Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Today was our most ambitious day of hiking yet: over 34 km, almost 22 miles.
We decided to get out early by waking up at 5am instead of the usual 6am. The kids did a good job of packing, and we were out before first light.
The first section from Hospital includes one last steep uphill to get to the Alto de Poio. I was really struggling during that part. I just felt tired, and River felt very heavy.
But at the top of the Alto there is a perfectly placed bar where we were able to stop and get some hot chocolate and pastries, and it helped me to get on track.
The sunrise was absolutely breathtaking. These high mountain valleys fill up with clouds, and looking down on them I feel on top of the world.
After that, I felt much better, and the hiking went well.
Most of the rest of the day was a long descent, but we did have one more long ascent right after Triacastela.
It was all good, but it was also definitely a challenge. We were on our feet hiking for right around 12 hours. The kids did a great job, and we spent most of the day hiking by ourselves. It gave us lots of time to chat. It was a long, hard day, but I’m really grateful. The kids did an awesome job.
I’m also happy to be in Sarria. It’s the town where you have to start if you are on this Camino and want to walk far enough to receive the official pilgrim certificate in Santiago. So there is a huge influx of pilgrims here. They all look clean and geared up and excited to start. We call them “Sarrigrinos,” and they are really fun to see.
I’m starting to feel the pressure of the end. We have just over 100 km (60 miles), left, so I need to make a plan, but I worry about jumping the gun and running the risk of not finishing well.
I guess we will just do the best we can.
