Villafranca to Atapuerca It's a wet start to the day up steep hills and through forest tracks. I soon hear my heart thumping with the early morning exertion and I stop as the rain gets heavier to put on waterproof trousers. I am walking with Margita who is an experienced hiker from Oregon and a very serene and spiritual companion. I really enjoy her company. We also meet up with Ed, Carol, and two new Camino friends, Sherry and Alan from Vancouver. The track through the forest is watery an muddy at times after the heavy rainfall but eventually there is a break in the weather as we get to San Juan. The small villages with old churches being restored have populations of less than a hundred and the trade from peregrinos is an important part of the local economies. In the local cafe, we meet up with Aaron from Herfordshire and his young group, which now numbers six different nationalities, all having some great fun on their journey. The place to stay tonight is Atapuerca, near the prehistoric caves where the earliest human remains in Europe from over 900,000 years ago were discovered.