My first day on the Camino: exhilarated, lost, and pulled over by Police

Camino de Santiago (Camino del Norte)

Day 1: Sept. 23, 2011

Approx 27 KM: Comillas to Colombres

[Disclaimer: Please don't let my first day scare you off from doing it! I promise it gets better and it really wasn't that bad!]

My ghetto-rigged folding bike. Just a tad precarious!

Today was my first day biking on the Camino de Santiago. I didn’t go very far as I got a pretty late start. I actually spent the night last night in my first albergue (shelter) for pilgrims in Santander. There I was able to register and pick up my “credential de peregrino” which is equivalent to a pilgrim’s passport and will give me access to all the shelters along the way. In the morning, being my first time out, it took me forever to rig my backpack to my bike–it definitely doesn’t fit as well since I added those few last minute items. It felt pretty precarious—but I survived a test ride around the port and coast in Santander before hopping on a bus to Comillas, where I officially started my Camino. The bus ride passed through beautiful scenery and I already decided that I have to come back and do the part of the Camino del Norte that I’m skipping.

El Capricho de Gaudi, Comillas. It's covered with porcelain sunflowers!

I awkwardly set up my bike again and headed to the tourist office in Comillas where I greedily took any maps and tips they could give me on the next stretch of the Camino since I still didn’t really know what to expect. I decided to spend some time sight-seeing in Comillas before I began. As a fan of Spanish architect Antonio Gaudi, I stopped in and visited the “Capricho de Gaudi”—one of the earlier houses he designed, and one of the few that’s not in the Catalunya province of Spain.

I hit Comillas on market day. The buildings/houses here were really picturesque.

Comillas really is quite a picturesque and quaint town. I would definitely recommend it as a nice stop along the northern coast if you’re ever passing through. On my way out of town I biked by a palace and was greeted by my first yellow arrow markers and signs for the Camino. It was exhilarating to finally be on my way! I passed through absolutely BEAUTIFUL scenery on the way to San Vicente de la Barquera; the pictures really don’t do it justice (but take a look at all my pics below anyway!).

I got lost somewhere on the other side of this bridge to San Vicente de la Barquera.

Somehow in San Vicente de la Barquera, I lost the way. I thought I followed the directions another cyclist told me to go, and I ended up on a huge highway. Semi-trucks and cars were honking at me all the way. I felt unsafe despite being on the shoulder, and kept thinking, this can’t be the Camino; this is insane. My guidebook had mentioned getting on this “A-8,” but I was certainly not seeing the directions that it was telling me to follow…I saw a tranquil road down below that I thought looked like where I should be, but I couldn’t get off the highway. I continued on and had to cross an incredibly tall and long bridge arched over a valley; it was really scary as all the cars where whipping by me. I saw a Guardia Civil (like their police) pass me, and I thought, “I’m glad to know there is someone around to help me if I have a problem!” When I descended the bridge/mountain, I saw that they in fact were waiting for me on other side. Only they weren’t offering to help, they were going to give me a 200 € Euro ticket since apparently walking and biking on the major highways is illegal. I explained I was lost, thought I was on the Camino de Santiago etc. and they finally said they’d let me go, but wanted to see my passport. My heart skipped a beat. I don’t want to say too much online, but let’s just say I didn’t want them to look at my tourist visa or I knew I’d have significant problems. Smiling and attempting to look totally at ease, I started fumbling with all the cords on my backpack, making it look even harder than it was to undo, telling them it would take a few minutes since my passport was hidden deep inside my bag. I can’t tell you how RELIEVED I was when they told me not to bother. They told me where to go, and I went on. However, I was still a bit flustered when they gave me the directions so as soon as I entered the roundabout right after the scene of my interrogation, I went the wrong way and they had to help me again and followed me to make sure I went the right way! I was so embarrassed and I’m pretty sure those two Guardia Civiles think Americans are dumb for sure now!

[I will say that I have since told this story to Spaniards, and they can’t believe I got out of the ticket and say that talking your way out of a ticket never happens here. I guess God was watching out for me and let the cute-innocent-dumb-young-American card I played with them work!]

My Corbata in Unquera. It's like a flaky pastry with a mapleish flavored icing and nuts. YUM!

I arrived in Unquera where I treated myself to a yummy Corbata (a pastry this town is known for) and made it to Colombres, my destination. I wandered around lost, looking for the pilgrim’s shelter for a while as the town was small and not a soul was to be found anywhere. Someone finally appeared and directed me to the “poly-deportivo” which is basically the local sports complex. It was a big indoor gym/soccer field with concrete floors and mini stadium benches. There was a partial 2^nd floor with workout equipment that overlooked it. For my 3 € I got a little gym mat to sleep on anywhere I wanted in the building and also access to the shower/bathroom. The man in charge just left me the key and the run of the place. It seemed a bit strange, but I can’t complain for the price!

After a great dinner on my own, I went back to the albergue, and to my surprise, no one else had showed up there to stay that night except for one middle-aged French guy. I didn’t get a creepy vibe from him; he seemed nice and harmless, and said he had already been walking on the Camino for 5 weeks, having started in France. He slept downstairs, and I took the upstairs; I didn’t feel in danger, just a bit awkward. Then voices of caution from friends and family back home crept into my mind. I decided I would keep my zapper/mini-taser and pepper spray in each hand while I attempted to sleep with my cell phone at the ready, since at that late hour, there was no where else to go. The metal building creaked a lot in the wind, so I kept thinking the French guy was climbing the stairs to where I was sleeping. I became a bit paranoid of becoming a statistic, and I was incredibly glad when he started snoring so I could hear where he was! Needless to say, it was not a great night of sleep.

[Ironically, I later learned that there was another nicer pilgrim’s shelter in Colombres that I could have stayed at, but oh well. This one just added to my adventure I guess!]

It was quite the eventful day…probably one of the most eventful of my entire trip, but I guess that’s what first days are often made of!

You can just scan my pics below, or watch the slideshow: