The resilience of fiesta prone Spain is due in no small part to the early clean up Crews . Thousands of Wine Festival happenings, Multiple stages , folk 
to Rap battles
style.Here at 6.50am . The city is spotless by 8.00am the day after . Streets are hosed , rubbish collated even as the last revellers are still walking Slooowly home. New romances formed , the odd group still singing faintly. Best time to be on the road.
Selfish maybe – but I value an early start and to see what comes my way. It’s very different as a solo traveler as you’ll see . Boys are in bed and they usually power through and on days when I choose this Salida en Solitario catch up 4/5 hours later.
They run for fun – with backpacks – go figure.
I follow the flechas amarillas 
always comforting to know you’re on the right track.
As I see familar landmarks- love Logronõ – a great weekend destination.
I hesitate at an enormous roundabout- GPS dodgy in narrow streets. See a tall man in a bush hat – looking similarly for directions. On camino this can often be all it needs to spark up a conversation. 30 mins later we have desayuno , Coffee / tortilla and walk most of the day together . – Welcome Stephen Cassidy from the far NW coast of New Zealand here with his wife who is busing 
the day due to mas grandé ampollas 
.
Past evidence of just how ancient this path is that we tread . The Middle Age hospital of St Juan de Acre – built a thousand years ago to help pilgrims like me to reach Santiago ( when it REALLY was a difficult path)
Past vineyards with hard to resist photo ops
. I have the same from 2017 . That odd humid rain making my mobile marquee style still necessary.
Though the village of Navarette where I recall my first camino family wanted to buy a run down building on this square to open our own Alberque. You still can !
To prove that recycling takes place wayyy before we thought of it …. The entrance stones from St Juan de Acre were reincarnated as the entrance to the towns cemetery! Good job – nice pointing.
Down a large gradient to lunch ! I reach Ventosa a little before Thom & Luke – They missed a lively meeting in the Virgen Blanca bar – Francesco is there! Stephen and I chat – agree it’s been a top mornings hike.
It turns out Stephen who has been all over the world of amazing adventures, including the landlord of the pub near Boulders lock in Maidenhead for 4 years where Ciara and I used to date when we lived down south.!
He came out of his way to join me for lunch and is heading on for another 10k .
Farewell wishes – good company means 5 hours walking went by in a flash.
But … super sadly – Tornado Francesco – is heading for another 15k today and this means we’ll be so out of synch our paths may not cross again ( never say never)
So with final laugh – “Good bye Old Man “ – “Goodbye piccolo bambino” he’s 23 and will go far 
We have huge hugs and double kiss him goodbye and Buen Camino
He heads out into truly torrential rain – just as a famished Thom & Luke steam into town.
Vast Boccadillos required !
We book into the San Saturnino Alberque in Ventosa – just up the hill . Very nice shared spaces- helpful hospitaleras . Sunny terraces. Washing and drying machines ( VV important ) – they guide Thom to a sports ground stretching and yoga space – we eat back at the Virgen Blanca ( good menu Pelegríno and sprint back before the VERY strict 10.00pm curfew .
Click ! 
Xxxxxxx
So wonderful to hear all your adventurers. Glad you’re me feet are holding up 😘😘