Well, given that I could barely walk yesterday, it is practically a miracle that I actually made it hiking to Zambujera do Mar. I really wasn’t sure if I could do it. Yes, I know that I doubted my resilience every single day of the Camino, but this was different. I truly didn’t know if I was capable and I seriously questioned whether even attempting it was wise. When some local people in Odeceixe saw me hobbling along and wincing just to step down on the curb…they told me that walking to Zambujera today was impossible, totally out of the question. Others told me it was ridiculous to even consider it. At one point, I told a man that I would at least try and if I really couldn’t do it, I could turn back. He said, “Well then we will see you again tomorrow”.
I did take a couple precautionary measures to give myself support and acknowledge my limitations. First, I found and bought a walking stick to help me with any downhill I might need help with. Then I rubbed my knee with ibuprofen cream and put on the knee brace before bed so I wouldn’t hurt it in my sleep (although I didn’t sleep much). I did the same in the morning and then headed out. The first 5k were a bad sign…it was easy road walking and I was limping and slow. But, it wasn’t a deal breaker, so I kept going.
Then there was the rocky uphill climb to the top of the cliffs, hard work, but uphill doesn’t bother the knee much. So far so good. Then there was a long meandering walk through sand at the top of the cliffs. Sand walking is always hard, but it didn’t bother my knee. The walk was spectacularly beautiful. The coastline reminded me of Big Sur, but the vegetation was very different.
Then came the crazy steep and rocky descent down into a ravine. SHIT!! I had come so far and the knee was feeling ok and I decided to go for it…slowly and carefully. I said, “go as slow as you need to go not to fall or hurt yourself, that all you gotta do, get to the bottom one little step at a time.” And that is exactly what I did.
Rinse and repeat that description about 4 more times over 18k, and you have the hike I did today. I made it, it took me 8 hours, but I did it.
I only got lost once…but more due to denial. See, there was a drop off cliff thing that I kinda knew was where I was supposed to go, and there was this nice sandy roadlike path that looked so…nice. I glanced around for the waymarkers and didn’t see any. I knew I should go look by the cliff, but I wanted it to be the road so badly that I told myself it was the road.
It wasn’t the road.
I ended up doing a few extra kilometers in my desire for it to be the way…but I ended up on a farm. So I turned back and retraced my steps back to the cliff. Sure enough, just over what looks like a sheer drop off is a tiny little goat trail with a waymarker…😣 over the stupid cliff I went…slowly and painfully, one step at a time until I got to the bottom.
So, the knee seems ok, now tomorrow’s special challenge: 22k with a still iffy knee and now an interesting and painful array of blisters on my other foot ( I think limping for 18k made my foot rub in new places).
