Rainy day

 I am starting this post from a bar about 5k from my destination. It's 1:30 and I was having a great day and have walked about 34 km. (looks like my total will be closer to 39 than 37, but who's counting?). For about two hours this morning I was walking toward a black sky and sounds of thunder. Then the sky opened up but thankfully I was about a km from a bar so I didn't get totally drenched, just very wet. But hey I was already dripping in sweat, so what's the difference?  And best of all, I got a  warm and sympathetic welcome in the bar. That's not always the case when you walk in dripping wet with a huge wet poncho on. 

Well the walk had been just fine till the rain. I left Girona at about 6:15 and in a couple of kms I was put onto a trail on an old rail bed. Great, and it's not paved like some of these rail to trails. This trail is 56 km long, so essentially my entire day is on this terrific surface. And another real benefit is that the grade is very gentle. If you want to ascend 1800 ft (600 m) without realizing you are even going up, this is the way to do it. And I guess help is never far away--

The terrain is getting a bit more mountainous and pretty. 

Bet you can't guess what the next picture is. Looks like a stone tower with no top. I've seen them before and they were places where villagers dumped snow so they'd have ice after winter was over. Not sure how long through the year it typically lasted. Pretty ingenious. 

The last 6 km were really pretty even if it was raining. Lots of green tunnels and more views of mountains. 

My GPS says I walked 26 miles/42 km, which is more than I had planned!  But good to know I can do it without falling apart --at least I haven't fallen apart yet, but I still have a few hours before bed, so who knows. 

My town for the night--Sant Feliu de Pallerols. I'm in a pension with a group of walkers, but they are going in the opposite direction. At least I'll have company for dinner.