My legs are tired. Everything else is doing well. My feet, my knees, my back, even my head, everything is holding up, but, my legs are tired…and sore. The consequence is I don’t walk as quickly as I used to. Twenty miles yesterday took a long time with me strolling along.
I keep telling myself to pick up the pace, then, notice an hour has gone by and it’s been a two mile an hour pace:(. My trail name on the PCT was Tortuga because I was so slow, if they had trail names here I believe “Snail” would be more appropriate.
In Laredo today I walked by the 13th Century Catholic Church (Iglesia de Santa Maria) just as church was getting out. Many of the churches are locked and you can’t go inside, so I was able to go inside this time as many were still mulling around.
I went into the furthest back pew, on the end, closed my eyes, did some of my relaxing exercises, listened to the sounds, taking in the unique smells, clearing my head…I don’t think I fell asleep, but I was very relaxed. They sent the cutest little girl, about ten years old, to nudge me and tell me I had to leave. Her parents were the ones responsible to lock up. It was a feel good moment walking out of this massive, empty church with this family as they locked up…there were lots of grins and smiles.
A while later I rode the ferry across the bay from Laredo to Santoña, where they once had another Santa Maria Church. It’s the town where, quite a while ago, they built a ship that Columbus used, not surprisingly, the Santa Maria.
Some days are just trudging, some are thinking a lot by walking alone, some meeting new people, some are hard, some are easy, some are emotional, some happy, some sad. Today seemed to combine them all. I ended it by staying in a hotel in Noja, a comfortable resort type town. A little bit of spoiling myself.
I’m glad I’m on this journey, but, my legs are really mad at me.
