today is to be long hot flat day. the countryside is largely dry, yet irrigation schemes produce oases. the canal del castilla provides the farmers the necessary water for their maize and spinach. outside the cultivated areas, the landscape resembles desert more and more as we approach sahagun. the stone architecture is gradually replaced by baked brick.

just outside sahagun, we are overtaken by an american on a bicycle carrying his panier bags in his hands, rather than their carriers. he asks us if he is on the right road for sahagun. we answer and he flies past us, looking a strange charecter. he stops beside the <<welcome to sahagun>> sign, props his bike against it, takes a photo of them both, back on bike and off like the wind, bags in hand. strange.

arriving at 13.30 at the shagun campsite, we discover its bar/ restaurant to be doing a roaring trade. we have a drink and relax waiting for the reception to reopen at 17.00. we meet two dutch sisters who also have cycled from holland. we get a place in the quiet end of the campsite, get organised and head into the city in a vain attempt to buy blugaz. we cycle around the town and have tapas and a glass of wine in a bar before heading back to the tent.