Stage 24 ... The 13 mile walk I turn into ....16 miles .... But first let me introduce you to Irish Ann. I gave her that name because it's short for ANNoying

Before my walk to Rabanal I will first bring you up to date on just a couple of things. First while in Astorga Rainer and I bump into Burgos Ray in the plaza near the Cathedral while on our way to dinner. We stop to chat. Burgos Ray is a really nice guy.

I congratulate him for continuing on. When I last saw him he was stopping short of our destination by about six mikes so I thought that given his struggles, he would catch up.

He and Rainer are speaking to each other in German briefly and then he wishes me well on my Camino. We move on. Rainer tells me that in their brief conversation that Burgos Ray has taken the donkey service to get here and that he will be going by donkey service to Santiago tomorrow from here. He is giving up his Camino.

Rainer goes on to tell me that Burgos Ray said that he was home sick and made a mistake by trying to walk the Camino without being prepared. I can understand that. Perhaps he will try again.

We will first stop at a Cafe near the restaurant we are going to because its too early. The name of the restaurant is Restaurante Serrano. Rainer and I pull up a stool and order a glass of wine when Irish Ann arrives and pulls up a stool between us. First a little history.

Back in Mansilla, stage 21 was when I first met Irish Ann. I simply forgot about her and that's not easy to do. It was after dinner and Rainer, Michele and Emma and I are having a beer getting ready to call it a night. This woman, Irish Ann just barges into our conversation and latches on to us. She orders a beer and begins her Q&A. 

She asks me where I am from and I tell her California. That immediately causes her to begin a speech about our current  political structure. I interrupted her and told her that I would not have this conversation or any other political conversation because I would not allow that to damage my Camino experience. She presses on.

BC Jim would have handled this situation very differently. I choose to be AC Jim. I push my beer away and say good night to all and I leave. It's late and I need to rest. Irish Ann has provided me with an exit strategy. She is just annoying

I have not seen her again until she pushes her stool between Rainer and I here in Astorga. BC Jim is about to make an appearance . I said "excuse me, you are not joining us uninvited in an attempt to drag me into a political conversation. When I last saw you I politely asked you to stop and you ignored me. I am not going to allow that to happen again". I turn to Rainer and simply say "let's go to dinner". He smiles, we abandon our $2 glass of wine and we leave. Another good decision. Irish Ann has no idea just how close she was to meeting BC Jim at a much different level. 

,

Restaurante Serrano is a family business. The Chef is the son, the head waiter is his sister, Mom is also in the kitchen and Dad runs the cash register. The son owns the Restaurant. I will not be able to go through the entire experience so I will just say that it is the best Restaurant I have been to in years. Not just the Camino, anywhere. 

 I like good food and wine. I just walked 20 miles and I would do it again if at the end I would get to eat here. It was that good ! Pat and John a must on the list. Just a note, Pat, John, the Bierzo wine region.

The next morning before my nightmare with my Credential I have coffee and toast. I am up late and I leave at 11:00. I think it's because the bed is so comfortable I am in no rush. Why bother its only thirteen miles.

Fast forward to being back on the Camino. The weather is very nice. I bit cool and a little breeze. The walk today will be flat until the final two miles. My leg is sore but if I go easy I think it will be ok. The first cafe away from the city is about two and a half miles. Add to that my extra three miles and by the time I get there I need something to eat . 

MESON EL LLAR. Wow, it just keeps getting better. I have taken pictures which Robin may post. Simply stated, wonderful. Pat, John, skip the carb breakfast in Astorga and start your day here. 

The balance of the walk is uneventful which is good. I even take a few pictures and I stopped a couple of times, remove the limos, put on some of Lilo's cream and go slow. The last two miles is all up hill and it does cause some limping. I will fix that with ice.

I will have a simple salad and a small dish of pasta. The food is pilgrim food . Not Serrano's. I eat alone. Rainer decided to stay in Astorga and will catch up in a couple of days by donkey. I have my ice and its an early night. It's been a very long day but all is good. 

My leg is improving, I have my Credential and tomorrow stage 25 is a walk of sixteen and a half miles to Molinaseca.

Good night.

