.Once again I was up and out before sun up. I ate a power bar for breakfast and started on the trail. The Spanish do not get up early......not for nothing. I could hear a dog bark some place and a rooster crow but that was all. I knew I had a long Mesa to travel and it would be an all day treck. I was right. But dear readers we have a problem.....my boots have lost the hill. I knew I had a pronation and between that and the road I am traveling I am now getting concern as to the equipment. Going up the first Mesa was not a problem. I do better going up then coming down. I got up and walked across and then it was stright down. I did my usuall baby steps being very careful of foot placement and finially got to the flat. Walking into the next village I had the grocer make me a ham and cheese sand which and washed it down with my usual three cokes.....?Love that stuff. Walked through that village and then headed towards the next Mesa. I was just starting up when I heard my name called. In turning around it was Joy and Ed on bikes. We had been leap forging from day one. Hey you two what's with the bikes. They had planed on riding the 100 miles that the Mesa called for in that it was too shit to walk it. I told them right off I wasn't pleased with the bikes in that they were far from mountain bikes. As we spoke several other pilgrims came past and in several foreign languages told them the same thing as to the tires being all wrong and made their point by tapping the tires. In answering their question as to how I was holding up, I told Ed that I was worried about my boots and then sat on a rock with my feet in the air. Hummm was his answere. Their not going to last you Richard. What you can do is take a bus and hop ahead 100 miles and then you will be back in some decent country that looks like Ireland and much more enjoyable to walk in. That's why we rented the bikes, to get across this next 100 miles as quick as possible. Well how did you get behind me I asked. We got a hotel and slept for 16 hours, that's how. We got kind of a camino bug that kept us in one place with a bathroom of our own. Humm that sounded too familiar and I had been wondering if I was starting to stress. Walking for seven and eight hours stright will fatigue you. I started to do a body read out and was wondering if I was putting too much stress on my self by not taking rest days. Before they left Joy looked at me and said, Richard how are you really feeling. You are a lot thinner now then when we started in St Jean. As we spoke she gave me a run down on who else had gone home from the day one group. She also told me of all who was still behind me.
I had to do some thinking. I decided that I would get a hotel room for at least one day and rest. The problem is when I got into......where the hell I'm at....every thing was full. Pilgrims with cell phones will call a head and book rooms, leaving the rest of the great unwashed to fend for their selves. I settled for a municipal Alberque which turned out to be really all right. It filled up in a hurry and are putting people on the floor on mattresses. Some where I lost my soap and went across the street to the ......get this.......supermarket. No bigger then my kitchen....but they had a bar of soap.
Went out to get some dinner.....you guessed it not until seven. Ye gods how do these people survive.
I can only get wifi in the lobby. As I sit here writing they are putting people on the floor in the kitchen. This whole town is full. Tomorrow is about 13 miles to the next Alberque all across the Mesa. As I sit here every one is trying to call ahead. There is a German that speaks Spanish and English he is a pilgrim that is working his ass off for the company. They have a list of Alberque in the next village and he is telling them what is already full. I am still thinking on some personal issues. I made some promises to Sandy before I left that at any sign of something wrong I would call it. Maybe that's what I neede to hear, after 13 miles no bed.......hummmm m. Let me check with the boss and I will get back to you. Still sitting in the lobby it is 6:40 and a lady came in from the trail looking for a room. Nothing. An old man is helping her with translation....every where is full and it will be a foot race for tomorrow. Finially they said they would put her on the floor.....she started to cry, the help started to cry, hugs all around.....and I will be a son of a bitch if I didn't get something in my eye.
Lesson learned: when there is room in the heart, there is room in the home.
I have to agree with the general thought of "listen to your body." Often, it is much smarter than our heads. And feet..hey, one thing to return looking trim, but quite another to return and not be able to walk correctly. No pressure from any of us as you know those rooting for you are much more concerned for your well-being than with your stubbornness. Let's face it, you've already done one heck of a lot more than most of us ever will, and that's not even counting THIS trip. So take a good rest, do a thorough and honest self-evaluation, and don't give in to the temptation to steal another pilgrim's boots while he's sleeping...ha! Oops, hope I didn't put a bad thought in place (maybe barter, tho, if someone is abandoning the hike). Options, options, options...but no option on your health. We're all behind you whatever your decisions to come!
ReplyDelete