THAT day

So, it kind of had to happen eventually, right? Just one of those days. Started out with a nagging cough that had kicked in last night. Whacked my right thigh on a guard rail, hard, in the early morning dark. Picked up my second blister walking too fast, too long for the first 10 K en route to breakfast. Then had a pretty nice stretch, took good breaks, but then had to do the last 12 K of a fairly long, 30K day in the heat of the afternoon. Yesterday afternoon I think I described as grueling but not miserable. Today was both!

I know I had to look pretty bad because about two miles before I arrived a local man pushing his bike up the hill in the opposite direction stopped to give me worried looks, pointed to his watch and explained it was very late, pointed out that it’s hot as hell and then told me how sorry he was. I tried to reassure him I was fine, really! Oh my.

To cap it off our albergue today is the first one I have found just plain unpleasant . But! I’m showered, fed, electrolyte-ed and soon I will be sleeping. All really is well.Read more