Day 29

Day 29 begins the section of the Camino which takes me to Sarria where the Camino traffic jam begins. If you walk five hundred miles or 72 you will be granted the Compestella for walking the Camino. When you reach Santiago you go to the Pilgrims office where you will preset your Credential which has been stamped and dated by a variety of establishments indicating that you were at that location along the Camino. One stamp is required each day if you begin your walk prior to Sarria. If you start at Sarria, 72 miles from Santiago, you need to have your credential stamped at least twice each day to be granted the Compestella. The result is that it gets a bit crowded from Sarria to Santiago with pilgrims wanting a Compestella but not wanting to walk any longer than needed. Nearly every establishment on the way to Santiago offers a stamp. Hotels, churches, Albergues, restaurants and others make the stamp available in order to attract customers. I will typically get my credential stamped three or more times everyday. The stamps are all different and some quite interesting.

As a result of the increased crowds on the Camino it gets busy everywhere. Pat is joining me in Sarria to walk the final 72 miles but because it was not planned until a short time ago Pat is having great difficulty in finding a place to stay here in Sarria... most are sold out. I am one day away from Sarria and as I write this Pat does not yet have a room. We are working on a plan. The Compestella is not a real issue for Pat because he already has two but if he starts in Sarria he would be eligible so why not start there.

The question of the credential’s creditably being stamped often comes up. Take today for example. I wrote about the bus load of Americans who walked off a bus and into a restaurant and while there they had their credential stamped as if they had walked to that location. How many Compestellas are issued to bogus pilgrims is a mystery but I bet it’s a significant number.

I am back in my room at the Casa David at 6:45. Nothing to do here. I did walk to another part of the village to find a WiFi that works. The Casa David is having WiFi issues. Most bars and cafes have WiFi so it won’t be hard to find a working WiFi location. I do find a cafe with WiFi and decide to also have dinner ... ensalada mixta and then back to Casa David. Without WiFi there is not much to do. It’s early and as tired as I am I’m not ready ready to sleep. The good news is I’m off my feet and much to my surprise there is an English language channel which is “ How do they do it?” which is about major engineering projects like the widening of the Panama Canal. It's the only option other than to read the guide book.

So I’m in bed early and struggling to sleep. I’m once again awake at 4:00 and hopelessly unable to sleep. I’m back on the how do they do it channel. Long story short I’m on my way to get coffee at 7:00 down the street because they have WiFi there. I’m back at Casa David and then on my way to the Camino. Today will be the shortest walk on my schedule, about eleven miles with only one hill to deal with. The hill is long and continues to take you up and does get your attention because it’s at the very start of the day. My lungs are just feeling the stress because they have not yet warmed up. In the eleven miles to a Sarria I stop just once for a Coke Zero and arrive in Sarria at 1:30. I have made good time. Sarria is one of the larger cities on the Camino and that means it's a bit more difficult to find your hotel. I manage but it takes me almost thirty minutes to find it. Once there I check in and take care of the usual chores. 

Gary and Margot are also here and I see Garybin the lobby when in walks Pat. Pat meets Gary and we discuss dinner. My real focus is that Pat still does not yet have a room. He is booked after today in the same villages as I am but not yet here in Sarria. The front desk people are making calls trying to find a place and finally find a hotel about ten miles back toward my last stop but that’s fine. Pat is now set and we take a walk to the Canino shop where I hope to find a shirt I can wear in Santiago and then home. The two white shirts I have been rotating daily are near the end of their service and I need at least one replacement. I find a shirt, so we return and then head to dinner with Gary, Margot, Don, Candy and a new arrival, Shelly from Seattle. Gary has found a restaurant and it turns out to be very good. 

The night comes to an end and we walk a short distance to the hotel where Pat has parked his car. Pat will drive to his hotel, spend the night and then drive back to my hotel, park his car and we will walk the 14 miles to Portomarin. Once there, Pat will take a taxi back, get his car, drive back to Portomarin and repeat the process until we reach Santiago in five days. Tomorrow will be T Day as in SANTIAGO. I’m looking forward to it. 

Good night. Buen Camino. 

Miles today: 11.6

Miles to date: 434.7

Steps today: 33,105

Steps to date: 1,028,706

Flights to date: 837

Total donations to date: $34,950.40

Day 28

Today I will be walking to Triacastela which is about 13 miles away. Nothing like yesterday, mostly downhill leaving yesterday’s mountain behind. There is one other pilgrim I forgot to mention. When I had dinner with Pat in Astorga I was telling him about her. I don’t know her name or anything about her but she is different. I am walking on a straight stretch of trail when I look ahead and there is a women dressed in black, large hat walking with poles marching toward me. A few minutes go by and I’m really confused because I’m not getting any closer to her and she’s not getting any closer to me ... she is walking backwards. It took a few minutes for me to figure it out. I couldn’t tell if I was coming or going! I have not seen her since. Strange.

