As I continue to make my way westward, the mountains are further and further behind me. There’s still some gentle rolling hills that provide a nice challenge, particularly late in the day, but the landscape is becoming more wide planes and lots of vineyards. the mornings are cool enough that I even need to put on a jacket for the first few hours of hiking. One thing that I’m doing differently this Camino is that I am leaving much earlier each morning. While I’m not a morning person at all, I do particularly enjoy getting to my destination by the early afternoon.

Last night I ate some delicious vegetable paella in a little bar while watching the World Cup. Tonight I met my friends, Stephanie and Anthony, for a burger right by the river here in Nájera.

I’ve noticed one peculiar thing about the days and the mileage. Sometimes the longer mileage days feel like less of a burden than the shorter mileage days. I don’t know if it is because I’m mentally preparing myself for a longer day, or if on certain days like today, I happen to be carrying a lot more internal worry, which honestly tires me out more than the actual 15 pound backpack, and all of the kilometers walked. There’s a lesson in there somewhere about how our internal state can impact how we feel as much as, or more, than our physical circumstances do.