Stage 22 – the day I came closest to quitting.

Start: 6:10, 15 ºC, suprise surprise…

End: 16:15

Distance: 32/538.9 Km

Stayed at: Hostel Rural La Casa del Peregrino

OST: Vento d’estate

Today’s stage almost broke me.

As mentioned, I had grown overconfident – I was definitely in better physical shape, but that doesn’t mean I was not getting tired at the end of the day.

The catch? When tired, I never had to deal with the consequences of my tiredness, so it didn’t really matter.

Today, it did. Big time.

The day started without any surprise – just a matter of putting one foot in front of the other.

After La Meseta, we are now approaching the region of Galicia, for the final “third” of Camino Frances.

Today’s stage includes the “Iron Cross”.

Monument?

Landmark?

Pile of trash?

Uhm.

This spot should have been a wake-up call. There was a group of loud Brazilians next to the cross. Their noise was unbearable.

Well, it was not a rave party. They were just chatting.
I was tired. And this is important, because I had been walking for more than 7 hours at that point – it was early afternoon already.

And the sky looked like this.

I didn’t pay attention.

Forging ahead, I managed to get to Manjarin, where the famed Tomas, last Knight Templar, resides.
Or Resided.

Allegendly, Tomas had some health problems a couple of years ago, and his family had asked him to abandon his solo-run albergue, to move closer to “home”.

I am not sure what the true story is, but Tomas was there!
I only managed to say “hello”, I didn’t want to disturb him – and stealing a picture was not polite.

So, this is what I got.

After “catching” Tomas, I felt triumphant. I was less than 2 hours from the end of my stage, I felt optimistic.

How wrong I was.

HAIL. The strongest hailstorm I ever experienced.

The random hailstorm turned the path into a river of ice and mud.

Running for cover under a hailstorm, I ended up knee-deep into icy water.

Plot twist: the ice reset my feet.

Ready to quit, with 2% of phone battery left – and much less in my “spiritual battery”, I found hidden strength I forgot I had.

In the middle of desperation, I started running.

I managed to make it to El Acebo just in time to snatch the last slice of tortilla, before the bar closed.

On this day in particular, having a private room proved to be game changing – I needed that hot bath.

Next stage: Stage 23: El Acebo – Ponferrada