Today’s walk puts me within six days of completing the Camino. There isn't much to write about today. I didn’t lose anything, it didn’t rain but I did cover the 12 miles pretty quickly. Lots of cows and cow related traffic jams. I did see a bus load of American women get out of the bus after avoiding the only real hill challenge which ends at a restaurant at the top. They all lined up inside to have their credential stamped. Pathetic. I took their picture with the bus.

I have a nice little room in the Casa David. I stayed here once before. Nice people with a clothes line out back. Strange how you change your perspective on the Camino. Gone is the focus on room service, a minibar, turndown service, cable tv, movie channels, elevators, concierge, a bellman, air conditioning, real pillows and so much more. I’m now focused on the availability of a clothes line.

Tomorrow is Day 28. SAN Day. Off to Sarria a distance of 12 or 16 miles ... there are two routes. One route is shorter by 4 miles but avoids the steep climb up the Alto Riocabo. I’m going to climb the hill and go 4 miles less. 

Good night. Buen Camino.

Miles today: 12.2

Miles to date: 423.1

Steps today : 31,308

Steps to date: 997,398

Flights to date: 810
Total donations to date: $34,950.40

Day 27 ... S Day

Before I go into the S Day I’ll wrap up Day 26. After eating early and purposely getting to bed early because Day 27 will be very difficult and the bedding is so good I find myself in bed and asleep by 9:30. Perfect. Well almost. At 12:15 the phone in my room starts ringing and I mean really ringing. It shocks me out of the sleep I was hoping to get and I’m sitting up in a completely dark room, I can’t find a light switch and I can’t find the phone in spite of the noise. I finally find it and it’s the Hotel manager calling to ask if he can come to my room to check on a problem. My shower is leaking to the lobby level. Yes. What else can I say? He comes to my room and shuts off the water to the shower and leaves. There goes my great nights sleep. I get back to sleep shortly after the plumbing problem is solved and wake up at 7:00.

I go through my morning routine of coffee, stretching and packing and I’m out the door at 8:15. As soon as I step outside I’m immediately struck by the temperature. It’s chilly ... actually cold. I walk out of the village and over the last bridge and decide to unpack my rain jacket. As I’m going through the process of getting my jacket out I also decide that the bridge might be a good first photo but there is just one problem ... my phone is missing. I’m now on my way back to the hotel a bit panicked but somewhat sure it’s there. Thankfully I’ve only gone a short distance or as Big John from Arizona would say, just another detour. 

I’m back at the hotel and yes I left it in the room. It’s now 8:50 and once again I start Day 27.

I’m taking the road route for the first eight miles and that will be flat and easy before I reach the dreadful hill at about the eleven mile point. I cover the first seven miles pretty quickly before I take my first break. I’m trying to walk as far as I can in the cooler temperatures. I take a break, have a little something to eat and I’m back on the Camino. I don’t see many of the familiar faces but I do meet a new interesting Pilgrim. His name is Lon, he’s from Switzerland. He strikes up a conversation with me as he is about to pass me. I’ve given him the name Cinco because this is his fifth Camino, all from St. John. He brings up the walk to the Cruz and is of the opinion that it’s the hardest day. Given the fact that he’s faster than I am and it’s his fifth Camino I can’t argue that. He wishes me Buen Camino and off he goes. I’m sure he’s older than me. I wish I had asked.

As I approach what is the last village before you start the climb I stop at a little stand owned by a young women who offers freshly made as you wait fruit drinks. I order the banana, melon and blackberry combo with ice. Great last stop. I’m back on the Camino and I see ahead a taxi loading four young Americans. I’ve seen them before but never met them. They tend to only talk to people who are within a year or two of their age. As I walk past them about to face the hill one of the young girls sees me and turns away I believe out of embarrassment that they are about to skip the hill by way of taxi while this old guy carrying his backpack is going to do it. Interesting.

The hill proves to be just as hard as I thought and remembered it to be. Just an endless climb with so many false tops. You reach a turn and think this is it and then you look ahead up the hill and you see that your not at all close to the top. While making the climb I am confronted by a herd of cows heading down the Camino at exactly the same place as on my first Camino. I mean exactly. I take refuge from the herd in exactly the same place and take a video. I have the same video from five years ago. I sent it to a few people at the end of the day. Finally after seven and a half hours I reach the top. I find my hotel. I have stayed here before. It’s a dump. I don’t care I just want to sit down.

