LIVE from the Camino Héctor Walks His Way-week 4

[Kirkie]

Ham? I would not carry that, unless it is the cured jamon, rather than what is called jamon de york, cooked boiled or roast ham. I would not carry them at all. Even jamon jamon, I would not carry it. Hope the feet are ok...

 

[dougfitz]

I don’t know exactly where Puente de Castro ends and Leon begins, but in any case it’s a very nice metro area.

The suburb boundary of Puente Castro - La Lustra is shown in orange in the attached image.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Got them! There is a súper right across from my hostal, well-stocked with all kinds of goodies.
Question: how long can they stay good in a backpack (same question applies to other suggestions like ham, etc, as I’m concerned about spoilage. Having had food poisoning a couple times, I don’t want to go through that again.

Meats such as ham I would always eat the next day; meat such as salami will easily last two or three days. Ditto soft versus hard cheese. Depending on the weather of course.
Fruit of course is typically good for days. The key is to avoid bashing the hell out of it, bruising makes it go off very quickly. I never buy more than a couple of each - apart from anything else fruit is heavy (although a good source of water). I've also found fruit available in cafes, often in a dish on the side of the bar. Slightly more expensive but still reasonable and it avoids you having to carry it for half the day.

If you've bought the long life yogurt drinks they don't need refrigeration and they're good for weeks if not months- there will be a 'best before' date on the packet.

 

[SEB2]

Based on (unpleasant) experience, always, always wash fruit before eating. Not to do so can cost you two or more days of walking if you fall ill. Bananas are the exception as they come 'ready wrapped', they also have the added benefit of providing potassium.

 

[HBS60]

Musings from a weary pilgrim…

As planned, I took a day off walking the Camino at León, such a beautiful and charming city! Even the chilly, rainy, gloomy weather has failed to suppress its vibrant energy. Yesterday, the streets were full with all kinds of people, pilgrims, tourists, locals, to the point it was hard to walk without bumping or being bumped by someone, and needing to be alert for bikes, scooters and similar devices that can easily run one over.

In contrast, this morning I got out around 7:45 AM, the streets were deserted and glistening from the rain that fell just before sunrise. My quest for coffee would have to wait until 8:30 AM when businesses started to open. As soon as I obeyed my caffeine receptors demands, I went back inside, took a little nap, then tried to figure out what should go in my new day pack and how to organize it. I also needed to decide which town and which albergue I would walk to tomorrow.

Because September 11 is approaching, I decided I would do two 24 Km days in a row, so I can make it to Foncebadón (just before Cruz de Ferro) on time, by the 10th. I hope the lighter daypack will help me cover the distance. After that, I might slow down a bit.

I’ll admit I feel apprehensive about that day, as it is do loaded with significance to me. Will dropping a stone will actually make a difference, will I be able to let go? Or will it be an empty, meaningless gesture? I suspect I will need lots of space to grapple with this, so I may post less or not at all that day. I actually have 3 stones to drop, for different reasons, and I hope this ceremony will help at least one or two of these three reasons.

While the reason I decided to do the Camino is a 10 year grief anniversary, I have been too preoccupied with the logistics of walking, rough terrain, hills, food, shelter, blisters, resulting in my losing sight of my purpose. I do catch on to my distraction so I try to refocus, but the Camino is like a river of humanity, it keeps flowing, pushing or dragging me along, my intentions forgotten as I struggle with learning how to navigate this flow.

I also struggle with the impostor syndrome. Why should I be allowed to do this pilgrimage when I’m decidedly not religious? While I put every effort to be respectful, I’m not fueled by religious devotion, maybe that’s why I’m struggling. This is not to minimize what I have accomplished so far, it’s more about the struggle for authenticity. I remind myself that all I have to do is walk. I am not required to carry a huge backpack with medical equipment. I’m not required to spark great friendships, romances, or meet the love of my life. I just have to walk. It’s that simple, but simplicity has been elusive for me.

