It’s all about your feet!
3 May – Last night before turning out the lights I noted my left foot was still swollen. Normally the swelling goes down after a few hours off the road….the fatigue and tightness in the foot doesn’t. Naturally, I took some Motrin, shrugged it off and turned out the light. This morning it was still swollen – not a good sign. Clearly I’ve been pushing this almost 55 year old body too hard…the muscles may feel like a spry 26 year old but all the connections between those muscles feel their age. (Bercianos Del Real Camino)
My body is not so subtly telling me to slow the hell down! The obsession of getting ahead of every floating backpack and floppy hat that’s in front of me is stupid….and I know it. But until now, I could not seem to abate the urge. The swollen foot may have done it. Today I stopped twice and had two breakfasts, I cruised at low speed and enjoyed the road (unfortunately on the Meseta there’s really not much to see). I still arrived at my hotel by 1230 and the first guy too check in, but I wasn’t smoked. My feet are still sore, my left one is still swollen, but perhaps I’m getting smarter in my old age….maybe just a little. Fortunately the Motrin supply has yet to run out.
Spot Reports
I spotted the Milanese Caminoine dog and his tender the other day (Brian). We caught up a bit, his English improves every day as everybody wants to chat with the boy and his dog. Bobble (Bubble in English) is the dog’s real name. Named such because he bounces from place to place like a little uncontrolled bubble. Bobble has his own backpack to carry his meals. Brian laughed and commented that when the food supplies get low, he loads up the pack up with other sundries just so he can slow the bobble down! After a few minutes of chat, the lure of the floating backpacks overwhelmed my senses and I had to move on to get ahead. I hope to see Bobble later on the trail, and his keeper. I have yet to come across my Romanian friend.
The other day was a local four day holiday weekend and apparently many Spanish families took this as an opportunity to knock out another stage of their Camino. The trail reminded me of the photos you see of refugees sprawling all over the landscape; I had not seen so many floating backpacks on the trail anytime during this trip. As you can imagine, like a cat chasing a shiny object, the backpacks out in front had their normal effect. This is, where, I believe, I strained my left foot. Fortunately the weekend is over and the trails are lonely and quiet these days. In the mornings I leave before the crowds just so I can get ahead of the glut of Caminoians and have the Camino all to myself. It’s glorious. (Bercianos Del Real Camino)
Interesting Links (Bercianos Del Real Camino)
- Photos along the Camino and throughout the Iberian Peninsula
- Return to the beginning of this Journal Blog
- Enjoy our Journal Blog about our travels throughout Italy