My Camino credential is missing .... Without it no Compostela in Santiago.

I have left Astorga. I am a mile and a half into my 13 mile walk today, stage 23 . I will stop at this beautiful little Church on the Camino . It is the pilgrims Church. I remove my backpack and hat and I enter the church. An elderly lady greets me and asks me to sign the Camino pilgrims book. You are asked to write your name, the country you are from and if you are male or female. I sign in. I am visiting to take care of some personal business.

I received an email this morning from a friend at the Club who has asked me to include the brother of another friend at the Club. His 60 year old brother is fighting a difficult battle with Cancer. Gladly. He is now on my list. 

I attend to my business and will now be on my way to Rabanal del Camino, a walk of 13 miles. I make my donation and the  woman stops me with the Church's Camino stamp in her hand and asks me for my credential. I grab my backpack and go to the internal zippered compartment where I keep all of my critical papers including, cash, credit cards, my Passport and my Credential.

My Credential is not there! This is not possible, it's the only place I keep it. Where is it? I am now tearing apart my backpack and emptying everything in search of it. It's no where to be found. The old woman is watching me and she knows what the problem is. I am distraught to say the least. If I have lost it I will not be given my Compostela when I complete the walk in Santiago. This can't be happening.

Think, just think I am asking myself. Where can it be?  Where did I last have it out? It was when I arrived at the hotel. There are always two things presented when you check in anywhere. Hotels, Hostal's and  Albergue's . Your US Passport and your credential to be stamped verifying your journey. 

 

I have no choice. I must turn back and get to the hotel. It must be there, it has to be there. Before I leave I drop my backpack, my poles and once again remove my hat and I go back into the little Church. I am on my knees once again but this time I am asking for something very personal. That He help me find my Credential.

I turn to leave and the old woman looks at me and makes the sign of the Cross. I am now headed back over the same first mile and a half. Other pilgrims are heading out and just looking at me obviously curious about my direction and the speed at which I am moving. My leg is better but this pace will not help. I don't care because as I am on my way back to the hotel I remember something I did yesterday that really scares me and I now have serious doubts that I will find it.

When I checked in yesterday after 20 miles and was completely spent I was at the front desk where I know I gave the clerk both my Passport and my Credential. At that time I was surrounded by more than a dozen blind people all of whom were at the hotel for some group function. I was being nudged , bumped into and otherwise rushed to get out of there as quickly as possible. In that confusion did I just put the Credential in one of my pants pockets?  

This is why I am so convinced that it will not be found. When I arrived in Astorga and was limping to my hotel I passed a small version of an REI outdoor gear place and decided that after I iced my leg I would walk back that short 300 feet and replace a few things that had reached their useful end, including the pants I was wearing. 

I did go to that shop in spite of my leg because it was Saturday and they would not be open on Sunday. It had to be done before they closed. I showered, iced my leg for an hour and limped back to the shop. I got there just before they were going to close. I bought new pants and a new shirt. When I left the hotel today I left the old pants behind in the trash! I was finished with them. 

You cannot imagine what was going through my head as I raced back to the hotel. My 500 mile journey would be unofficial. All this work and no Compostela! How could I have been so foolish with one of my critical items?

I reach the hotel and desperately explain to the clerk what has happened, including the pants being left in the room. She completely gets the magnitude of my problem and on a hand held devise calls the cleaning people on the third floor. They have already cleaned my room but they are still on the third floor. I race to the elevator while she watches my gear. She calls the maids and let's them know that I am on my way.

When I get off he elevator two women are going through the trash and they find the pants. The woman holding the pants hands them to me. They are cargo pants with lots of pockets. I frantically search every pocket while they are dumping the contents of the plastic bag on the floor right there in the hallway.

 Nothing! There is nothing in the pants or the trash. One woman hands me her key to the rooms and I head for room 310. It has to be there . It must be there. They follow me and we all search the room, moving furniture, looking under everything in the room.

Nothing. It's gone. I have lost my Credential with all of the stamps I have collected for twenty three days. I thank them for trying to help me. They understand what is missing and are honestly upset.

I return to the front desk and tell the clerk that I cannot find it. She has called yesterday's clerk and they are sure it was not left at the desk. I understand because they completely know what the Credential means and if they had found it they would have put it away in a safe place. It's gone.

