Camino Day 23: Terradillos de los Templarios to Bercianos de Real Camino

Date: April 23rd, 2022

Distance: 24.4km/15 miles

Time: 8 hours (8:30-4:30pm)

I slept well- that was about the one positive thing I could focus on this morning. Otherwise, shit sucked. It was shaping up to be another cold and rainy day. And unfortunately, most of my clothes were still damp from yesterday’s rain. I was kicking myself for not putting it all in a dryer yesterday.

I put on what I had that was still dry. A thermal undershirt, t-shirt, zip up fleece, windbreaker. No scarf, no gloves. No extra warm and cozy sweatshirt layer. The first hour rain free. But oh, it did not stay that way for long.

Our first stop, a place called 2nd bar, WAS cool (as the sign had informed us). My body greatly appreciated the fruit bowl and fresh juice.

It started raining as we left the restaurant, but we trudged on- Chris, Nuno and I.

The wind was blowing so hard my hood wouldn’t stay on. Hair soaked. Feet wet. Pants wet. Hands freezing and balled into fists inside my sleeves. It was the absolute worst. Yet… I had several moments of absolute happiness and bliss. Wind and rain pummeling my face and I couldn’t help but smile… I was here on this path (on the fucking Camino!) in these hilariously shitty conditions with some seriously awesome people.

When it can’t get any worse… sometimes there’s nothing left to do expect laugh. Several times over the last 2 rainy days, I found myself with this urge to just LAUGH. And I did. I talked to several other pilgrims who experienced this as well.

I thought about the people in cars driving past us. Soaking wet pilgrims with raincoats and raincovers flapping in the wind. Walking down the muddy trail. Smiling and laughing. We probably look absolutely crazy.

13 long and cold kilometers later, we made it to Sahagun, which is the HALFWAY point of the Camino!!!! We paid 1 Euro and got the certificate to prove it.

We treated ourselves to lunch at a fancy restaurant with a table cloth, a fireplace smoldering on the television, stewed meat and wine glasses bigger than out heads. A small celebration for our halfway victory.

Still, I was in a mood. So uncomfortably cold and wet. 10km to go. I thought about taking a taxi the rest of the way. Nickie and I went around the corner to buy a couple winter items. Funny how a little winter hat with a poof gave me the hope and will power I needed to finish the day.

The wind showed no mercy those last 10km. We were hunched forward, walking headlong into it. At one point, it was so intense that I turned around and walked backwards, and I was not the only one. The song ‘How Bizarre’ by OMC was playing, and I thought it was a very fitting soundtrack for a bunch of wet pilgrims walking backwards in the wind.

This day was a comical compliation of extreme ups and downs. All day, I was teetering between misery and bliss, agony and the ecstacy. Somewhere in the discomfort, I touched on reserves of determination that keep pushing me forward.

And then… there’s that grand moment where the albergue comes into view, so you push through the foot and blister aches and muster up the last bit of energy before the day’s finish line.

And if you’re really lucky.. the day ends with a pilgrim dinner, fresh laundry, sheets on the bed, a beautiful sunset outside your window, and some Seinfeld. 🙂