Day 18: Hermanillos de la Calzada to Mansilla de las Mulas
15.2 Miles
Total: 281.3 Miles
The flashes of lightning and the subsequent booms of thunder are very close together now. The storm must be right above us. I'm glad we decided to just stay in Mansilla de las Mulas even though we arrived early in the day. We could easily be out there in the thick of it.
Our guidebook described today's walk as a path with "no asphalt roads, no sendas, no bridges, no signposts, no towns, no villages, no farmyards, and no houses.". The book also emphasized "no water" on this 15-mile stretch that largely follows along ancient Roman roads, built 2000 years ago. We were still traveling the "meseta," the tabletop flat landscape featuring miles and miles of wheat and oat fields and virtually nothing else. It has it's own unique beauty, but despite it's relatively even terrain, it has a reputation of being a hellish stage for pilgrims, especially when it gets hot.
We got lucky this year. Temperatures have been mild and on the very day where water does become an issue, we awoke to a storm brewing outside at 4:30 in the morning. The asphalt was still wet as we took our first shaky steps up the road. We could see in every direction lighting crashing and we could hear the low rumble of thunder. It was to be our constant companion throughout the 15-mile hike. It was as if we were walking in the eye of the storm, always threatening, but never quite touching. Because of this, we never really took a break. 15 miles of just one foot in front of the other until we had arrived.
We grabbed a bed, ditched our packs and shoes, and headed back out into the streets for a quick market run before siesta shut down the city. Everyone grabbed a little something to make a cheap lunch using the kitchen facilities we often find at the albergues. That is where we are now. Auna is quite proud of her grilled cheese, Bree made a stir-fry of some much needed vegetables, and Deija is enjoying some "papas fritas," or at least trying to.
More and more pilgrims are arriving now. We can hear them before we see them. Shoes squeaking, ponchos swishing as they fish out their "credenciales" or their pilgrims passport, a little booklet that where we collect stamps everyday to prove we are indeed actually walking this thing. The same storm that entertained us by turning the skies into a artistic fury of colors and flashes of light, was the same storm making misery for them. We have dealt with a few storms of our own these last few days so I think we were deserving of the break.
We are excited for the days to come. We will pass through the large city of Leon tomorrow morning and we will then begin to encounter some hills and mountains again.
Until then....
Buen Camino
James
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Day 17: Moratinos to Calzadilla de Los Hermanillos (Auna)
Day 17: Moratinos to Calzadilla
Miles: 15.3
Total: 266.1 Miles
Two days ago my mom had informed me that my great grandfather has had another seizure and that he was in the hospital living on medication. The doctor said it could be any hour till he passes. I took it very hard, I was really close to my papa, we had a different bond than anyone else. He had been sick for a while now and sadly I was expecting it, we all were. It was always rough going to visit him because each time he grew weaker. I didn't talk to anyone the rest of the night, I found myself drowning in un stoppable tears until something came over me and my body detached itself and I stood up, turned off the shower, got dressed and went outside to take my clothes off the line. I came back up and packed my bag and laid in bed till morning. The next day was rough and I would sometimes bend over in tears on the trail and all day I tried my best to stay strong. By the end of the day I was able to check Facebook and I noticed my cousins status said something along the lines of "R.I.P. Papa Jim" so it was then I figured out he had passed. It's been extremely hard to try and make it through these past couple days but today I realized something...
I noticed how selfish I was acting, I shouldn't be crying because he has moved on to a much better place and his spirit is free. I was lucky enough to have him a part of my life while he was here and my memories with him are always there and can never be taken away. My papa is still here just in a different form, he's in the wind, the sky, the fields of wheat, everywhere. His spirit will never die. Long walks usually can help people think more clearly and I have a couple of weeks of nothing but walking and my mind has been thinking about it non stop and I feel much better. If I was home I would probably still be sobbing but now I am just happy that he suffers no more. All of this got me thinking about other things.
Why do we celebrate birthdays? My birthday is the 15th of this month and I'm not really excited or over joyed. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get that it was the beginning of a new life and that's great and all but if we are going to repeatedly celebrate that special day over every year we might as well celebrate every day as well. You are living everyday so just embrace that fact, every day is a chance to live your life to the fullest. I know people say that a lot but it's different when you really realize it. Don't be afraid to take risks, being scared is half of the fun. All of this thinking began to stretch even wider into even bigger thoughts and everything made sense... It sounded good in my head but I might just sound crazy now.