I ask if I can leave everything there. "Yes", and I am out the door now headed to the gear shop desperately hoping I somehow left it there. I do take all of my critical documents that are always together in a zip lock whenever I leave the hotel. They are never out of my possession. I did use my credit card in the shop, its my last hope. 

When I get there its as I had assumed but hoped I would be wrong about. The shop is closed, its Sunday. 

I walk back to the hotel no longer in any hurry just thinking about what has happened. A nightmare.

When I get back to the front desk the clerk is clearly aware of what's taking place. Desperate I empty all of my gear in the lobby and begin checking again. Every pocket of anything with a pocket. My shaving kit. Nothing.

There is a small pocket on the inside of my backpack which cannot be seen and in it I have only two items which have not been touched since I got on the plane to Madrid on May 13th. A card that Robin gave me with a letter and instructions on the envelope to not open until I was on the plane. Another card from Amanda with instructions not to open until day number 30, its not yet open.

When I reach into this pocket that you cannot see, my Credential is in there. I have found it! I cannot explain how it is possible for my Credential to be there. I cannot. I show it to the clerk and she is as happy as I am and offers to make me a photocopy. I just hand it to her. She returns and has copied it and taped the pieces together. She tells me to keep them away from the original. Which I will do.

I am exhausted from the last hour and a half but more thrilled that my nightmare is over. I return to the Camino and I go directly back to the little Church. The old woman sees me come back into the Church and I hand her my a Credential, she just smiles and stamps it.

I return to the same pew, I have some business to attend to. I will end here and in the next segment I will go back and complete my day in Astorga before I bring my blog up to date about my 13 mile walk. Sorry, make that my 16 mile walk to complete stage 23 . It just keeps getting better. Good night.

The Beautiful Cathedral in Leon Spain, photo taken at night by Rainer.

 

Price only matters in the absence of value ... Loli proves me right

I am blessed and my decision to give up my prepaid private room with shared bath at the Albergue proves that what I have been preaching for more than thirty years is correct. Price only matters in the absence of value.

We return to Tio Pepe's. Rainer and I are in the cafe-bar-reception desk and I drop my 7 Euro sunglasses and they break into two pieces. My third pair is now gone. I pick them up and put the two pieces on the bar. I order a small beer and head to my room to get a ziplock bag, I need ice and I need it now. I am facing a twenty mile walk tomorrow which is looking more and more impossible with each step I take and I'm not wearing a 23 pound backpack.

I return, limping more than ever when the woman behind the counter says "no" when I ask for ice while holding out the zip lock. Then she disappears but soon returns with a frozen ice pack. With Rainer interpreting she tells me to sit and to tie the Ice pack to my leg with the towel. I do and it feels great. But will it be enough?

She then goes into the back room returns with the Spanish version of super glue and proceeds to fix my sunglasses. She puts them behind the counter and says, "mañana". Amazing.

I sit there for the next two hours and every twenty minutes like clock work without saying a word,  Loli (pronounced Low-lee) brings me another frozen ice pack. When its time to close she hands me another ice pack and a small box with a tube of cream in it and tells me "tonight and mañana". I do as she instructs.

I apply the cream twice during the night because I can't sleep. I must leave early to have any chance to finish twenty miles. I only hope I can walk. Limping twenty miles does not sound like a good option.

When I go to breakfast Loli is on duty and brings me an ice pack and cafe con-leche. I'm not sure how it will hold up but I think I have a chance. I would have had no chance without Loli. She is my most recent blessing.

As I prepare to leave she wishes me Buen Camino, hands me another ice pack and tells me to put it in the ice at the next hotel (her young assistant interprets) and use it again and then gives me the cream, a card she has signed and written something on and makes the sign of the cross. I now know I can make it. These people are nice!

I could have stayed at the Albergue because it was already paid for but the truth is the comfort of a private room with a bath and the added value of having a much better chance of having access to the ice I so desperately need right now is critical. The price does not matter because I have no doubt that the value of this expense or fee is indisputable. "Price only matters in the absence of value". I believe it, I have preached it in the business for more than thirty years.

