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JohnnieWalker said:Morris dancing with hiking poles with bells attached should definitely be on the list
Hi there Laurie, before setting off on the Ruta Lebaniego (July/August, 2011) I overnighted at the Serdio albergue. Some albergues between Serdio and Potes were closed. I detoured via Quintanilla to purchase food and slept out on a couple of church porches.peregrina2000 said:.....That's good for finding a bed in the albergues.....
peregrina2000 said:Your idea about going over through Covadonga to get to Oviedo is tempting!
Laurie, do you happen to remember what Spanish forum you were referring to in this post way back in 2012? Is it a forum that still exists? I'm always on the lookout for Spanish forums that have to do with trails and/or places to rent.Anyway, this is a beautiful part of Spain for walking, and I wouldn't mind spending a few weeks somewhere near Potes to do some day hiking. I've gotten some good recommendations for places to rent on the Spanish forum, and one of these days hope to be back.
That was a Grizzly in Yellowstone. The Spanish bear is known as the Cantabria brown bear. I live in a bear rich location in the Rockies where this time of year we see brown bears daily. Unless a bear (non-Grizzly) has become accustomed to human activity, they tend to be, at most, a nuisance. Besides if there had ever been a bear problem on the Camino, we would probably have heard about it. Although the idea of wearing bells might be a net positive if it drowned out the sound of metal tip hiking poles tap-tapping along.I will keep my fingers crossed that the only bears I see are vegetarian. And, John, I will look forward to your demonstration of Morris dancing when we meet in Santiago.
My post was half in jest, but I do remember being in Yellowstone one year when a young man hiking alone was killed by a mama bear when he apparently went between the mama and her baby. The rangers were encouraging everyone to wear bear bells, and my then young children thought it was quite the adventure.
Buen camino, Laurie
That was a Grizzly in Yellowstone. The Spanish bear is known as the Cantabria brown bear. I live in a bear rich location in the Rockies where this time of year we see brown bears daily. Unless a bear (non-Grizzly) has become accustomed to human activity, they tend to be, at most, a nuisance. Besides if there had ever been a bear problem on the Camino, we would probably have heard about it. Although the idea of wearing bells might be a net positive if it drowned out the sound of metal tip hiking poles tap-tapping along.
I walked the Vadiniense and Lebañiego in 2012 with not one trace of bears! When walking in that area, though, I learned that the Junta de Castilla y León has a small “patrulla de oso” — a “bear patrol” with the responsibility of tracking and monitoring bears in that part of the mountains.
I would have thought a Tarantella would be more appropriate rather than Morris dancing.Bear bells sound just the thing - you could also take up Morris Dancing to be doubly sure of scaring away the creatures.
as a " short-legger" myself I would like to teach the bears how to Morris dance and thus, the bears being taller than me when standing up on their two hind feet would seek the long legged friend!I am almost finished my notes on the Vadiniense (using Rebekah's brilliant guide), which I walked last October and will post them in due course, but write only to say that I saw no bears. I did have a wild boar zoom across the patio of a bar where I was taking a glass of spiritual refreshment after a visit to the monastery of San Toribio and its portion of the True Cross, and can report that even at a few metres distance, they have quite a smell. I gathered from the bartender who handed us little shots of aguardiente to calm ourselves and to toast the boar, that he was likely on the run from some hunters, given the season.
As far as bears go, the best advice I have was passed on to me by my Six Nations schoolmates from the local Mohawk reserve: when walking in the woods, always go with a friend with short legs because you can't outrun the bear, but you can always outrun your friend.
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