After all of my thoughts I noticed that I blocked out all the small aches and pains I had and just walked, we were suddenly in the next town. My brain has done my headphones and iPods job! I realized that I had got this whole deep thinking thing down, it had came to me, all at once. As March would say, I have turned all the knobs down low and everything was quiet except for my thoughts. I turned to March with a big grin on my face and excitedly said "Holy !$@$!!! I think I got it!" it was a great feeling.
As the day continued the sun got hotter and it seemed that the trail grew longer. We arrive in the cute town of Calzadilla and we had made a bet earlier; who ever sees Bree first had their ice-cream paid for by the other two. March of course, was ahead and he made his way into town spotting Bree first! So we had ice-cream and settled into our hostel and washed clothes and such. I began to explore this tiny town to see what treasures it holds. I found a pearl, a very tiny pearl inside a very tiny shell. It was at the .. Uh I guess it would be called the local supermarket, it seemed to be inside what should be a living room in someone's home. It had options and a small refrigerated area with a cash register. The man who worked there was the owner as well, I'm guessing. He was fairly short, shorter than I. He was a little husky and very friendly. It made the shopping experience easier as I just point to things. I could tell he was one of those cute little guys who never stopped smiling and that he was perfectly content with himself. Dinner should be the usual sandwich and tonight I shall try to sleep well and feel at peace just like my papa. May he rest in peace and shall never leave my thoughts or heart. Tomorrow should hold another unforgettable memory on the way to our next stop, Mansilla de las .
Auna
Miles: 15.3
Total: 266.1 Miles
Two days ago my mom had informed me that my great grandfather has had another seizure and that he was in the hospital living on medication. The doctor said it could be any hour till he passes. I took it very hard, I was really close to my papa, we had a different bond than anyone else. He had been sick for a while now and sadly I was expecting it, we all were. It was always rough going to visit him because each time he grew weaker. I didn't talk to anyone the rest of the night, I found myself drowning in un stoppable tears until something came over me and my body detached itself and I stood up, turned off the shower, got dressed and went outside to take my clothes off the line. I came back up and packed my bag and laid in bed till morning. The next day was rough and I would sometimes bend over in tears on the trail and all day I tried my best to stay strong. By the end of the day I was able to check Facebook and I noticed my cousins status said something along the lines of "R.I.P. Papa Jim" so it was then I figured out he had passed. It's been extremely hard to try and make it through these past couple days but today I realized something...
I noticed how selfish I was acting, I shouldn't be crying because he has moved on to a much better place and his spirit is free. I was lucky enough to have him a part of my life while he was here and my memories with him are always there and can never be taken away. My papa is still here just in a different form, he's in the wind, the sky, the fields of wheat, everywhere. His spirit will never die. Long walks usually can help people think more clearly and I have a couple of weeks of nothing but walking and my mind has been thinking about it non stop and I feel much better. If I was home I would probably still be sobbing but now I am just happy that he suffers no more. All of this got me thinking about other things.
Why do we celebrate birthdays? My birthday is the 15th of this month and I'm not really excited or over joyed. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get that it was the beginning of a new life and that's great and all but if we are going to repeatedly celebrate that special day over every year we might as well celebrate every day as well. You are living everyday so just embrace that fact, every day is a chance to live your life to the fullest. I know people say that a lot but it's different when you really realize it. Don't be afraid to take risks, being scared is half of the fun. All of this thinking began to stretch even wider into even bigger thoughts and everything made sense... It sounded good in my head but I might just sound crazy now.
After all of my thoughts I noticed that I blocked out all the small aches and pains I had and just walked, we were suddenly in the next town. My brain has done my headphones and iPods job! I realized that I had got this whole deep thinking thing down, it had came to me, all at once. As March would say, I have turned all the knobs down low and everything was quiet except for my thoughts. I turned to March with a big grin on my face and excitedly said "Holy !$@$!!! I think I got it!" it was a great feeling.