Just one month ago I played in a small event to help raise some money for a young guy and afterwards I was having a glass of wine with a friend from the Club, Rudy. The conversation is about sales and I share with Rudy my "price only matters in the absence of value" belief and he just loves it. He writes it down as if he just discovered electricity. 

Rudy gets it because he is a very talented salesmen. He could sell snow blowers in Miami! Price only matters in the absence of value and the small price I paid to make the change which brought me to Loli saved my Camino. I can't put a price on that!

It is 8:30 and I start. It's cold. Not chilly its cold. There is a breeze as I start and I am not limping like I was at the end of yesterday. This will be a long day. I will walk and limp alone on my way to Astorga. My first stop will be about four miles from the starting point where I will get something to eat. I will need more than just the usual morning carb fix. 

My first two miles are along side a road. The path is narrow and with my leg still very sore I must be very carful today, even more than any other day because one miss step on a stone and I will turn an ankle and be done for. Add to the fact that I just don't know how the leg will hold up on the longest walking day of my Camino. 

I make it to the cafe, Rainer is sitting outside having a little breakfast. I join him. We will walk apart because my pace will be very controlled . We will meet for dinner. Dinner will be late because with a walk of twenty miles I have no idea how long it will take. Perhaps ten hours, assuming all goes well? I don't know I have never walked this far before in a single session with 23 pounds on two good legs and today I only have one.

I have an omelette and a cafe, a water and a diet coke. I finish breakfast with Swiss dark chocolate. I also buy an orange for later and an extra bottle of water. There will be a few other chances for water but I have to be sure I have enough. The weight will just have to be dealt with.

The landscape is exactly the same as the last three days. I could take a picture today and post it as four days ago and it would not matter. There will be very few pictures taken today. The real reason for a lack of interest in the scenery is the trail and the rocks and stones. They are everywhere . My poles will get a good workout today. I will spend the next six hours staring at the ground trying to avoid that one rock which will turn an ankle and create a nightmare. 

I have only seen a few pilgrims today but with only one or two exceptions everyone is wounded. I pass a woman limping badly with poles in hand but no backpack. She must have sent the backpack ahead with a donkey service. She is a trooper. I am passing her and I just tell her to hang in there and she thanks me and I move on.

I'm doing ok and my leg is starting to feel the effects of the long walk. I do come close on several rocks but I avoid a big mistake. I have no idea how far I am from Astorga but I know that with each step I am getting closer. 

One thing I am doing is concentrating on listening to my walk. It's strange but with the poles smashing into the ground I can take my mind off the discomfort. I'm listening to my Camino. With each step the poles record the journey. Sounds strange but it is helping.

I finally see a sign which tells me I am about four miles from Astorga. I'm going to make it but I am limping more noticeably, there are hills today and they are all tougher than they should be, especially downhill . I make it to the city. I should have about a mile to go. My leg is now worse than at anytime in the last two days. I am moving like that young woman I saw hours ago. I see a sign for my hotel, I am close.

The last challenge, 84 stairs to the top where the hotel is waiting. I know it's 84 because I count them. It's another way of just not focusing on what I am feeling. I make it and enter the hotel. I dump the backpack and present my passport. I am at the wrong hotel!

There are two hotels with nearly identical names. The young guy at the desk tells me it happens often . I can see by the look on his face that he can tell I don't have a lot of energy left to go much more. Good news the hotel I am in is just a five minute walk. A five minute walk is like another two miles for me right now. He shows me on a small map where I need to go. 

It is a short walk. I made it! Eight and a half hours of walking and limping and I will soon be able to shower, rest and most importantly get ice!

That's it for now. Tomorrow is just thirteen and a half miles. I hope I can recover. Wish me luck.

Stage 22 I will limp 13 miles to Mazarife ... I have joined the ranks of the Walking Wounded

I first began to feel it on my way to the Cathedral. My lower left leg is hurting. I am starting to limp. I guess it's the body's way of letting you know that you have gone a bit to fast today. I will just "walk it off ". Wrong, very wrong.