I also think the Camino might be a sort of “sampler” of various experiences and relationships. I’ve met several people either whom I’ve clicked but these mini-relationships never last too long, as we are being swept apart by different currents. So it might be a good training ground for real life. People move on, and new people come in. It’s that simple.

I know there are challenges ahead, and I’m glad I got lots of people cheering me on. I can’t promise success, but I can promise my efforts to keep putting one foot in front of the other. It doesn’t get any simpler than that…

 

[dbier]

Hector, you came looking for something. You're not an imposter. You're a pilgrim.
As for apprehension, we all face it.

You may not think of yourself as religious, but I find this reading helpful...

"Por lo tanto, no se angustien por el mañana, el cual tendrá sus propios afanes. Cada día tiene ya sus problemas."

You won't control tomorrow, and you can't change yesterday. You *are* changing today. Be at peace, and keep walking.

 

[bullingtonce]

Copied and pasted from my FB post:

Carrión de los Condes to Ledigos
15 miles 24.14 Km.

I started my walk even earlier than usual at 5:30 AM because I knew the first 10 miles (17 Km) would be through a stretch that had absolutely no services, no cafes, no bars, no towns. Unfortunately, I got to Carrion yesterday on a Sunday, and by the time I got settled in, showered, and changed, the only open food store on Sunday had closed. Since I left so early, nothing was open. I did have a leftover cupcake and a package of cookies, and I managed to get a restaurant to sell me an Aquarius and a Coke bottle.

So I set out in the dark, there was another pilgrim ahead of me but he soon vanished in the dark. The trail was along a highway all the time, but it felt very scary, even though my headlamp was working perfectly. Soon enough, other pilgrims started to pass me in the darkness, many of them I already knew, and seeing their headlights in the distance was reassuring.

Slowly daylight was creeping in, and I managed to get pics of the sunrise, pics I’ll always treasure. But I was feeling hungry, weak, and my feet were bothering me, not a good thing so early on my day.

I managed to keep going, until I spied a makeshift rest area, so I stopped, took off my backpack, ate some cookies, and took more pics. A pilgrim passing by hold me there was coffee ahead, just a few meters away. So I put on my backpack and walked to a semi-permanent structure with a seating area, with several pilgrims around, so I thought hallelujah!

My joy was short lived because they had a problem with their electricity and there was no coffee, aaargh!!! They did have a coconut cake and I had a slice of that and a Coke. I know, less than ideal, don’t hate on me!
A couple of ladies insisted in giving me a cereal bar and an apple, which I gladly accepted and put in in my pack for later.

Feeling better, I resumed my walk, but my feet were bothering me, as I’ve forgotten about them. I trudged along the best I could. I saw in the distance a lady I’ve seen before and talked with a little. Something didn’t seem right with the way she walked, seemed unsteady. Eventually she got off the trail, and I saw she was laying on the seat of a concrete picnic table. I figured that she was ok so I sat on the other side of side, tending to my feet. The two ladies of the cereal bar then caught up with me, and they tried to help me by giving me an antiseptic cream, band-aids, and some suggestions. I thanked them as they left, then turned my attention to the lady lying down on the bench, to make sure she was OK. She wasn’t. She spoke Brazilian Portuguese so we had some trouble communicating, but it seemed to me she was struggling with low blood sugar. She told me she also had a Coke, but it didn’t work, what she really needed was coffee. I remembered the cereal bar, and offered it to her. She accepted only a little piece of it but would not take the entire bar. She ate the piece and felt better. At that point a friend of hers came by so I felt ok resuming my walk since she wasn’t alone.

It was a mercifully cool, cloudy day, and that helped tremendously. One big highlight was reaching the 400 Km marker to Santiago. At various points I’ve seen the numbers dwindle down from the 600s, after today I’ll start seeing 300s, yay! I did decide to try wearing my hiking sandals instead of my trail runners. I think it helped a little, but I really needed to stop walking, but I was still away from my destination.