Once all of the days chores are complete I walk to the end of the village to have dinner. I’m hungry so I pass of the ensalada mixta and have the chicken. Just what I need. While I’m eating at the bar Billy, from Tio Pepe, the twenty year old really shy kid comes over to me and says hello. That’s a nice surprise. We talk about today. I tell him he looks good and it seems he is happy about his new confidence. Terrific, I wish him well and head back to my Hotel. It is 7:30 and I’m in bed as I’m writing this. Tomorrow is SA Day. Going to do my best to get a full night’s uninterrupted sleep! 

Good night. Buen Camino.

Miles today: 16.2

Miles to date: 410.9

Steps today: 43,802

Steps to date: 966,090

Flights to date: 773

Total donations to date: $34,700.40

Day 26. A very long, hot day

Today, Day 26 was a very long day. It was hot and the sun was blazing at times when there was no shade for miles. Total miles today 19.1 This is one of the longest days in terms of miles but thankfully the terrain was manageable. 

The march into Molinaseca yesterday was much more difficult, even at the shorter distance. No contest. I met up with Don and Candy today about three miles in and we all agreed that yesterday was one of the three toughest days ... Day 27 tomorrow will also be one of the toughest three. It’s much harder because it follows a 19 mile day and it’s Day 27 so, you're a bit worn out and tired. 

I ended last night early after having dinner with Gary and Margot. My schedule is different from theirs, they will walk a shorter distance than I did today and then a longer day on Saturday. The benefit is that instead of walking 18 miles tomorrow including the very difficult last four miles up the rock covered hill to O’Cebreiro. They will stop six miles short and then go over the O’Cebreiro hill the next day. They will then walk to a village about ten miles past the hill. Confused? Me too, and I’m writing this. 

I left the village this morning at 8:30. I walked into Villafranca del Bierzo at exactly 4:15. I estimate that I took breaks which totaled about an hour and a half which means I covered the 19.1 miles in about six and a half hours. Not bad. The day would have been over 20 miles but at the last option I decided to take the road route and cut about a mile and a half off the total. A mile and a half less is great but the option of walking for about three miles in the blazing sun with one foot on and one foot off the road was not a good idea. The road is narrow and the trucks and buses are just flying past you. There is no room to go anywhere and it was hot... very hot. 

There was a nice bonus on arrival. My hostel is very nice, very quiet and they will do my laundry for six Euro. The room is small but a nice surprise is that the bedding is great, unlike most of the places I have stayed in where the thread count is normally about ten and the pillows are the size of marshmallows. I just returned from the plaza after having another ensalada mixta and I’m tired and looking forward to a comfortable bed before the very tough Day 27.

Tomorrow is in my opinion the hardest day on the Camino. Long and difficult up hill climb for the last four or five miles with lots of rocks. I consider it the final exam. You make it to O’Cebreioro and you have passed. You may not yet be finished but get past this day I think you will be going to the graduation in Santiago. By the way, tomorrow Day 27 is S day. There are eight letters in SANTIAGO which is how many days I left to complete the Camino ... so tomorrow is S day.

Good night . Buen Camino.

Miles today: 19.2 

Miles to date: 396.7

Steps today: 49,052

Total steps to date: 922,288

Total flights to date: 672
Total donations to date: $34,700.40

Day 25. A very rough day

Up and having coffee with Pat before he heads back to Porto. He will be back on Saturday and walk with me to Santiago starting next Sunday from Sarria. I knew that today would be difficult but I forgot just how hard it would be. I’m on the Camino at 9:00 heading for the Cruz de Ferro, all up hill for three miles. The guide book has it as the highest point on the Camino and as the heat increases it sure feels like it. The walk up to the Cruz is only a fraction of how difficult the climb down is. More than four miles of a very steep hill completely covered in stones of all shapes and sizes most of them lose which increases the risk of turning an ankle. I did not bother to attempt to keep track of the number of near misses I had today but there were quite a few. Pace and focus are really critical. This in my opinion is the third toughest day. The toughest is still yet to come in a couple of days.

At the one mile mark into the stone ramp there are about a dozen pilgrims really struggling to get down the hill. They are sitting on the side of the Camino trying to figure it out. What they don’t know is that the hardest part is another mile away. I pass one couple who are really having a tough time but there is nothing anyone can do for them ... they don’t have an option at this point. I passed everyone in front of me and for four hours no one has passed me.

