My Camino withdrawal .... How can you miss walking 15 miles a day?

The question is for most people silly. Miss walking 15 miles a day? Who has the time to walk for five or six hours everyday? Not many of us. It's also true that if you do it everyday you would need more than six hours. Weather, hills , fatigue and more all play into the daily walk of 15 or more miles. 

I walked 14 miles today on my old training route without my backpack and the added 22 pounds and it was very different. Today the weather was perfect down along the beach to San Clemente. No hills, no weather to deal with and no weight. 

I took along a small snack and a bottle of water. No need to be concerned about the water because I can just stop at any number of gas stations or convenience stores along the way and buy whatever I need. Not exactly like The Camino. 

The biggest difference was the lack of solitude. Traffic, trains along the beach, people on bikes , construction crews and the occasional  police car or ambulance with its lights blinking and sirens blaring just don't remind me of The Camino. 

I miss the solitude. The long walks in a strange place with endless views all without any unnatural sounds is tough to reproduce. 

I was with Robin last week with friends at a birthday party when I was asked what I missed most about the journey. It made me think and I now know what it is ....  It's the solitude. That rare commodity we all just don't focus on .... The peace and quite to just be alone to think and reflect. I miss that. 

When I tried to answer the question it caused me to remember someting I did on The Camino which I did not write in my daily post. Not sure why I did not include it. Perhaps I just didn't think much of it at the time but I do now. 

I was walking alone, it was a beautiful day and the trail was flat and in good condition. I could see forever in all directions . I stopped in the middle of the trail and took off my backpack and sat on a rock on the side of the trail. I had a snack and drank some water but my focus was simply to just look around me for as far as I could see and focus on just how special this place was and that I was one of a relatively small number of people who had the opportunity to experience this. Completely quiet, not a soul in any direction, I was alone. But I was wrong.

Out of no where a young Spaniard walked up to me. He just seemed to suddenly be there. I had sat there for a short time and I had focused on just taking it all in and being alone so I somehow just never saw him behind me on the trail. He walked up to where I was and simply said " hola, Buen Camino". I returned the favor.

He stopped , removed his backpack and sat on a nearby rock. He drank a little water and said to me just this ..."beautiful". I just shook my head. He then took out his pack of Spanish size Marlboros and lit one. He then offered me one and I took it not wanting to offend him. We sat there smoking our little Marlboro's without saying another word. 

He finished his Marlboro, put on his backpack and once again said  " Buen Camino " and he left. I never saw him again . That's what I miss about The Camino. The solitude, the occasional surprise and the knowledge that once I put on my backpack again I would be one step closer to my next surprise. I can't find that walking 14 miles to and from San Clemente. 

I'm not complaing  about living here . There are a lot of people who would love to live here. Soon when winter wraps its cold arms around people back east there will be a lot more who might want to take a walk with me to San Clemente even if it's a bit noisey .

I know there is more to write. I just need to find the motivation.