Adversity Brings Inspiration

Day 20  Mazarife to Astorga

Miles today:  20.7

Elevation gain:  699’

Descent;  704’

Total walking miles:  222.6

Total Camino miles:  337.1

Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure
       – Bob Bitchin

We thought that our day of almost 21 miles was a rather hard day. Please allow me to share a story that put things into proper perspective for us.

Yesterday afternoon we passed a young man, perhaps in his 30’s, just off of the roadside stretched out on a mat with a large backpack lying next to him. He was obviously another pilgrim just taking a break, so we passed with a “Buen Camino” greeting, which he returned in kind. We continued on, thinking little about the encounter.

Twenty minutes later we were sitting in a grassy area along side the Camino where we had stopped for lunch. Suddenly the same man appeared, walking towards us with a severe limp in both legs. It seemed that he was severely disabled and was barely able to walk, supporting himself with his two trekking poles. 

He virtually collapsed onto the ground within a few feet of us, removed a foam sleeping pad from the outside of his pad, unrolled the pad and rolled over onto it, seemingly exhausted. Scot offered him part of an apple, but he declined. We asked where he was from and he replied in German that he spoke no English. That ended the conversation abruptly and it was clear to us that he needed to rest.

Ten minutes later he suddenly aroused and quickly rolled up his pad which he reattached to his pack. He rose, hoisted his oversized pad onto his back, and picked up his trekking poles. I said “auf wiedersehen” (which I hoped meant ‘until we meet again’) and he gave us a big smile and a wave as he departed. 

We were shocked to see him walking normally and quite briskly with no sign of disability or even the slightest limp. We stared, watching him for some time as he strode down the path, and then turned and looked at each other in dismay. What had we just witnessed? Was it just a ruse? We joked that perhaps this was the second miracle of St Scot.

Eventually we finished our lunches and headed down the trail, still dismayed by what we had seen. We passed him once again later in the day as he rested along side the road. We thought no more about it until that evening when we saw him in the bar at the same albergue/hotel at which we were staying. I greeted him with “guten tag” in my limited German (which was incorrect to use in the evening) and he seemed pleased to see us. And he was walking normally!

Late morning today we saw him once again on the trail. He was again lying on the roadside on his pad, apparently in some discomfort. After we had passed I decided that if we saw him again, I would attempt to inquire about his leg problems. He must had passed us again as we were stopped for morning coffee because it was not too much later that we caught up to him as he sat at a roadside picnic table. I stopped ask asked about his legs, mostly with hand gestures and some broken German. I learned that he suffers from Multiple Sclerosis and has good times and bad times, and suffer from acutes attacks. 

Throughout the remainder of the day he sometimes passed us with his fast pace and we often passed him resting on his pad. We walked for some time very near to him. He seemed to be able to walk a half mile at the most before his gait suddenly deteriorated and he was forced to stop. Sometimes he could only go a quarter of a mile before being forced to stop.

The three of us discussed how amazing it was for him to attempt a journey of 500 miles, needing to stop 2-4 times per miles. It was humbling and inspiring at the same time.

He was hiking the same amount today as we were...21 miles. The only word I can think of to describe what he is accomplishing is...WOW!

               Blaze on the left and German hiker on the right

On the practical side, it was our best day of weather so far. Things aren’t projected to change tonight with train tomorrow, then snow and rain the next day as we reach the highest elevation of the Camino. Tonight we are in the city of Astoria, home to the Gaudi Palace and a beautiful cathedral (of course!)

Every day out here is full of unexpected adventures and challenges. I never know what surprises the next day will bring.

A few photos below our hikes yesterday and today.