Ledigos

6:30pm

Albergue La Morena

There hasn’t been one day this trip when I’ve dreaded our walk. Yes, it’s so hard, and yes, it’s never easy to get out of bed. But once I’m up, I’m golden. I look forward to what’s in store. 

Well, the closest I’ve come to dreading a walk was today. Our room in Carrion last night was so. bloody. hot. I felt like I just couldn’t cool myself down or catch up on hydration no matter what I did, and it was suffocating. And therefore my sleep was less than stellar. 

Since today’s walk is notorious among pilgrims for its length and heat and lack of scenery change, the combination of how much the heat got to me yesterday and my lack of sleep made me pretty nervous. I knew I wasn’t going to feel like this stretch is boring, the complaint of many pilgrims before me, since I find this landscape breathtaking. It’s SO MUCH like central and eastern Washington. And beautiful. But I thought it would be scorching hot, and without any rest stops it sounded pretty brutal. 

We set out this morning trying to stay upbeat and optimistic, and after one last potty stop before the stretch started, who comes up behind us but Dante and Jose! When you’re praying for positivity, there’s no two people better suited to help. We walked and talked with them for probably the first 1/3 of the day, and the time soared. PLUS, the weather was overcast and blustery! Are you KIDDING?? We couldn’t have asked for better. 

As the storm grew closer, and darker, and colder, I don’t know a better word to describe how I was feeling than euphoric. I felt so peaceful and calm. I played my own little soundtrack to the storm, singing my heart out,  and at one point was actually kind of dancing as I walked. It was such a huge relief not to be hot and sweaty and suffocated. And I LOVE a summer storm.

Another beautiful gift was a covered roadside bar, setup right in the middle of our remote stretch. A bocadillo con queso y tomate (my usual) and cold beverage felt like its own little miracle. 

We decided to put on our jackets and pack covers before we left there "just in case," and then... the sky opened... and oh. sweet. lord. I think this accidental and super flattering selfie I took while starting a video says a lot...

My face doesn’t look happy, and this might have been around the moment I was legitimately worried one of us was going to be struck by lightning. It’s allllll fun and games until someone gets struck by lightning. But once again my dad reminded me that being scared doesn’t help. And what option did we have? We’re in the middle of a field. Alone. There’s no place to wait it out. So on we pressed. And it was absolutely thrilling. Not just the fear of imminent death, although that really adds to the suspense. It was just so unbelievably beautiful and surreal. I’ve never EVER seen or heard anything like it. The claps of thunder directly over our heads were enormous. Horrifying and exhilarating all at once. Lightning so close it was barely a second before the accompanying BOOOOOM! overhead. The clouds took on this crescent shape, in the most awe-inspiring layers. It was beyond description. 

I was definitely ready for some shelter when we arrived in the first town after this 17km stretch, since I couldn’t have been any more soaked even if I jumped in a pool, but I actually remember thinking at one point before the storm really got bad that I would be bummed to see it end. WHAT?!?! The stage that made me the most nervous, providing potentially one of the bigger mental challenges yet, was making me so happy I didn’t want to see it end?? 

Another Camino miracle.

We stopped at the only bar in that town, where I enjoyed a cafe con leche and probably the best slice of tortilla to date. My own little oasis. Normally I’m missing iced coffee, but NOT TODAY. 

We warmed up and changed our socks and set out once again, and I could barely keep my shivering under control. Teeth chattering, rib cage aching, COLD. What is this sensation?? How quickly we forget what it is to be cold when just this morning I thought I would suffocate from heat. And I did not complain once about being cold. I celebrated it like I’ve never celebrated being sopping wet and freezing before. Mostly because I don’t think I’ve ever really seen that as cause for celebration. But today it was. BIG TIME. 

We only had to walk a couple miles before both of us ditched our rain jackets as it started to warm up just a bit. Enough to be perfectly comfortable. The birds were chirping, the bees were buzzing, the flowers smelled so sweet you wouldn’t believe it, and before we knew it we arrived at our beautiful albergue. 

It’s amazing what a hot shower can do, and the rest of the night will be spent not taking the roof over our heads and beds under our bodies for granted.