10/21/2019, 12:00 After 465km (about 290 miles), we’ve taken another rest day in León, Spain. Yesterday, Fr. Tony and I took the bus the last 10 miles into León because we were sick and tired of being wet and tired. The rain appears to have abated for now and the weather forecast for the rest of the month calls for …
October 17 – 18, 2019
10/17/2019, 16:00 Halftime. Just before we arrived in Sahagún, we crossed the “geographic center” or halfway point in the Camino Frances. We have walked about 250 miles, roughly the distance from Kansas City to St. Louis. The remaining distance to Santiago is the USA equivalent of continuing on to Indianapolis, Indiana. At the Ermita de la Peregrina, we each received …
October 16, 2019
0/16/2019, 14:00 Walking in a 30- to 40-mph wind is VERY tiring!! For the last three days we have experienced such winds, coupled with a mostly overcast sky and temperatures in the upper 40s to low 50s. Walking up to 16 miles in a day in those conditions made for a trial of bone-chilling cold but we had tremendous gratitude for the hot shower …
October 14, 2019
10/14/2019, 16:00 I just woke up from an hour-long nap! I’m sitting in an exquisitely comfortable chair in front of a blazing fireplace, listening to classical music. And I feel wonderful! All around me are pilgrims lounging in the sitting room in our albergue in Boadilla Del Camino. Some are writing in their journals, others are reading (real paper books!) …
October 13, 2019
10/13/2019, 06:00 I must start with a point of clarification: In the last picture of yesterday’s post, I displayed a photo of a statue of Jesus being scourged at the pillar which is in the Burgos Cathedral. I gave the incorrect impression that this statue was related to the Spanish national holiday on October 12, which coincides with the feast …
October 12, 2019
10/12/2019, 15:00 How old is too old and how young is too young? “Age is a matter of perspective.” “You’re only as old as you feel.” And my favorite gem is from Charles Schultz and quite appropriate when traversing the mountains and hills of the Camino: “Just remember, when you’re over the hill, you begin to pick up speed.“ On …
October 8-9, 2019
10/09/2019, 16:00 Today we experienced rain for the first time on our Camino. It rained (but it didn’t) the whole day while we walked the 14 miles from Tosantos to Agés. The air was saturated with moisture, visibility was greatly reduced and, for the first time on the Camino, I felt cold; but it really didn’t rain. After a …
October 7, 2019
10/6/2019,20:15 It’s harvest time in La Rioja! Throughout the last few days, we have witnessed firsthand the frenetic activity of the harvest in the seemingly endless vineyards that we have walked through in La Rioja. Workers use “corquetes” (curved knives) to cut a bunch of grapes from the vine, place it in a bushel basket, which is then placed in …
October 5- 6, 2019
10/5/2019, 19:00 Last evening in Logroño we had a most enjoyable time. After Mass at the Cathedral, at which Fr. Tony concelebrated, we had a mini-reunion of our original Camino family. Kate (UK) and Brian (Ireland), who were two days ahead of us, came back to the transportation hub of Logroño to catch a bus on their return home. (Many …
October 4, 2019
10/4/2019, 09:00: Today is the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, who, 805 years ago, walked the very same Camino that we are walking today. I was reminded of that fact as I prayed the concluding prayer in Morning Prayer while literally walking in his footsteps along the Way: Father, you helped Saint Francis to reflect the image of Christ …