Can't update blog

Sorry but I will have to discontinue this. It was worth trying but just not feasible. Wifi connections, time, and energy required are just not sufficient. All I can do to stay alive and walking to the next point. At least that is how it feels. But will come back to the blog after the fact. An extraordinary experience to be sure. Apparently only 16 out of every 100 that start will finish and I confess to thinking that Ibiza sounds better than this windblown meseta section but so far, I am staying the course, raging painful feet and all. Averaging approx 28km per day or 18ish miles. Longest day was 21 miles. I think I have about 400km plus to go, whatever mileage that translates to. 2 days walk from Leon. Hope everyone is doing great. Send out good thoughts and/or prayers for my feet to hold out. Everyone says the first 7 to 10 days are training, so am hoping it gets easier.  May post some entries later if possible, but who knows.  With love to all, Lynn

Pics

3rd or 4th try on the pics...not sure if this will work or not.

Wow just saw on the news that Texas is drowning. I will quit my bitchin bout the weather here! Take care my homies.

An unexpected sideline

Spain is so beautiful and yet so cold. I have been unable to update this blog because there is nowhere to go to have privacy that is not outside. With a high temperature of 48 degrees yesterday and a low of 38 degrees this morning, I am utterly and miserably cold. Right now I am wandering around a park chasing patches of sun in Burgos Spain in order to record this. I have given up trying to write.

This morning, two pilgrims and myself decided to throw in the towel and take the bus to the next largest city. It was raining and 38 degrees and we simply don't have the gear nor the desire to walk in these conditions. I think others will wish they would have done the same.

We will resume our pilgrimage when the weather decides to cooperate and return to a normal springtime climate. At this point, 50 degrees seems reasonable to me (probably Tuesday). It's hard to believe that it was 90 degrees here two weeks ago!

Prior to this temperature assault on our bodies, the Camino was going quite well. My toe is mostly pain free; however, my calves are in constant pain and cramping.  I understand from others that this is normal and may take up to a week to abate.

Well the sun has gone behind the clouds permanently now and I must return inside to the albergue (like a hostel). I am wearing everything that I brought with me and it's not enough. So nothing else to do but wait and hope and pray for relief! It's weird to be huddled in a room about 20x20 with 16  people in bunk beds and nothing to do because we can't do our walk or even go outside really. Well, more later and until then here are some pics from the last couple days...

Overload

So much to share, pics and words, but I'm so exhausted. Didn't expect the toll it would extract in the early days. People are telling me about 6 days to settle in. Right now,  I am sitting in a special massage chair that just does feet, ankles, and calves and I am in heaven. Tomorrow I have booked a private room to have time away from the snorers in the albergues and privacy to update my blog.  Last night, there were 8 in the room...tonight there are about 20. Thank god for ear plugs! Some pics from Day 2...will come back to the others after.

Good morning from Spain

Well I made it. Things have gone smoothly for the most part. The bus ride was much nicer than the plane. I started reading The Pilgrim by Paulo Coelho on the way and am further inspired.

I have the most kind and helpful hostess here at the Pension El Camino in Logrono. She put the first stamp into my Credencial, a booklet where I collect proof from the places I stay along the Camino that I did indeed complete the pilgrimage.  Then in Santiago de Compostela at the end,  I will  receive a Compostela or certificate of completion based on their review of my Credencial.

Today I will work on getting my excess baggage shipped ahead to Santiago de Compostela and getting a service that can carry my bag to the next city. Oh yeah, and I will sleep some more to recover from the jet lag and lack of sleep on the plane. Tomorrow I walk! I am nervous and hoping that my toe will hold out. But I accept that the situation may not work out exactly the way I would like it to, yet have no doubt it will work out exactly as it is supposed to. :)

Not much in the way of pics yet. Here's one from the train as we are coming into Logrono.  

Just because I'm so excited

At the airport and I still can't think of anything I've forgotten, a good start. Downloading books and apps, calling the kiddos, waiting. But the magic has already begun!

Departure Day

Woke up to "CAMINO" splashed across my phone since it was on my calendar, what a rush!! Then I looked at my weather app and the first city is Logrono--how did it know where I was going? Anyway, it's 81* today and 60* in two days when I start. Ugh. But just overcast and not rainy as forecasted last week.

I have packed, unpacked, and repacked dozens of times, trying to get everything just right in my backpack. It takes on so much more importance with my broken toe and the added weight. A lightning bolt idea struck me last night while I was sleeping--why not hire a service to take my bag ahead for the first two, three, or four days as needed? Then I can still walk but without the added pounds. It might work. There are services like this, which if I were not injured, I would never consider because that's not how the real pilgrims did it thousands of years ago. Cheating! But in this case, maybe worth it and I will look into it.

Flying out soon. Austin->Atlanta->Madrid, arriving 9:30am. Then some time in Madrid, followed by 4-hour bus ride to Logrono arriving tomorrow evening around 7pm. It's going to be a loooooooong day/night. Hopefully the excitement will carry me through. Bye and "see" you on the Camino.