Day 18: Snoqualmie Valley Trail: Duvall to Carnation and back

 Highlights:

Today’s target on the real Camino would have had me cover 14.7 miles from Calzadilla de los Hermanillos to Mansilla  de las Mulas where I would have tread remote Roman paths, climbed medieval walls in Mansilla de las Mulas, and enjoyed the freedom of the open roads.

In my Day 18 Camino, I started a new trail:  the Snoqualmie Valley Trail that travels 32 miles from Duvall to North Bend, Washington.  The drive to the trail head was just under 30 minutes and took me through the wooded countryside of Woodinville, where we enjoyed our first six years in the Pacific Northwest.

I exceeded today’s target in order to meet the first major stop on the trail – Carnation.  I walked 8.75 miles south, from Duvall’s McCormick Park, along the Snoqualmie River and through the Stillwater Natural Area to Carnation (where I will start Day 19 tomorrow) and back.

It was a great day.  The warm sun was tempered by a gentle and cool breeze.  Trail views alternated between bracketing forests and open views of expansive farm fields. My old friend Mount Rainier unexpectedly popped up past the fields.  Since moving here, I swear that this mammoth moves to reveal itself in the most surprising places.

The wide open dry fields made me imagine similar views seen in my Camino guidebook and for a while, I was transported to Spain.  On my way back from Carnation, I took shots of the winding river and got permission from a rider of a horse and buggy to take her picture.  I almost wished her a ¡Buen Camino! but then remembered where I was, thanked her, and wished her a good day.

Today’s trail felt like home and I breezed through the walk, feeling less tired and with almost no pain in my feet, than on any other walk so far.  Tomorrow, I will continue from Carnation, hopefully to Snoqualmie.

Take care till then and ¡Buen Camino!








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