Stage 14: Villafranca to Atapuerca

18.3 km/11.4 miles, 46°-60°, about 6 hours
After 10 hours of sleep, a good dinner and breakfast at the big albergue/hotel up the hill, with the only restaurant in town, all players on Team Levana's Physical Being were back on board today. "All we ask for is deep, restoratative rest every night, adequate fuel and hydration and we will do this thing you seem to really want to do." OK, thanks team, message received, I promise to be a better team leader.

A couple days ago, at the last 5 km into Belorado I think, I stopped at a mini-mart on the side of the road because it had a large WC Publico sign, which you never see (it was clean and had toilet paper! a gift from God). There was a young woman about my daughter's age with her feet up airing, who looked to be in some discomfort. Turns out, she was from Seattle and considering nursing as a career! And she had developed blisters. That's why I've been carrying that blister kit! We shared some potato chips (salt) and an Orange Kas (sugar) an orange soda made with real OJ that's not too sweet, and I was able to fix her up with moleskin. She took off again at a blistering (literally!) pace with a gargantuan pack. I haven't seen her since. God bless and keep her.

When younger folks go blasting past me, I mentally pat them and think "that's nice dear, good luck with that" in a kind, not snarky way, really! I give them a smile and a "buen Camino!" then resume my slow and steady pace after getting ruffled by their wake. I dimly remember always being in a rush in my younger years, always hurrying to get somewhere or worrying about being late for something. What was I hurrying toward? Success? Happiness? Just trying to get it right- the project of adulting in this modern world. I remember in my 40s having the sensation of having reached the top of the rollercoaster ride, that I was looking toward the end rather than the middle, and thinking "I must have arrived at whatever I thought I was striving for when I was younger without noticing!" I wonder if our bodies slow down naturally as we age to ease us into eldering. As my time in this earthly life shortens I feel the desire to slow down and savor the time I have left. I'm grateful for this opportunity to slow down even more and appreciate this precious NOW. 🐢Read more