Golden Girls: Pontevedra-Barro

Walked along a train track today a la ‘Stand By Me’, but the crew I joined up with definitely had more a Golden Girls vibe.

Soon after leaving Pontevedra’s lovely Old Town Shopping District (complete with Burger King in an ancient stone building), I run into Omaha sisters Ellen and Amy, childhood friend Jerry, of Phoenix, and “California Kelly”. Within minutes of starting up a conversation, someone drops an F bomb about all the walking. It’s followed by a crack about wine and ibuprofen.

‘No way I’m letting these ladies get away from me,’ I think. ‘These are my people.’

What follows is a raucous day of story sharing and shit talking. The three friends are of my generation. Kelly is a youngish mom they adopted about 20 minutes before I came along. My foot was already feeling better (thanks in part to last nights Vicodin, because something had to give), but there’s nothing like a gaggle of kvetching midwesterners to make you forget your troubles and pick up the pace.

We share life stories. We share our favorite freaky “Twilight Zone” episodes. We share lunch. The sisters, who are Catholic, can rattle off the specifics of the Fatima story as quick as they come up with a one-liner. How’s that for a combination?

Within a couple of hours, they are giving me shit about my navigation skills. “Well, Tammy said we were three miles away five miles ago,” becomes a repeating jab from Jerry. I feel loved.

Ten miles goes by like buttah, but I have to peel off at Barras while they trudge on to Caldas de Reis. I give hugs all around and collect What’s App numbers so we can stay in touch. Some folks you lose along the way. Some you keep.

The next morning, the Omaha Three and Cali Kelly crew are checking on me after a harrowing stay in a private home, but that’s another story.

Chances are slim I’ll see this crew again. They have limited time so are walking more miles per day. But I’ll hear from them when they reach the finish line and will cheer virtually for their accomplishment. Because they are part of my Camino family - the ones I’d want to sit with at the big family gathering, cause they’re the fun crew.

What a happy, happy day it’s been.Read more