As the day continued the sun got hotter and it seemed that the trail grew longer. We arrive in the cute town of Calzadilla and we had made a bet earlier; who ever sees Bree first had their ice-cream paid for by the other two. March of course, was ahead and he made his way into town spotting Bree first! So we had ice-cream and settled into our hostel and washed clothes and such. I began to explore this tiny town to see what treasures it holds. I found a pearl, a very tiny pearl inside a very tiny shell. It was at the .. Uh I guess it would be called the local supermarket, it seemed to be inside what should be a living room in someone's home. It had options and a small refrigerated area with a cash register. The man who worked there was the owner as well, I'm guessing. He was fairly short, shorter than I. He was a little husky and very friendly. It made the shopping experience easier as I just point to things. I could tell he was one of those cute little guys who never stopped smiling and that he was perfectly content with himself. Dinner should be the usual sandwich and tonight I shall try to sleep well and feel at peace just like my papa. May he rest in peace and shall never leave my thoughts or heart. Tomorrow should hold another unforgettable memory on the way to our next stop, Mansilla de las .
Auna
Day 16: Carrion de Los Condes to Moratinos (Deija)
Day 16: Carrion de Los Condes to Moratinos
Miles: 18.6
Total: 250.8 Miles
We woke up a little later than usual today, and ended up leaving at 6:40. Our walking still consists of a mostly dry landscape, and today was no different. Towards the end of our day we passed our Halfway Checkpoint! We were officially halfway done with the Camino! To celebrate, Mr. March bought Auna and I ice-cream, it was delicious, and just the type of break we needed on such a warm day.
About three miles after our checkpoint, we finally arrived to Moratinos, it was a small town, and walking in you saw a lot of old deserted buildings. Towards the middle of town, it began to look actually like a place that some might live in. There was a cute little church, an Alburgue, and then there was Peaceable Kingdom. Peaceable Kingdom is a home owned by Rebekah Scott and Patrick O'Gara (I really hope I spelled that correctly), Rebekah had donated to our trip earlier in the year, and we thought it would be great to visit the people who helped us get to where we are now.
The whole experience was amazing! Patrick is originally from England, so Auna and I were able listen to an English accent. Rebekah is from Pittsburg, PA, and they are the greatest people I have met on the Camino so far. We stayed in their home, it was adorable, and when you first walk in you will notice three dogs, Rosy (the small one), Timothy (medium sized), and Harry. Harry is a very handsome Greyhound, but he is shy, and it takes a little while for him to open up. Now, they have another dog as well, named Lulu, she is also a Greyhound, but she is very afraid of men, and new people in general, so she hid out most of the time. When we did see her though, we noticed immediately how amazingly beautiful she was.
Patrick made us dinner, and it was so delicious! It was a fried rice type of dish, with squash, shrimp, snap peas, soy, and they even had Sriacha to put on it! I was in heaven, it was so great. For desert we had Zuccini bread that Rebekah had made and it was so good. It was so awesome to real food after eating only sandwiches for so long. At least it made their food ten times better. We all pigged out, especially Auna, Mr. March, and I. Thankfully they knew the feeling of hunger pretty well themselves given the fact they both have walked the Camino multiple times. They just laughed and gave us the expression of, "Oh, I know how that feels."
After dinner and desert, Auna and I tried our best to be good house guests and help clean up, but Rebekah had pretty much finished by the time we got started. I'm not saying we didn't help, I'm just saying that she had already been working for a bit by the time we got in there. After cleaning, we all sat down for a bit doing our own things, Paddy and I began a discussion about no subject in particular, but I think it started when I brought up my parents. Auna and Mr. March watched a funny short on the iPad about Introducing the Book, and Rebekah was finishing up our groups laundry. It was so nice to be able to just sit and relax, it felt sort of like home, and I really enjoyed myself.
After a bit, Paddy decided with a small push from Rebekah that he was tired and he should probably get some rest. Soon after, Auna went into the room and started to prep her bag for the next day. I stayed behind with Mr. March and Rebekah. Rebekah was checking on things on her computer while Mr. March made up little tunes on the guitar. I was replying to emails, and started reading a favourite (British spelling for uppity emphasis) book of mine.
A wee bit later Mr. March decided to go to bed, and I chose bed as well soon after. After saying Goodnight to Rebekah, I curled up in a extremely comfortable bed, and slipped into my first night of uninterrupted sleep in a long while.
Thank you so much Rebekah and Paddy! You two were so awesome!
-Deija
Miles: 18.6
Total: 250.8 Miles
We woke up a little later than usual today, and ended up leaving at 6:40. Our walking still consists of a mostly dry landscape, and today was no different. Towards the end of our day we passed our Halfway Checkpoint! We were officially halfway done with the Camino! To celebrate, Mr. March bought Auna and I ice-cream, it was delicious, and just the type of break we needed on such a warm day.