I meet up with Rainer and Michele. We have been disconnected for a couple of days because I took that wrong turn. We have at least an hour before we will have dinner. I mentioned to Rainer that I need to buy socks. He knows where there is an outdoor shop, a small version of an REI. My own guide. He knows exactly how to get there. Unfortunately we are walking and my left leg is getting worse.

I buy what I need and we head to the Cathedral. It's really something to see. Rainer took a picture the night before I arrived and he emailed it to me. I will ask Robin to include it. The picture will allow me not to attempt to describe it. 

Dinner is very good. A small place near the Cathedral. Rainer's first choice would cause us to wait longer. This place is fine. We walk back to the hotel. It seems like we are walking forever because my leg is getting worse with each step.

At breakfast I meet Michele and Rainer. I will be leaving after 10 because I must go to the department store for four items I will need in just a few days. I will tell you about them when that day arrives. It will be the most important part of my Camino. 

Michele is staying in Leon. Our schedules will not match again until my final night in Santiago where we will have dinner and a Cuban cigar. Rainer will leave now and I will meet him later today in Mazarife at the  Albergue, assuming I make it. Back up to my room to grab my gear, its almost ten o'clock and the department store is directly across the street.

I return to the Lobby and waiting for me are Fernando and Nelly. They are staying in Leon for an extra day and Nelly's injury will cause them to add other stops to shorten their walks each day. This will be goodby.

We take pictures, hugs all around and I am on my way to get what I need. I find them easily and back to the hotel for my gear. I start my 13 mile walk out of Leon. I am limping but if I just take it slow I will be fine.

I make more stops during this stage than any other prior stage. I will make one last stop in La Virgen Del Camino. It will be my last chance for food and water. Once I leave this cafe there will be a stretch of  about 6 miles where there is nothing but the Camino.

I walk past one small cafe but I think I saw a sign that said wifi. I stop, go back and there is free wifi. I am the only customer. Two woman I am guessing mother and daughter. Mom is sitting at a table smoking and reading what looks like a tabloid newspaper. The daughter is working.

I order a Diet Coke and a bocadillo. Ham, cheese and tomato. I pull out my iPad mini and plug it in. There is only one outlet and it's next to Mom's table. She says ok. I begin to check my email and I am standing next to Mom who is fascinated with my mini. 

Robin sent me a video of Vivian a couple of days ago of El Gato playing with her Fun For Cats on Robins iPad . It's an app that has a mouse running around the screen and Vivian loves it and it is a riot. 

I am thinking, why not show Mom how the mini works. I fire up the video and I show it to Mom. She goes nuts! She is just blown away and laughing widely. 

Her laughing brings the daughter out of the back to see what's going on. Mom is calling her to hurry and see this. I start it again. Same result times two. I think I made their day. The bocadillo was very good. I am my way again. One last comment about the cafe. The password for the wifi is 12345678.

They should be running that fancy hotel.

There are two Camino's ahead just like the situation I was in two days ago. I will not make that mistake again. I have my map and guidebook. I must find the path that will turn left to take me to Mazarife. I find it and I am limping more noticeably. 

I arrive at 5:15, not bad. I thought it would be at least another hour given my pace but I complete the walk in six hours and fifteen minutes. Now just find the Albergue . That's not very hard the town is about a five minute walk end to end. 

I check in and the woman who handles the paperwork will now lead me to my private room with shared bath. Just a note. There are two types of Albergue's. All have giant sleeping rooms with bunk beds and tiny cots. Some also have private rooms like mine. 

For the first time I will have to walk through the sleeping room with all of its occupants. I am about to have an anxiety attack! I cannot imagine staying in the non-private part of the Albergue. I am shown my room and the location of the shower down the hall. I drop my gear and head to the only cafe in town, Tio Pepi's . I know Rainer has arrived because I asked when I got here. I am correct. We have a beer. It's a nice little place and then Rainer tells me that they have rooms upstairs . Rooms? As in single rooms with baths? Yes. I ask "any available"? He asks the young girl behind the counter and she says Si. I am now looking at a picture of the room that is available and I take it. This will turn out to be a very good decision. 

I am now headed back to the Albergue to gather my gear. I don't expect a refund and I would not ask. 

