We started our walk at 8:00 instead of 9:00, hoping to beat the heat of the day, but we were outpaced by the sun. Through the streets of Sarria and up 50 steps to a patio, Ana gave us an oral history of the various peoples who conquered the Iberian peninsula from the time before the Christian era when tribal indigenous Celt-like people lived in Galicia to the present day with its more or less politically autonomous regions. From Sarria with an elevation of about 430 meters above sea level to Mercado with an elevation of nearly 600 meters we walked 6.35 km, mostly uphill in the cooler part of the day through rolling countryside, classic Galician farm lanes, stone paths, meadows and small hamlets. I prayed along the way for my family, friends and sisters, for our Laudato Si’ commitments for Care for Creation, for the people and land of Galicia, and for my own discernment of what God is calling me to in the next phase of life. The final rise of 100 meters through Peruscallo and Morgade to Ferreriros was very difficult because of the high humidity and temperatures nearing 100 degrees. My 20 year-old Keen hiking boots are working well, and thanks to the walking sticks my feet, knees and hips are pain free. The challenge has been the long inclines in the sun that increase my heart rate and make it difficult to breathe. I had to stop and rest several times because my heart rate spiked and I felt faint. I rested and drank water, and prayed, then continued on. I arriving at our picnic after nearly six hours on the Camino. I set a personal record of 25,065 steps, 10.8 miles in one day. I climbed 64 flights and descended 34. After three hours siesta we rode into Samos to visit the Benedictine Monastery, attend Mass and have a fabulous Galician dinner in town.