About three miles after our checkpoint, we finally arrived to Moratinos, it was a small town, and walking in you saw a lot of old deserted buildings. Towards the middle of town, it began to look actually like a place that some might live in. There was a cute little church, an Alburgue, and then there was Peaceable Kingdom. Peaceable Kingdom is a home owned by Rebekah Scott and Patrick O'Gara (I really hope I spelled that correctly), Rebekah had donated to our trip earlier in the year, and we thought it would be great to visit the people who helped us get to where we are now.
The whole experience was amazing! Patrick is originally from England, so Auna and I were able listen to an English accent. Rebekah is from Pittsburg, PA, and they are the greatest people I have met on the Camino so far. We stayed in their home, it was adorable, and when you first walk in you will notice three dogs, Rosy (the small one), Timothy (medium sized), and Harry. Harry is a very handsome Greyhound, but he is shy, and it takes a little while for him to open up. Now, they have another dog as well, named Lulu, she is also a Greyhound, but she is very afraid of men, and new people in general, so she hid out most of the time. When we did see her though, we noticed immediately how amazingly beautiful she was.
Patrick made us dinner, and it was so delicious! It was a fried rice type of dish, with squash, shrimp, snap peas, soy, and they even had Sriacha to put on it! I was in heaven, it was so great. For desert we had Zuccini bread that Rebekah had made and it was so good. It was so awesome to real food after eating only sandwiches for so long. At least it made their food ten times better. We all pigged out, especially Auna, Mr. March, and I. Thankfully they knew the feeling of hunger pretty well themselves given the fact they both have walked the Camino multiple times. They just laughed and gave us the expression of, "Oh, I know how that feels."
After dinner and desert, Auna and I tried our best to be good house guests and help clean up, but Rebekah had pretty much finished by the time we got started. I'm not saying we didn't help, I'm just saying that she had already been working for a bit by the time we got in there. After cleaning, we all sat down for a bit doing our own things, Paddy and I began a discussion about no subject in particular, but I think it started when I brought up my parents. Auna and Mr. March watched a funny short on the iPad about Introducing the Book, and Rebekah was finishing up our groups laundry. It was so nice to be able to just sit and relax, it felt sort of like home, and I really enjoyed myself.
After a bit, Paddy decided with a small push from Rebekah that he was tired and he should probably get some rest. Soon after, Auna went into the room and started to prep her bag for the next day. I stayed behind with Mr. March and Rebekah. Rebekah was checking on things on her computer while Mr. March made up little tunes on the guitar. I was replying to emails, and started reading a favourite (British spelling for uppity emphasis) book of mine.
A wee bit later Mr. March decided to go to bed, and I chose bed as well soon after. After saying Goodnight to Rebekah, I curled up in a extremely comfortable bed, and slipped into my first night of uninterrupted sleep in a long while.
Thank you so much Rebekah and Paddy! You two were so awesome!
-Deija
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Day 15: Boadilla de Camino to Carrion de Los Condes (James)
Day 15: Boadilla de Camino to Carrion de Los Condes
16.4 Miles
Total: 232.2 Miles
It seems as though Auna caught the same bug as Bree. While Bree managed to keep the pain in her shin from halting her in her tracks, we now had the same task with Auna. It's tough to deal with shin splints. Ask any distance runner. The problem is that the rest of the body feels great and wants to move, but the legs just simply won't cooperate.
Although she didn't want to, we insisted she walk without her pack today. The Camino continued along the flat Meseta, periodically passing through villages about every three miles or so. We have been quite lucky with the weather out here. Apparently it can get quite hot out here and there is no shade. It even rained a bit this morning.
The plan was to keep Auna's shins from seizing up and give her body a chance to recover. If that meant we only traveled three miles today, so be it. Deija and Bree bounced ahead of Auna and I as we simply walked and paid close attention to how things were feeling. A gorgeous sunrise guided us to ur first stop, Fromista. A quick appraisal of our situation and Auna's legs gave us the confidence to go another three miles to the next town. Once again, things seemed ok and we made for the next town. This lasted all day and we eventually made it to Carrion de Los Condes, our original destination for the day before Auna's legs started to hurt. On top of that, we kept her legs from getting too bad and we remained in good spirits throughout.
We are currently staying at a place called Espirtu Santo. It is an albergue run by nuns and it is quite nice. No bunk beds, which is a welcome change. We were able to get some ice on Auna's shins, and she is already feeling a lot better. Tomorrow we hope to stay in Moratinos, a small village where a woman who helped fund Auna and Deija's backpacks runs an albergue. We hope to say thank you in person.
