Today’s walk would have been lovely save for one minor detail.  After we arrived yesterday, we did our normal routine of showering and washing the clothes but Melanie felt her right knee was a bit tight and a little painful.  She did the usual, ie., rest, Ibuprofen, compress and elevate but by the time we went to dinner, she couldn’t put any weight on that leg. Fortunately, dinner was just an elevator ride away but, unfortunately, it meant that barring an overnight miracle, she could not walk the stage  today.  It seems that God was busy doing more important miracles elsewhere.

After taping up Melanie’s knee, I set off at 7:45am and Melanie got more rest then some breakfast. She would take a taxi to Melide to meet me at the 15km mark in today’s walk.  Most importantly, we were meeting at Garnacha’s Pulpería, the gastronomic highlight of the Camino. I got there earlier than expected and sat with a Hungarian guy who we have seen almost daily since Pamplona. I kind of accidentally ordered a whole serving of octopus (boiled, sliced, seasoned with salt and paprika, and drizzled with olive oil) as well as a cerveza con limón. I talked my friend into trying the octopus and he loved it too.  Melanie had to wait for her taxi a bit so I had a second beer with lemon soda and thought hard about another order of octopus but I declined. When Melanie did arrive, Mexican Stefan was nearby almost carried her and her bag inside.  Somehow, I wrestled the bag from him but he needed to do his good deed for the day.  Then we shared an order of octopus, cheese and a couple of beers with lemon.  It was okay to have those because Melanie wasn’t walking today and for me, walking while intoxicated is not a crime in Spain.

Before lunch, I was speeding along and I only stopped for one breakfast.  I didn’t want to spoil my appetite.  I also stopped to get my credencial stamped at a church so that the folks in Santiago don’t think I was on a pub crawl with only stamps from bars.  Oh yeah, I forgot I stopped one other time too.  We had walked on one tiny paved road for about 3km without a single car passing by.  I was trying to get up a small hill, so I put my head down and just tried to push way pay up fast, using all my leg strength while also pushing hard on my trekking poles. My head may have been down too long though as I could only see the space between my toes and maybe 2mm ahead. My first clue that something was wrong was when I saw the license plate of the car just in front of me.  Fortunately, the driver had stopped already but in the split second, when my life passed before my eyes, my knees also buckled before i figured out he had stopped.  I apologized profusely but I think he was laughing it off (or laughing at what my my face looked like when I finally saw the car.  No harm, no foul although I think I learned my lesson.

If you think I was walking fast to get to Melide and the octopus, I set a record for those first few kilometers after lunch – I was flying high!  The trail through Melide is not marked well at all but this was my fifth time doing it so I knew exactly where to go.  No other pilgrims seemed to trust me though and they all went different ways at one spot, despite my assuring them I knew the way.  If only I was not slurring my words…

I forgot to mention. Last night the winds were howling all night and that pretty much continues throughout the day.  There were times that I wondered how some smaller pilgrims didn’t get swept off the trail. I know where the rain in Spain fall but I am not as sure yet where the winds in Galicia blow, other than on me..

The last 7km, after the alcohol wore off, was a bit of a slog but I was still walking at a pace of 13-14mins/km. I had forgotten about two steep parts but they welcomed me anyway. I was very excited to see our room for the night while I was still about 600m away.

That’s it for me tonight.  Peace y’all. 

Goodnight George, Leo and Stella