desert (and reminded both Jana and me of Bend).  And then progressed to deciduous forest, then to pine forest, and then mostly scrub.  A lot of different climate zones, so a lot of different wildflowers, insects and birds.  And maybe too many photos.

    It was a challenging, but very enjoyable walk.  When we got to Rabanal (about 4mi short of our endpoint), and the steepness was going to continue to increase, Jana was becoming concerned.  We asked at a restaurant/bar about how to get a taxi, and they said that taxis could only come from Astorga or Molinaseca - and it was 40-euro just to get them to come to town BEFORE the fare to deliver someone.  So we sadly continued up into the town.
    At 'midtown' (town is about 2 city blocks), we saw a package delivery driver dropping something off at a restaurant/hostel, and we stopped the driver (who spoke no English).  In broken Spanish (and with the help of the hostel hostess, who spoke broken English) I asked if he could transport someone to the next town.  He answered that he delivered packages and not people.  And in any case, he only had room for one person.  I responded that this was good, that Jana was only one person!  He agreed, and she managed to bum a ride with a delivery driver for that last 3-4 mile uphill stretch. And I continued my plodding up the path and caught up with her about 2:00 later (and I was feeling like I still had 3-5km to go, and was looking forward to it).

    While I got cleaned up, Jana got the laundry going.  Then at 5PM, we partook in the Auberge "Happy Hour" and met up with a Hungarian couple (that now live in Florida) that we had spent a short bit of time with in Azofra (way back - between Pamplona and Burgos).  A very good Happy Hour time (perhaps too much so).

    The end of our journey is now in sight.  Maybe 10-ish more days to Santiago.  I'm not sure how I feel about that. 

    Because of all the different climate zones today, lots of birds today.  41 species, and 6 new ones!

    Weekly stats:
        Completed 513km (240km remaining):  68% complete.
        89 new bird species seen in Spain.

    Now for some photos and Caminologue!

    Pre-dawn departure from our San Justo stay:

    Crossing a river as we leave town:

    Our entrance to Astorga - a  lot of the Camino artwork in this area seems to be made from short segments of re-bar:

    Our 1st breakfast (in Astorga) - to get to the bathroom, we had to walk through the next-door chocolate museum, on the history of chocolate in Spain:

    At the town square, the bell-tower is rung by animatronic figures.  Since we at 7:35, it was too long a wait for us to see it in action:

    First new bird of the day!  A Jackdaw.

    A second new bird of the day - A Eurasian Kestrel:

    We found this to be an interesting restaurant on our path, but timing wasn't right to partake:

    An early morning Eurasian Linnet:

    And some more re-bar art:

    Still on the right path, and getting closer!

    The start of the segment here looked a lot like Bend (OR) - Spanish broom, some scrubby trees.  Very much a high-desert feel:

    One nice thing about power-lines along our path - birds sit on them and you can photograph them.  Not like trying to catch them at the right angle if they are embedded in trees or bushes (like those common quail - I've heard thousands, and only had a partial sighting of one).  this one is a Wood Lark:

    And this is one of those super-beautiful/colorful European Bee-Eaters - you may need to expand the photo for some definition.  At long-distance, and an iPhone, this is what you get:

    So much French Lavender and Bellardia:

    As the climb continues, a look down into the valley below:

    Again a bird a bit in the distance, but another First for us - an Ortolon Bunting:

    Non-bird Nature Photo.  A Buff-Tailed Bumblebee at a stalk of Blueweed:

    The entrance to Santa Catalina (where we had 2nd breakfast), and where Jana got to roll (or pretend to roll) some giant dice:

    Another bell-tower, and another white-stork nest.  I think this was the last one we saw as our elevation kept increasing:

    A handsome European Goldfinch:

    As the elevation continues to increase, the wildflowers are changing.  Saw these things that look like Fox-glove.  Apple-AI corrected me.  Lady's Glove:

    Finally!!  I got a picture of one of those infernal Cuckoo birds:

    Noted this Hover-Fly on the trunk of a sapling:

    And noted this handsome cow in a pasture.  I'm not sure the one line of wire for a fence would stop him:

    Another new bird for the day - an Iberian Gray Shrike!

    Again, we got our Camino Passports stamped by a wax-impression artist:

    As we climb higher, we started seeing these flowers with bull's-eyes - I am still trying to figure out what they are:

    And fields of Heath:

    This type of butterfly would never land or sit still.  I managed, after many attempts, to get a decent photo of it in flight.  Question - what is the name of this white butterfly with black veins?  Why, it is a Black-Veined White Butterfly!  A really pretty bug.

    And a Queen of Spain Fritillary Butterfly:

    And a Painted Lady Butterfly - so many butterflies today:

    And a Marsh Fritillary Butterfly on a Thistle:

    And a Glanville Fritillary Butterfly on the path:

    And a heath Fritillary on a white flower:

    And a Common Alpine Butterfly further up the path.  How many Red/Black butterflies can there be?

    A bit higher up, this Western Honey Bee took a liking to my sleeve:

    At the higher elevations, a number of the prior wildflowers have given way to Phlox:

    This butterfly is not orange and black.  It is a Green Hairstreak:

    As the climb continues, the trees have largely given way to shale and scrub:

    Around a corner - a first view of the final destination at Foncebadon!

    Successful arrival!

    And a view to the valley below, where we started the morning, some 2000ft below:

    More tomorrow, as we crest the highest elevation of the Camino, and descend 3000 ft....  It will be a good day for trekking poles, and younger knees.