Tomorrow is also significant in that we will officially be halfway done. Sorry we have been late on our blog posts. Free wi-fi is tough to find in a lot of these villages. Even the bigger cities require a bit of searching.
Buen Camino
James
16.4 Miles
Total: 232.2 Miles
It seems as though Auna caught the same bug as Bree. While Bree managed to keep the pain in her shin from halting her in her tracks, we now had the same task with Auna. It's tough to deal with shin splints. Ask any distance runner. The problem is that the rest of the body feels great and wants to move, but the legs just simply won't cooperate.
Although she didn't want to, we insisted she walk without her pack today. The Camino continued along the flat Meseta, periodically passing through villages about every three miles or so. We have been quite lucky with the weather out here. Apparently it can get quite hot out here and there is no shade. It even rained a bit this morning.
The plan was to keep Auna's shins from seizing up and give her body a chance to recover. If that meant we only traveled three miles today, so be it. Deija and Bree bounced ahead of Auna and I as we simply walked and paid close attention to how things were feeling. A gorgeous sunrise guided us to ur first stop, Fromista. A quick appraisal of our situation and Auna's legs gave us the confidence to go another three miles to the next town. Once again, things seemed ok and we made for the next town. This lasted all day and we eventually made it to Carrion de Los Condes, our original destination for the day before Auna's legs started to hurt. On top of that, we kept her legs from getting too bad and we remained in good spirits throughout.
We are currently staying at a place called Espirtu Santo. It is an albergue run by nuns and it is quite nice. No bunk beds, which is a welcome change. We were able to get some ice on Auna's shins, and she is already feeling a lot better. Tomorrow we hope to stay in Moratinos, a small village where a woman who helped fund Auna and Deija's backpacks runs an albergue. We hope to say thank you in person.
Tomorrow is also significant in that we will officially be halfway done. Sorry we have been late on our blog posts. Free wi-fi is tough to find in a lot of these villages. Even the bigger cities require a bit of searching.
Buen Camino
James
Day 14: Hontanas to Boadila de Camino (Auna)
Day 14: Hontanas to Bodilla del Camino
18.4 Miles
Total: 215.8
When I woke up this morning all of the bunk beds were empty except for our beds, we slept in (: we walked a little further than most people yesterday so we could spare some time to sleep in. The fresh cold air woke me up as we were walking and I was having a good day so far...
March and I get to the next town and see Bree stretching (she left earlier in the morning) and they wanted to find a supermarket to get bread and such things so as they went off trail. I took a map book and waited for Deija at a Café on the trail. The sign in front said "Best Coffee on El Camino", of course I had to get some! A little later Deija showed up and I recommended their coffee to her, she got some and we rested a little bit. We take off with a map book in my hand and plans of a good day. Deija and I talk along the trail and we get to the bridge at the bottom of the mountain which was where March and I had planned to meet, sure enough he was there. We climb up the mountain and the views from up top are lovely. Every day I am still shocked by the beauty this world has, most of it is undiscovered.
