Day 10 - May 17th: Miriam on the Mountain
Passantes to Villafranca del Bierzo: 29.01 miles / 269 total
I finished last night in Passante, 3 kilometers and one day ahead of plan, feeling really solid. Christine picked me up to bring me back to Samos, where she had secured a simple lodging in the village with two small restaurants flanking a quiet central square.
Samos is known for its impressive Monasterio de San Xulián de Samos, a Benedictine monastery that has been continuously inhabited for over 1,500 years. This small, historic town is the Spain and Camino I remember and love, where lodging is €40 a night for a simple, clean double and a solid restaurant serves a menu del día—or “menu of the day”—which includes an appetizer, main course, dessert, bread, water, and wine for €14. These establishments are almost always owned and operated by a husband and wife, whom you inevitably get to know by the end of the meal.
Doug was curious about days off on a run like this. While my legs have gone from initial soreness to a deeper, persistent ache, I’m reluctant to stop for fear my body will begin a full recovery cycle—and that reboot is much harder. I learned this during the run across America, when every Monday we’d pause so Lucky could go to his chemotherapy appointments. I thought the rest would help, but each Tuesday felt like starting over. So for now, the plan is to go as long as possible without a full day off—until I absolutely need one.
We sleep with the windows open each night as temperatures drop into the 40s. There’s no air-conditioning here, just a gentle breeze. I’m awakened before dawn by birdsong—soft at first, then rising with the light around 6:45 a.m. No breakfast at this simple pension, so I went downstairs at 7 a.m. to the same place where Christina and I had dinner. The owner, a woman, is there doing everything herself and greets me kindly, ready to take my order.
I decided to sideline Jax today after pulling him early the last two days. His blisters are healing, as are mine, but I think the day off will consolidate his recovery and put him in a better position for the long run.
The terrain is changing as we enter a hilly, mountainous part of Galicia. Yesterday’s stage had around 5,000 feet of climbing, and today was no different as I went straight up for 7km until I reached a beautiful mountain pass above the clouds. The trail was rugged and narrow as it snaked across the remote countryside. Pilgrims have thinned out, leaving me alone to the sounds of birds, the wind, and my own thoughts to keep me occupied.
I run into a peaceful, smiling woman coming up the other side of the mountain. Her name is Miriam and she shared her inspirational story with me after which we hugged emotionally and parted ways with the words each of us shares with each other, “buen camino.”
Roughly 500,000 pilgrims travel the Camino de Santiago each year. There is no “typical” traveler, as everyone comes from all over the world—from young to old—to find peace, spirituality, humanness. To get back to nature. To unplug from the intrusive world we live in. You can say hello to anyone. Travel alone and not only feel safe but be open to interactions with strangers.
Somewhere along the steep descent on the rocky trail, I felt soreness on the inside of my left shin. A few days back it was swollen and tender on the outside but it resolved in a day with ice and anti-inflammatory. I stopped all running and walked the rest of the way, 20km to the Paradore that Christina booked for the night. Taking my socks off I touched the area and it is black and blue and the bone is tender to the touch. Time to ice and hope that there is magic from the camino to help with healing.
I appreciate your ongoing support.
Cheers,
David.
