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The only way to put it is day 3 sucked! It started with a rainy cloudy morning of stale bread and bad coffee. Kris was still peeved that the walk from town to our B & B was a 3K straight up. The lodging was in a great location, a farm stay right on the Camino, good for me, sucked for her. We were anticipating fresh farm food, there was a huge garden, chickens, fruit trees lots of potential for a good meal. Dinner for me was salad, a potato egg something and some tiny animal with ribs the size of tooth picks. Poor Kris had salad and fried potato's. Off to bed hoping for a nice breakfast of fresh eggs, good bread, bacon and real coffee, none of that. Kris was determined to walk the steep road back to town. We start off together and soon argue about the trail. The camino is clearly marked which I follow religiously. Kris prefers the easiest way regardless of the Camino. As I learned yesterday from a local there are many ways to get from A to B. I want to follow the Camino she wants to get down quick and safe. As
it's raining, the road is steep and very slick and Kris is taking it really siilllooowww! Not, a good start. Once in town I try to buy a cover for my pack to keep my stuff dry, sold out everywhere! I get a free plastic bag from a sport shop and slide it over my pack, it works.
According to the guide book this is to be a scenic trek into the mountains away from the sea with moderate climbs and serine pine forests, nice. ETA 5 hours. As described the trek leaves down and quickly climbs into the surrounding mountains. Due to the rain the trail is a muddy slippery steep mess, two hours in I shed a warm turtle neck for a dry fit tee shirt and zip off long pants for shorts this helps. Up I go its still pouring rain, and very slippery after 3.5 hours I reach flat pavement, YES I am at the summit all down now! I pull out the map to check my location ahhhh not even 1/2 way. WTF?? Looking closely at the map not only am I not 1/2 way I have another 1,500 Ft of elevation to go!
SHIT! Off I go with a heavy heart, disappointed with my feeble progress. Good news? It stopped raining. The final 1,500 Ft is incredibly steep but paved, I put my head down a push up, its kinda fun, really pushing myself to get to the top quick and begin the easy walk down. At the top, sweet! I reward myself with a snickers bar. OK, now its all down hill now. I notice the whole area is a clear cut freshly logged area, this is a truly densely forested area with lots of recent activity. Down I go and I mean DOWN. The trail quickly becomes the worst muddy, slick, steep, nasty combination of the slickest clay shit I have ever encountered. I slip, slide my way down making slow progress really slow. My trekking poles save my ass they at least keep me up right. The trail is a nasty rutted, steep wet slick mess for the next 8K. During this time I really question my motive to walk the Camino. Is this fun? A vacation? Relaxing? Inspiring? Hell no! I am sitting on a stump feeling sorry for myself, really questioning should I continue. It dawns on me,
look around dumb ass, I have not seen a sole in 3 hours, I am in the middle of a mountain pass with no cell reception. What? Call a cab? There is truly no was out except to drag my fat ass down the mountain. Get up sissy pants and move it's your only choice. As I walk I try to find something good to think about. My girlfriend! I will have my sweet wife waiting for me at the end happy and rested from the buss ride. Ok, pick up the pace weenie! Its now 7 hours on the trail, but I can see the town from the mountain top, I come to a sign 3.8k to town. Shit that still 2.5 miles! Beep goes my cell phone. Its Kris, where are you she texted. I send her a photo of the mile post marker. She informs me our hotel is a 2 hour walk from town. She walked it, and was bawling most the way, steep wet, and long and lost, she hated it. Down, down, down I go, Kris texting me how much longer? How much longer? Wish I knew. Town FINALLY. I am looking for a
hotel, train, bus station so I can get a taxi to the hotel not walking another two hours. I finally walk into a bar and ask, Where is the train station? No. Where is the Bus station? No. OK where can I get a taxi. No. Wait no taxi in the entire town????? No. WTF? How is that even possible. After much discussion with everyone in the bar none of which speak any english, I finally understand A. no taxi is possible B. Where the hell do I want to go? I pull out my hotel resv. and hand it to the bar maid, she calls the hotel and tells them to come get my ass. Done. Reunited with my girlfriend she is still crying over the nasty lousy day she had. I listen to her day at the bar with a vodka and OJ and commiserate. This is the Camino, it tests your strengths and points out your weakness.
Bright spot of the day:
For me, it stopped raining
For Kris: While lost in town trying to find the non existent bus station on shaky legs after a 2K steep decent into town she finally ask a group of woman for directions. Of course no english, after Kris finally gets the message thru all the women take her to the bus, stop not station, only a stop. In an act of kindness for the help Kris pulls out a Hawaiian key chain with a surfboard attached and explains she is living in Hawaii. They all begin to do the hula and shout ALOHA in the pouring rain. My GF spreading Aloha in the rain in Spain NOT on the plain!
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anonymous
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Good job, sissy pants!
Bummer this day was so junk! Hope there are more good days on the horizon, sissy pants! ? Proud of Kristy... sounds like she's powering thru, awesome!