After an endless stretch of straight road, I finally reached Calzadilla de La Cueza, where it seemed everyone I knew was there. It’s interesting to see how the group seems to reshuffle, I don’t see the same people every day, but I keep running into them every few days.

I finally had my Café con Leche, Tortilla de Patatas and orange juice. I ran again into the two ladies from this morning, a lady I met the day if the storm, and the Brazilian lady, now doing much better. We were all going to walk different places, the storm lady was staying in the current town, and the Brazilian lady was going much farther. She and I walked out of town, she told me this was her 5th Camino, and when I explained that I’m walking slow because of the weight of the cPAP machine, she offered to take my backpack to give me some relief. I politely declined, as that f****ng backpack is f****ng heavy (sorry, but no other words will do). Eventually she said she wanted to go ahead, because she wanted to get to her town before we got rain. She said she would pray for me and asjked I would do the same. Of course! She walked away, moving very agilely, unlike how she was in the morning. I hope I did some good for her today, just as the two ladies were good to me.

I only had 6.5 Km to go, it was only around noon, so I took it easy. The sun did perk out so I deployed my umbrella, but it got cloudy again. I found a good spot to sit and relax, watching pilgrims go by, some of them I knew, some of them not. I admired my pilgrim tan lines, drank my Coke and Aquarius from yesterday, because I was getting close.

Finally, I arrived at Ledigos , an extremely tiny village with not much going on as far as I could see. The exterior wasn’t encouraging, but they do have nice facilities and a nice yard with beautiful flowers. I showered, rested, will have a dinner here on my own since the place is so quiet (at least at the moment).

Tomorrow, I plan to walk only 16 Km to Sahagún, to keep my walking to a minimum. I also will try to get a distance certificate (not related to the Compostela) because it is considered the halfway point of the Camino Francés.

I can’t believe I’ve walked this far, and I hope I can keep it up. I’m trying to better learn how to meet my body’s needs, how to keep moving ahead without hurting myself. “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”. How to walk the line between these two realities is the task I’m trying to learn, one day at a time, one step at a time…

FB link for pics: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/eTFXqdsoTP6thQDM/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Hector, your travel logue is inspiring. You keep going through thick and thin as well as extend care and kindness to others. Thank you. Chuck

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

I also struggle with the impostor syndrome

I can only 'judge' you from the way you write and the things you tell us. You appear to write from the heart and if anything you are honest to a fault.
Yes, originally the camino was walked predominantly, perhaps solely for religious reasons. But that is no longer the case.

You may be many things, but in my opinion, an imposter you are not.

 

[Chris Day]

Hi Héctor. I have read your thread with great interest and much of what you have written about your time so far has resonated with me.

In the past, I have walked the section that you are about to enter ten times. In fact, I will be just two days behind you, when you reach the Cruz de Ferro. It is always a subjective and very personal thing, but for me it has always been a very special section, which is why I am drawn back to it repeatedly. I have been at the Cruz when there was snow on the ground; in the mist and rain; under clear blue skies - and at night with no light pollution or lunar brilliance, I have stood there under a canopy of stars.


It can be a remarkable time and I very much hope it will be so for you. Sometimes it is often with the passage of time and upon reflection, that one realises just how remarkable.

On Caminos, I have had “encounters” that I simply cannot explain, humanly-speaking. I have met many remarkable people and have heard many amazing stories. Your own story, I sense, would be yet another. Sadly, we probably won’t meet, but then again we may….. such is Camino life!

Coincidentally, like you I also have three stones to deposit at the foot of the cross there. There is something deeply significant in the act of such placings. The first time, I wasn’t even aware that the pile of stones and the cross were there! I seem to recall that I simply glanced at it as I walked on - my focus was to complete each day - I had 33 days of agonisingly painful foot blisters on that very first Camino.

However, with each Camino I walked - and I have walked many now - I realised that it was like peeling away the layers of an onion. Each time I walked seemed to reveal to me more and more just what it was that I was doing… I’m a slow learner! But, I had started a process that would increasingly come to define me as a person, into old age.

