On today’s hike I only saw other pilgrims at a café halfway where I stopped to get a coffee. It was a very strange feeling being on a hike and not seeing anyone. Often times I would check my GPS to make sure I was going in the correct direction. But I guess that’s how these things happen when you are hiking in the offseason. Today was a relatively gentle hike… 13 miles, 1,000 ft of elevation and I took my time doing it in around 4 hours. The weather is getting cooler and the days are getting shorter. I only have a few brutal long hikes left so on those days I’ll get an early start but for the most part I’ll just work on my layering strategy.
I’ve also been trying to stop more and take in the scenery. I am really getting to understand that 500 miles is a lot. For whatever reason before I started this journey I never really thought about the distance nor the time… but I sure am now. I have another 350 more miles to go and just over three more weeks to do it in. I also couldn’t imagine doing this two thousand years ago without all of the fancy gear I have. In fact, I have incredible respect for pilgrims that do this hike while staying in hostels (abrigados). I am staying in nice accommodations along the way which removes a lot of challenges others have to deal with.
Finally, I am pleased to report that after checking in I got a burger the size of Pinot and how I am finishing this entry with a tall glass of Hendricks offered from my hotel. A great ending to the day.
Love Ryan
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