Deija and I stroll upon an old pilgrim hospital and we take a peek inside and get our credentials stamped. There is kind of a competition between us all to see who can get the most stamps, you get them at hostels you say in and sometimes churches and pilgrim restraunts or occasionally random places. So far Bree is in the lead! As we leave this hospital I stop and massage my leg, I felt this sharp pain in my shin. I left it alone and as we entered the next town Bree and March are sitting at a table, we sit and eat lunch. I tell them about my pain and Bree pulls out some stuff I can rub on my leg, like icy hot. Just the other day Bree had horrible pains in her shin which caused her to stay very far behind yesterday. I didn't think much of my pain but it got slightly worse. March insisted on taking my backpack so it was easier for me and Bree pushed her walking sticks to me. I refused all of this, I had too much pride and I just planned to walk it off. They said that it could get worse and I began limping so I shoved my backpack to March and snatched Brees walking sticks, I was very pissed off. Soon it did get worse, as they said, and my limp became a drag and my talk became cursing. My mind wanted to walk fast and go my normal pace but my body just wouldn't let, I got so angry with myself. They kept telling me to slow down and take it easy, that bothered me more, I just kept snapping back saying I was fine. The pain became unbearable, I would stop bent over in pain and I was walking a snails pace. What happened to Bree yesterday was happening to me... She said I had a really bad case of shin splints. My leg felt like it was broken and I felt like I was becoming unable to keep going. People would pass and ask if they could help, I was offered walking sticks from kind pilgrims and one biker stopped and came me more ointment stuff that would relax my muscle but it just kept getting worse. With my combination of pain and furious anger at myself it became a few tears rolling down my cheeks. By this time Bree had told me she knew what kind of pain I was in and she offered to carry me on her back until the next city. I refused again, I came to walk the Camino and that's exactly what I plan on doing. She was telling me how if I keep on walking on it that I may not be able to walk as far for the next couple days and she handed Deija her backpack and picked me up. I'm sure we looked ridiculous walking on the trail, there was Deija with a big backpack on her stomach and an even bigger one on her back, then there was Bree packing me along like a child... A very big, heavy child. We would take breaks and after a while I couldn't walk on our breaks. One man was walking by wanting to help and we asked him to tell March the situation and to send him back. After a while we see him coming back on the trail. By this time I was the maddest I had been the whole trip, I didn't want to be on Bree's back, I wanted to walk without walking sticks and I wanted my backpack back! I complained the whole time and my pride wouldn't let me be happy with it. March tells me to hop on his back because Bree was tired and I refused but once again they insisted because it can cause serious problems. I hopped on and we went quite a long ways but my legs became sore from all the piggy backs rides so we took a break. I told them that I WILL be WALKING into town, I shall not be carried. It was embarrassing. I walked into town, slowly and cursing most of the way but surely I did it.
As I arrive to the hostel and take a quick shower I am soon told to lay down and elevate my leg. March set it up and put an iced water bottle next to my leg and he hands me my book and sets his iPod next to me and says "When it's 1:43 you should get up and put your leg into the pool" I sat there miserably. I read my book, 'Into the Wild', which is great by the way and soon fell asleep. I woke up and hobbled to the pool, this was a very nice albergue. I think the nicest one yet. I feel better and Deija and I have a tuna fish sandwich with tomato and cheese for dinner, it was just what I needed. As I come back from dinner I am told to lay down and write for today's blog, here I am, laying down with my leg elevated and typing on the iPad. Today was bull. I'm not looking forward to tomorrows walk, we'll see how far we get.
18.4 Miles
Total: 215.8
When I woke up this morning all of the bunk beds were empty except for our beds, we slept in (: we walked a little further than most people yesterday so we could spare some time to sleep in. The fresh cold air woke me up as we were walking and I was having a good day so far...
March and I get to the next town and see Bree stretching (she left earlier in the morning) and they wanted to find a supermarket to get bread and such things so as they went off trail. I took a map book and waited for Deija at a Café on the trail. The sign in front said "Best Coffee on El Camino", of course I had to get some! A little later Deija showed up and I recommended their coffee to her, she got some and we rested a little bit. We take off with a map book in my hand and plans of a good day. Deija and I talk along the trail and we get to the bridge at the bottom of the mountain which was where March and I had planned to meet, sure enough he was there. We climb up the mountain and the views from up top are lovely. Every day I am still shocked by the beauty this world has, most of it is undiscovered.
