The day started out bad as we looked out the window and only saw fog. The forecast called for rain but we were hoping it was wrong. From Melide the Camino Primitivo meets up with the Camino Frances, the most popular of the routes. We saw tons of people walking out of town as we sat for a coffee before joining them. Huge tour groups filled the trail and once you overcame one, a bus would show up with 30 more. Most of them had no trail etiquette and took up the entire width, even blocking bikes from passing. It was annoying and we longed for our solitary days on the primitivo. Just when we passed the next large group, the fog turned into rain and we were forced to stop to put on our rain gear. The path was sloped and covered in water giving me anxiety about falling again. After a couple hours of rain we reached a cafe and escaped for a hot meal. No part of me wanted to walk back out in the rain. I whined but my Mom was unwavering and we headed back out. The wind had picked up, freezing our wet clothes. I regretted getting out of bed that morning.
The rain let up a bit and before long a small patch of blue sky opened up above us. We moved quickly all day, trying to get away from the crowds. Finally the trail seemed peaceful again and the sun warmed us through the clouds. Late in the day we stopped at a cafe for an afternoon beer to push the last few miles. It was another long mileage day so we popped in some music to take our minds off of the pain. As we continued down the trail, I tried to take it all in. Remembering that, though it hurt, this was a once in a lifetime experience that I get to share with my best friend. The last half mile I was sure I couldn't make it. Stepping on a spikey ball with my good foot didn't help. We stumbled into our place and tried to recover with hot showers. We stuffed ourselves with our first pilgrims dinner which includes 2 entrees, a dessert, and an entire bottle of wine EACH for 12 euros. We rolled into our beds, exhausted.
Stats
Melide - Salceda
Miles: 15.4
Steps: 36,416