I started off as a relative youngster - a walker - but was taken by surprise and as mentioned to you as a possibility by another contributor above (dbier), I discovered that I had become a pilgrim. For me it was some kind of gradual process, over many years. As I say, I’m slow on the uptake sometimes!

When engaging with others on Camino, I often ask the question, what to that point on their Camino would they say was the biggest single “takeaway” for them…. What they have learned and might take forward into everyday life after Camino. One of the most significant answers came from someone very, very much younger than me - a mid-30’s Portuguese guy, who was nearing the end of his Camino Frances….

A Journal extract from spring 2019 records the reply I got:
…..he said he had learned from
walking his 800km Camino Pilgrimage the following. "I have learned to open my hands. I have realised that I have lived much of my life with clenched fists, holding on to things that needed to be released. Past failures in life; resentments and bitterness; grief and sadnesses. It is only when our hands are open that we can be free to release what needs to be released in our lives. With those same empty hands, we are then free to receive fresh, new things into our lives.

There are things that we carry and hold on to - sometimes for many, many years - that we should release.

With clenched fists and closed hands we cannot do these things", he said.

I think that the Cruz de Ferro in part is a part of this.

As an aside, I had also added in my note:
“Walking the Pilgrimage Paths can be a time of great God-given grace.
We release from our inmost being, the things that need to be released.
We absorb from the Camino the things that Grace means for us to absorb...from the wild ways and the ancient paths and places; from the times with the good folk who we share our path with for a week, a day, an hour or perhaps even just a few moments.
These places are "Thin Places" and the times can be "Grace Times".......It is in those Thin Places that one notices things that others don't notice and see things that others do not see, perhaps hear things that others cannot hear”.

Héctor, I believe we all walk Camino for an important reason. It is most probably because we need to.

Buen Camino to you, Pilgrim Héctor! As mentioned by Peter above, you are no “imposter”!
Go well.

 

[HBS60]

Thanks for all the wonderful, helpful replies. My day in León was what I needed, I rested, I napped, I ate, I shopped (a little), I explored. The gloomy, rainy weather cleared and it was a delightfully sunny, clear afternoon. Much needed!
Tomorrow is Sunday, so it’s the beginning of my 5th week, so I’ll probably start a new thread.
Thanks to all!

 

[bestfootforward]

Musings from a weary pilgrim…

As planned, I took a day off walking the Camino at León, such a beautiful and charming city! Even the chilly, rainy, gloomy weather has failed to suppress its vibrant energy. Yesterday, the streets were full with all kinds of people, pilgrims, tourists, locals, to the point it was hard to walk without bumping or being bumped by someone, and needing to be alert for bikes, scooters and similar devices that can easily run one over.

In contrast, this morning I got out around 7:45 AM, the streets were deserted and glistening from the rain that fell just before sunrise. My quest for coffee would have to wait until 8:30 AM when businesses started to open. As soon as I obeyed my caffeine receptors demands, I went back inside, took a little nap, then tried to figure out what should go in my new day pack and how to organize it. I also needed to decide which town and which albergue I would walk to tomorrow.

Because September 11 is approaching, I decided I would do two 24 Km days in a row, so I can make it to Foncebadón (just before Cruz de Ferro) on time, by the 10th. I hope the lighter daypack will help me cover the distance. After that, I might slow down a bit.

I’ll admit I feel apprehensive about that day, as it is do loaded with significance to me. Will dropping a stone will actually make a difference, will I be able to let go? Or will it be an empty, meaningless gesture? I suspect I will need lots of space to grapple with this, so I may post less or not at all that day. I actually have 3 stones to drop, for different reasons, and I hope this ceremony will help at least one or two of these three reasons.

