Camino Day 7: Estella to Los Arcos

Date: April 7th, 2022

Distance: 13.4 miles/21.5km

Time: 8:30-3:30 (7 hours)

I woke up from a rejuvenating sleep in our hostel room. (That extra 5 Euros really goes a long way!) Sore all over, but feeling good.

We completed our morning ritual of rolling up sleeping bags, packing our bags, assessing our bodies and blisters & passing around athletic tape, bandages, and ibuprofen.

I loved leaving this friendly town. So many wished us a buen camino– old men drinking their coffees, folks opening up their windows, dog walkers.

Even after a lot of stretching and rubbing the previous evening, my right achilles was still swollen and sore, and it started talking loudly to me during those first few kilometers. I walked at a gentle, slow pace.

Around 9:30am, we arrived at… the wine fountain! It’s part of the Camino tradition to fill your shell & drink the wine from this fountain so that you can arrive to Santiago with strength and vitality. Wine not? It was surprisingly good!

We continued on a beautiful, tree-lined path. I continued my slower pace, feeling ok. Pilgrims passed by, and we’d chat for a bit. You learn where someone is from and their life story before even asking their name.

I sat outside for lunch and sipped a cafe con leche and ate a potato, pepper and onion tortilla. I elevated my leg for a bit and enjoyed a short reunion with the gals before we dispersed on the path at our own paces.

The hardest part is starting again after a rest. My right achilles was fucking killing me. Under normal human/life circumstances, I wouldn’t “push myself” or overexert it, but this the Camino, I had a solid 5.5miles/9km to go. How do you wrap your mind around going that far when every step hurts? I took one tiny step time at a time, going ever so slowly. A few tears were shed. Stamina soaring to new heights.

I turned on my tunes. At some point I settled into a little bit faster pace. I don’t think the pain went away, but after a while you don’t notice it anymore. Eventually I caught up with 2 of the gals, and we walked the last few kilometers together into town.

The Los Arcos sign was a welcome sight. And so were the baby goats.

Hot shower. Ice on the achilles. Legs up the wall. Journal. Albergue dinner (salad, lentils, chorizo, bread).

Celebrating one week on the Camino! Feels like weeks.

Tomorrow will be the longest day yet- around 30km.

It’s 10:42pm now. Waking up at 6am to get an early start on the day.

Let’s see how it goes!