My leg is killing me and I just want to take a shower before Rainer and I head to the pilgrims dinner. I need to eat something. It's a pilgrim dinner. Salad excellent as always, soup not so good and the main course, it has yellow rice, vegetables and something else. I think it's the national dish, starts with a P, I can't spell it and I can't eat it. I am going to be hungry later.

There is one table of 14 pilgrims.  I counted and there are three tables of four which Rainer and I fill in. The other two people sitting across from us are from Austria. The older of the two, probabley in her seventies is wounded. She started well before us and she said that she will just take it slow. The other woman is younger, I'm guessing about 48 to 50. I guess that means 49. Give me some slack it's been a very difficult day. 

I ask Monica where she started her Camino? She names a place in France and Rainer tells me that its more than 1,000 miles! She then says, "it's two Camino's". I am a wimp. She goes on to say that her walk will be about 90 days.

We skip the dessert and head back to Tio Pepe's. it's about 7:30 and my leg is really becoming a problem. Loli to the rescue. It just keeps getting better! Good night.

The Nordic guy in the short-shorts can't get past the old man ..... He's not happy.

Stage 21 to Leon population about 130,000. My walk today will be just 12 miles. I have packed and head down to breakfast. In this little Hostal, breakfast just does not happen. The choices are a packaged muffin or a packaged muffin. I do have orange juice and coffee but pass on today's fine selection of previously prepared , wrapped in plastic carb delivery systems. I will find something on the Camino.

I will leave today earlier than most other days. Today I step foot on the Camino at 8:20 more than an hour ahead of most departures. I would like to get to Leon and have some time to see the center of the city as well as The Cathedral. 

As I start out the weather is very nice. Probably around 65 with a little cloud cover and a hint of a breeze . The Camino today will about half trail and half a combination of paved track along side the road and paved walkways as I enter the city. It's a good day for walking. I have my water and I will find something to eat. The first cafe will be about 2 miles from the start.

There are only a few pilgrims on the Camino and my pace is already quick. The trails provide plenty of shade and today's walk will also be flat. As I am about a half mile into my day I can hear the loud crunching of someone's feet directly behind me. I will not turn to look but from the sound it must be a large person. I assume its a man.

He must be twenty feet behind me but he is not getting any closer or trying to go by me. I have a thing about having someone this close behind me. I would prefer that they go by. 

My pace is very quick and I can feel it in a positive way. No aches or pains I am just in a groove and I don't want to slow down and lose that. Speeding up would be the wrong thing to do and stopping to let him pass just disrupts my pace. I will just keep doing what I'm doing.

Suddenly the sound of his feet pounding the trail behind me is gone. I don't look back, he's taking a break. Good, now I can get back to just focusing on all of the thoughts that are bouncing around in my head. You have now been warned.

As I approach the cafe there are plastic chairs outside in the shade and I decide that I will get something to eat and sit there. As I am taking off my backpack I finally see him. He is as I suspected a large person.

 

Six foot five I would guess. Bald, in his late 30's early 40's. He is fit and he is wearing a black tank top, black knee brace on each knee and the shortest shorts I have ever seen on a man. These shorts would not get past Joe or Paul on the first tee. 

As he passes me he is looking directly at me with a serious look of anger. I say Buen Camino and he just keeps going. I think he's mad because he could not get past the old man. Get over it!

I hope he has a nice day. I doubt I will see him again. I hope I do though because I can't wait to see what other outfits he will be wearing on the Camino.

I continue. All is good  I go into this small cafe in who knows where. I just want something to eat. I go inside and order a coffee. As the young woman hands me my cafe-con-leche I ask her for a bocadillo from the menu thats on the counter. She then explains in sign language that I now understand, that as the only persn watching the store she cannot go in the back and make me a bocadillo. I get it. I will just drink my coffee and leave. No, wait. I see a free wifi sign on the wall. I will stay and I will buy one  of those dreadful muffins which are wrapped in plastic . If I am going to use their free wifi the least I can do is buy something and be a customer.

I go on line, check email and send a coupe of brief messages. It's the middle of the night in Capistrano. I send a message to Rainer that I will see him in Leon around 4:00 that afternoon.

