Villaviciosa | Vulnerable - Day 105

La Isla takes its name from the little island in the bay of the tiny town. The sun is just starting to warm the cold night sky when I leave around 7 am.

Day 20 takes me from La Isla to Villaviciosa. The stage is approximately 22 km (14 mi) and has a few climbs, the biggest of which is near Preisca at 180 m (590 ft). 

When I pass this field, I disturb an Iberian Red Deer doe who trots off behind the small building. This is the first deer I have seen on the Camino, despite passing several signs along the highways warning of their presence. About 5 minutes later, I pass a Grey Heron in an apple orchard. A strange place to see this beautiful bird that resembles the Great Blue Heron from North America. I am enjoying the start of the day and feel grounded because of all the wildlife sightings I've had recently.

Around 830 am, I arrive in the next town, Colunga. I am glad I stopped in La Isla near the beach. It was a relaxing day. Colunga is a lovely town, but there are no albergues for Peregrinos here. The cost of staying here is more than twice the 20 euros I paid in La Isla. Of course, my dinner might have been a little better than last night. For an additional 8 euros, the Albergue served us fish sticks (4 per person) and all-you-can-eat french fries. The big German german guy at the end of the table kept ordering more fries to go with his wine. I think for a table of 8, we had 6 more plates of fries on top of what was served with the fish sticks. I laugh when I think about it this morning. I was grateful to not go to bed hungry, but I must say undoubtedly it was the worst meal I have had for 8 euros. 

This odd-looking building draws my attention as I leave town. It is decorated in pastels and has strange decorations on top that resemble a crown. It is not like anything I have seen before.

I'm feeling alright this morning. My knee doesn't feel too bad, but the long day on the pavement isn't going to help me. I know that hiking boots are not great for walking on pavement. Additionally, my boots are nearing the end of their life. I have been adding up the kilometers (miles) in my head over the last few days. Since March, I have easily walked > 700+ km (450+ mi) in boots. I hope they will make it to Gijón, where I can replace them with a lighter, more cushioned trail running shoe.

As I pass these small fires on the hillside this morning, I wave to another Peregrino. A young lady with a white ball cap. She is sitting in the sun eating, just off the trail.

This region of Spain has an abundance of small altar buildings adjacent to the roads I travel. Most of them are locked like this one. Inside they contain various items such as candles, crosses, and rosaries. I don't know much about them but enjoy seeing them. What I find interesting is that only the metal grate moves. Meaning there is no traditional door. An individual must climb over the small wall to get into the altar.

Around noon, I finally stop for the morning at a cafe near the top of the climb. The cafe is closed, but Peregrinos are everywhere. I take my boots and socks off, grab a Powerade from the vending machine, and relax. Celine joins me shortly after. I use my leisure time to lie in the street with my legs up against the wall. It feels good to take the pressure off my legs and feet. As I lay there, I meditate and feel my legs relax. I love finding simple places to relax, curbs, or in the street. It doesn't matter. The sculpture of the iron Pergerino with the rusty dog is amusing. 

I can see Muslera off in the distance, near the ocean. I am pretty tired from the morning trek, and my left knee bothers me more than usual. In addition, I am struggling with my first couple of ribs on the left side. When my body is tired and has had enough of my pack, it becomes harder to keep those ribs in place. 

As we descend into Villaviciosa, that Peregrino with the white hat that I waved to earlier catches up to Celine and me. It's a young French girl. We chat with her for a bit before she parts, heading in a different direction to her Albergue. I tell Celine I am looking forward to Gijón and a rest day. My body needs a day off, and I don't know how long it will take me to find new shoes. I don't think I can do all this in one afternoon when we reach the city tomorrow. Then a moment of silence. "Mon corps me dit de continuer. [My body is telling me to continue]," she says.

I shake my head, yes. We both understand that we have been walking together for nearly three weeks, and we just acknowledged that our paths will diverge in a couple of days. This time, it feels different than when I chose to go my own Way in Oriñón nearly 10 days ago. I plan to take a zero day (no kilometers [miles] for the day). This guarantees that I will be behind. This time I am not sure if our paths will cross again. 

When I arrive in Villaviciosa, I tell Celine I'll meet her at a cafe in town and stop at a Farmacia to buy a compression sleeve for my knee. It won't hurt to wear one and the 4 euros it cost me is money well spent. After rejoining Celine and having a Spanish Clara (i.e., Shandy - 50-50 beer and lemonade mix). We head to the hostel. Tomorrow is a 31+ km (19+ mi) day. I think it would be wise to transfer my bag to Gijón, so I can take the stress off my leg.

When I get to the Albergue, I feel vulnerable and make time to feel the sadness that it brings. My knee is weaker than I want it to be. My friends are finding their own Way. Consequently, I feel isolated, fragile, and disappointed. This is me at this moment. It doesn't make sense, but I lean into the discomfort and let it consume me. I know this, too, shall pass if I let it surface. When it does pass, my head is clear, my heart is strong, and my body looks forward to what lies ahead. 

Around 330 pm, I ask Celine if she wants to grab something to eat and take advantage of the Menu del Dia (Daily Menu). I've learned that the Menu del Dia is only served till 4 pm, but it is inexpensive and usually very good. The Spanish restaurants close after 4 pm for siesta and don't re-open them at 830 pm for dinner. Dinner is usually more expensive, so I try to take advantage of the Menu del Dia if possible. As I near the restaurant, I encounter an American Peregrino from Florida. He is retired and looking for Albergue. 

Downtown Villaviciosa, right near the Albergue.

It's only about 50 m ahead, but I am staying at the other one that is around the corner. "My name is Jeff, and I think I am at the close Albergue. You don't mind indulging me?" he says as he reaches into his pocket for his phone and reservation. Jeff seems like a pleasant fellow. After a brief chat, we part ways. About 2 hours later, I decided to head down to the lobby to ask about transferring my bag. At the counter is a cleaned-up Jeff that I hardly recognized. "My wife, Kim, knows all about it. I'll have her fill you in, so you don't have any problems.," he says. I really appreciate the help.

A few hours later, I find Jeff and Kim in the lobby planning their route for tomorrow. They decided it would be best to take the bus to Gijón and rest for a few days. I pause for a second. My heart tells me it wants to walk, and my body says if we ditch the weight, we can do it. So, I tell Jeff and Kim that I plan to walk and will send my pack to the next Albergue. "That's smart. You are still young. You won't have any problems," says Jeff. So, Kim tells me what to do and how to create a daily luggage tag. Jeff even shares his duct tape so I can create a handle on the Ziploc bag. "Be sure to make your reservations every day for the next morning before 8 pm, or they won't take your bag," says Kim.

I make it a habit to speak to nearly everyone on the trail these days. I never know who will have something that may help me in the future. Like Jeff, a random encounter helped me immensely with baggage transport. I also find that people enjoy it when I remember them the next time I see them. I no longer wait for people to introduce themselves and try to exchange names early in the conversations. This is one of the reasons why I wear bold colors on the trail. Of course, I like them and feel good when I wear them. Most importantly, these colors help to set me apart from other Peregrinos and it allows other Peregrinos to remember me too.