While the reason I decided to do the Camino is a 10 year grief anniversary, I have been too preoccupied with the logistics of walking, rough terrain, hills, food, shelter, blisters, resulting in my losing sight of my purpose. I do catch on to my distraction so I try to refocus, but the Camino is like a river of humanity, it keeps flowing, pushing or dragging me along, my intentions forgotten as I struggle with learning how to navigate this flow.

I also struggle with the impostor syndrome. Why should I be allowed to do this pilgrimage when I’m decidedly not religious? While I put every effort to be respectful, I’m not fueled by religious devotion, maybe that’s why I’m struggling. This is not to minimize what I have accomplished so far, it’s more about the struggle for authenticity. I remind myself that all I have to do is walk. I am not required to carry a huge backpack with medical equipment. I’m not required to spark great friendships, romances, or meet the love of my life. I just have to walk. It’s that simple, but simplicity has been elusive for me.

I also think the Camino might be a sort of “sampler” of various experiences and relationships. I’ve met several people either whom I’ve clicked but these mini-relationships never last too long, as we are being swept apart by different currents. So it might be a good training ground for real life. People move on, and new people come in. It’s that simple.

I know there are challenges ahead, and I’m glad I got lots of people cheering me on. I can’t promise success, but I can promise my efforts to keep putting one foot in front of the other. It doesn’t get any simpler than that…

"I can't promise success...", Hector, you've already succeeded!

 

[CWBuff]

If you hard-boil eggs they should be good for 3 days. Fruit can usually survive 2-3 days except apples which can last a week.

 

[MelMc]

Hector you have a special gift and keep going we are all benefitting from you.

 

[dick bird]

This is on the "through path" (called Camino de Santiago) and it seems the Camino has been "chiseled off" at some point and "competing factions" have at another time painted a yellow arrow.

The Camino de Santiago has shifted route more times than some rivers. It will quite certainly continue to shift over time.

 

[MarioM]

I can’t believe I’m just starting my 4th week on the Camino!

Frómista to Carrión de los Condes, 12.5 miles, 20.11 Km.

A rather uneventful day, which I don’t mind after yesterday’s intense day. Every morning, we scramble to get ready to leave the albergue, which for me is complicated due to my cPAP machine. A bunch of them left very early , and a little group was with me at first. There was the usual confusion trying to find the yellow arrows, but finally I was on my way. My companions moved on, leaving me behind, but the route was clear, and I knew there would be other pilgrims catching up with me. The trail was a gravel one, dry smooth and flat, my only annoyance was stepping into puddles from the rain yesterday. I couldn’t see them, even with my headlamp, so I got my feet wet a few times.

Daybreak eventually came. It was another beautiful sunrise, the air was cool, and thankfully there were no mountains to climb. Just 3.3 Km away, I found an open bar where I could have my coffee and croissant. I continued on, and the trail gave two choices, the straight-line, borring one, or the more pleasant, panoramic one by the river. I got on the boring one because it seemed shorter on the maps. I wasn’t willing to walk any longer than I had to.

There were towns every few kilometers, which was nice, and I came upon an albergue that had a nice patio and offered some food. They also had a piano, but unfortunately it was horribly out of tune, besides after 3 weeks of not playing, my fingers wouldn’t cooperate.

I moved on, but there’s not much to say. The trail was a straight path next to a highway the entire time. There was a very gentle slope upwards, but I didn’t really feel it until the end.

Finally I reached Carrion De Los Condes, limping a little because I was again having blisters. I took care of them, finally made my way to the albergue. The nun was very warm and enthusiastic making me feel welcome. The usual routine of showering, finding a place for lunch, laundry, took most of the afternoon.

Unfortunately, because it’s Sunday, the little stores where I stock up on items for my walk, like sodas, closed early before I could get to them. This was a problem because tomorrow, upon leaving this town, there is a very long stretch (17 Km) with nothing, so I want to have at least an Aquarius and/or Voke if I run out of water. Luckily, I found a restaurant where I got two sodas to go, but they thought it was to my room (I wasn’t staying there), so they brought them to me poured in glasses. When I explained that I needed them for the Camino, they poured them in plastic bottles. Not ideal, but it will be OK

Tonight we have a community dinner, then tomorrow the recommended walk is a long walk, to Terradillos de Los Templarios, a good 26.3 Km away. I’ve decided to not walk so far, to Ledigos, 23.3 Km, and that’s pushing it.

