Sabor de Camino...The Last Supper.

  This is my last night on the Camino. I decided last night I "could" have made it to Santiago sticking to the highway, but I decided to go slow and savor the Camino on my last day before getting to Santiago. I should get there about the time you wake up Sunday in California. I wanted to enjoy this extra day and take my time. The weather was threatening all day long, but we only got a few 10 minutes light showers. I found that the Pilgrims including me, were really slowing down and keeping to themselves on their final day(s) to take in the experience.

  I met Judy from Los Altos and we talked for probably 15 min while I rode aside and then a really nice, young couple from LA who I talked with for a while too. Afterwards, I met a husband/wife couple who were Dr's from Canada; but I got probably 2 hours riding by myself just taking it all in. I even hopped off my bike a couple times and just walked for like 10 minutes to slow down and look and listen to the Camino.

  It's not over yet, but I plan to "arrive" in Santiago much like I did in St. Jean when I started.

  I'm sure there will be reflections and thoughts that will come tomorrow and even after I return. No world shaking revelations, just Gratitude for the experience. The Camino is physically hard and the elements made it really hard at times. I think again, how it reflects life. You just never know what is going to come your way and you do the best you can at the time. I have regrets over not bringing warmer clothes and a few other things, but I can't stop thinking of the blind Scotsman and wish I had spent more time talking with him.

"Though your destination is not yet clear, you can trust the opening. Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning that is at one with your life's desire. Awaken your spirit to adventure; hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk. Soon you will be at home in a new rhythm, for your soul senses the world that awaits you"
John O'Donohue - Bless the Space Between Us

|)a\/e

Admission of Condition....

I had decided at breakfast to ride off the pass. It was lightly snowing and as I was getting ready, I realized things could get much worse and I just didn't have the clothes warm enough for the existing conditions. A taxi was looking for business and I negotiated to take me off the pass to the next town about 12 miles away at 1,800 ft elevation. It's a good thing I did. As we drove just a mile down the road; it really started snowing hard and didn't turn to rain until a couple miles before the town. It was really hard to swallow my pride, but so glad I did. I rode through the rain until 1pm but then, the sun came out for about 3 hours and I passed through wet, but really nice countryside. Just after lunch, I came across this offering to Pilgrims where they had cookies, oranges and a sign that said "Wake up, you are here!" A reminder that you are on the Camino.

I talked to just a couple people today. When conditions are harsh, everyone keeps to themselves, but I met Richard from Latvia at the Pilgrim offering. We didn't talk long, but still made some kind of connection as you do here.

I am in Portomarín tonight; a smaller town, but nice. I am about 60 miles from Santiago and wanting to be there tomorrow to meet up with Tom and Sandy who I met in León and I have a hotel reservation at the traditional Hostal de Reyes right next to the Santiago Cathedral, but I realize that current raining conditions will likely keep me from making it there. It's a struggle to do 40 miles on trail In the rain.

White Camino!

It snowed pretty heavy overnight here at O Cebreiro. Welcome to Galicia Provence! I thought it was about 3,000ft but since looked and it about 4,000 ft. I don't know quite what to do. The forecast is the same for coming days....I could try and taxi out if here to lower elevations where it might be just rain or hope for a few hours of clear in between, but my pride of doing the Camino is getting in the way. If the roads were clear, I might try jumping on them for a bit but there is about an 1" of snow which would make that unwise. The Camino stays at this elevation for the next 8 miles, so I can't expect anything better for a while.... Breakfast time and decision time....

"May I have the courage today to live the life that I would love, to postpone my dream no longer but do at last what I came here for and waste my heart on fear no more"
John O'Donohue - Bless the Space Between Us

Dave

The weather outside is frightening....

