12.4 miles today. We left the beautiful city of Burgos with its magnificent Cathedral, and faced the next chsllenge…THE MESETA!
We have heard stories about this area – 4 days of flatland, straight path with nothing but wheat fields, sparsely populated with no shade. It sounds quite threatening, especially since we’re expecting a heat wave starting tomorrow. It’s crazy – the sun is intense, but so is the shade. We found this “oasis” where we found a pump fountain with ice cold water. We soaked our heads and hats and set off again.
Lord, be my shade. Lord, be my shade. Lord, be my shade.
We decided today that we will take on this challenge with a positive attitude. We are prepared, and have everything we could need. We hear that the Meseta can be extremely boring and consequently, psychologically exhausting. I’ve assured my companions, if “Meseta Madness” begins to set in, I will get out my Ipod and listen to ICC presentations or Linguistics podcasts. But at this point, we are ready! Bring it on, baby!
Lord be my shade. Lord, be my shade. Lord, be my shade.
Now THAT is FLAT! We actually finished the “short” day with a nice breeze and have dormitory lodging tonight – super cheap. We will enjoy a community pilgrim meal later tonight and get an early start in the morning.
Lord, be my shade. Lord, be my shade. Lord, be my shade.
This is the classic “pilgrim tan.” The backs of our legs are super tan! Think about it! We are walking WEST – sun always at our backs!
More constants: 3+ liters of water consumed per day, frequent sunscreen application (yes, even me!), hat wearing (even me!), daily foot maintenance, the “pilgrim shuffle” (the way we all walk with tender toes), the occasional silly songs, multicultural pilgrim fellowship (this is a linguistic adventure for me) and generous hospitality and support from the Spanish people.
Late Edition:
Our paella and pilgrim meal…
Buenas noches…