I just lost it....

   I'm here in Santiago. It was a very long day and I wasn't completely sure I would make it. I started riding at 7am without breakfast and stopped for about 10 minutes to get water and down a protein bar. I was really concerned to I had misjudged the distance last night and wouldn't be able to be here. It was 95Km (60 miles) from Portomarin and there were some up and down hills on the way including a climb out of Portomarin. Working against time and increasing pain I made it about 3:30 this afternoon. I sat in front of the Catherdral for maybe 15 minutes and got a bit choked up thinking about what I've been through in France and Spain to make it here. 

  I checked into the hotel San Francisco and "Walking the Camino" is playing tonight here. What a coincidence. Annie O'Neil the one that did Phil's Camino is in it. Anyway I showered and changed and went to get my Compostella certificate. There was a bit of a line and had to smile when it was my turn and I got post 13. I went and a nice guy I would guess in his mid 30's starts examining my credential. He said "You did 95K today!?" and I said yes. He questioned me a bit more about when I started and I found myself telling him about how hard the day was and kind of getting chocked up again. He asked me about my trip from Le Puy and how I pronounced my name.  Finally he gave me my certificate of completion then told me the priest would read my name at the 7:30 mass that night for having completed the Camino from Le Puy. I just lost it. I started tearing up and this poor guy was trying to console me and say it was done and it was time to rest now. I'm tired. 

   Looking back, it's been such a journey. It was somewhere over 1,008 miles of trail, mud, rain, heat, getting lost, being alone, being with the group in France. It seems like I started a year ago, and the Chemin there is so different and in many ways so much harder than the Spanish Camino. 

  I am starting my way home on Wednesday to London and Friday back in California. I don't know what it all means but glad I did it. Thanks again for your thoughts, prayers, emails and grace from you back home. 

Buen Camino

Dave

Starting out this morning

Arrived in the Catherdral square 

Crypt of Saint James