Saturday, April 28 - from the city of Sarria in Galicia

I mentioned in my last post that on Wednesday we made it to the Cross of Iron, a cross on the highest point on the Camino - about 5000 ft hight - where pilgrims leave a rock and other momentos from their home country.  It was so cold and rainy on that day.  Upon leaving there, we made it to the village of Acebo where it seemed like every pilgrim on the road that day was seeking refuge and something hot to drink.  Lyons, Claudia and I hot some hot coffee and some good laughs before we headed back out on the road for our destination that evening, the village of Molinaseca, making it about 25 km we had gone that day. At dinner that night, Hallie, one of the ladies in our group, decided she would become a priest after being on pilgrimage here in Spain.  We had a good laugh about that around the dinner table. 

The next day, Lyons and I walked about 35 km most of the way up the most grueling climb of the pilgrimage up the mountains.  We spent the night in the village of La Faba where the German volunteers who run the rest site provided us a warm place to spend the night and welcomed us with a warm cup of herbal tea - very welcoming indeed.  The views from the mountain hike have been incredible, but the trails have been muddy and slippery and very rocky.  Lyons thought this has been much more difficult than he imagined.  He said that I must have been the head warden at a gulag in my previous lifetime.  All kidding aside, I think that all of us are gaining so much from this challenging and blessed pilgrimage.

We are in Sarria tonight.  Lyons and I met up with the ladies after we went at different paces for the last several days.  It is so nice being with them.  We are celebrating Celia´s birthday today.  Tomorrow we start the last five days of the pilgrimage, as we arrive in Santiago to hug St James on Thursday afternoon.  My prayers go out to everyone.  I feel like I am taking so many people on pilgrimage with me.  We saw a huge group of Stanford University students in Sariia today on the pilgrimage as well.  Buen Camino everyone!