The weather today started out well enough. Cool and overcast. Threre was a big, steep climb out of Villafranca; so steep, I had to push my bike and packs up the trail a few feet at a time for about a mile before I could ride off/on until I reached the first summit about an hour later. Then though farmers orchards where the Camino all but disappeared. Then really steep down to ride on a small road along a river for about 5 miles. It started sprinkling off/on a few minutes at at time. I'd only passed maybe a dozen Pilgrims all morning, so no one really wanted to exchange stories and it started to rain a bit more. About half way to the second pass, it turned steep, but rideable on a small paved road. Then turned so steep that I had to start walking. It started raining lightly but no wind to speak of. After about an hour f rain and walking and biking, it started raining heavier and I was wet and starting to get cold. I finally got to a small town about 2 miles to the summit at 3,000 ft and stopped into the one bar there to warm up and had something to eat. I came out and it was starting to snow and I thought it's only another 2 miles to a bit larger town at the summit, so I rode up another steep section in a light snow. Then it starting snowing heavily and I was getting really cold and wet. I made it to the town and summit in heavy flurries and decided to see if I could find a room for the night rather than risk going down a steep hill on the snow and really cold. Good news... I got the last room at this small hotel here.

Long story short, the weather has been as much of the Camino as anything. The rain, mud, heat, wind and now snow have made the Camino that much harder. I guess it's always been that way and probably much worse in times past. It's one more thing that makes you grateful for the easy life I have back home and makes you dig deep at times to continue and also decide the point when bravado is just ego and it's time to realize I need to stop. Wisdom is coming...

Dave

Mas Duro, Mas Frio...

It was really hard and very cold this morning climbing to the top if the pass. It was 38F when I left the hotel this morning to climb another 1,000 ft to the top of the 4,500 ft. pass where I am sure it was below freezing. There was also wind that just wears on you. It wasn't as bad as last night, maybe 10mph, but added to the cold and the uphill climb, it just got to me. I had almost every piece of riding clothes I had with me on. Three windbreakers on top of my jersey, leg warmers, toe warmers, heavy riding gloves and I was still bitterly cold riding uphill into the wind. Just when I thought I had reached my limit, I got to the the top at 4,500 ft. There was a cross there with dedications and memorials that were very sweet. I came almost all the way back down to 1,800 ft and started to finally warm up.

This afternoon was interesting. I finally got a chance to talk with some people. I don't know where all the Pilgrims went, but there have been way fewer of them for the past couple days. I don't know if I just got ahead of the crowd, or if they are huddled up with the weather. Anyway, near the top of the pass, I met Herman, a German guy who looked to be about 40. After I told him I was from California; he just said " I never said this to an American, but thanks for everything America did for Germany after WWII". I mean neither if us were born yet; but somehow the Camino brings out Gratitude for what you have and what has been given.

Later in the day, I met a group of college school kids from Utah doing the Camino for credit. One of them was doing it in socks and Flip-flops. I asked "really?" In socks and sandals? She said she got blisters wearing her running shoes. Gotta love youth!

I passed thru Pondererrada where there is a Knights Templer castle that was pretty cool looking.

I then met a older guy walking alone. He asked where I was headed for the day and told him. I asked about where he was staying and he said he didn't know, he didn't know where he was. I offered to let him look at my map, but he said it wouldn't help, he was blind. Wow. I wondered how he had gotten this far? He said "Buen Camino" and I went off. About 1/4 mile further, the Camino crossed a busy highway. I was concerned about this guy making it across so I waited a minute to see if he was coming. I didn't see him and I took off. I wish I had waited longer...

It turned windy and cold again this afternoon and we started climbing back up into the hills again to cross yet another pass tomorrow. It supposed to be really cold again tomorrow and we gave to climb up to 3,000 ft from 1,800; back down to 1,800ft and then up to 3.000ft. I don't mind telling you I'm worried especially with the chance of rain and winds.

I am staying in a hotel tonight in Villafranca del Bierzo which is a cute town at 1,800 ft with about 4,000 people. Got a nice town square.

