I had heard through the grapevine that it was possible to rent a horse at the base of the mountain and ride the 8 kilometers to the top. A friend that had walked before told me the name of the town where to rent the horse. So as I got closer I thought maybe I should call and arrange it but a Spanish man suggested just getting to the town and arranging might be easier than calling. He offered to help when we arrived. I assumed I would stay in the village and start he next day but when I arrived we were told we could wait just one hour and it was no problem for two horses. So we had a bite to eat while he finished preparing for the ride. Soon he came by to tell us we would leave in five minutes. Just as I was putting on my pack I turned and saw a woman I had met a few days before that had also expressed am interest in riding up the mountain. We asked if he could do one more horse and he said “sure, no problem”.
The ride was breathtaking. I was also very thankful it worked out so perfectly. As I saw the climb I knew it was far beyond my skill level. It was the perfect decision.