Deija and I stroll upon an old pilgrim hospital and we take a peek inside and get our credentials stamped. There is kind of a competition between us all to see who can get the most stamps, you get them at hostels you say in and sometimes churches and pilgrim restraunts or occasionally random places. So far Bree is in the lead! As we leave this hospital I stop and massage my leg, I felt this sharp pain in my shin. I left it alone and as we entered the next town Bree and March are sitting at a table, we sit and eat lunch. I tell them about my pain and Bree pulls out some stuff I can rub on my leg, like icy hot. Just the other day Bree had horrible pains in her shin which caused her to stay very far behind yesterday. I didn't think much of my pain but it got slightly worse. March insisted on taking my backpack so it was easier for me and Bree pushed her walking sticks to me. I refused all of this, I had too much pride and I just planned to walk it off. They said that it could get worse and I began limping so I shoved my backpack to March and snatched Brees walking sticks, I was very pissed off. Soon it did get worse, as they said, and my limp became a drag and my talk became cursing. My mind wanted to walk fast and go my normal pace but my body just wouldn't let, I got so angry with myself. They kept telling me to slow down and take it easy, that bothered me more, I just kept snapping back saying I was fine. The pain became unbearable, I would stop bent over in pain and I was walking a snails pace. What happened to Bree yesterday was happening to me... She said I had a really bad case of shin splints. My leg felt like it was broken and I felt like I was becoming unable to keep going. People would pass and ask if they could help, I was offered walking sticks from kind pilgrims and one biker stopped and came me more ointment stuff that would relax my muscle but it just kept getting worse. With my combination of pain and furious anger at myself it became a few tears rolling down my cheeks. By this time Bree had told me she knew what kind of pain I was in and she offered to carry me on her back until the next city. I refused again, I came to walk the Camino and that's exactly what I plan on doing. She was telling me how if I keep on walking on it that I may not be able to walk as far for the next couple days and she handed Deija her backpack and picked me up. I'm sure we looked ridiculous walking on the trail, there was Deija with a big backpack on her stomach and an even bigger one on her back, then there was Bree packing me along like a child... A very big, heavy child. We would take breaks and after a while I couldn't walk on our breaks. One man was walking by wanting to help and we asked him to tell March the situation and to send him back. After a while we see him coming back on the trail. By this time I was the maddest I had been the whole trip, I didn't want to be on Bree's back, I wanted to walk without walking sticks and I wanted my backpack back! I complained the whole time and my pride wouldn't let me be happy with it. March tells me to hop on his back because Bree was tired and I refused but once again they insisted because it can cause serious problems. I hopped on and we went quite a long ways but my legs became sore from all the piggy backs rides so we took a break. I told them that I WILL be WALKING into town, I shall not be carried. It was embarrassing. I walked into town, slowly and cursing most of the way but surely I did it.
As I arrive to the hostel and take a quick shower I am soon told to lay down and elevate my leg. March set it up and put an iced water bottle next to my leg and he hands me my book and sets his iPod next to me and says "When it's 1:43 you should get up and put your leg into the pool" I sat there miserably. I read my book, 'Into the Wild', which is great by the way and soon fell asleep. I woke up and hobbled to the pool, this was a very nice albergue. I think the nicest one yet. I feel better and Deija and I have a tuna fish sandwich with tomato and cheese for dinner, it was just what I needed. As I come back from dinner I am told to lay down and write for today's blog, here I am, laying down with my leg elevated and typing on the iPad. Today was bull. I'm not looking forward to tomorrows walk, we'll see how far we get.
Day 13: Burgos to Hontanas (Deija)
Day 13: Burgos to Hontanas
19 Miles
Total: 197.4 miles
Today started off pretty well, other than the fact that we pretty much ditched Bree in the town we slept in, we were off to a great start. The walk was plain, yet beautiful, today was the beginning of a dry patch that is supposed to last until we reach Leon, however long that may take. There were butterflies everywhere along the path, and Auna and I took many pictures... At one point we were even on our knees on the path trying to aid one of the distressed insects. The sea of wheat surrounding us was amazing, especially when one red flower would sit on its lonesome in the middle of the field.
I was angered at one point because throughout all this beauty, we had yet to see something ruin it so effortlessly. As we walked up a hill, one, a single, plastic bag was picked up off the ground and flew over our heads, covering our view for just a split second, but changing our perspective on things a bit. How could one plastic bag destroy so much? One plastic bag in the middle of nature, we are nowhere near WalMarts, malls, towns larger than 100 people, and yet, this disgusting sign of human life is there, literally flying over our heads.
Off topic, sorry...
So, Bree's right leg has been bugging her, so she was slower today, and we all decided that we would go at our normal paces and just wait for her in the next town. This part of the plan fell through, Auna and I went ahead, stopping and waiting in the next town for about 15 minutes, but no one ever showed, we then continued on to the next one, waited about a half an hour, continued, then stopped and had what one would call brunch. After waiting a while, using the bathroom, and filling up our bottles, we continued. We arrived at or destination (Hontanas) at around 1:15, and sat in a small picnic area to pass the time until Mr. March and Bree arrived. However, Mr. March appeared fifteen minutes later alone, Bree was in the previous town, and it wasn't a very long walk to Hontanas from there, she was resting. We checked into our Albergue, got settled and Auna and I went back up to the picnic area which had a view to entrance of the city.
We saw Bree coming and went to meet her, getting checked into the Alburgue as well, and then Auna, Bree and I went swimming! Some kids younger than us came up to us in our room and told us to follow them to the swimming pool, Auna did, and she brought back good news of cleanliness, cheapness, and ice-cream. I was a little hesitant at first but after a little persuading, Auna, Bree, and I were on our way to enjoy some sun that didn't involve walking nineteen miles.