"Dad, you'll never walk alone; you're with me every step of the way; carrying you in my heart forever - Your loving daughter" - Message left on rock at Camino Marker

Dave

Still in Grace but lost the Bliss....

I am in Rabinal del Camino tonight. This old, small 50 person town that has like 4 Albrergue and two small hotels. It is a traditional resting place in between bigger towns on the Camino. It is near the top of a 3,000' pass and I'm quite sure there must be 150 Pilgrims staying here tonight to the 50 residents of mostly older people. The young ones have left for the cities. I am staying in a small, quaint one-star hotel across from the small church. I rode 25 miles to Astorga, this really nice 1,000 person town where they were having an open air market in the town square. I was wishing I had booked here instead of Rabinal, but possibility of rain on the next day(s) pushed me on to do as much as I could beforehand.

I got here mid-afternoon after a really tough 12 mile section from Astorga where I had lunch. It was only slightly uphill riding like 300' rise, but there was 20-25mph headwinds that just wouldn't stop and completely wore me out. It's almost like the Camino reminds you that just when you think it should be easy, it's not.

I checked in and dropped my bags. I wandered across to the church and found a Refugio, a traditional Catholic refuge for Pilgrims. I poked my head in and was welcomed in where a group was having afternoon tea around a big table outdoors. It was so sweet to join in for about an hour with others doing the Camino some staying there, some not. It's now supported and run by the Society of St. James in England and two volunteers , John and Maggie from London were there volunteering for two weeks running it. It is totally supported by donations from people that stay and from the Society. They have beds for 40 Pilgrims and was so nice to be included in the community. Just the experience I was looking for. Turns out they had run out of PG Tips English tea and I had brought some with me for my breakfasts that I haven't used, so they were thrilled for my donation ;-)

Anyway, it turned out that Rabinal was the place for me tonight.... Grace.

dave

Amazing grace and the three "R's"

Today I realized that I am living in Grace. It just happened. When you feel like you are exactly in the right place, at the right time. Often I have tried to make it happen but it doesn't work that way for me. It seems like life is supposed to be this way, but my own thoughts and actions get in the way. I am having some amazing experiences on the Camino meeting people, having spontaneous conversations; challenging myself physically and emotionally and just feeling fortunate to be alive doing what I'm doing. I sat quietly for about 10 minutes in a church today appreciating where I am. No, I haven't had too many Tintos.

In a random moment at lunch; I sat next to an older couple; Tom and Sandy who were living in the San Juan Islands in Wa state. I asked Tom what he did before he retired and he said that he worked for the US Forest Service doing forest fire management. I said that I had fought fires for the US Forest Service in the 1970's and it turned out that we had been on the same fires back then.... I mean how weird is that? To be sitting next to a guy in Leòn Spain that I was with 40 years ago!

I am thinking I'll be in Santiago on the 18th and coincidentally they are arriving in Santiago the same day on the train. We exchanged info and are going to try and get together for dinner there.

I went walking around and ran into these school kids on an outing with their teacher. They asked me to take a picture of them and then they wanted to take a picture with me... Cute.

Now onto the three R's. Recuperation, Repair and Reflection. I felt guilty not riding today. Where did that come from? You don't realize how tired you are until you stop sometimes. I feel so much better having taken the day off. I took my bike in to a bike shop this morning thinking a few things weren't right and turns out my disc rear brakes were completely gone to metal-metal and the front's had little left. Man, am I glad I took it in. All back together lubricated, adjusted and sounds great! I went for a short ride along the river afterwards and that's when the Reflection happened; that I am in Grace. I am so grateful to be here doing this right now.

I went our this afternoon doing some photography. About the first time I have taken to do some more serious work than snapshots with my iPhone and it felt great. I find that I have to get "Quiet" to do any serious work. To see things in a different way than just looking. Anyway, very satisfying. I'll have to wait to get home to see if I like what I did here after doing the digital processing.

Gratitude;
Dave