To Las Corralizas

– campground at 1727 metres, in the Sierra de Albarracin, close to the town on Bronchales

I had just finished scribbling yesterday’s blog when the Dutch guy in the van opposite, with whom I had been comparing earlier, came over and suggested a beer. We had a pleasant couple in the campsite bar. Peter, was a butcher, now retired. When anyone introduces themselves to me as a ‘butcher’ these days, I cannot get out of my mind, Ed Blumqvist, ‘The Butcher of Luverne’ – take a look at this wonderful clip if you are unfamiliar.. https://youtu.be/tq9PQo0p2xs.

The campsite at Albarracin had been good. I so rarely return to a place where I previously visited and had strong memories of. Here, 17 years go, Scott and I had arrived on our bikes after a 100 km day, in the heat of the afternoon, probably mid 30s centigrade. As soon as we were washed up, we walked into town for a few beers. It hadn’t rained for weeks, but while in the old town, there was a huge storm. We returned to the campsite with newly formed streams running throughout. A neighbour camper told us they had closed Scott’s tent as he had left it open, but feared it was a bit late… Inside it his sleeping bad was afloat practically, and worse, the book I had lent him was floating on top of it; Into Thin Air by Krakauer, rather fittingly, the book, about survival, having to survive itself. In its dilapidated state, it now has pride of place in my library.

On today just 30 kilometres into the Sierra de Albarracin, climbing pretty much all the way, to a campsite at 1727 metres, Las Corralizas., an area known for its spectacular rock outcrops. The site is much bigger than I had imagined, situated in the pine forest, and no doubt in the summer, very busy, but today, on the vast site there were only 3 or 4 other people around. It rained most of the afternoon, with a pleasantly cool temperature hovering around 7 to 12C.