Day 12: Ages to Burgos (James)

Day 12
July 6, 2011
14 miles
178.8 Total

On paper this day looks pretty easy.  It was anything but.  Actually, the hiking wasn't all that difficult.  We had heard from a few that the day was going to be hard, but I figured a lot of it had to do with the fact that we would have to traverse the junky, run down extensions of the modern city of Burgos before reaching our destination.  Physically, there is no difference, but it can be challenging mentally to reach your "destination" and still have two and half hours of walking to do to get to the city center.  The key is to not let your mind wander too far ahead of yourself. Anytime your mind reaches your destination before your body, the pain in your feet tends to magnify, hunger pains tend to become louder and angrier.  Best to just keep your body and mind in accord and accept the fact that you will get there when you get there. Easier said than done.

We were a bit slow getting out of our hostel this morning.  Snoring and a hot room kept a few of us awake longer than we would of liked.  Bree ended up leaving 30 minutes before us.  She has been hampered a bit by shin splints and the the majority of our walk today, mainly on hard, asphalt roads, took a toll.  She could barely move by the time we met up with her at the municipal hostel.  I have had similar issues on a long-distance hike and it was one of the more painful things I have had to endure.  It eventually forced me off the trail so we have to take this seriously.  As soon as we checked in, I took off in search for food and a bag of ice.  Wifi to update the blog was just as difficult to find.  Sometimes the big cities make it hard to find the one thing you need.  It then became necessary to make phone calls home (our phone isn't working), which sent me out in search of a phone card.  Eventually all things were taken care of, but as I sit here typing, I can't help but think our my 14 mile day quickly turned into a 20 mile day.  In fact, our daily mileage only reflects that which was covered along the Camino. We don't count the exploring we do after getting settled in the hostel.  I would conservatively estimate we all walk an extra 2-3 miles each day.  

We now have dilemma of sorts.  Bree's condition won't allow her to keep up with us and stay healthy.  We all know she COULD keep up, because that is just the way Bree is, but it is better if we split for a few days and allow her the space to listen to her own body and make the appropriate decisions on mileage and such.  We will play it by ear, but we have next five days all planned out and when she is ready to rejoin us, she will know where we are.

I had no illusions about a trip of this nature.  There are always things you can't plan for, but few are the obstacles that are too big to get around in order to reach the Atlantic ocean.  And in overcoming each trial we grow a little stronger.  This is no different.  Now it is time to run through the plaza square next to the Catredral in Burgos (quite impressive) and find that one free wifi spot.  Maybe I can get 21 miles for the day:)

James