The balance of the walk today is uneventful. I enter Leon and as is always the case entering the larger cities, finding your way is far more difficult. I am fast today. 

As I enter the outskirts of the city I am  focused on the route. I have made great time but I now need to pay attention to the map to get me to my hotel. I am farly certain that I am on the correct path but I just need to verify it. There is a Farmacia on the corner just at the point where I will need to make a critical decision about direction. I will go in and ask for directions.

As soon as I walk in with my poles and backpack she knows I am on the Camino. She being the lady in the white coat. She takes one look at me and in perfect English she says "can I help you". I want help but I will frist buy something. I ask if she has a cream for my sore feet (the passengers) and she quickly grabs a box off the shelf and says "this will help". 

I follow her to the counter and pay for the cream. I then show her the name of my Hotel and ask her for help in getting there. She leads me to the front door, steps outside and simply points and says " three lights make a right, next light turn right again you will see it". I like these people.

I arrive at my hotel in really great time. It's only 2:00 and that means a quick shower and out to take care of something I need to do. It's a very nice hotel, very clean, modern, big, comfortable. I check in.

When I get to my room the first thing I want to do is to unpack, plug in my iPad mini, check emails and shower. I need the password. Why can't they just give it to me when I check in?

I call the front desk. Yes, this hotel has a phone in the room and all of those other amenities. I am told that the password is to complex to give it to me over the phone and that it will be brought to me in writing shortly. Small delay in my plan. I can't get in the shower because I won't be able to answer the door so I wait.

Do you remember Lincoln's Gettysburg Address? "Four score and seven years ago, our Fathers ".......  That small opening comment is shorter than my sign in ID and password for access to the hotel's wifi, I kid you not.

 After wasting the first hour of my visit to Leon trying to get on line I give up. After takeing a shower I am soon back at the front desk. I ask about the wifi and for the first time since arriving in Spain I am facing someone who does not give a hoot about customer service. 

I just take a deep breath and walk away. This desk person is very fortunate that she is dealing with AC Jim and not BC Jim or Travel Jim. Perhaps in the next blog I will explain who those Jim's are. I can just see the smiles on the faces of Robin, Maggie, Debbie, Alyce, Charles and others. 

I just leave. I will not let this person poison my beliefs about all of the other people I have met. No, AC Jim will just let it go. I am disappointed because today is Amanda's 27th Birthday and I wanted to send a message. Here it is , Happy Birthday Amanda , I hope you have a great day! Love you, Dad.

That's it for now but one final comment before I hit publish. I am limping and have joined the ranks of the walking wounded. More later. Have a good day.

Stage 20. Do sheep ever sleep? .......my room overlooks the barnyard. I can't count the bah,bah,bahs.

Why is it that some people believe that if you can't sleep all you need to do is simply count sheep and you will soon be fast asleep? Trust me its not true especially when the sheep don't sleep. As I write this I can hear the rooster just outside my window telling me to get started on stage 20. I give up. I will leave early today.

I slept with the window open all night because it was warm and I have no chance of sleeping in a warm room. Also working with the sheep are the two very large people in the next room. I now understand what it's like to hear snoring at the professional level. 

I am packed and will soon leave after the morning fix of cafe-con-leche and a pound of carbs. Speaking of carbs I have had a couple of people ask me about how the Camino is effecting my weight. Well I am not sure but that's not all that significant. I think the carbs and the Rioja are a good offset. I do believe I have lost some weight but I have know idea how much. Remember the list of items not included in my room a couple of days ago? If I missed it add a scale.

A few months back if you had asked me why I was doing this I would be somewhat vague but I almost always said "lose some weight". That is now gone from my list. If it happens great but if not that's fine.

I also recieved an email that actually made me laugh. A friend at the Club suggested that after I complete the Camino I should think about a three day hike in the Grand Canyon! Sammy, I think you need to get out of the sun, it can be dangerous. I'm not sure about a lot of things but I am sure that I will not be hiking the Grand Canyon!

When I get back and have rested a bit I will return to seeing Edwin three days a week. I will probably walk to and from those sessions which is about eight miles round trip. I will be wearing my Nike Town Car's, my Limo's will be retired and mounted in my office. I'm not kidding, I will have my Limo's in a glass case. 