At the bottom of this nasty hill is a small village and as you enter the village there is a patio with tables, chairs and umbrellas. It’s always pretty full because if you make it down the hill you want to sit, drink and eat something. Off with the backpack, I have sweat through everything, completely. I sit at one of the tables and there is a menu on it. A waitress stands over me, remember I have been at this table for about one minute and in an accent that sounds like she is from Brooklyn New York she says “are you going to order anything?” With her tone and attitude I just stand up grab my backpack and said “no” and just walked away. I walk about a hundred yards and go into a little cafe. Inside it’s really nice and I’m greeted by the bartender as I drop everything and sit at a table. He comes to the table with a really cold glass of water and leaves a menu. That’s more like it. I order the local vegetable soup and a small draft beer. The soup is terrific and I end up taking the longest break I have ever taken on any Camino, about 45 minutes. Perfect.

I leave the little cafe and now have about four and a half miles to go before I reach today’s destination, Molinaseca. The final four and a half miles still have lots of rocks but the hill is not as steep. I find my hotel and take care of the usual chores and I am now sitting downstairs having a glass of wine while I write this. I got a text from Margot about dinner. I am meeting them with Don and Candy at seven at Casa Roman. I did see Don and Candy at the Cruze as I was getting ready to get back on the Camino they were just arriving. We chatted, they took my picture and then I moved on. 

So now about the Cruz de Ferro. It’s a holy place, spiritual for those who want it to be. People, many people, bring with them something to leave at the Cruze which is symbolic for them. Often it’s a stone with a name on it. It could be someone who has passed away, someone who is struggling with an illness or any type of challenge. I am carrying several items for a number of friends. One is a very small red heart for Sharel and Andrew to leave at the Cruze to ask for a blessing for their wedding which is in a few short weeks. Another is for my sister Sue who passed away 17 years ago. One is for Robin ... I’m asking Him to cure her of her terrible migraines. There is also a half of a stone for a friend who may someday come to the Camino and bring the other half with him.

Finally there are a number of items I have placed at the foot of the cross for Dan Daly which were given to me by his family. Dan was a sweet man, a man who truly loved his wife Barb, his daughters Debbie and Dianne as well as his grandchildren. When I walked my first Camino, Dan followed me everyday on my blog and when I came home he and I had a lot of conversations about the Camino. He was always very kind about how much he enjoyed the blog. Often he would talk about someday doing part of the Camino. Unfortunately his health did not allow that to happen and he passed away just before Father's Day this year.

In addition to the items given to me by Dan’s family I have one other stone with his name on it. I picked it up in St. Jean before I took my first step on this Camino. I will carry it with me to Santiago so that Dan can walk the entire Camino with me. My plan is to take the stone to the Camino office and tell them his story, show them the stone and ask them to issue a Compestella in his name. I’ll give it a shot.

I told Pat about what I was planning and he came up with a great plan B if the Pilgrim office turns me down. We will know in just nine more days. Tomorrow is Day 26 and it is a 19 day. A very large no walk but nothing like today.

I’m going to dinner. It’s been a hard but great day. Good night. Buen Camino.

Miles today: 14.4

Miles to date: 377.6

Steps today: 38,732

Steps to date: 873,236

Flights to date: 660

Donations to do: $34,700.40

Day 24. Dinner with two Camino friends

Pat, Rainer and I met back in Astorga for dinner at Serrano. The food and wine were terrific but the company was better. Not much to report from yesterday’s walk. The weather was hot again but the bugs were not as plentiful. I made really good time because I left early and the only really challenging hill was at the very end with lots of rocks. 

Pat and I met at the hotel and caught up for about two hours before making our way to Astorga. All good. The Day 25 Walk will be much harder with lots of tough climbs both up and down with lots of Spanish potatoes. I will walk to the Cruz de Ferro where I will be delivering a few special items I have been carrying for others. More on that later.

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Good Night, Buen Camino.

Miles today: 12.5

Miles to date: 362.9

Steps today: 30,737

Steps to date: 834,504

Flights to date: 636

Donations to date: $34,700.40

Day 23 ... the very long walk to Astorga

Before I jump ahead to walking to Astorga I will first wrap up last nights evening at Tio Pepe. Dinner is available at 7:00 and I’m there just sitting on the patio, the one with the pinball machine having a glass of wine. There are two women sitting next to me who I have not seen before and they are clearly Americans. They live in White Plains, New York and are walking just six days to a village short of Astorga and then will make their way to Santiago by train and then on to Madrid to fly home. This trip is their fourth as they attack the Camino in pieces. Not uncommon.

