Taking a Short Cut

Thursday, May 24, 2012

2:28 PM Arizona, 11:28 PM Spain

I’m intoxicated!  How I got to this state I’ll explain in the following passages.  We were on the road at 8:00 AM looking for a bus station which Lisa had arrived at yesterday.  Lisa dumped her bike at Santo Domingo de la Calzada two days ago using the bus to get to Burgos yesterday.  We arrive at the bus station and find out that my bike can go on the bus but, the front wheel must be off along with the bags.  We can do this!  So after purchasing, a ticket there is an hour and half wait for our bus.  Off we go in search of some breakfast along with a place to get wireless.  We find this decadent Chocolate place that advertises it is a Wi-Fi hot spot.  We order a tea and chocolate cake covered with chocolate syrup for Lisa and Coffee and chocolate cake covered with chocolate syrup for me.  Oh my god the cake and syrup where to die for however, there was no Wi-Fi.

After breakfast it’s time to unload and take apart the bike.  Look at the bus ticket, which is in Spanish, and think I have found the number which indicates what platform the bus will pull into.  There are two other bike riders across the station from me and they pull out large plastic bags which they use for their front wheels and Panniers.  Well as luck would have it I've got some plastic bags of my own only they are not very large so I’ll need to duct tape them together in order to cover the wheel.  I certainly am not covering my panniers up as no one has plastic bags on their suitcases.  Busy at work secure in knowing our bus will pull in right in front of me I see Lisa waving at me from across the terminal and pointing at a bus there.  Grabbing a nearby hand truck I hurriedly throw all my stuff on and wheel it to the other side of the terminal.  Lisa later informs me the number I though was the bay number was my seat number. Duh!

We are off on a three hour ride to Leon.  No schlepping the bike and stuff over hill and dale, rocks and rivers or speeding trucks.  Lisa is feeling guilty but, I am loving it since we are not the only ones taking a short cut.  The bus is a new experience since I have never been on a bus with an attendant before.  The attendant strolls the aisle offering passengers drinks, snacks, and wet wipes.  After we arrive at Leon, we check on trains and busses to make yet another jump as Lisa is running out of time.  We are not sure where the Albergue is so we wander around town looking for it.  A fellow happens to be walking in the direction of the Albergue and shows us the way.  We settle in then decide to see what the city has to offer.  As we head down the stairs two ladies from the bus are coming up.  They are making arrangements to ship stuff ahead and we ask if they would join us for a drink to pick their minds.  The four of us walk around and finally settle in at a small café.  Our new friends are Barb and Mindy from Vancouver Canada.

Our one drink turned into six and with each drink a small bread sandwich is served.  No need for dinner at this point as we have each had six sandwiches and several friend eggs.  We have shared our life’s most intimate stories, have laughed our asses off, taken pictures, and even shared a tear.  Lisa and I have a curfew, much like teenagers, so we hug and kiss Barb and Mindy good-bye then head back to the Albergue not quite staggering but dam close laughing with abandon.  We make it back and all are in bed but us.  Snickering we change in the hall so as not to wake our roommates.  There is no way I’m going to be able to lay down so it is the common room for me.  There we find a seventy four year old man patching up his feet before going to bed.  Lisa is off to bed while I nod off on the couch for a short while.   Finally, I make it to our room for a short night’s sleep.  We share a quiet giggle before slipping off to sleep

Buen Camion!