León → Hospital de Órbigo
Distance: 22.6 miles / 36km
Elevation: +677ft, -711ft
I woke up at 5:30am this morning when my alarm went off - I had woken up a few times throughout the night when people were going in and out of the room, but fell back asleep pretty quick each time. I got up, grabbed all my things, and packed everything up in the hallway so I didn’t wake up everyone else sleeping. I got ready for the day and was out the door by around 6:20am!
I had to stop at my friend Merel's hostel because I was shipping my bag ahead today - I didn't really want to carry it 22 miles in almost 100 degree weather. However, the hostel I’m staying at only has access through your phone, and there is no staff there - there would’ve been no way for the transport service to pick up my bag, which is why I left it at her albergue! I got there at 6:30am, and we refilled our waters and did final checks before we started walking for the day. It was nice walking with Merel in the morning! It was still pretty cool out, and she was navigating us out of León, so I didn’t have to worry about where I was walking. It was really nice to chat and get to know her better.
After about 4 miles, we got to the first town called the La Virgin del Camino. It was a nice town to stop in and have breakfast. I got a tortilla and a café con leche, and Merel got a tortilla and a cup of tea. After the town of the Virgin del Camino, the route split for the day, and you could either walk a shorter path along the road, or you could walk a slightly longer scenic route. I (and many others) decided to walk the scenic route, because many people had told me that the route by the road was awful and it was the worst day of their entire Camino so I decided not to do that. The only downside was that it made today a 36 km day or about 22.5 miles.
Merel and I walked along the scenic route for a few hours together, and at about the 10 mile mark, we got to a town with a café. It was a little off of the route but we went and stopped and it was a great decision. They had freshly squeezed orange juice, and I also got a slice of cake. It was a little dry and more like a sweet bread, but it was good to stop, stretch my feet, and get something to eat. Merel got a spicy tortilla, which I wish I had gotten.
While we were at the café, we ran into Mark and Westin (from Arizona), who also arrived a bit after us. We all sat and ate and relaxed for a bit. After our break, me, Merel, Mark, and Westin all walked together for a stretch. It was nice to walk with a group, and we chatted about a number of things. At some points, it was Merel and I walking together, and Weston and Mark walking together. Other points, it was Westin and I walking together and Merel and Mark together. And then for a longer stretch, it was Mark and I walking together while Merel and Westin were ahead. It was nice to get to know each of them individually.
Eventually, we got to the town that was the “halfway” town for the day, but we had already gone over halfway by a few miles. There, we refilled water and each got an ice cream and we all sat on the curb outside the grocery store and ate our ice creams together. After that, we kept walking and it was really starting to get really hot out.
Mark and I walked together for the most part, and chatted about various things, including revelations and things we realized about ourselves in our lives throughout the Camino, and I talked to him quite a bit about missing Tovin. Eventually, we got to the last town before Hospital de Órbigo where we’re all spending the night, and I stopped and sat at a picnic table to rest. Everyone else stopped at a cafe, but I just wanted to get to the hostel and shower, so I kept going and walked the last hour so on my own. Although it was hot and I was tired, it was nice to walk on my own for the last two or so miles. I’d really enjoyed walking with everyone today, but it was nice to get some time alone and to recharge and get some solo time.
I was a little nervous going into today, because I knew it was going to be the hottest and longest day of walking yet on the Camino, and also ever in my life. But without having to carry my pack, it felt very doable. It helped that Merel and I had bonded earlier about both going to Hospital de Órbigo, and today also being the first day that either of us have shipped our bags ahead. I also found out that she worked in a HR so we bonded about that! But we just kept saying to each other, “I see why people shipped their bags ahead every day now, this is so freeing. I feel like I could skip into town without carrying all that weight on my back!”
Before long, I walked into Puente de Órbigo, which is only about half a kilometer before Hospital de Órbigo. I got to my hostel and no one was there and I was a little bit confused about the check process, but turns out they check in at the other hostel across the street from it, so I went there and checked in, and the found myself in a four bunk room. I was the first one in there, so I unpacked my things a bit, grabbed my pack that I shipped ahead today, and then showered and laid down to rest.
After walking so long today, it was so nice to sit and not have to worry about having to walk much more (for long). After awhile, I got a text that all the others were at an albergue about a five minute walk away. I would’ve stayed with them if I hadn’t already pre-booked and paid at my albergue. They had some snacks, so I walked over and had some bread, hummus, potato chips, wine and cucumber slices with them. I hadn’t eaten since about 10am this morning (other than an ice cream bar) so it was very nice to get some food in me.
Their albergue is much nicer than mine, and made me really wish I would've chosen to stay with them instead. It has three dogs that roam around, and two cats! One of the cats was an absolute menace, and was dead set on getting the food that was on the table. One of us always had to be holding onto the cat for dear life, otherwise it would go hop on the table and try and eat all the food!
After we ate, we chatted and talked for a bit longer, I pet the dogs and cats some more, and then headed back to my albergue. I had about 30 minutes before the communal dinner at my hostel started, so I sat and just relaxed and took some time to unwind from the day. At 7pm, I went across the street to go to the dinner. I met a bunch of new people, including a couple and their son from Australia, a woman who has lived all over the world but is primarily from Australia, a man from Switzerland, two guys from Ireland, a guy from Germany. and a guy from Italy. It was nice to get to know everyone, and although I was feeling very tired and worn out from the day, it was nice to have a communal meal.
We had a lot of fun conversations, although because I was the only American at the table, they were dogging on me a lot - but we talked about a number of things, including a Balinese type of coffee named Cat-poo-chino, which is apparently when they feed cats coffee beans, and then they poop the coffee beans out, and then you wash the coffee beans. It’s apparently the best coffee that some of these people have ever had. It gave me some ideas for projects with Phoebe and Pippin when I get home!
After dinner, I went back up to my room. I thought someone else would come and occupy one of the four other beds at some point, but no one ever did so I get a private room to myself for the night which is very very nice! I got ready for bed, worked on my journal and then got into bed. I’m not sure yet where I’m going tomorrow.
I looked at my fitness app at the end of the day, and saw that I took 50,000+ steps today, and about 25 miles - the most I’ve ever walked in a day in my life! Even though today was long and hot, it felt very doable, and at the end of the day I felt like I could’ve walked another 3 miles. Of course once I sat down, I immediately stopped feeling that way. I’m very proud of myself for making it through the day though and I’m glad I did the scenic route that wasn’t next to the road.
I’m absolutely wiped out from today, and it is going to be so nice to be able to wake-up on my own terms tomorrow, without anyone else’s snoring or anyone else’s alarms. Although today was a very long tiring day, and I have some chafing and some uncomfortable spots after the long hot walk, it was still a great day and a much better walk than the past few days through the Meseta. I feel bad that Tovin joined me during the worst, most boring part of the Camino.
I really can’t believe that there’s only less than two weeks left of this hike, even though the Camino has been long and difficult up to this point. I can’t believe I’m over halfway, and that I have pushed myself in ways that I never have before, and that it’s been so so rewarding Although they were stretches of this trip where I was telling myself I’m never doing the Camino again, or even going on a long walk again.
So I guess, why did I choose to do this? Physically, this is horrible to look back on it - and yet, it has all been a wonderful and meaningful experience, and I think I would do it again in a heartbeat. I’m excited for tomorrow, and also feeling bittersweet that the days are counting down at this point. Only 282km left to walk.
