Pilgrim Dana

I met Dana through her brother in October 2018. I was looking for company on local hikes. By this time, I was able to walk six miles with a few breaks.
Here we sit with our coffee and she starts talking about a 500 mile walk. In Spain! Furthermore, she tells me if I can walk six miles, I can walk across Spain. First, I want to run out that door! But then, something happens, and I want to do this thing that I’d never heard of before that cup of coffee.

When I get home, I say to John: I’m going to walk across Spain. He says, Really? When? And 11 months later my first step landed on the path leading over the Pyrenees in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France.

Dana is my Camino mentor, my cheerleader and my friend. I can hear her now… What if…. And some seemingly impossible something flows out of that creative mind and suddenly seems possible. We did it, my friend.

Dana at the Cruz de Ferro on the Camino Frances.
Camino Le Puy Route

Madrid

Had a nice four-hour train ride from Santiago to Madrid this morning. Taxi to the hotel, store my bags, find a 2pm breakfast. I was hungry!
Nap. Then a half mile walk to the Plaza Mayor. Dinner on the plaza & flight check in back at the hotel.

From the time I leave the hotel in the morning to the time my plane lands in KC is 21 hours 30 minutes (if all the travel gods align).

View from my hotel balcony
Plaza Mayor
Rent a scooter
Rent a motorcycle
See Tina Turner

Covid test

Entry back to the US requires a negative PCR test no matter how many vaccinations you’ve had (I’ve had three).
I used an eMed Home kit that I’d ordered from Amazon before I left. You connect with a person who watches what you do via your phone. My test is negative as you can see in the photo.

Humpty Dumpty

Just when I was having an internal dialogue with you about having no blisters, no shin splints, no sprains, no tendinitis, and NO FALLS – I fell. About 3km from my hotel.
Luckily, I fell on my rear. 😉

Here’s what I said to John:

Had my first fall. A very steep descent with tiny, loose gravel, so walked on the granite siding bricks. Worked fine until I hit a slightly muddy slick spot. Fell on my rear. My pack has a folded pullover fleece, folded rain jacket and poncho, so it protected my back and kept the back of my head from hitting full force. I’m fine. I was about 10 feet from the bottom of the hill.

Ahhhhhhh

A perfect day for a perfect walk (as long as I don’t count the fall or walking 2 km past my hotel). Photos and such soon. My boots are off and won’t be on again until I’m on a trail at home. Bus and taxi are my friends!

I walked out of the woods to the Atlantic Ocean this morning
The view from my hotel balcony/ deck. I am watching pilgrims make their way down the Camino to the city center. I’m on the south edge of town.

Stage Three of Four: Camino Finisterre – Oliveiroa to Cee

Love short days!

Walking out of Oliveiroa
Somewhere
Wind power all over the place. A fellow from the south of Spain said they were told these would decrease their electric bills, but that has not been the case.
Babbling brooks


Approaching Cee
Cee – Around the marina

Last stop until my Cee arrival – about 9.5 miles. But really, this distance between stops seems to be the norm on this route.
The blue dot is where I am. The red flag at Cee is where I’m going. Reach Finisterre tomorrow. The blue water mass is the Atlantic Ocean.