The climb up from Rabanal this morning was breathtaking. Rolling green hills as far as the eye can see dotted with wind turbines, wildflowers everywhere, blue sky...the landscape appears to have escaped unscathed from mankind's actions. The camino is a wonderful way to see a very different side of Spain. The tiny mountain villiages I've been staying in make Madrid look like a different country entirely!

Climbing uphill is a workout, but I really don't mind it. In fact, the first 5 miles this morning reminded me of hiking in the Pacific Northwest: battle your way up a steep incline and you'll be rewarded with a hell of a view. It was fun to make the trip with Alex and Owen too, the Irish gentlemen from last night. Go figure: we discussed politics, the separation of church and state (or lack thereof), and gender roles...You know, just the typical lighthearted banter that arises while walking an obscenely long distance in the heat.

The only problem is that what goes up must come down, and the decent today really did a number on my joints. I don't usually have such a fast inflammatory reaction, but my hips, knees, and ankles were screaming at me today around mile 13. The path down from the peak was steep, covered in loose fragments of rock from the eroding hillside, and carved in a bit of a "V" shape from water runoff from mile 7 to mile 15. 

Due to these conditions, I had to be extremely zoned in to the ground in front of me to ensure I didn't break an ankle or tumble down the mountain. The 26 pounds on my back coupled with the task of setting the pace (and pathway) for the two Irish fellows I was hiking with certainly didn't make matters any easier. I made it through the toughest decent, but opted to stop short of my goal location by about 2 miles because my body was yelling at me. When I first turned up at the albergue in this tiny town I was mad, in pain, and feeling a bit ill, but after a shower and a 3 hour nap my body and spirits improved. Also, I'm one of only two people staying here tonight, so I'll be able to catch up on precious sleep. I'm taking it as a silver lining, and I'll just try to make up the lost ground tomorrow...it's much flatter terrain!

Of all of the pilgrims I have interacted with, I've noticed that I'm the only woman traveling the camino alone who is under 30. A group of Spainards tackling the camino by bicycle stopped me because they were taken aback 1) because I was a woman traveling alone, and 2) because I was an American in Spain on the camino. One of them said to me, "I have to give you some credit...Most Americans don't even know where Spain is! They think it's a part of Mexico, just south of their border! And you aren't walking around speaking only English! Good for you."

I was part flattered and part appalled--is this the prevailing opinion in Spain? It reaffirmed that as a traveler, I am also serving as a representation of "Americans in general" as well as a bit of an ambassador for the US. I'm grateful for all of the priviledges that being a woman in America has afforded me, but damn, there are a lot of people I've met from other places around the world on this trip who think we are real asses. Hopefully I can work to challenge that opinion one "buenos dias!" and kind smile at a time.

Wishing you all wellness. Take care of your bodies; listen to them when they yell at you!

Lots of love,
Kels