Day 9

I have walked 51.21 miles so far since we began the Camino.

We just passed the 100 km mark on the Camino and that is equal to 62.13 miles. 

As you can see, I am not walking every single mile that the Camino has prescribed, but I am walking as much as I possibly can, and so is everyone else. Every time I find myself taking an alternative route there are always others on that route too. People are starting to break apart in all manner of ways. 

I am noticing that my lower back is achy from carrying my pack. My knees are super sore from any ascensions or descents I take. There is lack of sleep and fatigue setting in. With all of that, most people are still in good spirits, which is nice, considering we have to share space routinely. 

Yesterday, we arrived in Estella, which is a town I’d love to come back to sometime. We decided to walk up to the wine fountain at the vineyard, and test out the wine. It was delicious, and fun.

The people in the picture above are some friends we met on the first day of the hike. They are a couple whose son is 18, and they are here walking together. Christy, the mom, has some trouble walking long distances with her boys because they go too fast for her, so she is modifying her walk as well. 

Last night, we all stayed in what Deb calls a low security prison facility. In reality, I think it might be an old school. Our shower situation was much like middle school gym class. 

Deb’s extensive training for this hike really paid off because she is powering through aches and heat everyday with the 20 something’s and hasn’t taken even a day off! She’s pretty amazing!