Speedy

The beat goes on



Today I walked 16 grueling miles from Portomarin to Palas de Rei.
I'm currently sitting in my albergue enjoying a terracotta rooftop view, eating an orange and a bag of potato chips while I rest my weary legs and sore feet.

View from my albergue in Palas de Rei


View walking out of Portomarin this morning


I left this morning at 8:30am and set off at a quick pace. I had read the night before that the walk today was mostly uphill and difficult. I wanted to get into a steady rhythm right away. I very quickly made a new friend this morning who made small talk with me and we passed the first 5 miles easily and in conversation. She was from Philly and was a professional development coach. But eventually she needed rest and food and I wanted to keep going. We said goodbye and I pushed ahead.


Victory after traversing several mountains -see in background



I started to notice that I was passing everyone. People seemed especially slow or in no big hurry and I was breezing by them at a steady clip. When I would pass, I would say, "Buen Camino!" and several times I was met with the response of "Hey, are you Speedy? We've heard about you!" This is when I learned that I'd been given a trail name for the Camino: Speedy. It started yesterday when I was talking with a few folks at my albergue who noticed we'd been staying in the same places over the last couple of days. They were confused though because they said "How is it that you are just waking up and getting breakfast when we are already showered, dressed, fed, and heading out for the day -- that a couple hours into our trek, you blow by us and beat us to the next albergue by a few hours?" They started calling me Speedy and I guess it has now caught on as a few people I've never seen or met before have said "Hey, you must be Speedy!" So from now until I reach Santiago, I will be known as Speedy. No one will use my real name anymore. I'm sure of it.

Speedy stopping for a photo

Being Speedy allows me to leave hoards of pilgrims in my wake so I can enjoy some trail time alone and in solitude


The walk today was longer and more difficult than yesterday because it was mostly uphill, further, and very boring. There were no quaint villages and very little scenery. It was just a lot of woods, walking along busy roads, and passing fields and farmland. The miles were hard and the mind didn't have a lot to occupy itself. I thought this would give me time to think and reflect but I found myself mostly just tucking into my rhythm/pace, keeping my head down, and getting myself into a trance where my mind was completely blank and focused on my footsteps.




I was completely depleted and void of any energy when I walked into the town of Palas de Rei. I checked into my albergue, took a shower and a handful of ibuprofen, and hand washed my clothes in the sink. I've spent the majority of my afternoon eating snacks and putting my feet up. But I think I've earned it!

A priest stamped my pilgrim's passport in this church




I keep seeing these on farms -one was definitely a chicken coop. The rest, I'm not sure.


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