Leaving Rabanal to climb to the Camino's highest point at La Cruz de Ferro.
El Camino
Camino Thoughts plus Days 20 - 23 - Villamentero De Campos to Calzadilla de la Cueza to Sahagun to Reliegos
Well, my app didn't end up working so well and, as it happened, I got more wrapped up in the walk as it went on, which is a good thing. During the second half of the walk , things began to click for me, despite the fact that my body was ready to reach its destination and began to voice big, loud complaints via my right foot and ankle. All my wretched limbs held together though and I hobbled into Santiago with friends on October 7 after 35 days of walking. I'm home now and just beginning to wrap my head around the experience. Did I dream the whole thing?
I'm sprucing up my sketchbook which I will post, along with some more thoughts on the Camino and some practical things I learned. Despite years of researching this trip, there were still things I hadn't thought out that would've helped me before I left. It just goes to show that each person's Camino is a different animal and despite that, we all have a shared journey. It was a horrible and wonderful trip and that's the only way I can think to describe it. Just like a month and a half of real life, there are good and bad and many in between days. I have to imagine that each is valuable, even if I can't see it yet.
This week, though, I will continue to share some images from the 2nd half of The Way.
Days 6 and 7 - Uterga to Lorca and a rest day in Estella
I am suffering from muchas ampollas. After a hard hot days walk with a lot of pain I stopped in the tiny village of Lorca for the night then hobbled a couple hours the next morning to lovely Estella where I booked a room all to myself for rest and foot care. It's been beautiful scenery though and very nice people around every bend in the road.
This morning I made it to Estella, a short day so I can rest my feet. I e made it about 71 miles. 411 to go! Estella is small but ver picturesque. Perfect place for a break.
Day 4 and 5 - Zubiri to Pamplona to Uterga
Two rough days with blisters beginning to develop but the pain was dulled by the beautiful Navarra region.
Started in St Jean with 482 miles to walk to Santiago. At the end of day five I have 429.5 to go
Day 3 - Roncesvalles to Zubiri
A long long day owing to sore muscles and fatigue from the last couple days. But a beautiful real through woods and farmland at dawn, passing through Burguete, one of Hemingway's favorite towns.
Lessons learned from from the long hot walk into Zubiri in the afternoon:
take shoes and socks off at least once during the walk; use every font to refill water bottles; lots of snacks especially when you start to zone out during the last five km.