I’m trying to decide what to eat but before that LILO comes to see me and gives me a big hug. She does not speak English so she brings the young girl with her to interpret. LILO says she remembers me, which is a surprise. I did leave a little something for her after she nursed me back onto the Camino. We took a selfie which I’m sending. That was nice. I order the ensalada mixta ... shocking I know. I was about to call it an early night when Candy, Don and the young Italian, Mathias arrive and will join me. They will eat and I will just stay for a glass of wine. 

I did not know this about Mathias but the Camino we are all on now will be his third this year! Yes, this year. He speaks several languages and is twenty six years old. A very nice young guy. Lives at home in a very small village in northern Italy with his Mother when he’s not walking the Camino. Works odd jobs in the winter, saves his money to pay for his Camino habit. I’m not sure what he’s trying to find on the Camino but it’s taking him longer than expected.

We are wrapping up dinner and the patio is nearly empty, save one young guy sitting alone with his back to the rest of the patio just drinking and staring at the wall. Candy calls out to him to join us. I’ve met him once before. He’s 20 years old and walking with his father. They live in Maryland. He moves a bit closer to us but does not really join us. He is painfully shy and he’s had too much to drink. Seems like a nice kid but he’s just lost and tells us he suffers from depression and is trying to figure it out. I’m not sure that the medication he’s taking was meant to be taken with Jack Daniels or the chain smoking. He staggered off to bed. Hopefully he will be fine. 

The room was just like most of the others in the small villages, small and hot. My window was designed to only be opened at the bottom where it could be pushed out only about three inches ... A completely senseless idea. Not enough room to create air flow but just enough to guarantee that you would hear every bell and whistle from the pinball machine.

I’m up early today ... day 23. Astorga is a long day and it’s warm but not hot. That’s a relief. I leave at 8:30 and pace myself for the long day. As it turns out today’s walk is 18.7 miles. That’s a long day. Neither the length of the day or the temperature is today’s real challenge. That comes from the gnats! At one point, for nearly an hour and a half I am swarmed by them and they are relentless. I walk all that time holding both poles in my left hand while using my right to hold my hat hitting myself with it as a fly swatter. By far the most uncomfortable part of the Camino thus far. It was so bad that I did not stop for water although I really needed to because then the swarm would have a stationary target. The swarm also slowed my pace. I left Tio Pepe at 8:30 and arrived at my hotel in Astorga at 5:30. I walked with Candy, Don and Mathias for about three miles. We stopped and I had a Coke Zero while they opted for food so I moved along. They are walking six miles fewer than me today staying at an Albergue outside of Astorga. I will see them in a couple of days.

Tomorrow is a big day, I’ve been looking forward to since my arrival. I will walk to Rabinal del Camino where I will meet up with Pat Mcfadden! Pat now lives in Porto Portugal and is going to drive some 250 miles to meet me and then we will drive back to Astorga to meet Rainer from my first Camino. The three of us will have dinner at my favorite restaurant, Serrano. After dinner Pat and I will drive back to Rabinal stay the night and on Tuesday morning I will get back on the Camino. Pat will drive back to Porto but will return on Sunday where he will join me in walking the final five days into Santiago. A great way for me to end my third Camino. By the way Rainer has walked three Caminos and Pat has walked two. 

Okay, so I’m sitting in bed writing this and decide to go downstairs to get a glass of wine and return to my room to complete today’s blog and who walks into the bar? Rainer. He’s here a day early. He lives in Frankfurt but also has a home in Spain so he came a day early. We grab a glass of wine and start catching up. What a great surprise. We finish the wine and I have to get to bed after such a long day and of course we will meet for dinner at Serrano tomorrow night. Rainer knows that today was a long day and encourages me to get some rest .. tomorrow we can spend more time together.

A couple of house keeping notes. First, I went back through my daily miles totals because the numbers were not adding up to the number of miles actually walked. I found the error and have corrected it. The actual miles to date are 331.4. Long story I made the same error several times but it’s now where it should be.

Tomorrow’s blog may not be posted at the end of tomorrow but will likely be posted on Tuesday. I will be busy having dinner with two great friends. 

Good night, Buen Camino.

Miles today: 18.7

Miles to date: 350.4

Steps today: 47,650

Steps to date: 804,767

Flights to date: 626

Total donations to date: $34,500.40