Day 2: Grado to Salas, 25.81 km, 16 miles

Two things became apparent this morning as I prepared for Day 2 on the Camino Primitivo.

1. The sun takes its time rising in October, it’s not light enough to walk until 8:30 am. Just to be clear, I’m not afraid to walk in the dark, but I prefer scenery over darkness. Plus, it’s been well-documented that I am not a morning person, so the longer I can stay in bed, the better.
2. The Primitivo crosses over the Cordillera Cantábrica, the mountains of Asturias. Yesterday’s walk from Oviedo to Grado was a stroll through the Asturian countryside. The climbing begins today before leaving the Grado city limits.

The pictures don’t show it, but the grade out of Grado climbs uphill for 5 kilometers and then steeply descends for another 5 kilometers. I made it to the top, sweatin’ and a pantin’, in time to see the gorgeous sun peek over the low clouds.

After 10 kilometers of up and down, it’s a 15-kilometer, gradual ascent into Salas. Quaint villages, flowing rivers, a 1000-year-old monastery, and perfect weather. It was good to be walking. The only thing that disrupted my majestic stroll was a torrential downpour during the last 2 kilometers (30 minutes or so). More like a wet dog than majestic, I strolled into Salas in the mid-afternoon.

A hospitable refuge will receive a soggy pilgrim and immediately work to set things right. Albergue El Tulipán de Salas is worth noting here – welcoming, good facilities, and fantastic vegetarian meals. I’m not a vegetarian but the quality food at Tulipán could make a convert out of me. Better than the food, though, was the company. The dinner table at Tulipán hosted a group of pilgrims that would become very important to me over the coming days!