Thanks to the Pilgrims that came in last evening, we didn’t get to sleep until after midnight. We had an alarm set for 6:15 which we ended up snoozing a couple of times. We resisted our urge to slam doors this morning and instead were nice. We were out the door and on the trail by 7:30.
We came to a cafe open for pilgrims in just a couple of blocks, but Pam and I weren’t really hungry yet, so we talked George into pushing on. Big mistake. We didn’t hit another cafe for over 6 miles. By that time, we were all tired and cranky.
Once we were about 2 miles out of town and realized our mistake, we found a shady spot under a tree to cool down and have a snack of melted chocolate bars and water. Who walks by? Shaun. We assumed he had gone forward with Rob and Michele and that it would take us several days to catch up with him again.
I was in a bad mood already because of all the road walking and open areas exposed to the sun and heat–the trail was wearing on me. I complained to George about how the trail creators keep us routed on concrete because this is the route of the early pilgrims and they want to maintain an authentic experience, but how many pilgrims 1200 years ago rode bikes? He also pointed out that the original track was just dirt and not concrete. We were feeding off each other. Pam was in pain from the road walking so she was going slow and was a bit behind.
By the time Shaun joined us, George had already decided this was going to be his last day of hiking. I know the last hour or two of hiking is very painful for us, but George starts out every day where we end up in regards to foot pain. He’s not enjoying himself. In the end, he agreed to go forward to Leon and relax until we get there in 7 days. He’s also going to try to have a pair of boots made or get his existing pair modified.
After George told me he was leaving, I felt sad and guilty for getting him into this, but then I had a revelation. This is a pilgrimage and not a hike. We are supposed to feel pain, but overcome it as part of the journey. These next 150 miles are our mental challenge through the monotony of the Meseta. I’m not as far advanced as I thought I was. I’ve never looked at the Camino as more than a warm up hike instead of a pilgrimage. Pam and I talked and were both straight now.
George stayed behind in Tarjados and after we headed toward the Meseta with Shaun. We had less than 6 miles to go and we were finally starting to get a hiking rhythm going after our off day in Burgos. The climb up into the Meseta wasn’t as bad as we had built it up in our minds to be. We came to a clump of trees with a well in the middle of it in another mile and a half. We stopped in there to cool off and started running into trail friends we hadn’t seen for a while, and meeting new ones.
Most significantly was Maria from north of Toronto, Canada. She’s a 20 year old solo hiking. She broke her little toe a few days back and his was her first day of hiking where she was feeling good. She was trying to catch up with some friends that had just left her in Burgos. She was supposed to catch a bus, but she couldn’t make herself get on a bus again. She’s a devout Catholic and hiking the trail for religious reasons.
She walked with us all the way into Tarjados. When we got to the first Albergue, I went in to check availability. There was only one double bed left. I wanted to take it but ther wasn’t space for Shaun. He said he’d go on to the next one and for us to stay. He’s had a couple of nights sleeping in a room with me when I’m tired so he was willing to miss the sound waves. It’s not very often that Pam and I can find a double bed so we were happy.
Bob, Paul, and Chris were already here ( the fast walkers we met coming out of Najera). I reintroduced ourselves to them–I AM “Easily ForGotten” and they had forgotten me.
The owner of the Albergue, Samuel, has a connection to the movie “The Way”. Taylor Estevez hiked the Camino several years ago, met, and eventually married Samuel’s sister who now lives in LA. This is how his dad, Emilio, came to know about the Camino. There’s a great movie poster hanging in the entry signed by both Emilio Estevez and his father, Martin something or other.
While we were signing in, Maria stopped by to tell us she was staying in town tonight and would we be interested in getting a drink in a bit. We agreed to head to the bar as soon as we got all settled and cleaned up. When we got to the bar, it was loaded with people we knew (most of whom had forgotten me). We joined a table with Barry, Bob, Paul, and Chris and several friends we hadn’t met yet.
Shaun and Maria eventually strolled in one after the other and joined the group. Other than those I’ve already mentioned, there was a new Canadian (who for reasons of alcohol, we never got her name) and Rachael from Seattle hiking with her parents from Alabama. We had a great time talking with everyone for hours and eventually eating. The party nearly ended when lightning flashed in the distance and Pam ran for cover.
It eventually whittled down to us and Shaun, but then people kept dribbling back in. Rachael and Maria showed up first after having an experience in some caves with local old men–minds out of the gutter! They showed them where they stored the wine below ground and how they made it. Then Chris showed up looking for an ice cream. He’d snuck out when Bob and Paul weren’t looking. We took him back with us and put him back in their care.
I’m really looking forward to the AT next year. Chris does a lot of volunteer work and has promised to set us up in Shenandoah. We see if he remembers me when he doesn’t have sangria…
You sure are meeting a lot of people I think you’re having a good time and I envy you the good time not a hike you talk to you later bye dad