I’m entering today my fourth Camino week, and while I’m amazed at show much I’ve accomplished, I’m getting weary, maybe a little burned out? I try to keep in mind that nobody forced me to do this, and to remember those for whom I walk.

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Don't worry , there is a food truck

I can’t believe I’m just starting my 4th week on the Camino!

Frómista to Carrión de los Condes, 12.5 miles, 20.11 Km.

A rather uneventful day, which I don’t mind after yesterday’s intense day. Every morning, we scramble to get ready to leave the albergue, which for me is complicated due to my cPAP machine. A bunch of them left very early , and a little group was with me at first. There was the usual confusion trying to find the yellow arrows, but finally I was on my way. My companions moved on, leaving me behind, but the route was clear, and I knew there would be other pilgrims catching up with me. The trail was a gravel one, dry smooth and flat, my only annoyance was stepping into puddles from the rain yesterday. I couldn’t see them, even with my headlamp, so I got my feet wet a few times.

Daybreak eventually came. It was another beautiful sunrise, the air was cool, and thankfully there were no mountains to climb. Just 3.3 Km away, I found an open bar where I could have my coffee and croissant. I continued on, and the trail gave two choices, the straight-line, borring one, or the more pleasant, panoramic one by the river. I got on the boring one because it seemed shorter on the maps. I wasn’t willing to walk any longer than I had to.

There were towns every few kilometers, which was nice, and I came upon an albergue that had a nice patio and offered some food. They also had a piano, but unfortunately it was horribly out of tune, besides after 3 weeks of not playing, my fingers wouldn’t cooperate.

I moved on, but there’s not much to say. The trail was a straight path next to a highway the entire time. There was a very gentle slope upwards, but I didn’t really feel it until the end.

Finally I reached Carrion De Los Condes, limping a little because I was again having blisters. I took care of them, finally made my way to the albergue. The nun was very warm and enthusiastic making me feel welcome. The usual routine of showering, finding a place for lunch, laundry, took most of the afternoon.

Unfortunately, because it’s Sunday, the little stores where I stock up on items for my walk, like sodas, closed early before I could get to them. This was a problem because tomorrow, upon leaving this town, there is a very long stretch (17 Km) with nothing, so I want to have at least an Aquarius and/or Voke if I run out of water. Luckily, I found a restaurant where I got two sodas to go, but they thought it was to my room (I wasn’t staying there), so they brought them to me poured in glasses. When I explained that I needed them for the Camino, they poured them in plastic bottles. Not ideal, but it will be OK

Tonight we have a community dinner, then tomorrow the recommended walk is a long walk, to Terradillos de Los Templarios, a good 26.3 Km away. I’ve decided to not walk so far, to Ledigos, 23.3 Km, and that’s pushing it.

I’m entering today my fourth Camino week, and while I’m amazed at show much I’ve accomplished, I’m getting weary, maybe a little burned out? I try to keep in mind that nobody forced me to do this, and to remember those for whom I walk.

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There is a food truck in the middle of the long 17 km stretch.

 

[trecile]

There is a food truck in the middle of the long 17 km stretch.

Héctor discovered it last Monday:

pilgrim passing by hold me there was coffee ahead, just a few meters away. So I put on my backpack and walked to a semi-permanent structure with a seating area, with several pilgrims around, so I thought hallelujah!

My joy was short lived because they had a problem with their electricity and there was no coffee, aaargh!!! They did have a coconut cake and I had a slice of that and a Coke. I know, less than ideal,

 

[trecile]

Here's Héctor's week five thread:
Héctor Walks His Way- Week 5