Back to stage 20. A walk of 17 miles to my room at the Hostal San Martin. I have read the map and there is only one turn and it takes place in Mansilla de las Mullas. The trail today will be long, flat and windless. It will also be hot. About 90 degrees. That will require lots of water because the first and only stop will not be until the tenth mile.

If I take four liters of water that will add four pounds to my backpack. Add some food and you start to have a weight issue. This will be the third day in a row where extra water is needed and it will have an impact. I can already feel the difference in my shoulders and hips. 

I order half a bocadillo with ham, cheese and tomato to go. It's big, about a half loaf of bread. Good bread, carbs all carbs. I also bring an orange inspite of the added weight. The oranges here are not only good they are large.

I am on the Camino and I am passing a number of pilgrims I have not seen before. There are many who begin at the half way point or later. In order to receive a Compostela in Santiago you must start at or before Sarria which is 133.9 km or about 84 miles. If the first stamp in your Camino Passport is in Sarria you must have a minimum of two stamps per day from there to Santiago. Forget to have two stamps, no Compostela. 

The trail is narrow and getting around two pilgrims walking side by side can only be accomplished by making sure they hear you. Just a Buen Camino as you approach them and you will be given a clear path. 

I am now approaching a guy I have never seen before. He is wearing ear plugs and is singing and having a good time. As I pass him I just wave and he does the same, he obviously can't here me. I will soon find out more about "The Singer". That's the name I have given him.

At about the seven mile mark I can see one person sitting on a Camino marker. He looks familiar. It's Fernando and Nelly. They also missed the turn! It's not just me. I yell out to him "Brazil" and he responds with a nickname he gave me when I bought my new 7 Euro sunglasses, "James Bond"!

I stop and take off my backpack. It's been a tough walk and its getting harder because of the heat. Nelly is limping. She shows me her left leg. It's swollen and there is a rash above her ankle. She goes on to explain that she wore two pairs of socks yesterday and the heat became a problem. They will visit a Doctor when they get to Mansilla.

The conversation switches to how we both missed the turn. Fernando is of course laughing as he try's to explain to me in Portuguese, with Nelly interpreting what happened. Long story, they saw the same marker I did. I think they are relieved that they were not the only ones to make the mistake. I decide that it's a good time for my Orange. While we are sitting there "the singer" catches up with us. Nelly tells me that they met the "Singer" at their Hostal last night, he is Brazilian. They chat for a minute and he puts his ear plugs in and waves goodby and leaves.

Nelly then tells me that he started in St Jean six days after we did and that he is averaging about 24 miles a day and will complete the Camino in just 24 days. He obviously is a better walker than he is a singer.

We pack up and get back to the job at hand. It's now officially hot. I don't know what the temperature is I just know its hot. I am also consuming the water at a pretty good clip. There is one and only one tiny place about two miles ahead. I will stop for water.

The balance of the 17 miles is just the same. Dead straight, flat with out wind, no shade and hot. I yearn for a rain shower. As I leave the little water station I catch up with a young girl who I have seen with the other children. She is very bright and very confident. She has traveled a great deal for someone as young as she is . I remember her because of her first and middle name. Braydyn Ryan.

My grandson's name is Brayden, a slightly different spelling and my son's name is as you know, Ryan. I forgot to mention it a couple of days ago. I have missed a bunch of things, no big deal.

I am in the Hostal and I cannot wait to get in the shower. Room seven. I take care of my gear and then a shower. My LImo passengers are really tired and for the first time sore. It was just a matter of time. Speaking of time I covered the 17 miles in less than six hours and I did not make a single wrong turn.

This will not make any sense but after I take a shower I take a walk back into town. Taking a walk after 17 very tough miles makes no sense but I need a couple of things and the market is back in town about a half mile away.

I bump into a couple of the children and they all agree that today was very difficult. I agree and I am on my way back to the Hostal. I have not seen any of  others, just Fernando and Nelly. Rainer sent me an email that he has gone on to Leon. We will meet there tomorrow for dinner. 

That's stage 21 to Leon. The walk will cover a distance of only 12 miles. It's like a day off! Good night.