The pool was great, I ended up falling asleep in a floating raft and getting sunburnt slightly on the backs of my calves, not too bad thankfully. But if that is the worst that happens on this trip I will be a very happy sixteen year old.
When we returned from our swim, Auna and I made what we ended up calling grilled cheese sandwiches, but was really microwaved ham and cheese sandwiches. We ordered two freshly squeezed orange juices from the cafe, and sat and drank whilst being in the sun. It was very nice. Later on that evening a man brought out his guitar and started playing American songs, even though he spoke no English. He could pick up a tune quite quickly and soon became a favorite in the group of forty or so that were gathered around. When the man didn't know the words to the song he would just hum or mumble, and it was hilarious to watch a man, who doesn't speak the language, mumble on words and slur them together to make the tune go on. It was really awesome, and at one point we went around in a circle and sang a song from our own country. Swedish, American, Spanish, Italian, Mexican, Belgian, French, and even a Dutch song were sang, and it was extremely amusing. After the song, and some dance, most of us went to bed, we all need our beauty sleep for tomorrow! It's going to be another long day.
-Deija
19 Miles
Total: 197.4 miles
Today started off pretty well, other than the fact that we pretty much ditched Bree in the town we slept in, we were off to a great start. The walk was plain, yet beautiful, today was the beginning of a dry patch that is supposed to last until we reach Leon, however long that may take. There were butterflies everywhere along the path, and Auna and I took many pictures... At one point we were even on our knees on the path trying to aid one of the distressed insects. The sea of wheat surrounding us was amazing, especially when one red flower would sit on its lonesome in the middle of the field.
I was angered at one point because throughout all this beauty, we had yet to see something ruin it so effortlessly. As we walked up a hill, one, a single, plastic bag was picked up off the ground and flew over our heads, covering our view for just a split second, but changing our perspective on things a bit. How could one plastic bag destroy so much? One plastic bag in the middle of nature, we are nowhere near WalMarts, malls, towns larger than 100 people, and yet, this disgusting sign of human life is there, literally flying over our heads.
Off topic, sorry...
So, Bree's right leg has been bugging her, so she was slower today, and we all decided that we would go at our normal paces and just wait for her in the next town. This part of the plan fell through, Auna and I went ahead, stopping and waiting in the next town for about 15 minutes, but no one ever showed, we then continued on to the next one, waited about a half an hour, continued, then stopped and had what one would call brunch. After waiting a while, using the bathroom, and filling up our bottles, we continued. We arrived at or destination (Hontanas) at around 1:15, and sat in a small picnic area to pass the time until Mr. March and Bree arrived. However, Mr. March appeared fifteen minutes later alone, Bree was in the previous town, and it wasn't a very long walk to Hontanas from there, she was resting. We checked into our Albergue, got settled and Auna and I went back up to the picnic area which had a view to entrance of the city.
We saw Bree coming and went to meet her, getting checked into the Alburgue as well, and then Auna, Bree and I went swimming! Some kids younger than us came up to us in our room and told us to follow them to the swimming pool, Auna did, and she brought back good news of cleanliness, cheapness, and ice-cream. I was a little hesitant at first but after a little persuading, Auna, Bree, and I were on our way to enjoy some sun that didn't involve walking nineteen miles.
The pool was great, I ended up falling asleep in a floating raft and getting sunburnt slightly on the backs of my calves, not too bad thankfully. But if that is the worst that happens on this trip I will be a very happy sixteen year old.
When we returned from our swim, Auna and I made what we ended up calling grilled cheese sandwiches, but was really microwaved ham and cheese sandwiches. We ordered two freshly squeezed orange juices from the cafe, and sat and drank whilst being in the sun. It was very nice. Later on that evening a man brought out his guitar and started playing American songs, even though he spoke no English. He could pick up a tune quite quickly and soon became a favorite in the group of forty or so that were gathered around. When the man didn't know the words to the song he would just hum or mumble, and it was hilarious to watch a man, who doesn't speak the language, mumble on words and slur them together to make the tune go on. It was really awesome, and at one point we went around in a circle and sang a song from our own country. Swedish, American, Spanish, Italian, Mexican, Belgian, French, and even a Dutch song were sang, and it was extremely amusing. After the song, and some dance, most of us went to bed, we all need our beauty sleep for tomorrow! It's going to be another long day.
-Deija
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
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
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
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